Iron Kingdoms RPG Review

I bought this on sale in hopes of finding a use for my respectably sized Warmachine armies.  Now Warmachine itself is a game I have learnt to roundly dislike, due to a plethora of special rules making it more akin to a CCG than a wargame. The short movement and firing ranges and focus on unit synergy and "combos" means the minis could be rather easily replaced with a "deck." I also feel the game is so unbalanced it is balanced - i.e. there are so many sub-rules that victory is determined by the player who can remember the minutiae - memory > tactics).

The rulebook is glossy and well presented... and weighs in at a hefty 358 pages

That does not mean I dislike the Iron Kingdoms setting. Far from it.  The steampunk-and-sorcery is a fun mix - who can dislike stompy steam-powered magic robots?  The miniatures, although typical exaggerated GW-style "heroic" (i.e. misshapen with outsized heads and hands) are pleasant to paint and have plenty of character.

So - will Iron Kingdoms give an excuse to dust off the Warmachine paraphenalia?

 Gun-mages...  awesome concept. In the flesh, the sculpts are actually pretty "meh"

The Shiny
As usual with Privateer Press, the production values are excellent. It is a hefty, hardback, glossy rulebook (358 pages) with plentiful characterful art.  I found it a bit of a slog ("wall of text") at times but that probably was due more to its intimidating size than anything else.  Gaming templates and character charts nestle at the back of the book along with a thorough index.  Overall, an impressive tome and I feel good value for its $60.

Iron Kingdoms has almost as much history as Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire...

Warmachine fanboys, rejoice!

History & Background

Each region's history is detailed, along with religions, in a 106-page chunk.  I'm sure Games Masters will appreciate it but I admit I speedread through it as it was pretty vast in scope - it had rich history and lore containing details like military service, commerce, laws, languages, the "industrial revolution" and its effects. An impressively in-depth primer for the Iron Kingdoms.  A good resource for GMs, and showcases the depth of the world that Privateer has developed over the years.  Trains, steamboats and alchemy, religious fanatics, giant robots "warjacks", magicians and scientists, dragons, undead, monsters and giant beasts... there is a rich lore which is rapidly expanding to match the scale of the 40k/Warhammer canon.

Characters

Character Creation
There are three primary stats, each with two sub-stats:
Physique (toughness): Speed, Strength,
Agility: Poise (ranged attacks), Prowess (initiative),
Intellect: Arcane (magic power), Perception (defence, initiative)

There are also stats derived from the above "primary" stats:
Defence (speed+agility+perception)
Initiative (speed+prowess+perception)
Armour (armour bonus+physique)
Will (physique+intellect) <-----------I found that a weird combination

Characters have a "life spiral" like that found on Warmahordes beasts, with physique, agility and intellect as the three "whorls."

There are racial stats for the seven races of Western Immoren (elves, humans, dwarves, goblins, ogres/trolls - the latter of which are a bit more intelligent than the fantasy standard), and then a character is designated as one of the four archetypes: "Gifted" (magickers) Intellectual (commanders) Mighty (tough fighters) or Skilled (quick, nimble, roguelike)

There are 28 careers which tend to reflect Warmachine roles - stormblades, trenchers, pirates and mage hunters for example stay closely within the scope of the game. Each of those careers has attached abilities, skills and assets and receives its own page, contributing to the 52-page length of this section.  You choose two careers which allows for quite a bit of variety.  The focus. however, is strongly on combat-orientated characters.

Experience, Skills and Abilities
There are simple rules for leveling up (there are 150 experience levels) and you could end up with 38 skills and abilities by level 150, not counting inherent career skills.  I thought Warmachine profiles had a lot of "special rules!". Speaking of which, there are 144 "abilities" to chose on, of which 90% are combat-related.  In addition, there are 39 skills which are more general (i.e. non-combat) and are tied to specific character stats like perception or agility.

TL:DR: Quite a bit of variety in character creation but sticks strictly to the Warmachines-specific roles. An enormous list of 180+ skills and abilities makes Warmachine look restrained. 

The main difference between Warmachine and Iron Kingdoms is the activation sequence

  

The Game

The mechanics themselves are the same as Warmachine - you add the Stat + 2d6. The only additional rule is Iron Kingdoms allows you to add a skill bonus on top of that, and that "Resolution Rolls" can be used against GM-assigned "target numbers" like in most RPGs - i.e.
Moderate = 10-12
Complex = 13-15
Difficult = 16+ etc
Combat resolution is thus pretty much identical to Warmachine, but characters move in order of initiative, not IGOUGO, which changes the whole feel of the game.  Players can also "hold" their activation and interrupt an opponent's move (a kind of "overwatch").

Players can throw, grapple, slam or push opponents like Warmachine jacks and there are "actions" like dismounting, going prone, reloading and pulling the pin on grenades that add detail.  As expected, the RPG has more complex terrain rules as well as rules for interacting with them (climbing, bashing open doors, light and darkness, etc.)

At only 25 pages the combat rules are pretty simple and closely follow the Warmachine rules.

