I have been going to our local games club (Dice on the Hill) for some time and have been enjoying taking part in a RPG set in Dolmenwood. I have also introduced several fantasy players to wargaming with miniatures, and they have shown an interest in playing some more. The question that confronted me was to find something that I could easily transport to the club and that bridged the gap between fantasy RPGs and miniature wargaming ... and then I saw an advert for Modiphius Entertainment's MYTHIC COMMANDER.
The game comes from the same company that produced AIRFIX BATTLES and costs £16.00 plus postage from the Modiphius website. The game comprises:
- A 40-page Rulebook containing the rules and step-by-step tutorials.
- 7 different fantasy armies with 6 customisable options.
- 6 Scenarios.
- A double-sided folding map used as the game’s battlefield.
- 98 punch-out Game Cards:
- 60 Command Cards
- 36 Spell Cards
- 1 Fortune of War Card
- Round Tracker card.
- 97 punch-out tokens:
- 48 double-sided Unit Tokens
- 35 double-sided Damage Tokens
- 14 double-sided Morale and Retreat Tokens.
Each game is expected to take about an hour to play and is aimed at players who are 14+ years old.
I hope to take it to the club sometime soon to show to the potential players ... and possibly encourage them to give it a try or even buy their own copies.
Bob, that sounded quite interesting until I read the numbers of cards - is the game card-driven like Commands and Colours? - and tokens! Sounds too fiddly. But perhaps your cunning plan is that, after messing about with all those bits and pieces, the players will welcome the simplicity of the fantasy Portable Wargame versions? Certain to succeed!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, Arthur
Arthur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteThe cards can be used to influence game play, rather in the sort of way event cards do in more conventional wargames. It's the sort of thing that seems to appeal to people who have come from a Fantasy background and who are trying what you and I would think of as being normal wargaming for the first time.
The non-Fantasy playing pieces (e.g. Archers, Cavalry etc.) would make a good starting point for a portable version of the Portable Wargame, and the two-sided map is already divided up with a square grid ... so I can use it for staging large battle in a small space.
All the best,
Bob
I hope your introductory game goes well and that you gain some converts to 'normal' wargaming. The reviews I've read this morning online are certainly favourable and I now realise that many of the so-called 'tokens' are actually top-down troop counters, which you and I would prefer to replace by figures. But still too many cards and other tokens for my taste. I look forward to reading your AAR here in due course.
DeleteBest wishes, Arthur
Arthur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteI had hoped to give the game a tryout next week, but I now have a hospital appointment at 5.00pm that day and may miss the club meeting.
The top-down counters have potential for use in normal wargames ... and I'll give the cards a try, even though - like you - I'm not a great loved of them as a game mechanism.
All the best,
Bob
Looks interesting, and the components seem to have potential.
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteI think that it has lots of potential; I just need to find the time to explore them!
All the best,
Bob
I'm keen to hear how you get on with this game Bob.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm quite happy to use tokens like the ones in this game, though I'd prefer figures, but as an introductory wargame, the fact that the figures and scenery need no painting or other preparation is a definite plus.
Maudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteI see it very much as a means to ‘hook’ potential wargamers who are currently heavily into Fantasy … and it cost me not much more than I would have spent if I’d bought two wargame magazines! The unit counters could easily be replaced by figures … and once I’ve ‘hooked’ my potential players, I’d probably do just that.
All the best,
Bob
PS. One of the people I regularly play with brought in his ‘character’ figure last Wednesday. He had spent as many hours painting it as I would have spent painting a pair of ‘Dominion of …’ armies … but I didn’t have the heart to say that.
It's a great game and ideal for small spaces. I've played several games now and loved it. I'm surprised that Modiphius haven't promoted it more widely
ReplyDeleteAlastair,
DeleteThanks for the excellent feedback. From reading the rules and looking at the components, I am also surprised that Modiphius hasn’t made more of it. It seems like very good value to me.
All the best,
Bob