tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post1787466103262085288..comments2024-03-19T05:48:34.142-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: Retrospective: Fantasy WargamingJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-12258722763178032502022-02-18T23:52:13.661-05:002022-02-18T23:52:13.661-05:00Another blog has an excellent history of this book...Another blog has an excellent history of this book, answers many questions and clears up a lot of assumptions above. https://mikemonaco.wordpress.com/bruce-galloways-fantasy-wargaming/ Paul Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14620026998861471269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-18239320761570990802012-10-21T23:48:19.677-04:002012-10-21T23:48:19.677-04:00I played this game back in middle school with a cr...I played this game back in middle school with a creative GM and he used the magic system like a wizard himself, he seemed to enjoy the formulae and the implications of the system. Was a wonderful time. thanks for the review.mumphry999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-27563843123930952712012-07-28T20:36:44.963-04:002012-07-28T20:36:44.963-04:00Apparently the book was written some years before ...Apparently the book was written some years before it was finally published. Reading it is a little like trying to derive the modern AD&D from Eldritch Wizardry. The authors were Cambridge postgrads who began goofing with this stuff in 1974. As for why you bought it, probably the same reason I did: I was looking for a way to augment my campaign, and the cover looked really cool.skinnygnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-18564053527208917242012-07-28T20:36:13.047-04:002012-07-28T20:36:13.047-04:00Apparently the book was written some years before ...Apparently the book was written some years before it was finally published. Reading it is a little like trying to derive the modern AD&D from Eldritch Wizardry. The authors were Cambridge postgrads who began goofing with this stuff in 1974. As for why you bought it, probably the same reason I did: I was looking for a way to augment my campaign, and the cover looked really cool.skinnygnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-53090921627062239712009-08-04T14:11:19.411-04:002009-08-04T14:11:19.411-04:00One thing I'm surprised you didn't mention...One thing I'm surprised you didn't mention is the literature section's decidedly pulp fantasy orientation, being openly hostile to much of the non-pulp fantasy of the 70s such as <i>The Riddlemaster of Hed</i> and <i>The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant</i>.Pulp Herbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02486803457210325703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-3461712924037159382009-07-23T20:56:14.032-04:002009-07-23T20:56:14.032-04:00I lost my copy of this and even forgot what it was...I lost my copy of this and even forgot what it was called. All I rememered about it was that it was ODD! Now I can look for a copy. Thanks for mentioning it!PeelSeel2https://www.blogger.com/profile/05197603207769083188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-78897081935479169542009-07-23T08:02:17.657-04:002009-07-23T08:02:17.657-04:00James,
You're right, I had forgotten that the...James,<br /><br />You're right, I had forgotten that they reference T&T at one point. Also, I suspect that they at least read through the Chivalry & Sorcery rules, since they seem to make a couple of backhanded swipes at C&S in the book. <br /><br />Mind you, for all that it's overwritten for the most part, I daresay that C&S, compared to FW, is by far the better written ruleset.Knightskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08397391662639446678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-78090288989184103422009-07-22T19:40:08.245-04:002009-07-22T19:40:08.245-04:00I found it in the Half Priced Book Store in Housto...I found it in the Half Priced Book Store in Houston. Funny thing is I saw it 8 months before and it was still there. The game is kinda good but it sucks more than it is good. QUESTION: Has anyone ever tried to play it?Eldrad Wolfsbanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14292418521508905397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-34786964281832443762009-07-22T18:32:50.577-04:002009-07-22T18:32:50.577-04:00Knightsky,
