Views and queries

[warpaintjj]

Dear all,

this seems to be just the kind of game I want to play. I have a couple of comments and a few questions, having poked around this site I haven't found answers ....yet!

Firstly, having played DBM for a while and been thrashed at three competions on three occasions we have dropped out of the competition circuit yet actually played more but more on a "red wine with fine cheese and biscuits" basis amongst friends with fine models on beautiful scenery. What appeals about AOW is that you have kept the spectacle and scale of DBM but have clearly dropped the micro management inherent in high level DBM play, this I like alot. It seems to go hand in hand with the excellent army lists you have showed us so far. Army construction based around BG's is a welcome change versus the lawerly/miserly deployment of elements, eg light horse/skirmishers in penny packets across various commands where an historical general couldn't and wouldn't have done so.

Secondly, the welcome inclusion of mounted archery would seem to suggest that steppe armies may have a chance of playing in a historical manner, eg Mongols. Is this correct in the experience of play testers? and has this been a deliberate design decision?

Thirdly, and this may seem shallow, I am a sucker for glossy rulebooks. The best example I have come across is the 2nd edition of WW2 game Flames of War. When released it was available in 2 formats, the first was a hardback A4 book with loads of colour piccies, lovely diagrams, inspiring scenery and models and lots of bachground fluff. The second was an A5 softback with the core rules and still loads of eye-candy, this was free when one traded in the defunct first edition, a stroke of genius. The fact is that "sexed-up" production sells more units and grows the game, GW have taken this to an extreme with many army lists for each game at circa ??15 each spread over some 10 years for WAB, and many more for fantasy and 40k, most players spending more on "books" than models- yuk!. Can I assume that Slitherine's high production values will mean a quality product and high level web support? Returning to Flames of War, they are based in NZ yet now have the most successful historical miniatures game ever in their portfolio, this is in part down to beautiful product and outstanding web support, take a look, naturally it is also a cracking game. "Sexed-up" sells, dowdy stays on the shelf, don't forget the visual side of wargaming, show some lovely models on great scenery, inspire people, a picture paints a thousand words and should shift a thousand copies for you! I will assume the rules will be challenging and waterproof, if you people can't do it we'll never get a better ancients game than WAB/DBM/Warmaster etc.

May I wish you good luck in this venture, we can't wait for a chance to buy! Who knows we may be tempted back into ancients competition games as opposed to FOW and DBM with claret and brie!

fond regards

Jeremy Jenkins

[shall]

Thanks jeremy

And yes indeed Mongols/Huns/parthians are all viable and in character in AOW...

Si