Judge Dredd RPG 1985

[positronic]

I still haven't dug the 1985 version out of those old storage boxes, but I was googling some images, and I'm amazed at how many Dredd RPGs there have been. With apparently another version of Block Wars (or Block Mania, I forget which) out there now for the Judge Dredd Minatures Game.

Block Mania (and Mega-Mania) are boardgames with vague wargaming elements.  The Judge Dredd Minitatures Game is a skirmish wargame.

Plus another company which announced they're supposedly releasing a new game sometime this year which will incorporate both Dredd and "the Worlds of 2000 AD". Sorry I don't have the links handy at the moment...

Worlds of 2000AD RPG

Okay, I'm a little confused there. The new Judge Dredd (& the Worlds of 2000AD) RPG game also describes itself as a "tabletop adventure game" -- which is what it sounded like the JD Miniatures game was as well, although obviously trying to appeal to those who like to collect and paint miniatures, and it has a large hardback rule book, so I assumed it was a RPG as well. Just physical/tactical combat, dice rolling and consulting stat sheets, then, according to a pre-set scenario, without the role-play element? More like a HeroClix kind of thing? I couldn't really find a site that seemed to have all the associated products and a thorough description of the JD Miniatures game system. In fact, apart from a scant handful of products (less than 10), the manufacturers' site had practically no information on the game itself at all.

[sheridan]

Block Mania (and Mega-Mania) are boardgames with vague wargaming elements.  The Judge Dredd Minitatures Game is a skirmish wargame.

Plus another company which announced they're supposedly releasing a new game sometime this year which will incorporate both Dredd and "the Worlds of 2000 AD". Sorry I don't have the links handy at the moment...

Worlds of 2000AD RPG

Okay, I'm a little confused there. The new Judge Dredd (& the Worlds of 2000AD) RPG game also describes itself as a "tabletop adventure game" -- which is what it sounded like the JD Miniatures game was as well, although obviously trying to appeal to those who like to collect and paint miniatures, and it has a large hardback rule book, so I assumed it was a RPG as well. Just physical/tactical combat, dice rolling and consulting stat sheets, then, according to a pre-set scenario, without the role-play element? More like a HeroClix kind of thing? I couldn't really find a site that seemed to have all the associated products and a thorough description of the JD Miniatures game system. In fact, apart from a scant handful of products (less than 10), the manufacturers' site had practically no information on the game itself at all.

I've not played HeroClix so can't comment on that.

The upcoming RPG is a tabletop RPG (i.e. it's not a computer RPG).  The Judge Dredd (and Rogue Trooper) Miniature Games are not RPGs.  Mongoose no longer produce the miniature game, so wouldn't have any information on that any more.

[positronic]

Block Mania (and Mega-Mania) are boardgames with vague wargaming elements.  The Judge Dredd Minitatures Game is a skirmish wargame.

Plus another company which announced they're supposedly releasing a new game sometime this year which will incorporate both Dredd and "the Worlds of 2000 AD". Sorry I don't have the links handy at the moment...

Worlds of 2000AD RPG

Okay, I'm a little confused there. The new Judge Dredd (& the Worlds of 2000AD) RPG game also describes itself as a "tabletop adventure game" -- which is what it sounded like the JD Miniatures game was as well, although obviously trying to appeal to those who like to collect and paint miniatures, and it has a large hardback rule book, so I assumed it was a RPG as well. Just physical/tactical combat, dice rolling and consulting stat sheets, then, according to a pre-set scenario, without the role-play element? More like a HeroClix kind of thing? I couldn't really find a site that seemed to have all the associated products and a thorough description of the JD Miniatures game system. In fact, apart from a scant handful of products (less than 10), the manufacturers' site had practically no information on the game itself at all.

I've not played HeroClix so can't comment on that.

The upcoming RPG is a tabletop RPG (i.e. it's not a computer RPG).  The Judge Dredd (and Rogue Trooper) Miniature Games are not RPGs.  Mongoose no longer produce the miniature game, so wouldn't have any information on that any more.

I'm still a little fuzzy on some of the gaming hobby industry's terminology. I'm a little unclear on why the tabletop is even needed, if not for maps and miniatures, although of course there's always dice involved, but presumably a random-number generator (or one of those "pop-o-matic" dice) could accomplish the same without taking up table space, so you could play a RPG on a long train trip or bus ride, assuming no distractions. Personally I enjoy the miniatures as a visual aid, in addition to the hobby modeling aspect. Wargames are fun, but not as enjoyable as acting out a character.

[Robin Low]

I'm still a little fuzzy on some of the gaming hobby industry's terminology. I'm a little unclear on why the tabletop is even needed, if not for maps and miniatures, although of course there's always dice involved, but presumably a random-number generator (or one of those "pop-o-matic" dice) could accomplish the same without taking up table space, so you could play a RPG on a long train trip or bus ride, assuming no distractions. Personally I enjoy the miniatures as a visual aid, in addition to the hobby modeling aspect. Wargames are fun, but not as enjoyable as acting out a character.

When I were a lad, 'tabletop' used to mean wargaming, where you really did need a table. These days, it's often used to refer to roleplaying games. I've no idea how this came about, but I think it's intended to distinguish RPGs from computer games. Roleplaying in a game is also a rather confusing concept for a lot of people, so I suppose some game companies might shy away from using the word.

None of the numerous RPG campaigns I played as a student or unemployed layabout involved tables - we generally sat around in living rooms or bedrooms. You're right, you only need a surface to roll dice on and you're sorted.

