Chain Reaction 3: Swordfight is out

A new version of Chain Reaction is out with a fantasy skirmish out for free.

I glanced at the rules and it looks better organized than previous iteration. This is the free version, so it doesn't have as much detail as the other games in the series.

Starting setting up a follow up scenario to test the rules out.

Vassal: Mayhem Warrior Heroes 2

The Mayhem Warrior Heroes rule set is great for solo gaming. The chain reaction forces the characters to react in unpredictable ways which allow for opportunities for story telling.

Thorin assembled a small party to search for the lost Battlehammer of his famed clan. In an earlier encounter in the Silver Hills, Thorin's party was ambushed by the Red Orc clan. His good friend was brutally slain and the party routed.

A month later, Thorin has assembled a new party to hunt down the Savage orc who killed his good friend. They trailed the savage orc with the help of the hunter Jon and attacked in a small clearing.

The hail of arrows only sparked anger in the huge orc who charged the elven archer. She was the first to fall to his mighty axe. Thorin and Uzun tried to take the orc down but Thorin routed under heavy orcish arrows. As they fled back into the woods, the orcs charged and slowly took them down among the trees.

Mayhem Warrior Heroes review:
* The rules are not very clear about alot of points. It definitely needs to be organized and edited better.
* The whole reputation idea with passes is confusing. However, once you get the hang of it it does flow.
* The chain reaction system is nice and definitely great for solo gaming.
* I'm not too excited by the combat resolution. I had quite a few passes where both combatants made their passes and no result happened.

Vassal: Mayhem Warrior Heroes

I tried out playtesting Mayhem Warrior Heroes ( Two Hour Wargames) using Vassal Module: Cry Havoc.

The Cry Havoc is a great Vassal Module. The game has alot of nice counters that can represent characters in different states.

In the scene above, a party of adventurers has ambushed an Orcish raiding party. Unfortunately for the adventurers, MWH is a brutal set of rules and the small party will soon be overcome by the Savage Orc.

Solo Gaming

On a related note, if you don't have time for gaming with others, you start to look at what systems are great for solo gaming.

Obviously, computer games are great for solo gaming but I want a ruleset that I had more control to tweak to my personal tastes.

Two rulesets that look to be good for solo gaming are:
* A Song of Blades and Heroes
* Two Hour Wargames

Both systems are similar in that the behavior of your opponent can be unexpectedly. Song of Blades and Heroes is the simpler ruleset to grasp. However, the more I look at Two Hour Wargames, I realize it has alot of depth and can be excellent for solo gaming.

A Song of Blades and Heroes(SBH) has a low entry price of $4 for the basic set.
Two Hour Wargames has free demos. If you join the yahoo site, you can download a complete copy of Mayhem:Warrior Heroes. This is a skirmish fantasy ruleset with magic.

My opinion is that Two Hour wargames is the more polished product between the two systems as SBH has been around for six years. One of the highlights of Two Hour Wargames is its Zombie game All Things Zombie.