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So, for how much griping and moaning there is about 40k and fantasy not being serious strategy games (as if this is somehow new), I'm actually finding myself with a problem that goes in the reverse direction.

There are some people I'm interested in getting into mini-wargaming, and 40k might be good fit, but it is a bit... cumbersome? Even if you start small, there's still a lot of rules and a lot of minis and a lot of fluff, etc. etc. So I was looking for something a bit... smaller. Meanwhile, said people are not the hyper-competitive feel-the-burn, lose a lot because that's the only way I can get better types. They're just sort of normal people, who are going to be somewhat put off by failing to notice an endless series of subtle tricks and tactics that causes them to lose.

That means that I'm looking for something that's just sort of lightweight and fun. Preferably something that can have the same kind of silliness of 40k (or moreso) draped over a simple set of mechanics that people who have no background in miniatures or wargamming can sort of just pick it up and play around with it. Build up some comfort and familiarity before moving on to something richer or more strategic.

Unfortunately, my experience isn't all that terribly broad, and it's somewhat out of date (I remember old battletech, for example). I'm sure that in this general gaming renaissance we've had over the last 5-10 years, something has been produced that meets this criteria, but I've been spending that time more or less exclusively buried in 40k.

Anyone have any suggestions, or should I just bite the bullet and try to adapt 40k kill team?

weeble wrote:Gorkamorka is pretty easy and silly, and is along the same lines as Necromunda and Mordheim. As a 40K player, GoMo will seem very familiar. The rules are old and can be clunky though.

Skulldread is good, easy, and very flexible

Song of Blades and Heroes is simple and flexible

7TV is very fun and easy to play. The game does not take itself too seriously either and there are lots of thematic expansions including one for zombies.

Star Wars: X-Wing the Miniatures Game is terribly easy and very accessible

Freebooter's Fate is fairly simple and has some unique, hands on mechanics that are easy to get into. It can be fun and silly as well.

There's also plenty of miniatures-heavy board games that are very simple, such as Super Dungeon Explore and Zombiecide

Of course, you could always go way silly and try Clay-o-Rama!

Wow, thanks a lot! I've heard of nearly none of these.

Looks like I have some research.

 Smacks wrote:
I would have thought miniature boardgames like Fantasy Flights, Zomicide, SDE etc... would be a good place to start.

And there is always Space Hulk!

So, I sort of simplified a little bit. The people in question have actually played a few games like this. Last night on earth, for example, and some of the dungeon crawlers like Drizzt and Ravenloft.

So yes, they're not actually literally blank slates. They understand the idea of having a certain-looking pawn represent certain other things with character traits, and the idea of moving minis (at least on a grid) so that they can attack stuff.

But I figured lowballing it would be better than highballing it here.

VoiceOfTheForge wrote:I quite like Malifaux

Malifaux, however, I am not interested in. Not for this, at least. It does a great job by some metrics, but not for simplicity. I play 40k and even I was baffled by malifaux. The idea of giving someone eight different character sheets crammed with completely different special abilities and rules they have to more or less memorize in order to remember to use is something too advanced for what I'm going for.

Swastakowey wrote:Mordheim and necromunda may be what you are after.

These were ones that did spring quickly to mind, but I just know so little about them. As best I can tell, necromunda is just 40k kill team with more special rules added on to create persistent characters.

I dont' even know where to acquire a copy of the rules, much less all the bonus content you're talking about. Where does one go to find such things?

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions!

I guess my one concern is that I'm looking for something easy and silly. I didn't ask "what is your favorite minis strategy game?" because the people I'm trying to introduce aren't hardcore strategy people (and I'd preferably want something that doesn't too heavily reward people with experience).

Rivet wars, for example, looks interesting, but on the main page it says, "By understanding all of your units’ strengths and weaknesses and those of your opponent you will counter your enemies’ advances and capture critical objectives to secure your victory. But choosing the wrong troops can lead to disaster, defeat, and possibly even your dismissal as commander!" which sounds like it's risking being too serious for what I'm going for. This is a concern I have with X-wing as well.

Anyways, thanks for more info. Looks like I'll have a busy weekend.

Wow. Once again, thank you so much, everybody.

I went and got myself a copy of blade and heroes just because it's cheap and was recommended more than once. I'll definitely keep researching into everything people are talking about.

I do have another parameter I'd like to add, now that I've already gotten so many suggestions. In addition to the OP, I'm wondering, which games work better co-operatively? This might be a pretty long shot, I know, but I'm wondering if anything does that well single-player, or two players playing on the same side.

sing your life wrote:You should have got the Warmachine rulebook instead. It's a really well made and enjoyable ruleset, a better game than B&H.

Does warmachine meet the criteria in the OP? Or is it a game that you simply like more?

frozenwastes wrote:Mechanics that control the other side.

Yeah, this was what I was initially thinking it would have to be, though...

Eilif wrote:For cooperative, it works best if one side plays the GM side, and everyone else plays the good guys.

I hadn't thought of this, as obvious as it should have been. I suppose this works particularly well when you have a lot of players, as you just divide the number of minis by the number of good guy players, and as I've had a fair bit of experience moving around high-points horde armies in 40k, I could probably play the other side reasonably quickly.

In any case, thank the both of you for the links!