Regards,

Robin

[Dandontdare]

It's the same as R&B changing it's meaning from shitkicking bluesy rock'n'roll to sub-par overproduced soul

[TordelBack]

When I were a lad, 'tabletop' used to mean wargaming, where you really did need a table. These days, it's often used to refer to roleplaying games. I've no idea how this came about, but I think it's intended to distinguish RPGs from computer games. Roleplaying in a game is also a rather confusing concept for a lot of people, so I suppose some game companies might shy away from using the word.

We used to call them 'pen and paper games', cos that was all you needed. I've used a phone app to handle dice rolls while travelling, but I have to be honest: the physicality of rolling odd polyhedrons or buckets of regular d6s is a big part of the fun for me.

[positronic]

I'm looking forward to the forthcoming (hopefully soon) JUDGE DREDD AND THE WORLDS OF 2000AD RPG. The inclusion of the majority of 2000AD strips and characters sounds like a fun way to create your own fantasy crossover stories (other than fanfic, of course).

I'm a bit sad to see that Mongoose's Judge Dredd Miniatures game was discontinued, not so much for the game itself as for the actual miniatures, which could have been used with any generic RPG rules system (like say, GURPS). Does anyone know where I might get a list of all the 2000AD character miniatures that Mongoose released during the time it had the license?

The other thing to be devoutly wished is that HeroClix, which has licensed scads of character IPs from multiple copyright holders, would take out a license from Rebellion to produce character figures. Who cares about the gaming system, lots of people collect these to use in other RPGs or just to have the figures.

All I've got now that's representational of any 2000AD characters are those goofy Mattel PVC figures that were produced when the Stallone Judge Dredd movie came out. Did Games Workshop ever produce any 2000AD character miniatures back in the 1980s? I don't know if I can recall ever seeing any back then.

I mean, you see some really nice hyperdetailed large action figures produced nowadays (ThreeA and I'm not sure who else), but those are really way out of my price range. They are nice for display only, nothing you could use in a game, though.

[walrus]

Yes, Citadel certainly did Judge Dredd and Rogue Trooper miniatures back in the eighties.

[Robin Low]

We used to call them 'pen and paper games', cos that was all you needed. I've used a phone app to handle dice rolls while travelling, but I have to be honest: the physicality of rolling odd polyhedrons or buckets of regular d6s is a big part of the fun for me.

Yeah, I'd forgotten about the term 'pen and paper'. And second yeah, roleplayers love their dice. While figures can be fun, but they're not needed, leaving dice as the only aesthetically pleasing bit of rubbish you can buy to show off to your fellow gamers.

Regards,

Robin

[positronic]

Figures aren't strictly needed for a RPG, but they can serve some sort of function, if only to make the player-characters more aware of the distance and orientation between other players and NPCs, or distances of open spaces, potential sources of attacks (doors, buildings, the woods, etc.). Sometimes a gamemaster won't say something, assuming it's understood, but a player had a different conception of physio-spacial relationships.

If a PC knows his own speed/agility, he can better judge whether to dodge/run or parry/grapple/counterattack an opponent, for example, and GMs can indicate by pointing where threats are coming from. It seems fairer than the GM just saying "You can't do that, he's already too close, he's on you" especially if the player was counting on a short amount of time to counter an attack, say just enough to reach for a weapon, and it's slightly more realistic than having a saving roll for everything.

Plus they're just nice to look at.

[Lobo Baggins]

By the way, I'm, going to be talking about the Games Workshop Dredd games on the Mega-City Book Club podcast soon - here is a picture of the things I found to talk about (I kept adding extra bits as I wasn't sure I had enough material - I may have over done it...)

[sheridan]

By the way, I'm, going to be talking about the Games Workshop Dredd games on the Mega-City Book Club podcast soon - here is a picture of the things I found to talk about (I kept adding extra bits as I wasn't sure I had enough material - I may have over done it...)

Now that is confusing - I see the non-RPG Block Mania and Mega-Mania peeping through at the back there, but there's a whole load more progs than I'd expect, especially as the none/hardly any of them contain the Tomb of Terror (the closest to RPGs 2000AD itself ever got, unless you count the gamebook style Dredd story from a few years back).  Really looking forward to this podcast now (not that I wasn't before).  All the more as some of the progs you have there are the very first progs I ever saw.

[positronic]

I'm not sure what's in those progs that has to do with the Games Workshop Judge Dredd RPG? Other than, one would assume, some GW-related adverts?

Unrelated to Games Workshop, but from around the same time (when gaming seemed to be the next big thing, I guess), you should also talk about DICE MAN.

[Lobo Baggins]

Now that is confusing - I see the non-RPG Block Mania and Mega-Mania peeping through at the back there, but there's a whole load more progs than I'd expect, especially as the none/hardly any of them contain the Tomb of Terror (the closest to RPGs 2000AD itself ever got, unless you count the gamebook style Dredd story from a few years back).  Really looking forward to this podcast now (not that I wasn't before).  All the more as some of the progs you have there are the very first progs I ever saw.

[spoiler]They contain the stories that I used to introduce the non-scrot members of my roleplaying group to the world of Mega-City One.[/spoiler]

[sheridan]

The other thing to be devoutly wished is that HeroClix, which has licensed scads of character IPs from multiple copyright holders, would take out a license from Rebellion to produce character figures. Who cares about the gaming system, lots of people collect these to use in other RPGs or just to have the figures.

Just for the avoidance of doubt, there was was series of 2000AD-licenced figures from Heroclix...