I'm looking forward to the Let's Play. This is interesting but so far I'm not sure it will give me a different enough experience to earn a spot on the shelf next to Pulp Alley.
Thanks for the look Ash, Marco A has a youtube channel (MarcoOmnigamer), and has been doing wargaming (hex & counter) reviews, and board game reviews for many years.
My friend has been talking about running a pulp 20s/30s campaign set in the Middle East (looking for the fabled madeupium or somesuch) - these rules look great for that! As for your play through, well, if you don't Rogue Trader it, then caped crusadering would be cool.
Pulp era games are so fun, definitely gonna pick this up. I'll need to schedule a movie night and try to pick who I want to build/play as. O'Connell vs the Mummy, Tarzan vs the Poachers or even Wasteland Warrior vs the Cannibals
The release blurb on Osprey's website specifies that this is game is suitable for solo/co-op play and heat-to-head, but I didn't see any sections on solo/co-op enemy AI or activation rules during the flip-through. That's...concerning. Unless I didn't spot it or those pages got skipped?
Yeah. I was under the understanding it was solo/co-op first, with head-to-head being second. That is what interests me in this pulp ruleset as their are many pulp rulesets already on the market, but made to competitive play. Also, Perilous Tales is great for monster of the week scenarios, but not really for more Indiana Jones-types of adventures, which I'm hoping this will be.
The exclusion of the solo rules was an oversight on which they got called out very quickly after the game’s release in December. Osprey has published the solo rules on their website as a free download.
The author is a TH-camr who makes game review videos, with wargames his specialty. I was surprised to see him write a minis ruleset as he doesn't review many miniatures games on his channel. www.youtube.com/@marcowargamer
Hmm, pulp, eh? So Luke, plus Han and Chewie, plus two teams of Rebel Fighters; versus Vader, plus a couple of Death Troops, plus two teams of Stormtroopers? 😍 9:45 I like that showdown on the docks illustration; and the C'thulhu Cruise picture at 12:24.
Got the book from Amazon this week. Just need the time to go through it. Don't be fool by the mention of solo/coop play on the back of the book, it contains no specific rules to play solo/coop beyond saying that the solo player has to play both sides. Seems a bit misleading to make such a fuss and not providing any actual solo rules.
Thanks for the warning. Phony claims of solo suitability have become very common since the pandemic lockdown, and I'm getting really tired of seeing them.
Actually they have acknowledged this mistake and have actually put out a downloadable supplement for their solo play rules on their Osprey Publishing website
I was already interested in this title just to play some indiana jones style games, but now I know that it's not just limited to that time period I'm thinking of my 7tv / crooked dice minis. Ghostbusters vs ghosts, thundercats, or if asymetrical teams are possible maybe Jonh Wick vs henchmen.
I'm curious how this compares with Pulp Alley. My experience with Osprey rules is mixed - some have a high fun to rules ratio, but some are so needlessly complex they're close to unusable. For 20 bucks, though, I'll definitely grab this.
I think you will want to do Back of Beyond based on the Hammer Horror movie Horror Express with Lee and Cushing. "You can't hypnotize me! I'm British!"
Interesting to see how it plays. I would use the Strange Brigade videogame as a setting. Tales of daring do versus Undead Egyptian and Pirates. Add some Indiana Jones, The Mummy, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Cthulhu. And other similar settings, that I've missed out.
Trouble with the layout is that terms aren't properly explained when they are first used. It took a lot of re-reading for me to discover that IPs are Impact Points. I still have no idea what is meant by "suppressed" and "unsuppressed." the author just seems to assumes that everyone is in the know. Pulp! isn't alone in this though. So many rule sets forget that the reader hasn't been play testing with the author before publication.
How flexible is gang creation? Can I make a gang of vigilante + Sidekick vs. Villain and a bunch of mooks? The brief description you read seems to indicate all gangs are the same size.
