Will this game be released this ear? What is with the froeign language editions, are those printed the same time, cause its a release leaded by nexus?

I've been waiting for this game since about 1970. I can wait a few more monhts, but W O W! I sure wish it was here already!

TK

I hear ya! I cannot wait to get my hands on this! Crom with be proud!

After seeing this pop up on the website, it just dawned on me that there really isn't a Conan Board Game. How has this escaped cardboard goodness.

Tim Kelly said:

Since 1970? Are you joking, or is this some European game that has been hovering around forever?

Tim Kelly said:

Since 1970? Are you joking, or is this some European game that has been hovering around forever?

I would hazard a guess that Tim means: since forever.

Incidently it can be the birthyear of the poster: he was born ready for Conan.

There was actually a Conan board game planned for release by SPI ?1979 or so. I dont think it was ever released. This was just before they folded. I remeber seeing adds for it in Dragon or Ares magazine or similar. I am really showing my age

Ah, my birthyear too...so Yes, I have been waiting for the boardgame since 1970 too

Guess I'm a tad older than some of y'all are. 1970 was the year I discovered the Ace paperback "Conan" books, also bought Marvel Comics "Conan the Barbarian" #3, and I was H O O K E D.

TK

Mr Craig H Whitehead said:

Pretty much, yes ... although I think it was more 1981 or 1982. It was solicited in the survey section of all of the SPI magazines of the day, with the invitation for readers to give their feedback on the idea. Most games on those solicitation lists were never printed, but some were, and a small handful even went on to become well-known.

I'd guess the Conan project was slain either by TSR's purchase of SPI or by indifferent reader feedback. But good memory, either way!

I seem to remember a Conan RPG in the 80's....or maybe it was a GURPS supplement?

thehuntercat said:

TSR had the first RPG. GURPS came a little later. I have the GURPS version.

I was working as a playtester and a new freelance designer for SPI at the time they developed the Conan board game. It was a design by Mark Herman, who went on to develop the Card Driven Games that GMT publishes and that have influence a number of other game companies, including FFG. Interestingly, the rules for the SPI game were very, very similar to the ones for this game. You played a kingdom in Hyboria seeking to become the dominant power through military and diplomatic means. You had both sorcery and armies at your command. There were a great many cards, including character cards, event cards, and so on that conveyed much of the flavor of the game. Conan was an independent element whom you tried to entice to serve your kingdom as controlling Conan gave advantages. But control could be contested and won by other players, and Conan was really a force of nature who could undermine and destroy your kingdom (or at least your rulership) as well as help you, so there was a real risk in having him on your side.

This game came within weeks of being released. I remember standing in the SPI print room holding the map in my hand, looking at the printed character cards, seeing all the cardboard bits. As a Conan fan, I could hardly wait, and it look beautiful. But then a week later, SPI went under and was taken over by TSR, who, I think axed the project as they weren't into publishing board games. It was a large, expensive project with, if I remember correctly, lots of cards, cardboard units, and so on, and TSR didn't want to go into that expense.

So, I, too, have been waiting since then for a Conan board game. This one seems so close to the rules set of the one I saw at SPI that it's like a reincarnation of the design, though I'm sure it's original with the Nexus people. There's a certain design logic to Conan that both Mark and the Nexus folks have followed, so I'm not surprised the two games are so close in game play and design philosophy. Of course, the FFG version has wonderful miniatures which SPI could never have afforded, even if it had remained solvent and the game had come out.

Now if FFG goes bankrupt before this game comes out, by Crom, blood will flow! I've waited too long for the chance to rule Hyboria!

I apologize, everyone.

I didn't mean for my last posting to show up three times! My computer stuttered when I hit the Publish button and seemed to freeze and took a very long time to load. I figured it had crashed into a loop. So I cancelled the posting and tried again. Unfortunately, it ended up posting more than once. Now I can't figure out how to delete the unwanted postings.

Again, I'm sorry about this.

Man, David Spangler, you're sounding rather ancient in your reminiscing of the olden days. Almost makes me think you knew Thoth-Amon personally .

(I kiddddd)

Dam said:

No, no! It's true. You're right.... I DID know him personally.... We used to game together with dice made from the bones of our enemies...

Yeah, I think was one of AH's first customers back when Charlie Roberts came out with Tactics....When SPI showed up, I thought paradise had arrived on earth.

David

I just hope they will get the books atmosphere to the board! It will be great!

David Spangler said:

Awesome. As an oldster myself, I appreciate that we need to remember and acknowledge the history of our hobby.

zwobot said:

All languages are being printed at the same time. You should check the FFG page for AoC to know the estimate arrival date for the product on the shelves.

Francesco

Sadly (or not) I do not remember that orginal Conan solicitation, but I do remember a game being published in Ares called Barbarian Kings.

I have been reading the orginal REH Conan novels to get ready to play the new Conan board game however.

futurescaper said:

Ares #3 ... ah, good times!

I think I'll go grab my copy now ...

Im rather suprised its not out yet as I have seen it at Spiel 2008 where it was demonstrated, only one copy though, so couldnt try it out unfortunately. Maybe they used the Nexus edition (italian version). It just looked so good already i didnt thought it was a prototype.

I also took a look at the Nexus site and they are a bit more specific about the release date then FFG (saying Spring 2009). Nexus tells us that Age of Conan will be released February 2009.

Thought Hammer is taking pre-orders for SUMMER 2009.

TK

Summer? Aw man... February sounded much better .