Gaming Universes

The aim of this page is to cross-reference the "gaming universes" I have built up, the figures available for them, the rules sets I like to use for them and, if relevant, any ongoing future notes / plot ideas for campaigns.

This has been updated in November 2025.

 

1. Jungle Deep

I play in this universe either with the RoSD supplements, or the 5LFTB procedural campaign system

Type : Fantasy

Figures : 28mm Anthropomorphics; 28mm Fantasy, Ancients and Medievals

Rules sets :  Five Leagues from the Borderland; Rangers of Shadow Deep

Where I am at :

THE ISLAND :

I have now finished painting up the figures for this, and will begin as soon as I have finished The Vale (see below).  The idea is to go back to the RoSD rules to play this.  I may incorporate some of the 5LFTB stuff as things that Rangers can do between scenarios, just as they can search for herbs, but it is perhaps not necessary.

 

Incidentally, I reckon that ChatGPT , fed with a couple of ideas to avoid simple hack and slash, would be particularly suited to writing RoSD scenarios, given their structure.  

 

 

THE VALE : 

The aim is for Drake's Seven, who have reduced The Ruin Within to zero threat level, to do that same with the Curse of War.  The final delve that will either allow them to do that, or fall, is currently underway.

Their previous allies, the Cult of Sisyn, have been revaled to actually be the Whispers from Beyond; it will be up to another group of the Rangers of Alladore (who do not need to start at Level 0) to come to the Vale and deal with them. 

  

2. The Hyborian Age

These are ongoing campaigns of my own invention, but generally using the official or semi-official scenarios, with or without modifications.

To bring to the campaign world the "existential threat" which is not present enough, I will play the next campaign based on Strabon's attempts to revive the Acheron Empire...and play the Undead he raises as the Heros; and then perhaps a second campaign in which the true heroes fight back.

This will allow me to paint some lovely new undead stuff, wights, vampires, ghosts,..

That said, the Pillar of the North has taken quite an epic turn, with Ardon in real danger from the Hyperboreans...if it falls, then both the Watch and the Aifreweia will lose their lynchpin and become far easier prey for all the dark forces of the hostile North...

Type : Fantasy

Figures : 28mm Fantasy, Ancients and Medievals

Rules sets :  Conan

Where I am at :

 

i. Play the sixth scenario of Pillar of the North 

I have chosen the scenarios that seem ideal to adapt to this campaign, as follows : 

Au Nom d'Ibis (Chimenes allies attempt to kill the necromancer, in a last ditch attempt to save Ardon; if the heroes fail, the campaign is over)

For the Blood of a Barbarian (the necromancer or one of his acolytes attempts a major summoning)

  

The current political situation in Ardon has been summed up in the introduction to Au Nom d'Ibis.

 

ii. Write the seventh and ultimate scenario of the Veiled One, which will see the heroes on the battlefield of the Shamla Pass (deploying my "Battlelore Mythology" units for an epic feel), trying to reach Natohk so as to use on him the Mitra artefacts they found under his temple.

3. The Mediterranean World 1040

I had initially considered a campaign built around Byzance, but didn't much like the idea of recreating all my Steppe armies.  A sudden brainwave had me recenter the idea on Fatimid Egypt, which opened up all sorts of interesting possibilities with Medieval African armies.

Type : Historical

Figures : 15mm Medieval 

Rules sets :  Fantastic Battles Historical

Where I am at :

I have identified the DBA equivalents for this campaign.

The "core" armies are III/66 Fatimid Egyptian (to paint), III/65 Nikephorian Byzantine (to flesh out), III/33 Early Muslim North Africa and Sicily (to flesh out), III/52 Norman (to paint), III/54a Dynastic Bedouin (to flesh out), III/61 Dynastic Kurdish (to flesh out).

The first and priority group of "peripheral" armies are those of North Africa; II/55c Beja (to purchase), II/62a Abyssinian & Horn of Africa (to purchase), III/12 Christian Nubian (to purchase), III/69 Western Sudanese (to purchase), III/70 Tuareg (to purchase), III/75 Islamic Berber (to flesh out ?)

