Just a heads up. Received Tomorrows War v1.1.0 from Shawn at Ambush Alley Games this morning hot on the heels of v1.0.9, and let me tell you it's good. Really good!
Moving In by WiredgearExcellent military Sci Fi artist
Note: This is an illustration I like.
It's NOT official Tom.War artwork.
It's NOT official Tom.War artwork.
Tomorrow's War is very definitely grounded, hard and gritty futuristic combat without using a catalogue of highly developed weapon and vehicle stats as a crutch. A very much "If it bleeds we can kill it" practical approach is displayed throughout the design.
I've enjoyed reading through the draft before even getting to put figures on the table - this is a complete game that will be at home whether set in your favourite Future/Sci Fi setting or in Tom.War's own emerging and believable universe.
GZG classic New Israelis from my collection
This is not just Force on Force with ray guns or Daleks in downtown Baghdad. The Ambush Alley team could have taken the easy route and a couple of months after releasing Force on Force, brought out a Sci Fi variant with a few pretty pictures, a thin mantle of Sci Fi and enough of a whiff of futuristic language that WW2 and modern gamers could dip into Sci Fi using a known rules system.
But they didn't. Shawn and the crew have worked extremely hard to create and refine a Sci Fi combat game built on the AA & FoF engine but not as a slave to it. If Jeremy Clarkson can describe a car supercharger as "air goes in, witchcraft happens and you go faster", then here be witchcraft!
Tommorrow's War WILL be the platoon level rules that 2010 will be remembered for.
I've enjoyed reading through the draft before even getting to put figures on the table - this is a complete game that will be at home whether set in your favourite Future/Sci Fi setting or in Tom.War's own emerging and believable universe.
GZG classic New Israelis from my collectionThis is not just Force on Force with ray guns or Daleks in downtown Baghdad. The Ambush Alley team could have taken the easy route and a couple of months after releasing Force on Force, brought out a Sci Fi variant with a few pretty pictures, a thin mantle of Sci Fi and enough of a whiff of futuristic language that WW2 and modern gamers could dip into Sci Fi using a known rules system.
But they didn't. Shawn and the crew have worked extremely hard to create and refine a Sci Fi combat game built on the AA & FoF engine but not as a slave to it. If Jeremy Clarkson can describe a car supercharger as "air goes in, witchcraft happens and you go faster", then here be witchcraft!
Tommorrow's War WILL be the platoon level rules that 2010 will be remembered for.
Cheers
Mark
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Sounds good, I love the artwork though.
ReplyDeleteRob
TsW still due for this summer ?
ReplyDeleteExcellent! This I like to hear!
ReplyDeleteI sent the artwork to Jon at GZG as inspiration but think that given the 'Modern' base of the troopers, Mike at Rebel or Geoff at QRF could easily convert their current MODERN US lines to make similar Near Future troopers.
ReplyDeleteInteresting artwork idea Mark. I think at least a helmet sprue is due.
ReplyDeletewhen Mike released the Earth Force Infiltrators, I suggested then a sprue of separate helmeted heads.
ReplyDeleteThis is admittedly an expensive way of doing it but I'm going to try the Infiltrator heads on both QRF and Rebels troops to see if they will work.
Mark
Actually the artwork looks to me like what you are saying that the rules aren't -- just modern combat with a slight sci fi veneer.
ReplyDeleteNot to say the art isn't well done -- it's beautiful. But if I play sci fi, I want something very different, not Iraq 2004 with ray guns.
On the other hand Mr. Anonymous :o) who doesn't remember writing about the near future as a school essay / homework. World peace ? Mass availability of medicines ? Nope :( I am pretty sure that in 50 to 100+ years the basic, poor, underdeveloped communities will look very similar to what we can see nowadays. I spent most of my young life living in 3rd world countries like Nigeria or Libia. Those same countries haven't changed a lot since then. The poor are still poor or even poorer. Hitech costs a lot unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteThat's NF youre talking about, which I consider to be different from full-forward sci fi. NF actually could be what Mark described, modern with a futuristic veneer, even a supplement to force on force.
ReplyDeleteLAD
Don't read too much into the pic it happens to be one I like - There's room in Tom.War for you to play future emerging technologies and replay Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, or full thrust fleet projection with Power Armoured troopers.
ReplyDeleteIf I was to put Tom.War into a book context - then I'd say Future History, Old Man's War (trilogy), Dorsai.
It's not going to be to everyone's tastes as we all have different ideas of the future and far future, and how it should be portrayed on the tabletop.
I am not at liberty to talk too much about the contents or the mechanics at this time - it's inspired me.
Keep an eye out for updates and more detailed information as the publication date comes closer and make your mind up then.
I'm lucky, I can make that decision now.
Cheers
Mark
I like the Art work. When do these guys plan to have TW rules out?
ReplyDeletePlease correct me if I'm wrong, Mark, but I think several folks here are getting confused over the pic you used - it is just a (very nice) future-infantry pic you found online and used to illustrate your blog post, isn't it, and nothing to do with the actual TW rules? I think some folks are assuming it's a piece of art from the forthcoming rulebook.....?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Jon. It was sexier than an MS Word icon as an illustration!
ReplyDeleteI was hoping the pic would kickstart some interest figurewise!
Cheers
Mark
I'm loving the art... Can we get a link to more of his work? That is exactly the kind of thing I want to see in my future ruleset. I'm thinking Peter Pig marines (or Rebel Minis perhaps?) with headswaps... Just gotta find suitable heads now. Help?
ReplyDeleteReally looking forward to seeing more on this.
I posted the image to my sculptor so its quite possible the greens could be in my hand next week. I have some Rebel Minis for comparison purposes to be sure they will fit and be in scale with most 17.5mm minis.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to an online portfolio of the artist I found:
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/wiredgears_portfolio/picture122552.aspx
RE:APJ.
ReplyDeleteSQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! :)
How do you follow a comment like squeeeeeeeee?
ReplyDeleteHmm. Well i've been a fan of the AA rules since i first bought them and i'm sure they will be a well deserved hit, with excellent production quality from Dixie and rules support from the team. Piers Brand over on The Guild is pumping out some nice SF figures, which will no doubt feature somewhere in it. Rogue Trooper from 2000ad and 15mm GZG NAC troopers which look great.
I'm missing out on Salute this year and i'm saving my pennies to buy it as soon as possible.
We are pounding away on Tomorrow's War, guys! I just received some excellent writ-ups on a couple of major corporations and Imperial Russia, in fact.
ReplyDeleteI think the "fluff" for TW will be pretty accessible to most SF gamers, but the rules aren't based on the fluff - in fact, just the opposite is true. Our plan is to provide SF gamers with a solid, generic ruleset that they can plug their own elements into to create their version of Tomorrow's War if they don't care for ours.
Thanks for the kind words, Mark!
I think this will be the ruleset I was waiting from a long time... Emh... will you include maybe GIANT vehicles or mechas?? I took for few euros a T-1 toy model and I would like to have it fight with a Zaku while my 15mm infantry run and run for cover... emh, sorry for my crazy enthusiasm!! :)
ReplyDeleteAndrea
I'm already ordering figs... all I want to know is can my figs be based individually or not. If not I'll need to wait to base my figs until I have the book in my hot little hands!
ReplyDelete-R
Yes, base them individually.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Mark