I used this way of giving thanks for a first time. So this text was automatic one, created by Google. It was not intended.. It turned kinda weird. I wanted to thank you for reviews like this one, battle reports etc. If it if fine for you I will use this channel in future.
preordered a copy, it came a couple days and am planning on returning it. the book says there was going to be rules for solo play and co-op but there isnt, solo play is play both side your self, co-op is let a mate take a unit or two. its a shame the rules sounded cool but there than nothing to them other than some flashy images.
Late to this video, but, quick question, if you happen to see this... or, anyone who cares to throw in theirs 2cents. This rule set? Pulp Alley? or, 7TV? Im torn between the 3. Any pros or cons greatly appreciated.
Hi Kris… Quite a lot of small scale Skirmish Rules have that feature… It’s partly designed to to create a certain amount of uncertainty & unpredictability into the gameplay, while balancing the inclusion of expensive to hire (but more reliable & capable) veteran characters against the much cheaper (in terms of points value) run of the mill & less reliable characters… Just as in real life, where - through mishaps, misunderstandings, unforeseen events, or the variable quality of the Men & Women on your team - not everything goes according to plan… so your perfectly constructed stratagems may have to be revised & adapted on the fly… But… Since the minimum Activation Die Roll required to activate any given figure is lower for your best characters & veterans… & higher for your raw recruits & walk-on extras… you can take calculated risks by assuming a greater likelihood that your best guys will come through for you - & assign them the most crucial objectives, while leaving the less important task to the least reliable characters (who have the higher Activation Roll requirement). This mechanic works really well in games that employ it, because it adds unpredictability & suspense into the mix, stops the game from “running on rails” & - whether in competitive, cooperative or Solo games against the Games’ AI protagonists, it creates opportunities for “the best laid plans of Mice & Men” to falter & create Cliffhanger moments, just when it looked like one side was heading for a runaway success, for example! 😱 🤦🏻♂️ Such a degree of uncertainty & the potential for a badly timed mishap is PERFECT for Pulp themed games, because every Pulp printed Novel/Comic Book adventure or serialised Cinema or TV Pulp Adventure was full of scenes in which things went wrong at just the wrong moment… The getaway car wouldn’t start… One of the Aircraft’s engines conked out… The fleeing Heroine slipped & twisted her ankle… The Radio Message instructing the henchmen at the hideout to “Go!” was garbled because of Weather interference… The new Sentry decided to finish his cigarette before starting or continuing with his patrol… Those Activation Die Rolls are supposed to replicate such unpredictable yet plausible eventualities, which REALLY DO happen in real life but yet - just as in real life - tend to happen MORE OFTEN to unreliable, inexperienced, clumsy, lazy, poorly trained & unenthusiastic units, than they do to the Top Tier, battle hardened, tough & heroic veterans who - in such Game systems - can only fail on a die roll of “1” for example, compared to, say, a “1,2 or 3” in the case of your worst guys, who will also cost you far fewer points to recruit into your team… Much of the fun of PULP based games, is to invent narratives on the spur of the moment, to explain WHY any given character failed to activate on their turn… Such as, “Lola insisted on reapplying her lipstick before venturing outside… She ALWAYS had to look her best.” “Vinny’s pistol failed to go off YET AGAIN! As the newest recruit to the gang, the rest of the guys made sure that HE got the CRAPPIEST pick of the firearms available for every heist.” 😉 You get the idea… Hope that helps! ~ LOUIS C.
Not for the most part. Lion Rampant, Dragon Rampant, and I think Pikeman's Lament all use the same engine, but that's because they were designed by Dan Mersey - but he's also done other games that use different mechanics, so you can't just go by author. Frostgrave, Stargrave, Ghost Archipelago and Rangers of Shadow Deep all share an engine (and author) as well. I think some of the other historical titles have some engine overlap as well, but I might be wrong. Cheap as they are I haven't bought all of them, in part because they're very hit-or-miss IME. For every Frostgrave there's a Castles In the Sky, and there's even more "meh" titles.