A second group of "peripheral" armies is possible, although I think it unlikely I would go that far, as there are other regions and periods that also  interest me !  Nonetheless, they would be those of the Middle East; III/51 Bagratid Armenian (to purchase), III/58c Daylami (to purchase), III/71a Georgian (to purchase), III/74b Seljuq Turk (to purchase) 

3. Carnevale 1795

I would like to play the Carnevale rules, after some minor background tweaks.  I was mainly looking for a game that mixes history and fantasy, and also black powder weapons with reloading rules and hand to hand combat.

Type : Fantasy-Historical

Figures : 18th Century

Rules sets :  Carnevale

Where I am at :

Not yet started, and painted has not yet begun

 

4. The 1809 Campaign

Not necessarily a campaign per se, but perhaps the breaking down of one or more major battles of the campaign, into divisional level battlefields.

Type : Historical

Figures : 15mm Napoleonics (French, Rhine Confederation, Austrians)

Rules sets :  Soldiers of Napoleon

Where I am at :

Not yet started, painting is underway

 

5. The Tungan Uprising 1865-1878

The historical uprising in Central Asia, but with extended involvement of external powers.

Type : Historical

Figures : 15mm Colonial (Kashgari, Chinese, Russians)

Rules sets :  Principles of War

Where I am at :

Not yet started

 

 

6. War of Sinkiang 1921-

An alternative history campaign, which presumes that the unlikely "Army of God" was launched by the Bolchevik regime into Central Asia, shortly after the end of WWI.

Type : Historical

Figures : 28mm Back of Beyond

Rules sets :  Setting the East Ablaze

Where I am at :

Yang Zengxin having opened up the way to Turfan, and reinforced it, the second phase has come to an end.

The Armée de Dieu will therefore be convinced by Yang Zengxin to head along the north road.  Update all the leaders objectives (libellé "Armées") to take into account these recent events.

Write the next scenario (which will be obvious once the different objectives are laid out).

7. Red Barricades 1942

The epic ASL campaign...

Type : Historical

Figures : -

Rules sets :  ASL

Where I am at :

Prepare Day 3

8. Five Parsecs from Home

After three attempts to create a universe I want to actually play in, I have finally come up with The Best Idea Ever, which can now be found over at the specific blog.  The idea is to use 5PfH for the first few adventures, to give some momentum, and then introduce the Story Clock idea, which might eventually take over entirely.

I may extend into the domain of starship battles, and perhaps even some 6mm ground battles, no doubt using paper counters for infantry : ).

Type : Science Fiction

Figures : 28mm Sci-Fi; 2mm Starships; 6mm Sci-Fi

Rules sets :  Flying Lead; A Billion Suns; Gruntz

Where I am at :

 

The idea is now under development, and I am hoping it will get me painting 28mm sci-fi again.

 

 

10. Club Games

Different rules sets that I use for club games, either short campaigns or one-offs

Type : Various

Figures : 15mm Biblical (Hittites, Syrians); 15mm Classical (Syracusan Greek, Carthaginian); 15mm Medieval (Nikephorian Byzantine, Khazars, Sicilian Arab, Fatimid Egyptian, Normans in Sicily); 15mm Renaissance (Dutch East India Company); 15mm Napoleonics (French, Austrians); 15mm Colonial (Ottoman Turks, Arab Revolt); 2mm Starships; 28mm Fantasy

Rules sets :  Briskars; Battlelore Mythologie; Fantastic Battles Historical; Banner War; Command and Colors Ancients; DBA; Irregular Wars; Tactique; Fistful of Lead; Black Ops; A Billion Suns

 

11. Non-Universe Solo Games

Different rules sets that I use for solo games without any particular connection between them, just pitting different armies head to head.

Type : Various

Figures : 15mm Classical (Syracusan Greek, Carthaginian); 6mm Micro-tanks

Rules sets :  Banner War; Battlegroup Northag

Where I am at :

I could add to my 6mm micro-tank forces.