What's actually interesting is tha...Knightsky,<br /><br />What's actually interesting is that, while the authors talk about <i>D&D</i> in places, they only admit to ever having played <i>Tunnels & Trolls</i>.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-2929374779974399172009-07-22T18:21:34.346-04:002009-07-22T18:21:34.346-04:00I agree with Robert Fisher that FW is pretty much ...I agree with Robert Fisher that FW is pretty much the quintessential Fantasy Heartbreaker. You can tell that the author is utterly convinced that his house-rules-turned-ruleset is the greatest thing to ever grace RPGs. It's also pretty clear that the author's playstyle was pretty insular, and that his group never encountered, much less played, any RPGs outside of D&D. Heck, even though this was published in 1982, I'd wager that they never read any of the AD&D books; it feels much more like something that grew out of the OD&D books (and perhaps a supplement or two).Knightskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08397391662639446678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-39485725017223615632009-07-22T18:11:17.997-04:002009-07-22T18:11:17.997-04:00As for my comments about magic: In truth, I was re...As for my comments about magic: In truth, I was really commenting on the parts of the magic system that I found most interesting—and other similar magic systems and my own attempts at something similar—more than the specifics in this book.<br /><br />And that’d be a topic of its own.Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16733274876782876659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-76594814071471103532009-07-22T17:41:31.885-04:002009-07-22T17:41:31.885-04:00"Honestly, I think one of the reasons I love ..."Honestly, I think one of the reasons I love Burning Wheel so much is that the core books look a lot like FW! :D"<br /><br />until i read that, the similarities hadn't really crossed my mind. there are some definite aesthetic parallels between them.faoladhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-127065718806501592009-07-22T17:37:26.692-04:002009-07-22T17:37:26.692-04:00To echo a couple of earlier comments: the discussi...To echo a couple of earlier comments: the discussion of magic is definitely mineable for D&D or similar games. Just the presentation of the Qabbalist as a weird, liminal figure in his community is quite evocative and food for thought.Matthew Slepinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04056247825064943944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-75652946440318346502009-07-22T17:29:25.999-04:002009-07-22T17:29:25.999-04:00I feel confident that I will never, ever sell my c...I feel confident that I will never, ever sell my copy of this book (I have the original hardcover).<br /><br />This book looked like nothing else I had seen in RPGs at the time. The matte, textured finish on the hardcover, the medieval-woodcut-style art, the regular-mainstream-book-style layout, the yellow paper... I love it! Never mind that the time I tried to run it was pretty disappointing (given how much I could not understand how the rules worked).<br /><br />Honestly, I think one of the reasons I love Burning Wheel so much is that the core books look a lot like FW! :D<br /><br />I there's a lot of interesting general info about the middle ages in there, and some interesting observations about "realistic" medieval gaming.<br /><br />So, yes, quite an odd relic of bygone days, but one of ramshackle beauty.buzzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06243298798049780695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-215963431984179222009-07-22T17:11:50.866-04:002009-07-22T17:11:50.866-04:00Nice. I've actually got two copies of this, on...Nice. I've actually got two copies of this, one in each size, which I collected from various used bookstores over the years. I've never sat down and read it in detail, just skimmed, but now I am inspired to. Unfortunately I'm pretty sure both my copies are currently packed away in storage.Rafialhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07077298546098373938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-36508154052978807892009-07-22T17:09:59.358-04:002009-07-22T17:09:59.358-04:00I have both the smaller and larger sized books aro...I have both the smaller and larger sized books around here somewhere. Looked through it a few times, but never really did anything with it. AD&D was, and is, the game of choice for me!Deogolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02703358269224914324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-27075105995944053302009-07-22T16:30:15.525-04:002009-07-22T16:30:15.525-04:00"The system of correspondences and astral sig..."The system of correspondences and astral signs pops to mind whenever I look through the rules in GURPS Cabal."<br /><br />not surprising. Ken Hite credits FW as the inspiration for the system of correspondencies in the bibliography of that book.faoladhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-26661215978686430272009-07-22T16:25:06.564-04:002009-07-22T16:25:06.564-04:00Oh, wow.