Gonna be a downer and say this looks super disappointing to me, looks like there's barely a framework there for pushing minis around and rolling for who wins combat.
There are plenty of other pulp minis games out there already. Pulp Alley, Rugged Adventures, Fistful of Lead, Astounding Tales, the various Chaos In Egypt/Carpathia/Outer Space games, and Gaslight all spring to mind and I know I'm forgetting a few. It's a well-served niche that didn't really need another rule set - Wargame Vault has "pulp" listed a historical period category for a reason.
Without having played the Osprey game I can't say for sure, but I certainly wouldn't be surprised if that turned out to be the case. Why Ash is acting like there are no pulp other games on the market is beyond me when the genre has its own tab over on Wargame Vault is beyond me.
Finally sat down to read my copy of this. What an awful set of disjointed poorly explained poorly displayed rules. If it came with a cheat sheet it would fix soany issues. This is not a game for beginners. Hell I struggle with it and I'm not a beginner. For example is your characters IP decided by a natural ability, weaponor something else and the answer seems to be yes. This info is spread across several disjointed pages. So it's not actually clear. Say I take a sword and my character has un armed. Do I choose between one up for the sword or 3 IP for unatmed or should I say superior fighting? Or do I add them together for 4 IP.?. In the end I gave up. It might be a great system but the way it's presented makes it drop off at the charity shop for me.
You know what annoys me the most though?. You can't run and shoot. The cover art shows two folk running and shooting. In the book there's another picture of running and shooting. Also not sure even exist in this game. It there are mods to rolls but then can't find any haha.
This 'review' which mentions none of these and other issues, and just gushes over the setting and superficial elements of the game, typifies a big problem with this hobby.
Pulp is one of my favourite genres. You can take anyone or anything and send them on an adventure to fight the Nazis and the occult.
I'm looking forward to the Let's Play. This is interesting but so far I'm not sure it will give me a different enough experience to earn a spot on the shelf next to Pulp Alley.
Mars Attacks was the first thing that came to mind. Really looking forward to this!
*Slim Whitman intensifies*
I liked the sound of "Gotham by Gaslight".
The Osgiliath terrain could be used for a ruined monastery.
I need Doc Venture and Brock Sampson conventions …
Thanks for the look Ash, Marco A has a youtube channel (MarcoOmnigamer), and has been doing wargaming (hex & counter) reviews, and board game reviews for many years.
You had me at "Lo Pan" and clinched with "laser pistols vs. bears". Purchased.
Looking forward to a LP series! Is Jay up for a game?
I think its actually a very pistol firing a flare. But why not a laser pistol!
My friend has been talking about running a pulp 20s/30s campaign set in the Middle East (looking for the fabled madeupium or somesuch) - these rules look great for that! As for your play through, well, if you don't Rogue Trader it, then caped crusadering would be cool.
We have these rules coming. I already found the episodes of Tales of the Gold Monkey.
SOOOOO MUCH YESSSSSS!!!! I LOVE Tales of the Gold Monkey!!!
Bob Merch makes awesome minis for any pulp situation.loving the Can con! (Ontario here), oh and i ordered a shirt, want to keep you around!
Murch. It's Bob Murch. The other spelling makes him sound like a mascot shilling for some shitty youtuber, and he's way too good a sculptor for that..
Pulp era games are so fun, definitely gonna pick this up. I'll need to schedule a movie night and try to pick who I want to build/play as. O'Connell vs the Mummy, Tarzan vs the Poachers or even Wasteland Warrior vs the Cannibals
Lucid eye makes a 70s scifi disco set of minis. I'm keen to use this rule set.
Abbot and Costello vs the monsters.
I look forward to see my you play this.
I think Ctuthlu is the right way to go.
