Now while I/We live in our little Oldhammer bubble and drooling over the past (Both miniatures and rules) I still like to play current games (DMH is my new love).
I happen to wonder to myself ''what is the future of Wargaming''.. and the answer I came up with both scares and interests me. It's Pre-painted games and Skirmish level games
Lets start with pre-painted shall we?.. Well to bad It's my Blog and I'm the boss dog :P
We all heard of X-wing by Fantasy Flight Games
X-Wing Miniatures is a tactical miniatures game in which two or more players use ships from the Star Wars saga to engage in space combat. Players choose ships belonging to either the Rebel or Imperial faction, their corresponding pilots, and upgrade cards to create unique squads. Each round, the players use vehicle-specific maneuver dials in conjunction with the game's corresponding maneuver templates to reposition each ship in an effort to gain tactical striking positions against enemy ships. The players then roll dice to determine the outcome.
The game features incredibly detailed pre-painted miniatures and captures the essence of space combat from the Star Wars universe. Games usually involve elimination of an opponent's ships. However, several scenarios with other win conditions are included in different expansions. Before beginning a game, players select their ships and upgrades and develop strategies that will help them achieve their objectives.
Now this isn't the only popular pre-painted game atm,
Star Trek: Attack Wing Miniatures Game
Star Trek: Attack Wing is a tactical space combat HeroClix miniatures game, featuring collectible pre-painted ships from the Star Trek Universe.
Utilizing the FlightPath™ maneuver system, command your fleet in space combat & customize your ship with a Captain, crew, weapons and tech upgrades.
To be fair pre-painted models hold no interest for me at all.. but Skirmish gaming does,
Skirmish games are typically played with small armies of miniatures ranging from 5-30 miniatures per side. This makes entry into a skirmish game really easy. The games themselves are usually more detail oriented mechanics wise as well; because the forces are smaller the complexity of the game can be increased without bogging down gameplay.
As already stated my favourite Skirmish game is DMH by Great Escape Games but I've already done a number of posts about the game so lets look at the other popular Skirmish games atm
Gripping Beast's Dark Ages miniatures skirmish. Each side has between 20 and 70 miniatures, organised into groups of 4-12 warriors. Miniatures are classed as Hearthguard, Warriors, or Levy, and an army comprises of 6 points of units (1 point = 4 Hearthguard, 8 Warriors, or 12 Levy).
Each faction - Anglo-Danish, Viking, Welsh, Norman - has its own battleboard of command options, which are selected depending on the roll of your Saga Dice. Saga Dice have special icons and give your command choices for the turn.
Combat and movement are simple and based on six-sided dice rolls, the real challenge is to use the options from your battleboard as effectively as possible. The core game comes with a battleboard for the four main factions, with future battleboard releases intended to cover other armies and periods.
Or if Saga isn't your thing how about Judge Dredd?
Welcome to Mega-City One, a city of over four hundred million people and every one of them a potential criminal. Stretching the length of the 22nd Century North American eastern seaboard, Mega-City One is the most dangerous city on Earth – a serious crime takes place every second of every day. This is a city so dangerous that it demands a special breed of law enforcer. Here, there are no police, no trials and no juries – there are only the judges. It takes fifteen years to train a judge for life on the streets of Mega-City One. Fifteen years of iron discipline, rigid self-control and concentrated aggression. Their court is on the streets and their word is the Law.
In Mega-City One, unemployment has reached epidemic levels, reaching as high as 98% in some sectors. Critical housing shortages force the population to inhabit vast mile-high blocks that cram tens of thousands of citizens into their apartments. Life in Mega-City One is one of claustrophobia and extreme boredom – small wonder many citizens turn to crime as an escape to the monotony of their lives. In a city of four hundred million people, crime always provides a way to stand out from the crowd, however briefly.
So what's your take on it? or like many will you just continue doing your own thing?