Warlord is preadvertising their Bolt Action rules. Given that I have Rapid Fire for 1:72 and Kampfgruppe Normandy for 28 ml, and I have dozens of othersto choose from if I fancy a change, what would make me buy this book?
The Warlord logo on the cover? Not really, I don't choose to read, or not read, a novel because it is published by Harper Collins.
The Osprey Logo? Oh please, I associate Osprey with amateur incompetence when it comes to wargame rules. Tomorrow's War still gives me the shivers. I wasted hours of my life trying to decipher that mess of a rulesbook.
The fact that it is designed by Rick Priestly? Yah, that gets my interest. I have had a lot of pleasure playing Rick Priestly games and they are never less than competently and professionally executed - and usually much more. Oh yeah, I'll risk some dosh and time on a new Rick Priestly game.
So why isn't his name in big letters on the front cover????
It's as if these tiny wargame companies want to ape the sclerotic corporations with their bland, brand images. Why don't they capitalise instead on their advantages, namely a chance to utilise real people whose names we recognise and trust?
OK, it's a why question.
There is an interesting article on the game in the new WI 297. In some respects interesting for what it doesn't say as much as what it does! :-) Agree it is silly to not use the authors names given their stature. Hell even with Wessex Games I know Matthew Hartley's name will automatically generate sales to a certain population, regardless of subject.
ReplyDeleteGood point, you'd think Warlord would be shouting from the rooftops that it was written by Mr Priestley.
ReplyDeleteOn Amazon the author is shown as Warlord Games! :-)
ReplyDeleteDear Steve
ReplyDeleteWill look up that article.
J
Dear Tiger
ReplyDeleteMakes sense to me.
J
Dear Steve
ReplyDeleteAstonishing!
J
These look quite interesting John, must say though, as a lazy and often solo gamer, who doesn't like keep relearning new rules, I rarely use any other system other than Two Hour Wargames chain reaction system and their Nuts! rules specifically for WW2 which I really like; but that's just me ;)
ReplyDeleteI`ve been playing "proper wargames" you know with rules, dice and tape, etc since about 1976. The first rules we learnt were Charles Grant`s "Battle" set from the book of that title. Now after nearly 30yrs we still use his rules (modified), I`ve never seen the reason to change. Each and everytime a new set of rules for WW2 hits my doormat for review - my heart dies a little more :-)
ReplyDeleteDear Monty
ReplyDeleteI still use Rapid Fire. When you have a set of rules you like (and know) then why change.
J.
Dear Richard
ReplyDeleteYou must be almost as old as me.
J
Nice blog by the way.
John
ReplyDeleteI`m very old (or feel it these days), ask Steve Blease - very old school :-)
Thanks for joining, hopefully it will help my flagging enthusiasm in our hobby. though i doubt it will ever match what i`ve so far read here.
Dear Richard
ReplyDeleteLook forward to your postings.
J