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So a local shop is selling off it's confrontation minis. I like the look of the miniatures, but I wouldn't invest if the game wasn't worth playing.


Has anyone played Confrontation, specifically the Ragnarok starter and either faction that comes in those, and if you have what were your thoughts?

Which version? I'm assuming it's not v1 or v2 (as there was no starter), v3 has starter sets, but the Rag box is a different game (using the same models and stat cards, but the rules see the models formed up into units). The other 2 starters both had Wolfen vs Scorpions, but (for Wolfen especially) you'd need a little more stuff that what comes in them.

And then there's Age of Rag'narok, which I guess is v4, but so different that nobody ever refers to it as such. It tried to combine both games (Conf and Rag), switch the models over from metal to prepainted bendy plastic, and failed so hard it killed the company.

Ah. It is Age of Ragnarok.


Where the rules that bad then?

The rules are not bad. What kills the company is the bad marketing strategy. Rackham was trying to move into pre-painted miniatures. Its AT-43 was welcomed in North American but the distribution was way behind. The situation was much worse in Europe. The end result was that the company was not making any profit in AT-43. Although it put out 4 factions, none of them was completed. Then, the director, despite lack of money, decided to do the same thing for Confrontation as Age of Ragnarok. Unfortunately, the pre-painted plastic figures, while acceptable for AT-43, looked bad when compared to their corresponding metal counterpart in the world of Confrontation. The original metal sculptures were simply too awesome. Once again, the figures for AoR were released piecemeal for each four factions. The end result was that no players were able to collect a the army they preferred. Meanwhile, the poor distribution continued. In the end, the company was in debt of over $300,000 and no one wanted to invest in it. It had to declare bankrupt.

Ok.

Well, the Starter set is only $20, so it probably wouldn't hurt to pick up the box, the army books for Temple and Wolfen ($5 ea) and then a few other units. Looking at about a total purchase of $70 or so.

Probably not bad, right?

I think the models are well worth picking up for use in other games. For use in Confrontation, though... that is long dead.

Yea. The bendy plastics actually paint up pretty well, and are handy for other fantasy styled games, but finding players of the game itself is really tricky. If you and a mate want to give it a go it might be worth it, but barring that you are going to be using them as counts-as only.

I am also told that the rules past... 3rd ed?... went downhill. I don't know though. I just collect them for the models.

Good minis (not as nice as the previous metals, but still quite good), but the game is pretty much dead. I've not played it, but folks say the rules are good, so if you have a friend who is interested, then it might be worth it to give it a go.

Still, if playing the game is a priority (no matter how cool the minis are) for you, then I'd avoid confrontation.

If you do decide to buy in look around online, there might be even better deals at places like miniatures market.
http://www.miniaturemarket.com/table-top-miniatures/confrontation.html
I bought a bunch of starterbox wulfen for use in kings of war and I think I paid less than a buck each. I also picked up the rulebook just for the pretty pictures and one of the altar mound terrain pieces.

The company killed the game more then the game itself.

At the clearance prices it is very easy to pick up the main factions (Griffon, Lion, Wolfen, Dirz) and I personally think the game is extremely fun.

I started out with AT-43 (still a huge fan) and only got into Age of Ragnarok after the big sales started happening at Fantasy Flight Games. I had been thinking it was not a great game based on my dislike of the original versions of the game, but decided to get enough for two army's on the cheap, and immediately was mad at myself for not trying it when it first came out! All these years later I am still more than willing to play AT43 or Confrontation, even over 40K which is my first love.

The excellent thing is that both games run off the same core game rules, just with some differences. So they are extremely easy to pick up if you already like the other.

Hell, I have several things I would like to get for the game that I will probably buy sometime soon.

Yea, I definitely want to get a plastic Chimera model from the starter set. Just haven't felt like dropping 60$ to get it yet...

That is a sweet model- my buddy has a Lion army. Nasty as all hell on the table, too.

It's too bad the boxed armies have extremely sub-par paintjobs compared to the boxed squads.

Very true, though I paint over them anyway. I like to consider them "pre-primed" miniatures

Absolutely true. If you are thinking to paint over the sub-par paintjobs of the starters, the deal is absolutely there. Not to mentionyou can get every printed book for the game for less than a rulebook for any other game.