Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[Todd Schneider]

The following is just my opinion. Anyone at FHE (Or the rest of this
lost for that matter) feel free to correct me. Thanks.

Space is not an issue. Money is. FHE could have a bigger web prescense,
it could have a website like Flames of War, which is a website I know
Jon admires. But all of that takes time, and money, and someone to do
it all, and all the members of FHE have full time jobs already. I can't
speak for other game systems like Vis Bellica, I don't know them.

People can volunteer to help, In the two years I've known Jon and begun
playing Warrior, I have devoted more time and energy to this particular
game system than I have any other, so much so that it's affecting my
whole family, as my wife is the one responsible for working with Jon in
laying out the new edition of the rulebook. I know there are play
testers and list reviewers out there who do devote alot of time and
energy to the game, and do it because they want to help.

I also know that in previous posts Jon has submitted calls for Photos
and scenarios from players to be sent to him, for inclusion in the new
edition of the rulebook and future updates. AFAIK, there have been two
scenarios done (both by me) and I haven't seen any submitted pics. That
doesn't mean there haven't been any, but I have not seen them.

However, there's only so much FHE can do to promote thier game. It's
not like they have a huge advertising budget to spend, and they do what
they can, where they can to go to cons and advertise.

IMO, Warrior is built on two things primarily: Word of Mouth, and
demonstration games. Here in Kansas City, its perhaps easier than other
locales to attract players to the game because Jon is here, theres a
good base of gamers of all ages, abilites, and game flavor, and Fort
Leavenworth is nearby. And military men are some of the most rabid
gamers you will find.
Our group started at about 6 players, has grown to 12, and theres a few
players of the TOG coming back to the fold as well (Which seems to be
the 3rd thing Warrior is built on). Theres a local Convention here put
on by a High School Teacher thats geared specifically towards
demonstration games only, and it's been a great opportunity to show off
Warrior.

However, as a complex Historical Game, and given that many of the
younger crowd just aren't interetsed in History as much these days, I
truly and honestly believe it will be Fantasy Warrior that helps make
the system as a whole more popular than it is now. As it stands, I
beleive Fantasy Warrior will be one of the next major efforts Jon makes
after the 2nd edition Rule Book is done, but there are only 24 hours in
a day, and Jons awake for 20 of them. And most of those non work hours
he's "efforting" Warrior.

malekithau wrote:

>
> Unless FHE and the Warrior community take the game to the world the
> players will all be dead or infirm in 20 years or so including
> myself. Most of us were playing WRG 5/6/7th which gives you an idea
> of the age of the group. We need new blood and we need it badly.
> Fantasy warrior may help but more needs to be done to get new players
> into our rules.

As long as I am alive, Warrior is alive.

Will it ever be as popular as 40K, or Flames of War? Is that the goal we
should aim for? Or should Warrior be the most popular Ancients game out
there?
While I don't mind shooting for the starts, there has to be some sort of
realistic goal set in mind. I do think Warrior can become the most
popular Ancients Wargame out there, but then, I am biased. :-)

The question then becomes: What are you doing to increase the
popularity of the game?
How many Demonstration games have you put on the last calendar year?
Fast Warrior can and should be a great stepping stone to get "Younger
Blood" into the system. Pre packed Fast Warrior armies from Essex run
about $50.00 on average, and they also provide an excellent opportunity
to get younger people into painting their own figs as well. The Sample
Battle is there to show newer players what to expect when they get into
the game, setting up something similar and taking a player step by step
thorugh it should be a nice gateway into the game. How many people have
done that since the Sample Game was finalized and put out?

>
> Vis Bellica, for example, has been around for less then 2 years yet
> their membership is half ours already, they have a user friendly
> website which is updated quite regularly as well as a Yahoo group.
>
> I want Warrior to succeed but am concerned that we are spending too
> much time doing the same old things over and over. The same
> tournaments every year etc. Do we even have a presence at Games Day
> for the SOA? How many demos are run at conventions around the world?

I have to take small issue with this. For two years now we've been
talking about having more tournaments, and trying to influence gamers to
travel outside their own city. For one reason or another, people have
found a reason to stay away. I do not know why.

We recently had a Team Tournament here in KC. It was a great format,
but in truth, we dropped the ball in setting up a location, and it ended
up being a two day affair. But you know something, it was a 2 day
Affair over a holiday in a month where frankly, theres not a lot of
outside conflicts that I can see. In the past, previous suggestions
have been shot down because the days looked at were the same as another
convention, or it was the prime vacation week of the year, or it was
football season, the reasons are endless, and legitimate to those making
them. I have no issue with that, if players looking for an opportunity
to play want to play, they'll make every effort to be there. But it's
been my expierence, that players find it easier to give a reason to not
show up.
"It's two days."
"It's not the scale I prefer."
"I don't like the format."
"I don't like that its single list."

How can FHE overcome this sort of inertia? Is it even FHE's to overcome?

>
> Something that needs to be addressed is the apparent lack of interest
> in accomodating WAB players. Statements such as "there is nothing
> that can be done for Warhammer Ancients Battles players" (page 3 of
> the rulebook) are counter productive. Sure the measurements for most
> WAB bases don't match standard DBx bases but surely someone could
> work on options rather then fob off several thousand Ancients
> players? I'm sure it wasn't meant to be condescending towards these
> players but it comes across that way.

I didn't read it as condescending. I read as saying WAB players are on
the outside looking in because their system doesn't have a basing method
that meshes well with most of the other Ancoents games out there.
However, I know Jon has sat down and figured out the measurements needed
to base 30mm figures for Warrior, we played a tournament last year with
them. I don't see them on the yahoo group, but I know they exist!

>
> I have been playing wargames for close to 30 years now and some of my
> fondest wargaming memories are of using 7th Edition years ago. DBM
> finished all that so I want Warrior to succeed. It truly is a game
> that takes a bit of getting into but well worth it when you do.
>
> John O
>
>

Very True. The question is, what can we as players do to help the game
grow?

Todd


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