I ended up using Owlbear Rodeo and some digital maps in the second half of my 5 Parsecs game and it really streamlined the process! Playing with minis is enjoyable, but sometimes it’s nice to just engage more in the mechanics and creating a story! Great article, I’m for sure going to check out Forbidden Psalm at some point
Five Parsecs from Home was originally under the the Nordic Weasel wargames label. They still develop it for Modiphius, but they also publish a number of other narrative wargames under their own label. Including Dungeon Scum and Starport Scum.
Another overlooked publisher of narrative wargames is Two Hour Wargames which publishes the 5150 Sci Fi range as well as WWII narrative wargames. Two hour wargames also includes miniature-free rules for those who don't want to go the miniatures route. The basic system - chain reaction is a free download.
They had previously published: a Pulp Sci Fi Game - Future Tales + Missions of Tomorrow; a zombie apocalypse game - All Things Zombie + several supplements; a post apocalypse game - After the Horsemen; A pulp game - Large Than Life; a western game - Six Gun Sound; Weird Horror - Lovecraft's Revenge; Weird West - High Moon. I have probably missed a few. These are now under the Rebel Minis label.
As you may realize, I am a huge fan of Two Hour wargames and highly recommend them for narrative wargaming.
There's an old, old program for wargaming called Cyberboard that I've had since like 1995, but this Owlbear Rodeo thing just looks amazing! I had no idea what folks had been up to with the whole VTT thing! This looks like it'd go REALLY well with solo dungeon delving games like Four Against Darkness or Ker Nathalas or 2d6 Dungeon. AND it runs on my PHONE!?! WOOT.
I ended up using Owlbear Rodeo and some digital maps in the second half of my 5 Parsecs game and it really streamlined the process! Playing with minis is enjoyable, but sometimes it’s nice to just engage more in the mechanics and creating a story! Great article, I’m for sure going to check out Forbidden Psalm at some point
I like Owlbear for a bunch of reasons. Such a good little vtt that is simple to get going.
I never see Hametsu (Black Site Studious) ever get any love in these lists. It's got an amazing setting and wonderful mechanics
I haven't heard of that one but I'll be sure to check it out now.
Five Parsecs from Home was originally under the the Nordic Weasel wargames label. They still develop it for Modiphius, but they also publish a number of other narrative wargames under their own label. Including Dungeon Scum and Starport Scum.
Another overlooked publisher of narrative wargames is Two Hour Wargames which publishes the 5150 Sci Fi range as well as WWII narrative wargames. Two hour wargames also includes miniature-free rules for those who don't want to go the miniatures route. The basic system - chain reaction is a free download.
They had previously published: a Pulp Sci Fi Game - Future Tales + Missions of Tomorrow; a zombie apocalypse game - All Things Zombie + several supplements; a post apocalypse game - After the Horsemen; A pulp game - Large Than Life; a western game - Six Gun Sound; Weird Horror - Lovecraft's Revenge; Weird West - High Moon. I have probably missed a few. These are now under the Rebel Minis label.
As you may realize, I am a huge fan of Two Hour wargames and highly recommend them for narrative wargaming.
I've come across 2 hour war games before but haven't played any of them yet. But I'll be sure to take a look soon!
I admire and appreciate your articles. You might enjoy the Fallen RPG and the variant Shadows of Hilgraab.
Great article! This avenue actually brought me into the solo RPG world before I ever played in a group. The logic normally goes something like this:
1. Warhammer looks awesome
2. No one I know will buy / paint / play Warhammer
3. Discover 5 leagues from the borderlands or rangers of Shadow deep
4. Enter the solo RPG rabbit hole
Funny, I've gone almost the opposite direction! Glad you made it to the solo rpg world! Welcome.
There's an old, old program for wargaming called Cyberboard that I've had since like 1995, but this Owlbear Rodeo thing just looks amazing! I had no idea what folks had been up to with the whole VTT thing! This looks like it'd go REALLY well with solo dungeon delving games like Four Against Darkness or Ker Nathalas or 2d6 Dungeon. AND it runs on my PHONE!?! WOOT.
You are missing out Matrix Games here - the grandaddy of narrative wargames, and increasingly used by the military and political scientists. See https://wargaming.info/2016/engle-matrix-games/ and https://balagan.info/wargaming/engle-matrix-games. Also https://www.juniorgeneral.org/ for a bucketload of free paper minis.