Magic 
This is resolved by spending focus points and adding 2d6 + ARC (Arcane) to target the spell. 
There are different "schools" of magic each with a range of 30-40 spells ranging from 1 to 4 focus cost to cast.  The categories are: Arcane Mechanik, Arvcanist, Gun Mage, Priest, and Sorcerer.  I'd estimate there are at least 180+ spells to choose from - again, they are 99% combat related. 

TL:DR:  Pretty much Warmachine, but a different activation sequence changes the game significantly. A bit of extra "grit" is thrown in and the magic selection is mind-bogglingly large.

 Other Stuff...

Gear & Equipment
By now I'm expecting the list to be as enormous and detailed as everything else so far, and I am not wrong.  There are 58 pages of stuff: with 100+ ranged and melee weapons and pages of ammunition, clothing, mounts, food, drink, runes, alchemical ingredients and compounds, mechanika and miscellaneous equipment such as a humble piece of chalk.  Many have detailed profiles.

The Arcanist can actually carry a kitchen sink! There are even rules for sinks with and without plugs in the equipment list... (this may be a slight exaggeration)

Steamjacks
The stars of Warmachine have their own section, and in addition to their usual profiles they have "stats" like the RPG characters.  They in turn have their own equipment and weapon lists, gear and upgrades.  They also have more complex damage tables, repair rules, and rules for their own  "development" i.e. gaining skills due to an improved bond with the warcaster.

Game Master Stuff
There are tips for rewarding players and player development, creating and balancing NPCs and encounters, and scenario settings.  These tend to be generalised guidelines rather than specific examples and are very "light on". There is also a very small bestiary (burrow-mawg, dregg, farrow, thrall and thrullg) that is specific to Immoren. I was surprised how sketchy this section was compared to the elaborate detail of the other parts of the book. A lot like Lord of the Rings - Iron Kingdoms presents an immensely detailed world, without much of a plot to go with it.  Perhaps you could use old Iron Kingdoms sourcebooks such as the Witchfire Trilogy but it is optimized for a completely different system (d20 D&D 3.5e).

TL:DR  An exhaustive equipment list (I think the kitchen sink was included) and steamjacks also had extra rules tacked on. The Game Master chapter was surprisingly vague and contained no concrete gameplay examples.

So, to Summarise...

Iron Kingdoms is an impressive production, with 100+ pages of background and "fluff" and quality presentation.  The mechanics of gameplay are lifted directly from Warmachine but alternate unit activation alters the gameplay from the synergies and combos of IGOUGO.

Weapons, equipment, abilities and spells are given in mind-numbing impressive numbers and detail, and are tied very specifically to the Warmachine universe.   Given the game machnics themselves and the games master/scenario section are rather sketchily presented in contrast, I am left with the feeling that Privateer Press had a whole lot of unused art and "background" material leftover from other projects and decided to make a book out of it, tacking on a rough modification of the Warmachine rules as justification. That it does use familiar Warmachine mechanics may be a positive to some, and it is certainly simpler than the D&D 3.5e of the earlier Iron Kingdoms books.

Recommended: If you can't get enough Warmachine fluff, then your prayers have been answered.  To me, it feels like a vanity project by Privateer.   Though it has a strong combat/miniature focus, I'd argue that the Savage Worlds engine would make a better RPG and wargame....  

Iron Kingdoms admires its own "fluff"

Privateer Press Guy #1: "Should a steamjack heavy battle blade cost 250 gold pieces?"
Privateer Press Guy #2: "Well, since Cygnar is the primary manufacturing base for 'jacks, and the Menoth war has caused 8.9% inflation - say.... 275 would be better."
Privateer Press Guy #1: Thanks. You need to get this stuff right. 
Privateer Press Guy #3: "So, ummm....   what are we doing for rules for this RPG?"
Privateer Press Guy #2: "Oh, just copy and paste Warmachine and make it more complicated so's people know its a RPG and shit."

Tohaa Unboxing & Pig Iron Ferals

The Paradiso supplement's most exciting inclusion (the campaign rules were a bit "meh") was the new race, the Tohaa.  At the time I labelled them a rather lazy space-elf "Eldar" ripoff, and that is pretty much on the money.  On closer inspection, their facial features look a tad vampiric so they may have a touch of "Dark Elf" in them - their wheel-lock style weapons have a bit of a space pirate vibe to boot...

This model seems a "paint by the numbers" standard exotic dancer. Rather unimaginative...

Provocative but Pointless...
Anyway I am really unimpressed with the Tohaa Diplomat model. Yes, it is used for a campaign scenario but it reminds me of the Nomad "catgirl" sculpt. I don't mind provocative sculpts, but I dislike pointless ones.  If she had been toting a weapon of some sort, fine, but she is simply a bland alien exotic dancer a la Mos Eisley Cantina...

She probably appeals to anime fanboys, but the Daktari catgirl seems jarringly out of place in a battlefield... I think Corvus Belli actually does themselves no favours by so overtly pushing the anime theme as a lot of people have told me they have avoided Infinity because of it....
 

