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Old rules for old lead! I'm pretty sure every set of rules has at least one unique feature that may or may not have been lovingly enfolded into later rules sets. So I set this blog up to ruminate on fantasy rules and their evolution over time. Here is my current timeline for published rule sets. Chainmail 1971 Royal Armies of the Hyborian Age and Ringbearer 1975 Swords and Spells 1976 Emerald Tablet and EPT 1977, Perilous Encounters 1978, Knights and Magick 1980 Warhammer Fantasy 1983 The Necromancers Bane and Chaos Wars 1988 There is also something called Archworld but its publication date is just listed as late 70's. ( a listing on Amazon claims a Jan 1977 publication date) Currently these are all stand alone rulebooks, I'd love to know of any magazine articles from the era and fit them into the timeline.
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Interesting information about an early fantasy miniatures game that predates and likely influenced the chainmail fantasy supplement. http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-precursor-to-chainmail-fantasy.html https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavCDLEwvGpqtVKc0-4ygDsBIPf-ZMzZDxKTytRZACLL1DuCuIniG8uzd0nceRr-SU7PHj7jbKZlRCv7rRDVx5YaJP8ZStBAtYDObu4bTGatkOfV6H3Kw2oMu-7bt8N5yQIZYR98djqBA/s1600/mfcag-v28n4-1970-newa-tolkien.jpg https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQan6TtLvXF15viELgyoi-2-FECWFZb6O75sUYoSIszhFiMIo6gs8qO2rXIKWI5wlA8TypwGDOzltQfvzRbcSw6D7rEEz9Ybtftq3LtZJ_2PSSwJVRYDCsqLIG3w39MbLildLqIhTZr0/s1600/patt-tolkien-rules.jpg
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It's certainly taken a while to get back to these musings, but my work schedule was disrupted this week and I had time to read up on some older rules. I bought a copy of Perilous Encounters last year from Nobel Knights. It is basically a D6 combat system where you reference some characteristics and determine what roll you need to beat to score a hit on your opponents forces. Typically either a 4,5, or 6 at the easiest up to just a 6 for the more difficult attacks. While it has a unit structure, the number of attack rolls depends on the number of figures in contact with the defenders and the weapons type. With some longer weapons the 2nd or even the third rank may get to engage as well. I haven't had a chance to try these rules out on the table yet. It seems that they will play something like a slightly looser version of Knights and Magick from Heritage.       What's piqued my interest initially though is the magic system. Spell casters contend for the control o...
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A little more about Perilous Encounters. I've had some time to look at the rules in some more detail and they really are looking like a D6 version of Knights and Magik, at least as far as combat goes. That is definately not a bad think as I use to play a lot of Knights and Magik when I was young. K&M was a product of Heritage. It was playable, but the D6+D10 combat system is a little slow and can be awkward to teach to new players. A straight D6 system could have some advantages. I hope to through a game on the table soon to get a better feel for how it works. I may use a Chaos Wars scenario I have put together and played a few times as a starting point. That would make a pretty good comparison. Also I've done a first read through of the 1975 rules Royal Armies of the Hyborian Age. It seems pretty dreadful and may defy my hypothesis that every set of rules has one good feature in it.
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