The release blurb on Osprey's website specifies that this is game is suitable for solo/co-op play and heat-to-head, but I didn't see any sections on solo/co-op enemy AI or activation rules during the flip-through. That's...concerning. Unless I didn't spot it or those pages got skipped?
Check out Perilous Tales instead, Ash played it a few years ago.
Yeah. I was under the understanding it was solo/co-op first, with head-to-head being second. That is what interests me in this pulp ruleset as their are many pulp rulesets already on the market, but made to competitive play. Also, Perilous Tales is great for monster of the week scenarios, but not really for more Indiana Jones-types of adventures, which I'm hoping this will be.
The exclusion of the solo rules was an oversight on which they got called out very quickly after the game’s release in December. Osprey has published the solo rules on their website as a free download.
@@walt776it basically says work out yourself cos the dice are random enough.
The author is a TH-camr who makes game review videos, with wargames his specialty. I was surprised to see him write a minis ruleset as he doesn't review many miniatures games on his channel. www.youtube.com/@marcowargamer
You should do a TaleSpin game. Baloo and Kit lead a ragtag band of Cape Suzette citizens against Shere Khan's air pirates!
This is obviously an opportunity to break out the Cowboys again and, naturally, have them fight Aliens.
Hmm, pulp, eh? So Luke, plus Han and Chewie, plus two teams of Rebel Fighters; versus Vader, plus a couple of Death Troops, plus two teams of Stormtroopers? 😍
9:45 I like that showdown on the docks illustration; and the C'thulhu Cruise picture at 12:24.
Think it was only Canadian Pulp! had menacing Beavers.
You should do Hellboy and the B.P.R.D let’s play
Can't wait for the battle report of this
Got the book from Amazon this week. Just need the time to go through it.
Don't be fool by the mention of solo/coop play on the back of the book, it contains no specific rules to play solo/coop beyond saying that the solo player has to play both sides.
Seems a bit misleading to make such a fuss and not providing any actual solo rules.
Thanks for the warning. Phony claims of solo suitability have become very common since the pandemic lockdown, and I'm getting really tired of seeing them.
Actually they have acknowledged this mistake and have actually put out a downloadable supplement for their solo play rules on their Osprey Publishing website
I would love to do some totally gonzo post-apocalyptic sword and lasers type thing, like Thundarr the Barbarian
I was already interested in this title just to play some indiana jones style games, but now I know that it's not just limited to that time period I'm thinking of my 7tv / crooked dice minis. Ghostbusters vs ghosts, thundercats, or if asymetrical teams are possible maybe Jonh Wick vs henchmen.
This sounds perfect for some Pirates vs Ninjas!
Not yet available in Germany, but I am looking forward to getting a copy! How about a Space: 1889 scenario?
Those backgrounds are AMAZING!
Didn't even know know this was coming out! Sold!!!
How about Ork Noir
Raiders of the Last Ork?
Da Ganks ov Nu Ork!
Adam west style Batman with shark repellent and a glue gun!
Gotta find my Rick O'Connell mini...
I think pulp miniatures have a set. It might also include Indiana Jones
A detective Batman would be great
I've done some Bat-Family for Pulp Alley, not sure if I'm getting this yet.
I'm curious how this compares with Pulp Alley. My experience with Osprey rules is mixed - some have a high fun to rules ratio, but some are so needlessly complex they're close to unusable. For 20 bucks, though, I'll definitely grab this.
I think you will want to do Back of Beyond based on the Hammer Horror movie Horror Express with Lee and Cushing. "You can't hypnotize me! I'm British!"
Looking forward to see what film from my childhood you re create with this time
thank you for the great video!
Batman by Gaslight would be awesome!
Interesting to see how it plays. I would use the Strange Brigade videogame as a setting. Tales of daring do versus Undead Egyptian and Pirates. Add some Indiana Jones, The Mummy, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Cthulhu. And other similar settings, that I've missed out.