Further proof Corvus Belli has been drinking Games Workshop Kool-Aid is given by this sculpt - they seem to be channelling a Kroot vibe with the parrot headgear.  

Infinity - Jumped the Shark?
I once held Infinity models up as the epitome of mini sculptor's art, but I seem to be getting more and more flash and mold lines requiring clean up. Half the time the models have chunks of sprue attached.   Cleaning them up is a laborious and fiddly job - not to mention that the fine details, besides being a nightmare to paint, show up any small blemish in an unforgiving light.

Not to mention two packets I got lately were missing parts (and one had the arm from a different model!).  Corvus Belli has had excellent customer service replacing them - but quality control seems to be slipping. This is not some guy's backyard business - I kinda expect top quality when I am paying $11 for a 28mm model.

The mess of bits in the middle is supposed to be the parts to make 2 models....

Multi-Part = Not Better
Whilst I do like posable/swappable heads, what I do NOT like is models with ridiculous amounts of separate parts.  This is a 28mm figure, not a 1:48 Tamiya kit.  I already do enough "modelling" removing flash and mold lines, thank you very much, let alone assembling every individual arm and leg.

I'm not saying Corvus Belli do, but some companies portray this as a positive -  claiming multi part models are easier to "pose" or "convert."  That's fine, but most multi-part models can only be assembled one way anyway, unless you want the model to look like he is deformed or has a dislocated shoulder.  This is particularly true of Infinity - where parts have a particular way to fit into a socket, and the only way to get "bitz" is to cannibalise another $11 metal model. 

In short - the line troops are cast in one piece, and look good - so why does Corvus Belli need 6 pieces to make a single 28mm figure?  They already have a truckload of mold lines and flash - now they want me to fill in joins as well? (Admittedly Infinity models usually fit together pretty neatly)

Perhaps they think if I get more "bits" in my mini blister I will feel I am getting my $11 worth....

Another Tohaa sampling.  I actually liked the "standard" light infantry best...

Pig Iron - A Blast from the Past
I got a "trial packet" of Pig Iron Ferals.  Kinda the polar opposite of Infinity.  No mold or flash these are remarkably clean sculpts with no multi-part assembly bar a range of posable heads (10 heads in a pack of 5 troopers).  They are going to be sooo pleasant to paint, with simple design and nice deep bold lines that will take well to washes and drybrushing. 

Basically, they're perfect for me to paint... but....

"Heroic" scale just looks stupid....

...sadly for me, along side more "normal" finer models like Infinity, the "heroic scale" chunky Ferals just look like static, deformed dwarves with outsized heads and hands.  D'oh! I've spent too much time lately with Infinity and the lovely Empress moderns, and now the "normal" heroic 40K-style models look weird to me....

The Ferals have a "Tusken Raider" vibe about them and would be right at home in any post-apocalyptic game...

A Tale of Two Game Mats

I've been waiting for a space mat so I can continue with Delta Vector the Game (my modernisation of space rules.   I currently prefer 1.5" hexes as your "normal" GZG spaceship or Silent Death fighter tends to fit inside it without much (if any) overlap, and having more, smaller hexes = more maneuver room for your game.

Hotz Mats
I had 6x4 mat used for ground games and I was impressed by the sensible pricing and good quality finish.  Delivery was about a month and a bit which is par for the course Down Under, and considering it is hand-made on request, quite decent too. So when I needed a space mat to trial a hex variant of DvTG, there was only one supplier in my mind...

however

unfortunately this coincided with shifting house.  The Hotz order was one of the things caught in the "overlap" and the real estate laziness (I asked them for onforward any mail for the period).  A few emails from me were replied to, confirming it had been returned to them, but could not be located in the warehouse.  Then, radio silence for 3 months....

The MKP mat looks a lot better without the rather chunky hexes printed on it...

Monday Knight Productions
A little tired of waiting I sent an order, and had an email reply saying it could be dispatched the same day. MKP then re-advised they needed to get stock in. A day later, I got a Paypal invoice and email saying the stock was ready to ship.  I then received an email saying the product had been shipped, as well as a refund on postage.  I was not surprised at their efficiency, initiative or customer service, as previously I had wished to get a set of their Galactic Knights rules and they suggested they burn it to a CD to save me postage.  The mat does not have the treated "finish" of a Hotz mat and the dots that make up the hexes are a little large, but a game mat in the hand is worth two in the bush, as they say...

So the matchup:


Hotz Mats
Communication: 2/10  Erratic responses to emails, none for months
Delivery: 0/10 Pending (ordered 9 months ago in March)
Quality: 8/10 (going from my last mat, great finish, bulletproof, good quality materials, good price) 

=VS=

Monday Knight Productions
Communication: 10/10  Impressive.  A stream of friendly emails letting me know exactly where my order was at.
Delivery: 10/10  2 weeks, plus $4 P&P refunded due to costs being lower than quoted
Quality: 6/10 (solid but lacking the "finish" of Hotz Mat)

I recall playing on a vinyl Chessex mat but they seem mostly out of print now...

