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Chronopia
Dark Fantasy Miniatures Battles
204 pages, Unknown Binding
Published January 1, 1997
1 person want to read
About the author
Alan Cowsill
47 books2 followersAlan is an award-winning writer and editor who started out selling comics and magazines as a dealer before becoming a full-time creative, giving him a complete understanding of the industry from all sides. He has created stories for most comic companies, and edited hit titles for Marvel, Panini and Eaglemoss. When he’s not working for Bullpen, Alan writes novels and practices Kung Fu and Qigong.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 12, 2024
This was charming and fascinating but more in a forensic way as a forgotten dream of what might have been in 90s wargaming and an example of someone other than GW trying to solve the vast array of challenges needed to put together a large wargaming paracosm.
It encapsulates a number of the common elements or tropes from such projects;
The Paradox of Generality - you need to make a world familiar enough to be sensible to the new reader but specific enough to have its own identity (and to be copyrighted).
Add Pauldrons for that 90s look and to ensure a silhouette that works from image to form.
The painting of Cheques was clearly planned as a whole thing for the Human players. Bold choice!
For some reason we needed a LOT of Dwarf clans. Mor Dwarf Clans, MOR!
There is a nicely divided if conceptually slightly dull magic system.
I like that the faction magic powers all do very different and discreet things. Humans use time magic to meta-hack the initiative and turn sequences. Elemental Elf magic each does particular things, travel, disguise, board control etc. Orcs have the only healing magic and that's all it does. Demonists have general summoning and subverting magic etc. It feels good that there isn't much crossover. Everyone is vulnerable to everyone else's magic but has stuff that *only* they can do and that only their armies can take advantage of. I feel like this would add a strong sense of identity to play.
Adrian Smiths art is wonderful, though in quite an early style for him - will there ever be an 'Art of Chronopia' book?
It encapsulates a number of the common elements or tropes from such projects;
The Paradox of Generality - you need to make a world familiar enough to be sensible to the new reader but specific enough to have its own identity (and to be copyrighted).
Add Pauldrons for that 90s look and to ensure a silhouette that works from image to form.
The painting of Cheques was clearly planned as a whole thing for the Human players. Bold choice!
For some reason we needed a LOT of Dwarf clans. Mor Dwarf Clans, MOR!
There is a nicely divided if conceptually slightly dull magic system.
I like that the faction magic powers all do very different and discreet things. Humans use time magic to meta-hack the initiative and turn sequences. Elemental Elf magic each does particular things, travel, disguise, board control etc. Orcs have the only healing magic and that's all it does. Demonists have general summoning and subverting magic etc. It feels good that there isn't much crossover. Everyone is vulnerable to everyone else's magic but has stuff that *only* they can do and that only their armies can take advantage of. I feel like this would add a strong sense of identity to play.
Adrian Smiths art is wonderful, though in quite an early style for him - will there ever be an 'Art of Chronopia' book?
Displaying 1 of 1 review