Product Review - 'Strange Aeons: A Miniature Skirmish Game of Eldritch Horror'

The man himself: Howard Philip Lovecraft

As a little diversion I recently ordered a copy of 'Strange Aeons' which is a tactical skirmish game set in the disturbing eldritch universe of that wonderfully strange man, H.P. Lovecraft. 

The rulebook is coil bound which makes it great for accessing rules without breaking the spine after hard use.

Not wanting to simplify matters too much, but broadly speaking 'Strange Aeons' is akin to GW's 'Mordheim/Necromunda' except with tentacles, tommy guns and little chance of a happy ending. (So pretty much spot on for any fan of the nihilistic Cthulhu mythos!) The rules call for each player to create and equip a team of investigators, lead by a suitably courageous hero (usually 2-5 figures). Each scenario requires that one of the players run the forces of evil (the badies can be fine-tuned by players to fit the scenario) while the other player (or players) takes in their team to attempt to defeat the dark menace awaiting them.

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A Hound of Tindalos I poached from  'The Mansion of Madness' boardgame by Fantasy Flight Games.

The rules themselves are very easy to learn and fast to play, with a typical game lasting around 30-40 minutes (we've played four games back-to-back in an evening, no problem). This allows everyone to both take in their investigator teams while also getting a chance to play the evil side. Players keep track of  treasure, equipment, wounds, spells, etc. and basically try to keep their team of investigators healthy and reasonably sane. Fun!

There is a stripped-down version of the rules on the Strange Aeons website to allow you to try before you buy. Very civilized that.



The author of the rules, 'Uncle Mike', also provides an excellent range of 28mm miniatures  all cast in white resin. While some of them require some preparatory filing and cleaning they are all very characterful, well designed and paint up very nicely.

A Deep One from Strange Aeons.

As I was already in the midst of painting WWI figures for my other project I decided to make use of them and so bodged together several interlinked scenarios set in the opening weeks of the Great War. The premise is centered around a scholarly Belgian priest who has been driven mad with grief and rage witnessing the brutal sack of Louvain. As a consequence he has made off with a forbidden Dark Tome from the smoking ruins of the University Library. The poor insane priest has reasoned that since his god has forsaken both him and his country he will access this Dark Tome to summon 'another power' to protect his people. (Cue  here foreboding organ music) 

A Cultist High Priest from Strange Aeons

The heroes are the remnants of a Belgian Carabinier unit who have been recruited by one of the mad priest's colleagues, an army chaplain, to help foil this dark plan. Yes, yes, its all very overwrought but great fun.

A sample from Strange Aeon's grave marker pack (I mounted them on Litko pill-shaped bases). There are tombstones for Edgar Alan Poe and Charles Dexter Ward as well - nice touch.

I painted this group of Strange Aeon figures in greyscale so they would fit in with my Great War Belgians. Though I'm a bit torn, while I do like them in B&W, I think I might paint this diversion in glorious Technicolor to provide a little levity from the mountain of monochrome WWI stuff I still have to do.

Anyway, if you're a fan of the Cthulhu gaming universe and want a nice, fast scrum that doesn't require too much of an investment in figures then I highly recommend you give 'Strange Aeons' a try.

'Strange Aeons'
80 pages
$29.95 USD
http://strange-aeons.ca/