Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => Genre/Period Discussion => Ancients to Renaissance (3000BC - 1680) => Topic started by: FierceKitty on 10 April 2014, 09:57:07 AM

Title: Omens
Post by: FierceKitty on 10 April 2014, 09:57:07 AM
Does anyone else assign omens a role in battles? Many ancient cultures were deplorably religious.
Title: Re: Omens
Post by: Fenton on 10 April 2014, 10:07:05 AM
I know WAB had then in it

the only game I remember regularly using them in was Fantasy Warriors by Grenadier Miniatures
Title: Re: Omens
Post by: fsn on 10 April 2014, 11:52:26 AM
I have, in the past, used gods as units in Ancient Greek and Viking games. Represented by a larger than life figure, they have stuff they can do - save a hero, kill another, cause a horse to shy that holds up cavalry or something like that.

It comes from reading too much Homer as a lad.

Title: Re: Omens
Post by: FierceKitty on 10 April 2014, 12:18:31 PM
Hmmm, but a different game, that. Very.
Title: Re: Omens
Post by: Orcs on 10 April 2014, 03:06:35 PM
Quote from: FierceKitty on 10 April 2014, 09:57:07 AM
Does anyone else assign omens a role in battles? Many ancient cultures were deplorably religious.

Not any more - It got expensive in goats and chickens :)


Title: Re: Omens
Post by: burnaby64 on 10 April 2014, 04:36:29 PM
It would make sense, given, as you say, the near obsession with omens in the ancient world. How to go about it would involve a number of variables, including the presence of some very flexible seers such as Alexander of Macedon's Aristander (who seemed capable of giving a propitious twist to any 'sign'.) Perhaps the taking of the omens could be introduced using a D10: 2-4-6-8, here's where we haruspicate  :)
Title: Re: Omens
Post by: toxicpixie on 10 April 2014, 08:16:43 PM
WAB uses them for Greeks in place of unit standards (which add a +1 bonus to combat resolution). Instead you get a random 2d6 amount at  game start and use a point when you want...

Guess it gets the job done!
Title: Re: Omens
Post by: barbarian on 11 April 2014, 07:33:43 AM
Allow to re-roll something ?
Title: Re: Omens
Post by: Hertsblue on 11 April 2014, 07:36:18 AM
Quote from: Just a few Orcs on 10 April 2014, 03:06:35 PM
Not any more - It got expensive in goats and chickens :)

Not to mention white oxen....
Title: Re: Omens
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 11 April 2014, 07:38:53 AM
Omens in WMA are 1 reroll per game.

IanS