Warband Wasteland

I like the concept of warband style wargames; I really do. I’ve previously posted about what makes a warband game and why I like them. What I have seen recently, however, is a slew of seemingly soulless warband games that are churned out to sell a line of miniatures. I’ve started thinking about what makes a great warband game; and, what makes an inferior warband game.

In the "inferior" category I am going to put Dark Age, Confrontation, Warmachine, Warlord, Lord of the Rings, all the collectible miniatures games, Infinity, Urban War, and Rezolution, All these games use the same (and overdone) formula of having 10 to 30 models per army with stat cards in the packs.

In the "great" category I am going to put Necromunda, Mordheim, Battle Companies (Lord of the Rings), and Legends of the Old West. All these games share one thing that the inferior games do not have: a quasi-roleplaying campaign system in which the troops in the warband gain skills and abilities.

I’ve played the games in the inferior category; but, never with the enthusiasm and length of time of the superior games. I think it is because the one-off points based games get old quickly whereas the changing abilities and models in the other systems keep you wanting to improve and game again.

Perhaps the makers of the inferior games will realize this and introduce campaign systems that include roleplaying style ability growth.