Warrior vs Mortem et Gloriam
Today is a comparison/discussion of 2 Ancients rules. Both rules systems are highly regarded by their fan bases. Warrior is a rewritten version of the classic WRG 7th edition, while Mortem et Gloriam is relatively new on the scene. Both systems utilize a number of “elements” (stands) to build a unit; typically a Warrior unit is composed of 2-12 elements, while a “unit group” in Mortem et Gloriam is dictated by the army lists and typically ranges from 4-9.
1. Table appearance (do the unit sizes and organization look like a battle?) Both systems are similar in appearance and have similar unit sizes, so this will be a Draw.
2. Command and Control (Is C/C challenging and realistic?) I have to give Mortem et Gloriam the edge here. The color-coded chips (or cards) are critical to the game. It is innovative and adds a very challenging feel. Warrior does have a command and control system but it’s almost secondary with respect to mechanics in the game.
3. Flow of the turn (Is it clunky or smoothly elegant?) Warrior is an IGO-UGO system that is split into Tactical Moves, Firing, Grand-Tactical moves, Charges, etc. Mortem et Gloriam is an alternating system that keeps both players engaged throughout the turn. Although both systems work, I have to give Mortem et Gloriam the edge here.
4. Mechanics (Are the mechanics easy to pick up? Do the mechanics have enough detail? Do the mechanics slow the battle down?) Both systems have a lot of detail when it comes to mechanics. The mechanics on how to move, when to do morale checks, etc are clear and straight-forward. This has to be a Draw.
5. Historic results (Do the results seem realistic? Are there wild swings of outcomes?) Mortem et Gloriam is more luck-based and abstract, while Warrior is very statistics-based. I have to give Warrior the edge here.
6. Historic tactics (Do historic tactics work? Does the system reward the use of historic tactics?) Who knows, as none of us were around to witness the ancient world. We can only glean specific tactics from books and research. I will say that Warrior rewards a shooting army more than Mortem et Gloriam. The use of Skirmishers are also a bit more powerful in Warrior as well. Mortem et Gloriam is a bit more abstract when it comes to specific tactics as a unit is actually defined as a “unit group” in MeG. I think Warrior has a slight edge here.
7. Morale (Does morale feel right on the unit or brigade/divisional level?) Routs can happen in a flash in Warrior, while it usually takes multiple turns to grind a unit down in Mortem et Gloriam. The number of routed units does affect a specific command in Warrior, whereas they don’t in Mortem et Gloriam. But on the other hand, there is a definite Breakpoint for the overall army in MeG. Both systems utilize morale checks on surrounding units due to witnessing routs. I think both systems excel in this area. A definite Draw.
8. Playability (Do the rules provide for a fun game, or is it mired in too much detail, etc) Mortem et Gloriam has the edge here. It is a smoother game than Warrior. The statistics and data are on simpler charts and are ingrained in the colored die system. In Warrior, the charts are more complex and the math can be cumbersome. It takes much more time to master Warrior than MeG due to the mathematical calculations needed to play the game.
9. Ease of setup (what does pre-scenario work look like? Is figure basing too specific? Do the rules require very specific basing?) Both rules use pre-planned army lists based on a points system. Warrior is a bit more fiddly when it comes to base sizes for loose order and close order troops. I think MeG is a bit more flexible in this area, so a slight nod to Mortem et Gloriam here.
10. End of battle (Do the rules give results that can be useful if conducting a campaign? Are Victory objectives taken account? Is Victory defined by the rules?) Its a Draw in this area. Both systems use very specific scoring methods to determine Victory or Defeat outcomes. They are both primarily tournament games. Neither system has a detailed mechanic for permanent casualties for use in a campaign, but house rules can be easily applied in this area.
So, in summary, it’s a close result. Mortem et Gloriam wins in 4 categories, while Warrior wins in 2 categories. The other 4 parameters result in Draws. I think if you want a smoother, yet still challenging game, you have to go with Mortem et Gloriam. If you are more old school when it comes to charts and modifiers, than Warrior is the more attractive system. It does take much more investment to master the Warrior system, but there are still enough subtleties in MeG to make it a challenging and realistic system as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment