So, has anyone done anything with Iron Heroes OTHER than "conan" or a "conan-clone"?

RPGPundit

I could kinda see myself using it for something Barsoom-like, but that's only a haf step from Conan anyway.

Not done anything with it yet, but I have been planning to use it from my campaign setting which isn't influenced by Conan.

If I was ever going to do it, I'd do it on Titan. I've been thinking about it for a while, actually.

Course, I need to buy the damn rules first...

Yeah, I'm (finally) just starting that IH semi-historical Ancient Persia game. I'll letcha know how it goes.

Why the hell would I? There's no shortage of territory to mine with Conan-clones.

I dunno, I'd sure enjoy doing a game inspired by the works of Dumas and/or Verne, except that the unpredictable science, so important in Verne's works, is replaced by magic.

A friend of mine ran it as a "Dark Fantasy" game. It low, improbable and eeeevil magic system really lent well to his themes and story ideas.

I have a theory (and it is mine) that almost anything can be considered a conan-clone. And those that aren't would be better if they were...

Macbeth written by REH would be teh awesome.

I don't know IH very well, but my impression is that it would be rather a bad fit for a Conan-based game.

The Conan stories written by Howard were rather 'grim and gritty' in nature -- no 'super acrobatics' or over-the-top combat maneuvres (or very few) in them.  The combat described is relatively 'realistic' in terms of what people do, and the damage done (of course, Conan still beats everyone's arse thanks to his 'savage instincts' and 'mighty thews', but he's no 'ubermensch stuntmeister').

IH purports to match 3.5 D&D in terms of power level (using devices other than magic items to keep pace).  In contrast, the Conan game by Mongoose is far lower powered than D&D, and thus far closer to the original source material.  (I'm not saying this to plug the Conan RPG, or promote it over IH -- I play neither game, and only own the Conan pocketbook rules.)

So to claim that IH can only be used for Conan or Conan-clone games strikes me as rather strange.

This Conan fan labored for decades under rules designed to make the plateclad fighters covered in magical gewgaws the optimal choice.  IH looks like a pretty effin' sweet alternative to that scheme.

I'm familiar with Titan, and I agree that it would make quite a good setting for IH.

RPGPundit

For me, simply because Fighting Fantasy was my gateway into gaming, and the idea of "fight bandit gang, slaughter wolf pack, tackle manticore" all with one trusty weapon, soaking up tons of damage without touching your effectiveness, and, in the main, having no magic - that's the adventure gaming I was baptised in. And it really seems like IH could give it.

I am a  bit concerned about the fact there are various errata/hacks out in the fanbase, as trying to learn a new system (haven't touched D&D since mid-90s) is trying enough without traversing a minefield of maybe-broken rules...

Quote from: mywinningsmileI am a  bit concerned about the fact there are various errata/hacks out in the fanbase, as trying to learn a new system (haven't touched D&D since mid-90s) is trying enough without traversing a minefield of maybe-broken rules...

Do what I did: ignore it.  I left all the errata business to my players, just made them bring anything they wanted to use before me so that I could give it the final thumbs up.

NB: the Archer class is a bitch kitty to deal with.  He will outshine any of your other damage dealers unless you plan ahead.

Yup, seems a reasonable approach. Will watch out for those bowmen; maybe Titan suffers lengthy windy seasons...