There is also Corsec Engineering who have a reputation as a "top of the range" mat, and also Terrain Mat who I know have some great coastline and land mats as well, but at $150+ vs $68 for the Hotz and $58 the MKP, I'll pass...

Oh, and some people are tempted to make a home-made mat. There are quite a few techniques out there on the interwebs, and even a hex stencil from Litko. I've tried a few, including the stencil, and I must say DON'T DO IT if you value your sanity. You're better off waiting 9 months for a mat....

Off to dig out DvTG and put a bit of work into it. I'll try to have downloadable "test" rules up soon.

Infinity the Game: Modern Warfare Version

I think Infinity is one of the best skirmish games out there, but it has disappointed me somewhat:

#1. Tendency to add ever-increasing numbers of weapons and gadgets
Infinity's strength is in its basic mechanisms and unique "ARO" reaction system, but now it is in danger of getting smothered by trying to react to "special rules" (110+ at last count).

#2. The Paradiso supplement lacked a meaningful advancement system
I was hoping for a Mordhiem-style warband system but in Paradiso only one soldier (the Spec Ops) could actually be upgraded in a campaign.  So out of your 10 or so guys, only one guy learns from his experiences? Meh.
 
So I am going to create a modern campaign, to "fix" these gripes by stripping out the more esoteric rules, and also paint up some of my awesome Empress moderns (which will also serve in Battlefield: MMW, an innovative miniatures game which mimics the PC franchises CoD, Battlefield 3 and Ghost Recon and has game modes ideal for multiple player fun. 

The Empress modern range rivals the detail of Infinity miniatures themselves, at a quarter of the cost ($2.50 vs $10 a miniature)

#1. SIMPLIFYING INFINITY

Removing the weirder sci fi stuff (also the most complex "special rules") should be simple. I'm going to keep weapons as similar to Infinity ones as possible for the purposes of balance.  For "damage" I'm going to align it to 9mm (11), 5.56mm (13) and 7.62mm (15).  

Special Skills

The skills are restricted  and usually represent the lower end of the spectrum of Infinity skills. I'm going to keep the following skills:  Airborne Deployment L3, Mimetist/Limited Camouflage, Climbing Plus, Doctor, Engineer, Forward Observer, Infiltration L2, Inspiring Leadership, Martial Arts, Mechanised Deployment, Religious Troop, Terrain, Valour L2. 

Equipment

The only equipment retained from Infinity is the Medkit.  Armour will be 1 (helmet) for basic troops, and 4 if soldiers have both helmet and bulletproof vest. 

The bare metal photos do not do the models justice.  They are have an elegant simplicity and good proportions. I give them a 8/10 - they now edge out the Perry line as the best historicals I own.

Squad Weapons

5.56mm Assault Rifle
This is your standard 30-round mag rifle such as M16, AK74 etc.  Treat as Combi Rifle.  

5.56mm SAW/PKM
Portable sustained fire weapon.  Treat as a Heavy Machine Gun with a Damage of only 13. 

Underslung Grenade Launcher (M203, GP 30)As per Light Grenade Launchers. 

9mm  Pistol (Makarov, M9 Beretta)
As per Pistol.

Shotgun (Benelli, Mossberg)
As per Boarding Shotgun.

Light Anti Tank Weapon (RPG, LAW, AT-4)
Any disposable shoulder-fired bazooka/rocket launcher.  As per D.E.P.   

Squad Marksman Rifle (L86 LSW, HK417, G3, SVD, M14, SR-25)

Treat as having X-Visor (medium range 0, -3 max range) If 7.62mm, Damage is 15 and only 2 shots (Semi auto). 

This is from the Red Star Miniatures website.  Empress is a distributor for their wonderful Chechyan/Russian range and I suspect both companies use the same sculptor.  Check out their gallery dioramas - they look like news photos....

Platoon/Support Weapons

Support machine-gun (FN MAG, M60, RPK)
Typically 7.62mm with two man crew, used at platoon level.  Treat as Heavy Machine Gun. 
An extra crew member adds +1 to the weapon's burst.

Sniper Rifle (M24, L96)
Typically a 7.62mm bolt or semi automatic weapon. Treat as Sniper Rifle.

Claymores
As per Anti-personnel mines.

40mm Automatic GL
As per Kaytatusha. 

Anti Material Rifle (Barrett .50)
Treat as a Sniper rifle, which rolls twice to wound and ignores armour.   

 I also have some Eureka miniatures. They are a little chunkier then Empress but very solid sculpts and paint up well (this is a photo from their website).   Both Empress and Eureka have excellent service and communication and I was impressed with both. I recommend you check them out. 

I may fiddle with the stats mildly but as it stands it seems a solid selection, a bit easier to remember than the 61 weapon types available in Infinity itself.   Part II will be working out campaign and sensible "advancement" perimeters.  Part III will be scenarios, missions and (hopefully) an AAR. 

