Thursday, October 7, 2010

Norman cavalry

Here's a fresh batch of Crusader Normans (or I guess they could work as Crusader crusaders, too). These fellas are on the chunky side, but a joy to paint.


On another note, I've been doing a lot of rules reading while sitting around waiting for soccer or volleyball practice to get over. I'm about halfway through the 212 pages that is Fields of Glory Renaissance. The book itself is beautiful to behold. Hardback, done by Osprey, so it has ll kinds of great art and miniatures with superb graphics. The rules are well laid out with color coded bars done the page to highlight each section and plenty of examples.
That being said, I don't think this will be my rules of choice. I know there are lot of FoG fans out there. Its very Armati to me. 
Things I liked: whole base removal ( I hates pulling single figs). Things I didn't: they tried to cover too much. I know this is a core book, with lots of expansions to spend your money on. You get 2 sample armies in the book (and not from the same period). Six pages is way too long for a "Quick" reference sheet.
I might playtest them, though.
On the other end of the spectrum, I'm reading HAVOC a set of rules for medieval and fantasy battles. Compared to FoG Renaissance's layout and strict structure, HAVOC has almost a zen-like read to it. No charts, no illustrations on how to organize your units or how to wheel or anything like what most rule sets have. That's because you don't need them, dude. That's how the Man keeps you down. That's what the "establishment" wants, man. Sorry, I digress. 
I wil give a fuller report when I finish them.
Tonight: Commands and Colors Fantasy. No, not Battle Lore.

3 comments:

JET (aka Jason) said...

If any miniature company draws me over from 15mm to 28mm Impetus, it will be Crusader. Wonderful paint jobs.

Some of the guys in my group bought the FOG rules shortly after they came out, but for similar reasons as you stated, we never played them.

BaronVonJ said...

I just can't do Impetus. DBA on big bases.
-J

Christopher(aka Axebreaker) said...

Lovely looking mini's.I've played FOG a few times and the overall impression of the rules is dry in my opinion.They are not bad rules or anything,but my tastes run along WAB and such.Anyways,I view FOG as a 15mm game and not in direct competition with WAB which is 25/28mm.
I've read Impetus,but haven't tried it yet.
I hear there is a version of the Black Powder(Warlord)for Ancients and such coming out.

Cheers
Christopher