Cold Iron
Author Simon on Cold Iron.
This scenario collection grew out of a couple of pieces that I wrote for the Society of Fantasy and Science Fiction Wargamers journal Ragnarok and from the memories of numerous games played in the past.
The scenarios can be linked to form a mini-campaign, or played as one-off battles. The common theme running through them all is the notion of a Dwarf civil war, rather than the usual and I think rather hackneyed theme of Dwarfs against Orcs or Elves. Pitting forces of the same race against each other in a Fantasy setting doesn't seem to occur to a lot of people, but can be more rewarding as it provides more evenly matched forces and avoids some of the obvious racial and tactical advantages, disadvantages and stereotypes that go with most Fantasy battles. Dwarfs are not noted for their friendly and outgoing qualities, nor for their tolerance, forgiveness or pacifism. As a result of their rather belligerent and insular character traits they have been involved in numerous wars, either starting them or joining in with other peoples for one reason or another, They have fought Elves, Orcs, Trolls and Men, and they have also fought each other in some rather nasty civil wars. Civil wars are usually a cut above ordinary wars in their general level of unpleasantness, mainly because they are an opportunity to get even with people you don't like but wouldn't, under normal circumstances, be able to shoot, stab, or otherwise terminally inconvenience. This is the case with Dwarfs, only more so - they have very long memories and a capability for grudge-holding that would make the Mafia look like clumsy amateurs. Dwarfs remember slights and nurse secret resentments not Just for years but for generations, handing them down from Father to Son like family heirlooms.
You can find:
- an article on Cold Iron
- photographs of miniatures which can be used in Cold Iron
One day...
A downloadable version of Cold Iron (in pdf format), plus all the scenarios from Cold Iron available online.