The core rules I am using are free from the official Infinity website.

Campaign Paradiso: Infinity Campaign Book Review

The postie bought me some long awaited Ariadna reinforcements, as well as the Campaign Paradiso rulebook which finally introduces scenarios and a narrative campaign to the previously deathmatch-centric Infinity sci fi skirmish rules.

The folks at Corvus Belli know how to make a quality product

It's so Shiny
The glossy 200+ page hardback rulebook, as always, has superb production values, great artwork and inspiring pictures of miniatures by the impossibly talented Angel Giraldez.  This book is a pleasure to flick through for the art alone. My main complaint: the quality of the paintjobs on display make me frustrated my miniatures will never look even remotely as good. As usual, it is packed with interesting fluff, which, as usual, tends to obscure the rules themselves a bit.  I can't say the rulebooks are laid out in a particularly user-friendly manner, but all key rules and weapons stats (everything you need to play Infinity to the latest version) are available for free on their website.  In fact this is the first time Corvus Belli have not uploaded the complete rules content on the net (like they did for the first two books) - to play the Paradiso scenarios (and get the copious fluff), you will need to buy the book.

Support troops such as engineers are needed for some scenarios

Campaign Fluff & Scenarios
There are 20 pages of history giving information about the alien attacks on Paradiso. I skimmed this - I will come back and enjoy it later.  

The scenarios were sandwiched after the fluff, but awkwardly separated from the actual campaign rules at the very back of the book.  The 14 scenarios provided, if linked in order, actually tell the official "storyline" and you could play them as a narrative.  The "official" force lists are at 300 points, using a 48x48" table.  I wouldn't launch a new player straight into these - 150 point straight deathmatch games would be a better starting place. Infinity's mechanisms themselves are not that complicated but it DOES have a steep learning curve, and a 300-point game including more "specialist" models with unique abilities exacerbates this.

The scenarios necessitate having hackers, engineers and doctors and include data recovery, triangulation, building/objective seizure, ambush, infiltration, exfiltration, hijacking, evacuation, and rescue missions.  All scenarios are well written and detailed but rather too specific - in many cases with a rather precise table layout and even including where elevators are located. 

TL:DR A great variety of well-written scenarios, but some scenarios are quite "rigid" in layout. 

Except for the Corax, I found all the Spec Ops troops rather boring sculpts. Ironic, as they are the only upgradable "hero" unit.

Faction Fluff
Like all Infinity rulebooks, each unit has a paragraph or so describing their history and role. There are also historical "facts" which help flesh out the feel of each faction. They contain news snippets, random anecdotes, comics and art as well.  They are kinda quirky and not at all like GW codexes. I enjoy them, but to be honest I think this should be placed at the back of the book, with the unit stats, instead of in the middle where it separates the campaign rules from the scenarios (which means a lot of flipping back and forth through the rules.)  This is a hefty chunk of the rules - 110 pages in fact.

I won't be able to resist buying them, but the Tohaa "not-Eldar" do seem like lazy design

The big news is the introduction of a new race, the Tohaa, who seem designed around 3-man fire teams (I suspect they are trying to get away from the current all-or-nothing 5-man fire teams - due to the way bonuses stack people usually field a 5-man squad or none at all). They have symbiotic armour and viral weaponry; and are a manipulative mentor race (*cough* Eldar *cough*) who "uplift" other races ...  ....some say to make them their servants...

TL:DR  Quirky and cool content, but best relegated to the back of the book with the actual unit profiles. The Tohaa "space elves" don't exactly break new ground.

The Spec Ops troops were surprisingly bland. The poses are very static and uninspiring compared to the usual fluid action poses

Campaign System
This is the bit I was most interested in.  The scenario victory conditions provides XP (experience points) but the only up-gradable solider is the "Spec Ops" class - a line trooper who can gain up to 3 special skills, 3 weapons and 3 pieces of equipment, based on its faction profile.  He can also gain stat increases - extra strength, wounds, shooting accuracy etc. 

Most of the time, XP will be spent on force-wide special abilities - the ability to have an extra "army points" when building a force - bonuses to initiative, increased availability of specialist troops, the ability to know an opponent's army list, higher retreat thresholds, etc. 

I was disappointed with this section - only one trooper being able to gain experience (under very strict guidelines) was a bit rigid (though I understand it would be done thus for balance reasons). The scenarios were linked in specific order - i.e. everyone plays x scenario, then the winners play y and the losers play z complete with a flowchart and diagram.

TL:DR  A fairly "tight" campaign without much flexibility.  The scenarios are a welcome addition to Infinity but Paradiso seems to focus on competitive club play. 

For example, base Wildcat line troopers look more "Special" to be honest...

New Rules
These are all available free from the website (Corvus Belli always provides everything you need - including templates and markers) to play the complete game - kinda like providing free rules and codexes for each faction, so you are constantly updated to the latest edition. (There was Infinity, Human Sphere and now Campaign Paradiso so - there has been no core rule changes, simply new weapons and abilities added.)

