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Wargame Rules / Fantasy
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Displaying Reviews: 1 - 1
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A good colourful romp that's bags of fun!
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Reviewer
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Reviewed by Antar (webmaster@totalmodel.com) July 31, 2003
In recent years I've seen and read through a great many rule sets. Most have been good, some have been exceptional - but only a few have been blessed with the spark of genuine originality. Flintloque reloaded is one such rule set.
The plot - just like the cast of characters - is a familiar one. It is a time of war. The clang of sabre on sabre is punctuated only by the cries of the fallen and the persistent percussion of canon fire. A twisted despot rides forth at the head of a huge army, driven by a desire to conquer all the lands before him. Whilst his legions march on from battlefield to battlefield a few brave nations prepare to stand and fight rather than succumb willingly to the tyrant. On their shoulders rests the very future of the free world.
At this point you'd be forgiven for thinking you were reading a review about a set of rules based around the Napoleonic wars - but you'd be wrong. Whilst it's true to say that the bad guys wear blue uniforms and probably eat too much garlic, they have very little else in common with our Gaelic chums. Flintloque Reloaded is a fantasy game and, as everyone knows, whenever the worlds of fantasy and wargaming collide, the warring factions are as familiar as mum's Sunday roast. In the Green corner are the foul smelling, bad tempered Orcs, all dripping teeth and pointy weapons. In the blue corner are the enlightened and ever-so-merry Elves. "A-ha", you cry, "now we're back on familiar ground." But you'd be wrong again!
In Flintloque Reloaded the Orcs and Elves cast off their traditional chain mail and spears and instead don stove-pipe hats and muskets. In this guise, the "Ferach Elves" - as they are called - bear an uncanny resemblance to French soldiers from around the time of the Peninsular wars. Similarly, the Orcs - led by Duke Wheeling-Turn - are not unlike the English troops from the same period. There are lots of other vaguely familiar armies too - including the "Krautians" - a race of grim Dwarves who have a penchant for shinny boots and spiky helmets. We must also make mention of the undead legions, most of whom hail from the city of "Moskova"!
Even a cursory glance through the 118 page (A4) rule book will reveal the sheer depth of material on offer here. Indeed, almost half of these pages are given over to the plot and background of the war. Each race is introduced in minute detail, ensuring that each army has it's own unique personality. Even if you're not bothered with the rules, this highly imaginative synopsis makes a jolly good read!
The actual rules are well thought out and constructed along fairly traditional lines. The core system will prove familiar to most gamers, and makes good use of all the normal factors for movement rates, initiative and hit tables, etc. These are further enhanced and modified by the sheer wealth of different racial groups built into the game. Successful characters can advance through higher levels and attain special skills. This means that at times it's hard to tell whether Flintloque Reloaded is a true wargame or a more of an RPG. In fairness, however, it seems to span both camps fairly easily. The end product is a well balanced and competent rules system that will provide players with a thorough, if not overly complex, backbone to their games.
Many may regard Flintloque Reloaded as a simple parody of the Napoleonic wars, but that's a little unfair. There's more to this game than a load of Orcs dressed up in 19th century uniforms. The game is a work of great ingenuity and imagination. More planning has gone into its development than many games that have gone before. Even the format of rule book shows a degree of foresight, making good use of an open spine which enables it to be laid open without the aid of a house brick to hold down the pages. It's also worth mentioning that the Flintloque world is backed-up by one of the biggest ranges of 28mm figures around!
Positive: A good colourful romp that's bags of fun.
Negative: The page order in the rules section of the book is a little muddled. Newcomers will find the rules far easier to absorb if they were re-arranged into sections that follow a more logical and progressive order.
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9
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people found this review helpful
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