@ Graham

Thanks for the excellent advice.

I think Magna will be our preferred level: we simply don't have the extra bases needed ie 4 base cavalry as opposed to 6.

I think I will just bite the bullet & buy a Compendium box. If I learn the rules & umpire a game, it should bring the others on board.
They will make a commitment, buy the rules, learn the game & we'll be set!

So:or the meantime,  I'm assuming a single Compendium has all the cards etc needed for a game?

donald

Quote from: Simon Meg-Meister on April 20, 2021, 07:44:54 AM

Always happy to do an intro game on Zoom for you a a group and answer questions.  Might just tip the balance.  Si

That's very kind of you, Simon. As it's like herding cats to get the group all together, I'll probably pass.
However, I "found" your Magnesia video which I'm urging them to watch.

This one is a gem.

donald

Thanks for the welcome. The website is a credit to you & my experience on the forum has been excellent.

I think I'm fine with everything but, as you'll appreciate, I have to get my pals on board. There's 6 of us & don't get me wrong they're good guys but I've been down the road of changing rule sets before (Napoleonic) & I know inertia is strong. We're in Brisbane, Australia so the historical gaming scene is quite small & as far as we're concerned, it's just us.  I have to convince at least one other (and hopefully 4 or more)  to buy the compendium to make it a viable decision. Purchase is not only important to run viable games but means a committent from the individual who has bought himself the rules.

For the past week I've already been sending them links, thoughts, questions etc to build momentum & make it a group decision. So far, the reaction has been sort of lukewarm-positive which isn't bad. I need to build on this.

donald

Quote from: lionheartrjc on April 19, 2021, 08:16:16 AM
An important difference from FoG is that generals have to command specific troops and cannot just command anyone.

Now this! is an important innovation. One of our number (ex-military) has long criticised FoG for commanders who can command anybody & it isn't really accurate so there's another reason for a change.

donald

Fair comment.

donald

OK a challenging question. Definitely not meant to be insulting or anything .

I have looked at the author playing a demo game involving Caesar & the Gauls:

https://mortem-et-gloriam.co.uk/meg/other-useful-videos/

There are positives but I was a bit repelled by it.
It seemed a rather soulless, solo exercise. Additionally, he table is filled with playing aides: cards, speciality & D6 dice, charge markers & wound counters. Indeed, the focus seems very much on cards & dice & not so much on the figures. The spectacle aspect of the game is not helped by this being the 'Pacto' or small version.

I'm possibly being too hard. The positives are a very quick game & it seems fairly straight forward. There seems to be great opportunity for multi=player games with separate commands (very important for our small group).

I'll look at the magna (or medium sized game) tonight. In the mean time, please shoot me down & correct any misapprehensions I've displayed.

donald

Quote from: Agoz on April 18, 2021, 03:19:05 AM
I'd agree, the middle scale version of MEG, Magna, sounds about right for you, it's 2/3 the number of bases as the main game. Second, if your friends are comfortable with it, its not going to break the game if you fudge the numbers a bit on what units are available. The army builder spreadsheet will comfortably  calculate points for whatever unit you want to put into a list for you. I did a test game where I replayed Alexander's first battle against the Thracians and added tribal versions of scythed chariots to the Thracian list to represent the rock filled carts that they rolled towards the phalanx. The spreadsheet calculated them at 62 points and the game played fine.

Edit: What I mean to say is the army builder doesn't enforce the army list restrictions found in the various period lists.

Thanks, gentlemen. That's what I wanted to hear. Your replies are much appreciated.

I think the next step is seeking out some games being played on You tube (if such exist).
When we changed our Napoleonic rules, watching games on You tube is what decided us on General d'Armee. The price of the MeG box isn't excessive but it's considerable & I want to be fairly sure I'll be using them before I buy.

I've been sending links, army lists, reviews to my pals.  I don't mean to suggest they're not a great bunch but getting group agreement to change a rule set is not easy. We *know* FoG, we own the rule books & supplements. And FoG isn't fatally flawed or anything. It works....it's just it's a bit too ....mechanistic?....for my tastes.

So, if I have any more newbie questions I hope I won't bore you if I post them here.

donald

I'm looking at MEG with great interest.

My little group & I are long term Field of Glory players. We field a variety of Bronze Age & Punic armies.
What I'm trying to find out is if these existing armies can be shoe horned into MEG?

There's two issues: our existing unit sizes sometimes vary from the MEG army lists eg we might have 4 bases of light cavalry when the lists state 6.
Secondly, types of figures. EG an army list might specify javelin armed skirmishers when we have bow armed.

We are not tournament gamers. I do not particularly wish to embark upon a program of adding a number of bases to existing armies & discarding units on anything like a large scale.
So: how flexible is MEG on this issue?

donald