Although Paradiso introduces far less new content than Human Sphere did, I feel Infinity is headed down a slippery slope. A game with unique mechanisms and gripping gameplay, where it is "always your turn" - the reaction (overwatch on steroids) system and order pool make for a cinematic, ruthless game where careful positioning and resource management are supreme.

However the base Infinity started out with 54 special skills and Human Sphere added another 22.  Paradiso adds 7 more, for a total of 83 unique skill rules.  In addition there are now 61 unique weapons which fire over a dozen ammunition types (each with their own unique effects) and 31 pieces of equipment.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks 200+ rules in addition to the basic mechanics is excessive.

Infinity players have a saying - "It's not your list, it's you" - inferring that unlike say 40K and Warmahordes, your skill in creating a uber army list has little bearing on victory. However I feel this is no longer true - "It's not your list - it's your memory" - is perhaps a better motto.

I'd prefer to be "ambushed" by clever tactics, not an unexpected rule.

TL: DR  New content keeps the game "fresh" but too many special rules will make it like Warmachine (a game so unbalanced by excessive rules that it's actually naturally balanced) - the winner is the player with the best memory for the zillion unique rules, not the best tactician

 Infinity is in danger of choking great mechanics with too many "special rules"

SUMMARY
Paradiso was a bit of a mixed bag, for me.  A beautiful rules book, you are nonetheless effectively paying $50 for 14 scenarios, 30 pages of rather rigid campaign rules and 120 pages of fluff.

The fluff, art and production values were exceptional as ever. I felt satisfied with my purchase based on the "shiny factor" and I will get enjoyment out of simply reading through it.

As a gaming resource, the scenarios were detailed but somewhat prescriptive (i.e. place elevators at exactly x and y location on the game map) and there are already some well-made and widely used houserules out there such as YAMS(which contains many similar scenarios).  That said, getting away from deathmatches is a welcome change and many people are most comfortable with "official" rules.  
The ability to only "upgrade" one line trooper with your XP and only army-wide generalised "buffs" will be disappointing to those who have played Necromunda, Mordhiem and similar "true" campaign games. Paradiso reminds me more of those one-off campaigns that GW runs for 40K.

TL:DR  Basically, this game seems well-balanced for the competitive club crowd at the expense of long-term playability and all-round usefulness.

Verdict: Will fire up Infinity players at your local club, and give a much-needed variety to vanilla deathmatch play for those who insist on "official" scenarios.  It seems to be carefully balanced to avoid uber-characters/armies-of-doom but it's prescriptive structure means it won't rise to be the Necromunda replacement-but-with-awesome game mechanics that it could have been.

Recommended? Definitely for a club campaign or if you love the artwork and fluff.  Otherwise, you can save your $50 and use YAMs for scenarios as the "campaign mode" and experience system doesn't add that much flavour to your army besides a few tweaks.

Goalsystem Delves Rules Review - Generic Fantasy Skirmish/RPG

Song of Blades and Heroes was a revelation in rules sets - a simple, generic toolbox that allowed you to play with ANY miniatures, not just those licensed to a particular product line. Capable of quick, 30 minute games full of action and colourful escapades, with a series of linked games (be it a campaign or dungeon crawl) playable in an evening. However the single stat line (the "Combat" stat amalgamates defense, offense and missile skill) is a little too grainy, limiting replayability. (Ironically, the use of a single one-size-fits all stat necessitates so many special rules (scattered across several rulebooks and supplements) that it actually complicates  more than it simplifies.)

So while I loved SoBH, I am ready to move on.

Does what it says on the tin.  Blends RPG and skirmish for a relatively quick-playing dungeon-exploring toolkit.

 Goalsystem Delves was a Kickstarter advertised as "adventure skirmish roleplay" for classic dungeon crawls: a skirmish game with RPG elements that could be played co-operatively or competitively, with or without a GM.

The Shiny
(Note: this is the $15 pdf edition not the hardback rules) Whilst it is easy to read and has generous fonts, the 255 pages (I was really surprised by this) means printing off the pdf will require felling a small tree and/or investing in a toner factory.  I question why anyone would want anything other than the "printer friendly version" as the artwork in the "electronic colour" is rather ordinary.  Probably a better layout than SoBH, but on the other hand it is 200 pages longer. I do like the "in a nutshell" rules summary at the back of the text.

Mechanics
The "Goalsystem" is basically this: most actions require a "goal roll".  The player rolls a pool of dice, counting each 4+ as a success. I.e. Gaylord Pointyears the elf wants to fire his bow at a goblin; he rolls 5 dice with 2, 3, 4, 4, and 5 for a total of three "Goals".
Any roll of "5" counts as 2 goals - so if the above roll was 2, 3, 4, 4, 6 it would count as four "Goals."

This works as a simple RPG system - when unopposed, goals required vary according to the difficulty of the task:
Easy = 1 goal
Routine =2 goals
Challenging = 3 goals
Heroic = 4 goals ...and so on.