Trouble with the layout is that terms aren't properly explained when they are first used. It took a lot of re-reading for me to discover that IPs are Impact Points. I still have no idea what is meant by "suppressed" and "unsuppressed." the author just seems to assumes that everyone is in the know. Pulp! isn't alone in this though. So many rule sets forget that the reader hasn't been play testing with the author before publication.
And preordered the rules. Might use it to justify buying mw some Drowned Earth miniatures... fighting against... we'll see 😄
Gotham By Gaslight or The Doom That Came To Gotham (Batman vs Eldritch horrors) would be awesome.
Very nice review. Would love to see a Matrix like game. I can't remember seeing a Matrix miniature game. Kung fu + gunfight yeah !
How flexible is gang creation?
Can I make a gang of vigilante + Sidekick vs. Villain and a bunch of mooks? The brief description you read seems to indicate all gangs are the same size.
Yes!
This sounds awesome! Could be a great reason to get the Star Trek STLs from Modiphius and play out some away team missions and boarding actions.
Cyberpunk or steampunk might be cool? Or post-apocalyptic. Looking forward to my copy arriving soon for some 1920s action!
Do Venture Brothers, Ash!!
I get activation rolls for conscripts, goons, etc but not the super hero / elite models.
You still get to activate and you can’t fail if you’re out of sight of the enemy. :)
Dziękujemy.
I used this way of giving thanks for a first time. So this text was automatic one, created by Google. It was not intended.. It turned kinda weird. I wanted to thank you for reviews like this one, battle reports etc. If it if fine for you I will use this channel in future.
I’d like to see you do a Myrmidion Wars episode with some Steel Phalanx against Combined Army.
Ash do a let's play
preordered a copy, it came a couple days and am planning on returning it. the book says there was going to be rules for solo play and co-op but there isnt, solo play is play both side your self, co-op is let a mate take a unit or two. its a shame the rules sounded cool but there than nothing to them other than some flashy images.
Late to this video, but, quick question, if you happen to see this... or, anyone who cares to throw in theirs 2cents. This rule set? Pulp Alley? or, 7TV? Im torn between the 3. Any pros or cons greatly appreciated.
Insta buy!
1960's batman. Recreate the old movie
Do Gi Joe
I'm not sure I grasp the reasoning behind the Activation Role? Why does that exist?
Hi Kris… Quite a lot of small scale Skirmish Rules have that feature… It’s partly designed to to create a certain amount of uncertainty & unpredictability into the gameplay, while balancing the inclusion of expensive to hire (but more reliable & capable) veteran characters against the much cheaper (in terms of points value) run of the mill & less reliable characters… Just as in real life, where - through mishaps, misunderstandings, unforeseen events, or the variable quality of the Men & Women on your team - not everything goes according to plan… so your perfectly constructed stratagems may have to be revised & adapted on the fly… But… Since the minimum Activation Die Roll required to activate any given figure is lower for your best characters & veterans… & higher for your raw recruits & walk-on extras… you can take calculated risks by assuming a greater likelihood that your best guys will come through for you - & assign them the most crucial objectives, while leaving the less important task to the least reliable characters (who have the higher Activation Roll requirement).
