Kings of War Playtest

Basileans left and Albion right

As well as being on the hunt for a set of Medieval Rules I like I'm also after a set of "fantasy" rules for when my Dark Material project finally gets going. Kings of War seemed popular and getting good reviews so I thought I'd give it a try.

Albion Handgunners await the battle

Presentation

I bought the "Gamers Edition" - which is for players and stripped of the world lore. 144pp softback, full colour and lots of pictures. However only 24 pages are the rules, the rest are Army Lists. Layout is OK, following the turn sequence of Movement, Ranged Attack, Melee Phase and Nerve. The rules are strict IGO-UGO.

Basilean Currours and Billmen

Set-Up

I've now got enough figures for 7 units a side (16 figs per unit except the Currours): 3 x Ranged, 2 x Bill, 1 x DMAA, 1 x Currour. I used Polemos ECW to randomly set the terrain (still not happy with a generic terrain set-up either), and randomly diced a scenario from KoW getting No. 2 Loot where 3 loots items are placed down the centre line, and the winner is the side controlling most at the end of the game (Turn 6 or 7). I also randomly generated the "stance" of each battle, which also effected what balance of units it got. That ended up with the Basileans attacking centre, with support on their L and hold on their R, and Albion attacking Basilean L, supporting centre and holding Basilean R.

Albion Archers

How It Played

(All flanks are Basilean)

Albion was quick off the mark on the L, taking the first loot despite constant arrow fire from the Basileans. They then pushed on with their main force to take on the Basilean Billmen defending the stream (not a good tactical or strategic move) and took til the end of the game to dispatch them, whilst the loot was shuffled off to the rear.

Basilean Archers

In the centre the Basileans got there first, but was taking damage from the Albion handgunners. A battered group of archers escorted the loot back, whilst the DMAA and Billmen went after the handgunners and finally routed them.

The melee about to develop by the ford, Albion on L, Basilean on R

On the R two archer units faced off against each other - with a hill in the way and the loot on the hill and both on hold orders. Both got bored and legged it for the hill. The Basileans got their first but the Albion archers were advancing and firing, chasing them down the hill and then into melee - which Albion won. Taking the loot from the Basileans the Albion archers tried to beat a retreat but the remaining Basilean units in the centre swung R to be ready to taken them in the flank - but that exposed their own flank to the remaining Albion billmen in the centre who, in the last turn of the game, charged the Basileans, routed them and by stopping them from seizing the loot from the archers secured the game for Albion.

The fight in the centre developing

Rules Impression

Very much a fast play set of rules, only 1 or 2 DMs for shooting, no friction and solid IGO-UGO - so a unit can advance, and attack (even melee) before the enemy can fight back.  It's also very much bunch-of-dice, typically rolling 8-15 to hit, then 1/3rd of those to damage, then another 2 for Nerve - too many for me. Very restricted movement as well (any pivot is a whole turn). Damage also does not affect effectiveness, so even with 10 damage your fight as though full strength, although your chances of rout are almost 100% the next time you take damage.

Albion billmen about to pounce on the exposed Basilean flank

Ouch - that's a lot of damage - double dice (so 24!) for flank attack

Probably fine to introduce someone to the game, particularly if coming from Warhammer, but not really for me.

The search continues.....