In opposed actions, both sides roll and compare goals. The amount of goals you succeed by can also influence the effects of the action: i.e. Gaylord fires his bow (2, 3, 4, 4, 6) = 4 goals; at the goblin who dodges with 1, 5, 3 = 1 goal.  Gaylord wins, and adds +3 dice to his damage pool.

TL:DR - utilises a simple system that suits itself well to RPG aspects

Stats
Models have four traits -  Class, Defence, Strength and Toughness. In Classes the generic thief, mage, ranger, warrior, priest, druid don't deviate from the norm too much but have several "sub-classes" each.   Strength is used for smashing stuff and damage - a strength 4 character would get 4 dice when attempting to damage an opponent.  Defence is used to avoid incoming damage and Toughness is the ability to absorb damage. Characters also have a base Move - usually around 6", Hit Points (usually about 6) and Fate which is a finite resource allowing a player to "bend the rules" with re-rolls etc.  A player's Initiative is his combined Defence and Class trait level.

Characters can only go to Level 10 in Delves so she would be impressed...

Gameplay
At the start of the game, each player adds 2D6 to his Initiative which determines the order of turns for the rest of the game. Players with high initiative can reserve their move for later in the move order.

Each player can perform one move, and one combat or special action. Also a number of free actions are available depending on the Class trait of the character. The rules for charging, rough terrain, knockdown, crawling, falling, hiding and jumping are very generic and offer no innovations gameplay-wise over 20 year old games like Mordhiem.   However, there are rules for aimed shots, bypassing shields, disarming and driving back foes, grabbing, fighting defensively, surprise attacks, trips and trick shots - which add cinematic flavour. When characters lose all their HP, they receive a wound and are required to make a saving roll to avoid death.

TL:DR. No points for originality, but far deeper than SoBH while remaining simple. It plays a heck of a lot faster than d20 RPGs but using only 4-6 man "warbands" and tracking hitpoints leans it more into RPG territory

Delves gives an unabashed nod to old-school D&D

The other 200 pages are RPG stuff....

 Character Creation
The blurb says Delves is a skirmish wargame with RPG elements. I'd argue it is more of a fast-playing, combat orientated RPG like Savage Worlds (which isn't a bad thing.)

All the classic races are represented, e.g.
Gnome
Move 5"
Notes: +1D Toughness, -1D Strength, Small, +1D to Arcane Tasks
Languages: Gnomish, Common

Classes are also pretty recognisable
Cleric [+24 pts.]
Powers: Divine Power, Healer, Price of Power, Turn or Rebuke Undead
Equipment: Start with a 1H weapon and a small shield; also start with
the holy symbol of an appropriate god.

Both races and classes follow fantasy archetypes, but you can build your own races and classes with the guidelines provided.  A XP-system for leveling up from Levels 1 to 10 is provided.

Equipment lists are reasonably thorough with common armours and fantasy weapons listed. You could use a simple encumberance system if you wish.

 Oh I forgot to mention you choose your alignment....

Spells & Powers, Foes and Monsters
There are about 30 pages of spells (a far cry from the two spells available in SoBH!) and show the range, level of character that can use it, the action (is it a free action, a "reaction", or a specific attack), the effects and amount of times it can be used. 

There are a good selection of powers and abilities (ironically, less than SoBH which uses a plethora of "special powers" to try to cover defects in its "One Stat to Rule them All" approach)

The monster creation rules add good depth and allow you to balance the threats your heroes will face with a points system.  The value of the monster also determines its "Reward Level" which contributes to XP. You can also use "hordes" of 5-20 monsters which can be moved as a single entity to speed up play.  There is a random sampling of 40+ monsters provided which provide a good benchmark for making your own nasties.

Campaigns
There are also guidelines for creating campaigns as well as two sample adventures.  Successful players can roll to gain XP based on completion of objectives and slaying of monsters.  There is a balancing system to allow warband PvP (Mordhiem/Necromunda style) as well as more traditional RPG adventures.  There is a phase to recover from wounds, replace dead comrades, fence loot, and get new toys (including magic weapons and gear), as well as perform "tasks" which can provide benefits and bonuses in the next game. There is also an option to role-play "set piece" scenes.

Ah, the word "Games Master" conjures up so many images...

Game Mastering
A few suggestions for balancing encounters, making traps, hazards, and exotic environments. Rewards and loot limits, artifacts, and a simple sketch of a possible game world and its deities. This section is very basic and is not as fleshed out like a proper RPG book would be.

Delves does not have the deep background and GM info of a true RPG

TL:DR - With 200 pages devoted to character creation, equipment, spells and a bestiary, Delves is obviously striving to be a simpler, combat-orientated alternative to traditional dungeon-crawl RPGs and is not exactly a "true" skirmish wargame in the Mordhiem mould. Delves is RPG first, wargame second.

Although if you want fast-playing dungeon crawling, FFG's  Descent has all the bits ready to go....

Overall Summary
Delves is more RPG than skirmish game. It is aimed at 4-man "warbands" and has more in common with Savage Worlds than Song of Blades and Heroes.