My dad bought this for me back in 1982 a...Oh, wow.<br /><br />My dad bought this for me back in 1982 as a Christmas present, but I don't think I actually read it in depth for at least six years or so. It's definitely an odd duck of a book.<br /><br />I think I've still got my copy somewhere...<br /><br />The system of correspondences and astral signs pops to mind whenever I look through the rules in GURPS Cabal.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14934359516519013740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-33309804076694934732009-07-22T15:33:52.045-04:002009-07-22T15:33:52.045-04:00this was, if i recall correctly, the first fantasy...this was, if i recall correctly, the first fantasy rpg i played after AD&D and D&D. it's not entirely unplayable, but it does require a lot of streamlining. it also requires players who are not going to play the rules too hard, as they are written in "British wargamer" mode, which is to say, with the assumption that the players will be exercising judgment.<br /><br />to me, though, it is mainly of interest for the concepts underlying the magic/religion unified system, which presented a sort of proto-Mage:TA idea that the world was strongly affected by the beliefs of humans about it, and by implication was given actual form by those beliefs.<br /><br />someone above mentioned that the magic was flavored as skulking around, secret rituals and whatnot. that's not entirely true, though. combat wizardry is very much a part of the system.<br /><br />someone else mentioned that there were no differences between the large and SFBC editions. that is mostly true, except that the large book was missing a page of weapon stats included in the SFBC edition, while the SFBC edition was missing a digit from one of the spell descriptions. yeah, like i said, i actually played the game, with a group and everything. other than those differences (plus the size difference and the cover being a dustjacket in the SFBC and a printed one in the large edition), though, the books are indeed identical in content as far as i am aware.<br /><br />another person said that there was no "thief" class, which is basically true. the fighter and thief professions are rolled together into the same experience level. in a one-off i ran sometime in the mid-'80s, i separated the two, which was simple enough to do.<br /><br />i still have my SFBC edition (but not my large edition), and i still re-read it for ideas on occasion. the first, sourcebook, half is of more use to me now, but i still look at how they put together their magic/religion unified system for ideas in my own game design sketches.<br /><br />re-reading what i've written here, i think that it's obvious that i actually like the game and find it playable (with some relatively minor tweaking), and i find it a little strange to realize that i may be currently the only person in the world who does.faoladhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-67736686757814552742009-07-22T13:15:08.387-04:002009-07-22T13:15:08.387-04:00I bought my copy when it was originally released a...I bought my copy when it was originally released as well. And I still own it. But then I am a collector of role-playing games. I haven't looked at it in years though. maybe it's time for another read.Tetsubohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00339621610619347842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-51013218928447447672009-07-22T12:17:48.955-04:002009-07-22T12:17:48.955-04:00I never found a use for it, but like the others, c...I never found a use for it, but like the others, couldn't part with it for a long while.<br />--I did pick it up again, only to get rid of it again.Timeshadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09952601433965644275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-13336707515545657132009-07-22T12:16:01.110-04:002009-07-22T12:16:01.110-04:00I've had my copy of this from back in the 80&#...I've had my copy of this from back in the 80's. I seem to remember getting it from the <br />Science Fiction Book Club. Pretty sure I remember something about social standing or weird background random tables in it that I made my players use once.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06234869701106258699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-81535372931497309812009-07-22T12:11:09.629-04:002009-07-22T12:11:09.629-04:00I posted a couple of small entries on this book a ...I posted a couple of small entries on this book a few weeks ago, inc. one with a scan of the page of infamous holy stats if anyone's curious - I still find the piety points system interesting.ze bulettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15603716850479808633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-17635578824344179522009-07-22T11:58:52.931-04:002009-07-22T11:58:52.931-04:00Ah, realism. The bane of the golden age, the bane ...Ah, realism. The bane of the golden age, the bane of 3.x.<br /><br />So this is the infamous game with the states for the Virgin Mary.<br /><br />Either way all this moralizing superiority could almost put one in mind of certain others I might name in the hobby ;).Rachel Ghoulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04765944479141792643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-12358280911666182622009-07-22T11:48:30.800-04:002009-07-22T11:48:30.800-04:00I also own a copy, and I also keep it on the shelf...I also own a copy, and I also keep it on the shelf for some unknown psychological reason. I enjoyed and occasionally referred to the section on villages and population density.Matt Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07678557558458924177noreply@blogger.com