What are you currently reading ?

Started by goat major, 03 November 2012, 06:40:05 PM

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Steve J

I've started a 'The Pikemen's Lament' campaign recently and I might use some 'fantasy' elements to reflect the hysteria surrounding Salem at the time of the Witch Trials etc. For myself it adds a little bit of fun and some unusual detail. It works for me, which is what really counts, but others may disagree, as is their wont.

Matt J

30 November 2018, 12:19:13 PM #2851 Last Edit: 30 November 2018, 12:59:57 PM by Matt J
I think if it feasibly could have happened with a slight diversion in history then it could be historical - so DAK v DAK, why not, rogue elements throwing their lot with the allies or something. Vikings V Aztecs, why not, they made it north america why not further south.
In fact I kind've like these ideas and alternative history (big fan of The Man in the High Castle).

Mythical creatures has got to be fantasy though.

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Ithoriel

Quote from: Matt J on 30 November 2018, 12:19:13 PM
Mythical creatures has got to be fantasy though.

Bah! Humbaba is real ... we have written evidence ;)
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fsn

I go part the way to Fantasy with Greek and Norse games. I use 25/28mm Gods standing behind a unit to show they have curried a God's pleasure, or incurred the wrath of a Goddess.

I rationalise this by saying "Apollo put strength in their hearts" as "+1 morale", "Artemis guides his aim" = "+2 to hit". They can look quite impressive.

I've never gone full myth though. Might have to browse the catalogue ... y'know ... just to see what's there.
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Westmarcher

Quote from: fsn on 30 November 2018, 02:43:21 PM
I've never gone full myth though. Might have to browse the catalogue ... y'know ... just to see what's there.

Well, good luck, Nobby.   Many have tried but still, to this day, no-one has found ...... the mything link!

Be sure and let us know if you do.
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Steve J

Oh deary me, time to get your coat ;) ;D

Raider4

Quote from: fsn on 30 November 2018, 08:46:16 AM
If I game Ancient Greek myths - with harpies, and centaurs and a cyclops ... all used in their proper mythical context ... is it Fantasy gaming?

There's a can of worms you've just opened . . .

As someone has probably already said, as soon as you throw the first dice you're into fantasy to some extent.

I tend to look at things as to how possible they are/were. There's four 'levels', I reckon:

Possible - e.g. Nazi invasion of Britain - certainly possible but we know it didn't happen. Or cold-war-gone-hot.

Possible, but highly unlikely - aforementioned Vikings vs. Aztecs.

Impossible, but using realistic armies - William's Normans vs. Pompey's Legions? (most likely to be found at an event, I think?)

Complete fantasy - Lizardmen vs. Dwarves, Orcs vs. Elves, etc.

Cheers, M.
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Raider4

Just finished The Battle of Dorking, first in a quick jaunt around 'classics' from the late 19th/early 20th centuries that I've never actually read, and are now in the public domain.

Available free from here.

Actually a good description of the author's experience in the battle, but book-ended by political rants about what's wrong with the country.

Next up, either Riddle of the Sands or The Thirty-Nine Steps I think.

Cheers, M.
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Leman

Having a little rest from walking in my mind. Re-reading Dux Bellorum as a mate has completed his late Roman 28mm force to go up against my 28mm Saxons, who have not had an outing for about four years.
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Terry37

Finished the book on St Ruth and he battle of Aughrim, and what an excellent account, but really encompasses the entire campaign of 1691. Plan to start a small book on Rocroi tonight in preparation for starting my TYW French to smack Bill's (d'Guy") ECW guys around with!!!! Bill the gauntlet has been thrown - dare you pick it up??????

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kipt

Finished the latest Honor Harrington novel, "Uncompromising Honor" by David Weber.

Space Opera, (Honor is the female equivalent of Horatio Hornblower) with this book continuing the fight with the Solarian League, and an outside group, sometimes pretending to be from Manticore, looking to rule it all by playing one side against the other.

Entertaining books.

kipt

Finished "Will to Fight: Analyzing, Modeling, and Simulating the Will to Fight of Military Units" by a team of authors from the Rand Corporation.  This is a study done for the US Military in which the Will to Fight has not been emphasized in the military manuals.  Models are presented here but the interesting part is where the information for simulations has been gathered.

While there are military (government) computer programs, they tend to focus on the hardware and how much of that is in contact.  It seems that the commercial games do a better job of modeling the Will to Fight behavior, be it miniature, board games or computer.  Good for us.  The authors reference Phil Barker, War Games Rules 3000BC to 1485 AD, version 7.5 as well as Close Combat (e.g. Panthers in the Fog and Gateway to Caen) having "some of the most thoughtful commercial will-to-fight systems."

The period looked at is WWII to modern as this is intended to be a stepping stone for the US military to continue to develop a good combat model.

It reads like a technical manual in parts but Chapter 2, "A Model of Will to Fight" was the most interesting to me.  But the book cost $49.95.  Still like it in my library.