It has a simple combat system with an interesting range of special moves, and the "Goalsystem" game engine works well with simple RPG tasks. Delves has a more sensible range of stats than SoBH and actually has a proper magic system (compared to the two generic spells in the latter game).  While being easy to learn and relatively fast-playing, it involves record keeping (tracking hitpoints etc) and has a few extra "layers" which means it cannot be played at SoBH's lightning pace.

Recommended?  As a wargamer, it was a bit more RPGish than I anticipated, and seems squarely aimed at the "mage-thief-warrior-cleric exploring dungeon" rather than "two warbands clash" focus of games like Mordhiem and SoBH, although it can be played as such. Like the two latter games, it has a solid campaign and advancement system.  Without being particularly innovative, Delves does well to simplify d20 RPG concepts and mesh them with a simpler wargame system.  I suspect old-school RPGers would enjoy its "back to basics" streamlined approach to dungeon crawling but those wargamers seeking a bring-your-own-models competitive Mordhiem replacement will probably keep looking.

If you like "Savage Worlds" fast-playing quick-combat style RPG then you will appreciate Delves.

EDIT: The author Scott Pyle is also the author of the sci fi skirmish ruleset "Blasters & Bulkheads" reviewed here in the excellent blog Dropship Horizon. Seems to have "build it yourself" rules which are always welcome. And did I mention the ability to field "not Jedi?"  As you see in the comments below, a new improved v2 is coming out soon.

Heavy Gear - Mech Combat in 6mm - Cheap Fun

I've always liked the Heavy Gear game and universe - combined arms mecha combat where mechs are a believable size (not a target the size of a 5-storey building) and don't tend to fly through the air Silver Surfer style on jet hoverboards.  Tanks and infantry also play a significant role.

  The mammoth Soviet tanks from Brigade are quite nice and have a "Red Alert" vibe to them.

The game is fairly gritty, with weapons long ranged and quite powerful.  Two game mechanisms appeal to me - the "degree of success" where a good hit does more damage than a glancing one - and the "to hit" and "to damage" roll is merged elegantly together.  The second mechanism is the way mechs take damage - there are four states - light damage, heavy damage, crippled and destroyed. 
This does away with the ridiculous armour of Battletech (where you have to scour away dozens of "hit points" of armour before you can do actual damage) and retains a good balance of simplicity and detail.  Record keeping is practically non-existent but tokens do clutter the board up a bit.

 

I have a Heavy Gear starter set - $60 for a few size-8-font tiny B&W rules booklets, half a dozen "customizable"* 28mm mechs (*i.e. in a million pieces, frustrating to put together) and a tape measure. The tape measure admittedly is mildly cool but I don't think $60 was worth it....

So why don't I play this paragon of a game?  Price.  Dream Pod 9 rivals GW in its price structure and an "army" would set you back over $250. Given Heavy Gear is unheard of around here, plunking down half a grand for two armies to simply try a game is a bit to rich for my blood.

So I decided to see if I could play it for under $50....

Whilst Dream Pod 9 makes "fleet scale" mechs they are $2 for a 15mm figure - double that of other companies such as GZG. 

Whilst the GZG 6mm Dirtside walkers are among the nicest (and have a strong VOTOMS vibe) I wanted plenty of variety. So I went to Iron Wind Metals who make Battletech minis - their smaller battlesuits work well as mechs in 6mm.  Brigade were fractionally cheaper than GZG so I plumped for some of their British and Soviet tanks and support vehicles.

About $30 scored me two decent sized forces. I deeply regret painting the hovertank force blue. It's kinda a yick Ultramarine-y shade.

20/20 Hindsight
In my race to try to finish both armies in under 3 hours from start to finish, I sprayed black overcoat over the based minis.  The paint mixed with the still-wet PVA in the sand base to form a kind of tarry sludge. 

A bench grinder was an inspired idea for grinding the bases of 6mm infantry flat so they sat neatly on the bases. It made the job really fast and easy. I decided to got for 5c coins instead of washers which was easier to base as I didn't have to worry about the hole in the middle.

I also could have painted larger quantities just as easily - I had to wait for paint to dry before I could move on.  Next time I would paint double the amount of miniatures. 

I do a lot of 1:300/1:600 aircraft but this is only my second attempt at ground forces.  Basing is far more important than in 15 or 28mm.  You can see how my hasty gluing and spraying means the base of the mechs bulge up rather obviously.

The neo-Soviets came out OK.  The little power armours (2 to a base) on the right look quite cool - they have a MaK vibe to them. 

The Iron Wind battle armours scale well with 6mm and provide a huge range of mech types.  You could probably re-base plastic Mechwarrior clix but clix seem to be selling at a premium - it was cheaper to buy some packets of metal minis. 

The Project So Far

Total time 3 hours (base and paint); $18 of Brigade British, $18 Brigade Soviet, $12 assorted Iron Wind battle armours; 60c of 5c pieces for bases - total cost $48.60