I'm lucky to have been a play tester for the medieval large scale skirmish game Lion Rampant by Dan Mersey, of Dux Bellorum fame. I have now received my complimentary copy and had quick skim through the book. This is the first time I have my name in print in a wargames book, which of course is very flattering indeed. I had to show it to my fiancée who was suitably impressed (or at least pretended to be).
Lion Rampant has the usual high production values of Osprey's Wargames series – the layout is the same used in the other books in the series and it's filled with a smattering of gorgeous illustrations taken from their regular reference volumes, together with some really nice pictures of painted models and terrain used both as illustrative examples and as pure eye candy.
We've played a fair number of games of Lion Rampant by now, in various iterations, and the rules give a fast and fun experience – highly recommended for a club night or similar. You can find a bunch of AARs from our games on the excellent blog of Dalauppror. He has been even more involved in the development of the game than me and have a couple of picture of his stunning minis in the book – very well-deserved if you ask me.
A standard 24 points retinue, as the armies are called, numbers around something like 40–50 models, depending on how you choose to organize it. This means it's pretty easy to get into the game, as you don't have to paint up droves and droves of models. My own retinue – the medieval host of the Novgorod prince Alexander Nevskij – is 42 models strong, with a mix of mounted and foot troops.
The book is out now, and well worth checking out.
They do sound like a fun game.
ReplyDeleteIt's an awesome Rule book.
ReplyDeletecheers
Congrat's Jonas. I think I might have to check out these rules!
ReplyDeleteCongrats in getting your name in print and the game looks fun!
ReplyDeleteChristopher
Cheers everyone! I hope you like the game if you decide to check it out.
ReplyDeleteIt might be something for us to try as an alternative to the Lord of the Rings adaptation that we currently use for our late medieval gaming.
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats on the acknowledgement! Have your name in a wargaming publication (and an Osprey publication no less!) is certainly an achievement.
/Mattias
Thanks Mattias!
DeleteThough I haven't played, but read, LotR I think Lion Rampant could work out nice as a replacement. The mechanics are very straight forward but with some hidden depth that makes the game hit a sweet spot of tactical finesse and fast play.
It's also more gritty and much less heroic than LotR, eg you only control units rather than individual models (so no heroes with special powers), which perhaps makes it a bit more "realistic". Wether that's something you like or not is of course a matter of taste!
To have ones name accredited in an Osprey book along side the likes of the Perry twins - well, let's just say I hope you smoke, because I think a celebration cigar is in order. Congratulation man, nice job!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Søren!
DeleteI'm puffing an imaginary cigar as we speak.
Indeed well deserved Jonas !!! especially as you have been puting up with all my testgames and even been lured in to painting a new Hoast just for the game:) Thnak you very much !!!
ReplyDelete