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History Games
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Boot Hill
Design : Brian Blume, Gary Gygax
Editions : 3 editions - 1st : 1975, TSR; 2nd : 1979, TSR; 3dr :
1984, TSR
Presentation : Boxed set (2nd ed.) of one game book, Campaign/Town
map, 2d10 and Die-cut counter sheet.
Comment : Role-Playing in the Wild West with a strong wargame "look-and-feel".
The game gives very little for building a campaign and exploring
your character (asides from his Colt). A lot of tables more or less
usefull (like "Fastest Guns That Ever Lived").
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Flashing Blades
Design : Mark Pettigrew
Editions : 1st 1984 Fantasy Games Unlimited (FGU)
Presentation : Boxed set, rulebook, advenure book, GM Screen, character
sheet..
Comment : Role-playing in the world of The Three Musketeers, Cyrano
De Bergerac, Scaramouche and other swashbuckling adventures. The
game design captured the light hearted spirit of the setting very
well and although some historical accuracy was sacrificed for the
game, the rulebook itself is surprisingly complete for just short
of 50 pages. A sourcebook for pirate adventures called High Seas
and 2 further scenario books were available, An Ambassadors Tales
and Paisian Adventures helping to flesh out the background superbly.
Reviewed by Simon
Washbourne (see :
http://www.geocities.com/simonwashbourne/Beyond_Belief.html)
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Lace & Steel
Design : Paul Kidd
Editions : 2 editions- 1st : 1989, The Australian Games Group -
2nd : 1998, Pharos Press)
Presentation : Boxed set, 4 books, Scenarios book, 2 card decks.
Comment : Alternative 17th century Earth populated with humans
and centaurs where romance and social interaction are important
part of a PC's life. Combat situations are resolved with a card
system, as well as magic spell casting. Numerous black and white
illustrations help figuring out how this original world works. A
scenario, "Castle Keitel", is provided with cards as PCs
or NPCs.
Links :
- Official 2nd edition website: Pharos
Press
- Fan website (from L&S Webring) : http://www.buffnet.net/~caleb/Lacetoc.htm
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Man, Myth & Magic
Design : Herbie Brennan
Editions : 1982, Yaquinto
Presentation : Boxed set of 3 books, dice, character sheets, adventure
maps
Comment : Antique Fantasy RPG. Basic rules can be learned from
the 1st book with the training of a roman gladiator through different
Games: arena, labyrinth... Advanced rules introduce reincarnation
(your PC reincarnate anew after each adventure, building up your
past) and new character classes (from Visigoth barbarian to Greek
philosopher).
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Privateers & Gentlemen
Design : Jon Williams
Editions : 1st 1982 (Although Heart of Oak was first published in
1978)
Presentation : Boxed set, 3 rulebooks (Promotions & Prizes,
Tradition of Victory, Heart of Oak), character sheet, GM Screen.
Comment : Role-playing in the world of Hornblower, Bolitho, Delancey
& Jack Aubrey. Built from a set of Naval Wargame rules, into
a full role-playing game where characters are naval officers in
the period 1755 - 1815, trying to rise in rank and affluence through
a series of skirmishes, battles, duels and other adventures. The
author wrote his own series of novels set in the period. 2 scenario
books were available, The King over the Water and Decision at Djerba.
Reviewed by Simon
Washbourne (see :
http://www.geocities.com/simonwashbourne/Beyond_Belief.html)
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Wild West
Design : Anthony P.LeBouteillier, Gerarld D.Seypura
Editions : 1981, Fantasy Games Unlimited
Presentation : Boxed set of one rule book, map of Texas / buildings,
reference sheets.
Comment : Here also, the Wild West is approached with a definite
wargame feeling. Combat system is quite demanding and need to know
in advance if your character is turning 90° left while drawing
on horse back (even horses have their specific record sheets). A
long list firearms (rifles, carabines, pistols, derringers, gatling
gun and shotguns), notes on Indians and Military give a good realistic
background.
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Witch Hunt
Design : Paul D. Baader, Roger Bucklew
Editions : 1983, StatCom Simulation
Presentation : Boxed set of one rule book, character sheets.
Comment : Unusual setting for this game where players assume identity
of either a witch or a magistrate during the Witch Hysteria of 1692
(Salem). The Town Crier (GM) gets extensive research from the game
designers: daily lives of the Puritan Colonists, maps of typicial
buildings, accusation process, magistrate duties and procedures.
Percentile skill based system includes a chapter on Magic: Dark
Arts and Curses. A short scenario completes the book. Only one supplement:
"A Tyme of Darkness" scenario.
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