This mechanic works really well in games that employ it, because it adds unpredictability & suspense into the mix, stops the game from “running on rails” & - whether in competitive, cooperative or Solo games against the Games’ AI protagonists, it creates opportunities for “the best laid plans of Mice & Men” to falter & create Cliffhanger moments, just when it looked like one side was heading for a runaway success, for example! 😱 🤦🏻♂️
Such a degree of uncertainty & the potential for a badly timed mishap is PERFECT for Pulp themed games, because every Pulp printed Novel/Comic Book adventure or serialised Cinema or TV Pulp Adventure was full of scenes in which things went wrong at just the wrong moment… The getaway car wouldn’t start… One of the Aircraft’s engines conked out… The fleeing Heroine slipped & twisted her ankle… The Radio Message instructing the henchmen at the hideout to “Go!” was garbled because of Weather interference… The new Sentry decided to finish his cigarette before starting or continuing with his patrol… Those Activation Die Rolls are supposed to replicate such unpredictable yet plausible eventualities, which REALLY DO happen in real life but yet - just as in real life - tend to happen MORE OFTEN to unreliable, inexperienced, clumsy, lazy, poorly trained & unenthusiastic units, than they do to the Top Tier, battle hardened, tough & heroic veterans who - in such Game systems - can only fail on a die roll of “1” for example, compared to, say, a “1,2 or 3” in the case of your worst guys, who will also cost you far fewer points to recruit into your team…
Much of the fun of PULP based games, is to invent narratives on the spur of the moment, to explain WHY any given character failed to activate on their turn… Such as, “Lola insisted on reapplying her lipstick before venturing outside… She ALWAYS had to look her best.” “Vinny’s pistol failed to go off YET AGAIN! As the newest recruit to the gang, the rest of the guys made sure that HE got the CRAPPIEST pick of the firearms available for every heist.” 😉 You get the idea… Hope that helps! ~ LOUIS C.
Do Doc Savage vs Flash Gordon
FOWW and GASLAND'S LEGACY BLASTER edition please!
Ash. Weren't you gonna do a let's play for this?
Uncharted video games universe 🙂
Suitable for Inq28?
Definitely!
Do Osprey games mix & match? The ones I’m mildly familiar with seem similar.
Not for the most part. Lion Rampant, Dragon Rampant, and I think Pikeman's Lament all use the same engine, but that's because they were designed by Dan Mersey - but he's also done other games that use different mechanics, so you can't just go by author. Frostgrave, Stargrave, Ghost Archipelago and Rangers of Shadow Deep all share an engine (and author) as well. I think some of the other historical titles have some engine overlap as well, but I might be wrong. Cheap as they are I haven't bought all of them, in part because they're very hit-or-miss IME. For every Frostgrave there's a Castles In the Sky, and there's even more "meh" titles.
Don't think you've dived into Weird WWII yet so give it a go. Capt. Canada vs. evil Nazi spy
ring?
Gonna be a downer and say this looks super disappointing to me, looks like there's barely a framework there for pushing minis around and rolling for who wins combat.
There are plenty of other pulp minis games out there already. Pulp Alley, Rugged Adventures, Fistful of Lead, Astounding Tales, the various Chaos In Egypt/Carpathia/Outer Space games, and Gaslight all spring to mind and I know I'm forgetting a few. It's a well-served niche that didn't really need another rule set - Wargame Vault has "pulp" listed a historical period category for a reason.
Pulp Alley does it better. :/
Without having played the Osprey game I can't say for sure, but I certainly wouldn't be surprised if that turned out to be the case. Why Ash is acting like there are no pulp other games on the market is beyond me when the genre has its own tab over on Wargame Vault is beyond me.
Finally sat down to read my copy of this. What an awful set of disjointed poorly explained poorly displayed rules. If it came with a cheat sheet it would fix soany issues. This is not a game for beginners. Hell I struggle with it and I'm not a beginner. For example is your characters IP decided by a natural ability, weaponor something else and the answer seems to be yes. This info is spread across several disjointed pages. So it's not actually clear. Say I take a sword and my character has un armed. Do I choose between one up for the sword or 3 IP for unatmed or should I say superior fighting? Or do I add them together for 4 IP.?. In the end I gave up. It might be a great system but the way it's presented makes it drop off at the charity shop for me.
You know what annoys me the most though?. You can't run and shoot. The cover art shows two folk running and shooting. In the book there's another picture of running and shooting. Also not sure even exist in this game. It there are mods to rolls but then can't find any haha.
This 'review' which mentions none of these and other issues, and just gushes over the setting and superficial elements of the game, typifies a big problem with this hobby.