Age of Blood is one of the best set of rules available for free on the internet. Heck, its one of the best available at any price. Designed by Tom Hinshelwood, the second edition rules offer a complete game and campaign system for the age of Vikings. Tom writes:
Age of Blood is a skirmish-level battle game in which players take control of bands of Vikings and lead them on bloody adventures in search of loot and glory. These rules contain all the information you will need to know in order to play either one off games or complete campaigns. The game is designed for use with 25mm or 28mm miniatures, though any individual based model from 15mm to 40mm can be used. Play is possible with any scale but distances and measurements would need to be proportionately reworked. Age of Blood’s focus is on the fantastical aspects of Viking history and as such is more concerned with the legends and heroic sagas then trying to depict a realist view of the era. These rules are loosely set in the 9th Century, though the supernatural is prevalent in many aspects of the game including fate, magic and monsters. If desired though the supernatural elements to the rules can easily be ignored so that the game can be played as a purely historical wargame.
Miniature Wargaming is part of the "adventure games" hobby, which includes r ole p laying and board games. Wargamers recreate battles on the tabletop with toy soldiers, like a more complicated game of chess. Models range in height from 6mm to 28mm tall, with 15mm and 25mm being the most popular. There also is a growing interest in toy soldiers and military models, such as the 1/32 and 1/35 scale plastic soldiers from Conte, and Marx.
The most popular miniature wargames are fantasy and science fiction based, such as Warhammer, Warhammer 40K, Warmachine and The Lord of the Rings. World War II games such as Flames of War and Axis and Allies are new favorites. Other favorite historical periods include Napoleonics, the American Civil War, and ancients, such as Romans or Greeks. Other gamers enjoy miniature naval wargames, recreating battles like Trafalgar, Jutland and the Coral Sea.
Hobbyists research historical periods and paint their tiny soldiers in accurate uniforms. Others develop "historically realistic" rules sets or build scale battlefield terrain using model railroad techniques.
For pictures, visit the gallery.
Some of the bigger hobby companies are Games Workshop, which produces Warhammer, Wargames Foundry and Old Glory Miniatures. Wizards of the Coast produces several lines of pre-painted miniatures games, such as the Star Wars and Dungeons and Dragons miniatures games, and a historical game with pre-painted miniatures: The new Axis and Allies game. Wizkids produces a fantasy collectable miniatures game, such as the Mage Knight and Heroclick fantasy games, the science fiction games MechWarrior and Rocketmen, as well as the quasi-historical Pirates of the Spanish Main.
Hey where did these rules go?
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 02/24 at 06:30 PM | #
Wulfgar, I just updated the link. thanks for point out that it was expired.
Posted by The Editor on 02/24 at 06:43 PM | #