Ironhedge

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Ironhedge is a role-playing game published by Empire Wargames in 1979.

Contents

Description

Ironhedge is a fantasy system with fully compatible supplements for other genres: western, science fiction, and gangsters. [1] The rulebook (two copies included in the Ironhedge Complete Game) is pocket-sized; the rules are very concise. [1] Campaign-setting and scenario material are presented on 72 cards (3" x 5"), printed with very small illustrations and text. [1] Each card has a short description of a region or a small encounter area. [1] The Ironhedge Complete Game also includes encounter form cards and character record cards. [1] There is no art on the black box cover of the 1st edition. [1] The 2nd edition is revised for clarity. [1]

Publication history

Ironhedge was designed by John Brooke, and published by Empire Wargames in 1979 as the Ironhedge Manifesto, a 40-page digest-sized book. [1] The second edition was published in 1983 as two small (4" x 6") booklets (40-page revised Ironhedge, plus 1st-edition Westhedge). [1] The third edition was published in 1985 as a small (4" x 6") booklet (40 pages, revised again). [1] The fourth edition was published in 1987 as a small (3 1/2" x 5") 40-page book (revised again) with 18 cards, that was sold separately or as part of the Ironhedge Complete Game, which was a digest-sized box containing two small (3 1/2" x 5") 40-page books (4th-edition rules), a color cardstock map, 72 color cards, 36 form cards, dice, and a pencil. [1] The fifth edition was published in 1989 as a small (3 1/2" x 5") 40-page book (revised some more) with 18 cards, that was sold separately or as part of the Ironhedge Complete Game. [1]

Reception

Lawrence Schick comments on the game's "undistinguished D&D-inspired rules, notable for its unusual format and for the author's eccentric philosophical rants. The rules and scenario material are laced with quasi-Libertarian slogans and doggerel, especially in the first four editions. (Example: 'In another time/In another place/Lived a worthless/Human race/Lotsa jewels/And lotsa gold/Kinda rich/And sorta old.' Pretty catchy, eh?)" [1] Schick also notes that the 2nd edition of the boxed set (with 5th-edition rules) "unfortunately lacks much of the unique eccentricity of the earlier editions". [1]

In his 1990 book The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games , game critic Rick Swan found the game system to be "adequate, if a bit underdeveloped" but admired the adventure deck, noting, "With beautiful graphics and a staggering amount of detail, the adventure deck is one of the best RPG components I've ever seen." Swan concluded by giving the game a rating of 2.5 out of 4, saying, "If the rules are set aside, Ironhedge functions quite nicely as a source of supplementary material for D&D and other fantasy campaigns." [2]

Reviews

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 396-397. ISBN   0-87975-653-5.
  2. ↑ Swan, Rick (1990). The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games . New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 107–108.
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