RPG for Simulation

zztong

Explorer
Out of curiosity, what RPG would you suggest to somebody who wanted to run a game that was better described as "Historical Medieval" and "Simulation" but that perhaps left room for some Mysticism. If you've been watching "Vikings" on TV, what game system might you choose to match that?
 

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Arilyn

Hero
Maybe Chivalry and Sorcery, if you can track it down. It's highly detailed and strives for realism, but is a bear of a system. :)
 

zztong

Explorer
Maybe Chivalry and Sorcery, if you can track it down. It's highly detailed and strives for realism, but is a bear of a system. :)

I have both the original version and a newer version of C&S. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm curious to see what systems folks suggest.
 

Tony Vargas

Legend
Out of curiosity, what RPG would you suggest to somebody who wanted to run a game that was better described as "Historical Medieval" and "Simulation" but that perhaps left room for some Mysticism. If you've been watching "Vikings" on TV, what game system might you choose to match that?
I want to say Pendragon, because I have a vague memory of it feeling that way at the time, but I played it like twice, 30+ years ago, so I can't swear to it.

RuneQuest/BRP wouldn't be a bad choice.

IMHO, you'll mostly be looking at 80s games, simulation hasn't had a lot of currency in the hobby since the 90s, I don't think (I could be really outta touch though...).

;)
 

zztong

Explorer
I want to say Pendragon, because I have a vague memory of it feeling that way at the time, but I played it like twice, 30+ years ago, so I can't swear to it.

RuneQuest/BRP wouldn't be a bad choice.

IMHO, you'll mostly be looking at 80s games, simulation hasn't had a lot of currency in the hobby since the 90s, I don't think (I could be really outta touch though...).

;)

I played Pendragon quite a bit back in the day. I wouldn't say it was close to a Medieval simulation, but it did capture the Arthurian feel. I've not played RuneQuest very much and don't really remember it. I'll have to reacquaint myself with it.

So you're probably right with the '80s note, but that's kind of why I was asking the question. I can always go back in time and find some really cool games. (I was just talking with a friend over lunch about Privateers and Gentlemen.) But I started to think that while games like D&D and Pathfinder shift more and more towards superheroic fantasy, there has to be some people like me who are feeling left out. Perhaps there was an emerging alternative for the simulation/historical focused folks.
 

Tony Vargas

Legend
I played Pendragon quite a bit back in the day. I wouldn't say it was close to a Medieval simulation, but it did capture the Arthurian feel. I've not played RuneQuest very much and don't really remember it. I'll have to reacquaint myself with it.
The main guy that wrote RuneQuest was also a founding member of the SCA, so it does try to simulate medieval combat, to a degree.

So you're probably right with the '80s note, but that's kind of why I was asking the question. I can always go back in time and find some really cool games. (I was just talking with a friend over lunch about Privateers and Gentlemen.) But I started to think that while games like D&D and Pathfinder shift more and more towards superheroic fantasy, there has to be some people like me who are feeling left out. Perhaps there was an emerging alternative for the simulation/historical focused folks.
I feel like those really into historical simulation never got into RPGs, but stayed on the wargaming end of the spectrum, playing Napoleonics and the like.
Heh, I suppose Chainmail was originally conceived as a historical/simulation medieval wargame.
 


Simon T. Vesper

First Post
OD&D or AD&D; however, admittedly, you'd have to modify some of the rules. The combat rules, as written, simply don't work. You could borrow from 3rd or 5th Editions and create a hybrid system.

This comes from my experience with these systems, and a few other medieval-based RPGs.

EDIT: Just thought of this ~ can you elaborate on what you're looking to accomplish? I haven't seen Viking; is it similar, in terms of depicting combat, to Game of Thrones? Are you trying to increase tension or fear during combat, or is it something else?
 
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Nagol

Unimportant
Harn, perhaps, but you'll have to provide your own cultural details.

I would be tempted to use Hero System with GURPS supplements for cultural details.
 


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