Osprey Publishing Starts its Own Dedicated Games Division!
March 5, 2014 by dracs
Osprey Publishing have been producing miniature game rules alongside their more well known history books for some time, but now they are getting into gaming in a whole new way with the establishing of Osprey Games.
With the setting up of Osprey Games we can expect to see a greater focus upon bringing out a variety of new rule sets, as well as supplements for those already available. Osprey have also announced that they are planning to bring out card and board games too, which is an interesting direction for the publishing company to go.
Osprey are currently working on a new game for the Seven Year's War called Honours of War, with the writer Keith Flint currently looking for playtesters on his blog.
What do you think of Osprey going into gaming more heavily? Have you played any of their rule sets?
The full announcement can be found here.
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I am intrigued by this news. Especially the idea of Osprey publishing boardgames.
Ronin is certainly one I’ll be checking out.
I got their first two games, Dux Bellorum and A World Aflame, but they were both rubbish so I haven’t checked them out since.
As rule sets go they’re mostly cheap but I have not heard much about most of them. Those that I have, it’s not been good but they did publish Bolt Action. So hopefully there maybe a few more gems in the future.
Bolt Action was a joint project with Warlord. As far as I’m aware, Osprey’s main contribution to the creative side was to provide artwork.
I thank Dux Bellorum is an excellent set of rules…
Like the idea of Ronin, love to do a game which is like 13 Assasins.
Osprey has also been heavily involved in publication of the Force on Force books.
But… they’ve pretty much already been doing it. What will this change?
Dux bellorum and Ronin are of interest to me and I will probably give them a go. Like these rule sets or not a major publisher like Osprey focusing some attention on Wargame rules has got to be viewed as a positive. Who knows what future rules writer will get his break through them.
Dux Bellorum does what it says on the tin, well cover it gives you a good game of Post Roman conflict, not the the most exciting period when it comes to tactics I agree, but it portrays this better than DBx, FOG etc
I have most of the Osprey rules and while I agree that “A World Aflame” and “Dux Bellorum” are a bit dated ruleswise, there are some excellent games.
“Ronin” is very good with a great tactical element to choosing between attack and defence.
“In Her Majesty’s Name” is very adaptable and narrative and comes from a 40K based ruleset called “In The Emperor’s Name”.
Have yet to play “Of Gods and Mortals” and haven’t got “Fistful of Kung Fu” as it’s not something that interests me
“Of Gods and Mortals” is a great system that lets you build your own Gods and their mortal followers. I’m currently using my GW Dwarfs and a few of the Greater Earth Elementals as the legends with the Iron Ancestor from Mantic as the Dwarven God. It’s a nice rules set that lets you pretty much use whatever you wanted, and you only need around 16-18 figures for a small point game.