Once again, my human failings rise to the fore. I know I said I would not expand my 15mm collection, but, well, I have.
Hear me out though.
It occurred to me recently that I need to get out more than I do - I've been here 3+ years and know very few people in the area, considering.
I thought it'd be nice to meet some new folks and play some games while I'm at it. I do this with RPGs to some extent, but there are only infrequent one-shots of interest to me (I can't commit to a campaign). However, there are miniatures games with weekly meetups, just drop in.
So, after surveying the local gaming scene, I came to the conclusion that of the miniature games that are out there and getting frequent play, only one really captures my interest, Flames of War.
(Malifaux does too, but it's not terribly popular here at the moment, although it was in the past. Perhaps the soon to be released 2nd edition rules will bring players back.)
I know, I know.
A lot of people seem to have an axe to grind with Battlefront. I don't - although I don't like the recent change to "Battlefront-only minis for official Battlefront tournaments," it's not hard to understand why they would do it.
But you don't have to use Battlefront minis. Unlike, say, 40K or Warmachine, you can get 15mm WWII minis from many sources, and you can still play the game. It's only if you want to play in a Battlefront sponsored event that it matters.
New books don't make old ones obsolete as far as army lists go - at least as I understand it.
Thus, I do not at all see Battlefront in the same light that I see GW.
So it was that with much research and contemplation, I decided to invest in the Open Fire! starter box, picked up on ebay at a decent price.
The box contains a boat load of stuff - including a pile of 15mm plastic minis and, most importantly, a mini version of the rulebook (I didn't want to sink the money into the big hardcover upfront) and the other kit included in the box looks like I can use it generically.
Not to mention that the British tanks included can form the basis of a late war Polish tank company, provided I like the game enough to invest additional money into it.
Worst case, I don't like it, and I have 2 15mm forces to use with the other WWII sets I play.
The box is due to arrive on Thursday, just before the start of Dragon Con weekend. I will probably through the rule book in my bag to read during any "down time" I have.
Sounds like a win, win. Something you can game at the club or use for your ongoing projects. What's not to like. I just resisted the high rulebook price tag and the GW tournament win at all costs vibe I was getting when I read up on it.
ReplyDeleteI still have reservations about the tournament vibe. And as such, I'll probably avoid them. From what i've read on some local forums, it seems like there's a good sense of camaraderie between the players at one of the FLGS, and that's more than likely where I'll focus.
DeleteI very recently bought Open Fire too, I also decided that if I didn't like the rules the models were enough of a bargain to be used with Rapid Fire. The FOW rules seem good however and the models are very nice with the exception of the Shermans which need a bit of work to fit together. There is a good post on the Mini kingdom blog which was a big help to me.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your box of soldiers,
Paul.
Thanks for the reference to Mini Kingdom blog. I went and checkd it out, very helpful!
DeleteI was more than a bit concerned by all the negative reviews out there of the Shermans.
So far, i like what I've read of the rules - looking forward to getting the forces painted up and trying out some test games.