SirVolkar
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Posts posted by SirVolkar
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Have you checked the Descent page?
Otherwise, I have it, but it's a pdf. so I can't copy and paste it here (tried, but too many messed up tables during copy and paste, sorry!).
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moekel said:
as long as your kids do not eat the minis you should do fine...
Forget Scot's Porridge, I eat dwarves for breakfast!
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Might I add a point, with regards to the key question?
I think your choice is dependent on two factors:
1. Do you play with friends? To which I presume the answer is yes, given your initial message
2. Do you play the pre-designed scenarios or do you use the Call to Arms rules?
If you will be playing with friends and use the released scenarios, I think the best expansions to purchase are the 100 Years War and/or the Scottish Wars, because these sets provide new troops for both sides - so everyone gets something new right away.
If you tend to use Call to Arms or play solitaire, then the Dwarf and two Goblin expansions are fun additions.
Personally, I loved the Scottish Wars and reveled in the opportunity to kill mini Willy Wallace
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Whilst I cannot attest to the ease with which this game may be taken up by children (although, considering what I was playing around 9-10 I'd say BL is easily doable), I, along with many others here I think, would agree that this game does seem to appeal to that other section of the family - wives and girlfriends
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Caboose said:
As I stated in the other forum on the same topic, I hope there NEVER EVER is a dragon. It would ruin the whole game for sure - since it has flying capability (presumed) as well as some very big ranged attack that could easily knock out various units. I just don't think a dragon is very well suited for Battlelore - at least NOT at this juncture. There are a lot more better things to iron out than to have a dragon.
Cab
Caboose, I feel your view is strongly based upon your interpretation of what constitutes a "Dragon" - a view heavily influenced by standard modern fantasy literature/media (i.e. post-Tolkien)
The alternative perspective would be one more archaic in nature - a classical, mythical or medieval view - which I think is far more in the vein of the Battlelore setting.
In this interpretation, whilst powerful, dragons are not the size of a space station and are not the heralds of utter destruction on the battlefield. Dragons became popular through the tales of heroic knights sent on quests to slay the vicious beast - and in most cases they did. I'm sure our own BL Heroes would be up for such a challenge, or what about that unit of Red Banner Knights - one of them could easily be the heir of Lancelot.
But the key word here is beast - they were perceived as mystical, even magical, but only a step or two up from other predators such as lions and tigers and bears (oh, my!). From this view, dragons are well within the range of Trolls, Ogres and other mythical creatures, and I think this view of dragons is definitely relevant in the BL setting.
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Constructive...hmmmm...here goes...
If map packs must persist, then they'd better look a lot more alive. A poor man's copy of the board with the tiles "stuck on" and the absence of standard gaming aspects, set out by the main box and five previous expansions, does not a quality product make. So how to improve this?
I really do like the idea of special/alternative maps, creating an interesting scene. This has the potential to introduce narrative via the battlefield, rather than having to read the fluff of the scenario. I also see how turning such maps into a work of art might prove as some excellent eye-candy.
Unfortunately, the core game is eye-candy enough and I'd rather R&D's money to go into further innovative play designs or quality models (which may have redeemed the Troll expansion, except the mini was gorram awful!).
Candy models beats candy maps, I feel.
I also think that if they are going to create alternative maps, they should be something REALLY special. But I can't see how this would be done with a hex based game. Yes, seasonal maps would require a completely new board, but then they would potentially add little to the game beyond looking a little different. But as for something that might change the play of the game - like the aforementioned castle - this could easily be produced as a "large" variety overlay tile - e.g. a castle that might take up six hexes could be recreated as a single six-piece hex to place on the standard map (as opposed to six bits you have to place next to each other). Such pieces would prove far more versatile and reusable.
As much as I try to see the positive with the Troll product, I find myself chasing my own tail and ending up back where I started. Fortunately, FFG are now in charge and the focus is very firmly on game mechanics, suggested by the Heroes expansion.
...oh dear.
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Nessie? Genius idea! I can see the ad campaign now;
"Just when you thought it was safe to go into the water hexes, think again..."
Although, you'd have to blow your magic thistle-whistle each game to see which of The Family Ness showed up. Just pray it's not this one...
More seriously though, personally, I like the fact that BL doesn't have a point system - sets it apart from every other battle game. The Call to Arms decks are a unique. balanced and highly interesting approach: a great idea that simply requires further support to provide greater options.
As to the dragon rider and options - sounds a little too Warhammer for me (don't get me wrong, I lurv the Warhammer - just when playing Warhammer, not Battlelore).
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Good point, Kirah
The key aspects of the game are Set-Up, Card Choice, Movement, Combat, Morale and Lore. Creatures are combat specialists and musicians cover morale (either creating support/Bold or forcing retreats). Heroes would likely fall into another category (most likely Lore?) or alternatively bring an entirely new aspect to the game.
How heroes are to be introduced, is anyone's guess at this point, but my first thoughts on seeing the pictures of the two models way back when was that they looked like Avatars of the War Council. If this was so, I see two divergent trails of thought, one where Heroes are an option (you reduce the effectiveness of your council, but increase your options on the battlefield with an Avatar) or the other where they are a constant - a requirement of play (you pick the War Council, you get the relative figures (with relative ranks (and stats/skills)).
But then I'm no game designer, and my imagination is infentesimile when compared to that of Grand Master Borg and co, and so there are probably a bizillion other ways this expansion could play out - and it;s probably likely to be one of those.
Whatever happens, I'm on hooks!
One thing I hope that doesn;t happen is that they take up the "Guest" part of the council. I always saw this as providing an alternative to the standard Councilors, as suggested with the Necromancer. This leaves FFG wide open for expanding the Lore Deck in new and interesting ways that could potentially allow players to customise their army - give each players War Council some uniqueness (not that there isn't already plenty of variety, but you get my point - I hope!).
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Not so sure on the multi-hex angle - considering one hex represents a fair sized area of land, large enough for a wood or hill or an entire regiment (which is what each unit signifies) - but the removable head is an interesting twist on Hit Point tokens
Seeing as the Scots got (okay, became) Dwarfs, I feel it only fair we Welsh receive our Red Dragon!
Descent fans, where are you? [Post-it?]
in Descent: Journeys in the Dark
Posted
Add me in! Llanelli, Wales (UK)