Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hi guys. I've never really played AoS, just tried it a little with a friend once. My girlfriend and my gaming group tend to favor RPG elements and I've been looking for a way to incorporate more RPG and story into wargaming.

I see the new General's Handbook has rules and ideas for Narrative play, but I can't really find any detailed information.

How does it work? Could anyone give me a sort of in depth explanation? I don't really want to spend money on the book myself until I'm sure it's something I want to pursue.

The shops have an open copy you can read if you would like to look at it. its quite a bit to write so your best bet is to just look at the book.

Basically what you do now has implications on the future, the rest is up to you

 namiel wrote:
The shops have an open copy you can read if you would like to look at it. its quite a bit to write so your best bet is to just look at the book.

Basically what you do now has implications on the future, the rest is up to you

That doesn't really have anything to do with Narrative play in the GH. Narrative Play is essentially a battleplan (mission) but the armies have been pre made by GW. They vary from smaller games to huge battles, but there are a limited amount of them. They are all based on battles that took place in the fluff, which is what makes it "narrative".

http://www.belloflostsouls.net/2014/05/forging-the-narrative-what-is-narrative-gaming.html

An article on narrative gaming in general though yes the GHB version of narrative gaming is playing historical battles with army lists already existing.

Thanks for asking this. I thought I understood what Narrative meant for AoS but was wrong. To find out that these are 'historical refights' like they used to put in games like Epic 40k with prescribed forces and what-not----that is awesome.

This. This is what competitive play and open play's baby looks like. No more netlisting. No more min-maxxing. Just show up with the forces that are specified, set up the battle and commence to duking it out. Maybe even set up again afterwards and swap sides.

Of course, I could be misunderstanding again

Also please keep in mind that open play allows you to play the game however you want. Working RPG elements into this game could very easily work.

The book is out Saturday and worth a look, even a preview, so you can get accurate info.

The historical matches are only one aspect of narrative play, and there are several in the book. The other types are details of campaign play. For example there is a campaign system where your army grows from a small Warband into a formidable force. There are also map campaigns and matrix campaigns which link battles with one another.

In terms of traditional RPG play, there isn't much of it at all. No single character modes, no buying equipment or gaining expereince points etc. Silver Tower might be a better shot. Alternatively you could use something like D&D 5E, set your world in the Mortal Realms and use the AoS rules for wider battles. Would be really fun. - another alternative is to quickly put together an expereince and equipment system. There are quite a few fan made ones I have seen, and I myself made a quick version of Mordhiem for AoS (although I plan to tweak the rules slightly once I have my GHB).

www.louisvillewargaming.com/Files/AzyrEmpires.pdf

RPG element campaign system for AOS.

Narrative gaming is at it's simply you guys deciding story of your battles. Old concept that has existed like 40 years At it's core you decide on the concept of the next battle(either in vacuum or based on previous battles depending on is game part of ongoing campaign or not) and make board, scenario and armies fit it. Then with game over you decide how story continues.

You can use "official" ones from books but doing your own has several advantages:

a) armies are made to suit YOUR collection. No "but I don't have 10 varanguards!" syndrome.
b) games are more interactive as you can more easily factor in results of previous games with more complex effects since you aren't following pre-made line
c) you can get better story writing out of it.

Been playing this way for years(5? 6? more? don't remember)