First Looks are an off-the-cuff look at a product. It's the things I notice when I first open the box, flip through the pages, or download the file. This is before reading deep, assembly, play testing, or anything like that. It's a brief first take before a proper review.
As I wait for the physical goods to arrive, I can atleast look at a digital release that is probably the most important release, the rules. They're free, they're available right here!
These 4 pages have stirred a lot of controversy. From what I read, many old time players disliked the brevity and claimed it took the "fun" from the game. Again, I'm not looking at it that way. I'm looking at it as a person who played a few wargames and never too deeply, mostly with some friends who also weren't competition level players.
This first look will be my thoughts as I read through the rules. This is not a look at the rules in play. That's important to remember.
They certainly are short, 4-Pages to cover all the basics. I like the brevity, it makes it a good pick-up and play game. The depth and the tactics are not within these rules, but within the Warscrolls for each unit. I'm sure the lack of depth means there will be questions and that everyone (myself included) will probably house rule all sorts of aspects depending on the depth they're looking for. I can see why this is an ire to competitive players, but I see the appeal as a group of friends wanting to have some fun.
I'm going to look at things header by header:
The Armies
The first thing that pops out is that there is no limit to the size of an army you want. You can bring 500 models and fight against someone playing with 50. There is no inherent point balance for a "fair fight" and that has been one of the biggest things that people are fighting about. I would most certainly figure out some sort of balance system to allow for army building and word on the 'net is that something official is in the works.
Warscrolls & Units
The fact that each unit has their own Warscroll is pretty fantastic in my opinion. I can lay out my army on my side of the table and have instant access to all the abilities without any page flipping. If I can remember the 4-Pages of rules here (and really only about 2 of them are actual rules during play), I can concentrate on the abilities that make my characters unique. The basic rules are just the simple resolution system that the deeper tactics of the Warscroll stand upon. This is where the tactics hide I think.
The first hard rule is also presented here, that a group of models (as a unit) set-up and finish moves as a single group and that they should stay with 1" of each other. And if they seperate, they have to try to get back into formation in every move until they do. So this is more a skirmish game, rather than a formation game. The "unit cohesion" is similar to 40K and I'm okay with that.
Tools of War
This section mentions the use of inches as measurement and that you measure from the closest points of the models to measure to and from. Another big point of contention as this means everyone wants to make models with arms and weapons (spears especially) pointing outward to give them a reach advantage. Of course, this also makes it easier for people to reach you, so it's self-balancing. There is a specific mention that bases don't matter to appease those still using models with square bases or highly decorative bases. This is probably the first thing I'd house rule. I'd probably say that you measure from the center of mass of the model for standard bipedal folks and maybe from the front shoulders (or center of the mass of the head) for quadrupeds and other "long" creatures.
You can also pre-measure anything at any time. This is something that has been seen in more modern wargaming rules, but something that was balked by older editions ("after all, you should know if you can't make it, troops on the battlefield can't premeasure!")
The dice rolls cover your basics, how to figure out D3, only re-rolling a dice once, modifiers after all final re-rolls, etc. All standard stuff.
The Battlefield
Basic info here, using atleast a 3 square foot surface, breaking the battlefield into 2 foot sqaures to determine Terrain. Random Terrain rolls, etc.
The interesting note is the explanation that there are various Mortal Realms to fight upon. Like various Planes or Planets that feature different terrain, once populated by many, but now almost all dominated by Chaos. This is a interesting look at the fiction and something that I know is explained in more detail later. The idea of different planes tickles the Planescape loving part of my heart.
Mysterious Landscapes
Going along with the various Realms and the "oddness" of these Realms, the random Scenery Table is an interesting addition. Each piece of scenery gets rolled for and they get 1 of 6 random effects when units are on or within 3" of them. Each rule is pretty easy to remember, but while you can just put a dice pip face up to remember what the terrain does, I'd love for some counters for that. Something I can put near the grove of trees that says "DEADLY" would be awesome.
I'm curious if these random scenery rolls happen in the official scenarios or if the battlefield will be more properly defined ahead of time.
The Battle Begins
You have two sides with armies, you built your playing field, time to play.
Set-Up
Set-up is pretty standard, splitting the playing field in half, alternating unit placement, designating a general etc. There are three interesting rules at this point:
Glorious Victory: There are rules for Major Victory vs. Minor Victory, whereas Major Victory is a full wipeout of enemy units and a Minor Victory is when both sides declare the fight over without a total wipe. Usually when someone only has a few units left and defeat is obvious. The one with a winning percentage of units claims a Minor Victory. This sounds like a set-up for bonuses in campaign play. As of now, it's only useful for one thing, the next rule.
Triumphs: If an army has won a Major Victory, they can roll on a Triumph Table which gives them a small bonus to the next fight. Again, this won't come up in most friendly fights, but we seem to be setting up for Campaign Play here. I'm excited for this, I like long overarching Campaigns. I thought Mordheim was a fantastic game exactly for this reason.
Sudden Death Victories: This is the rule for when one side has less than 1/3 the total units as another. A sort of "play balance" rule. By picking one type of objective, you can still score a Major Victory, without wiping out all the other player's units. I don't know if this will solve all balance issues of outnumbered armies, in fact I don't think it will at all, but it's something. Also a lot of the Objectives look like something fun to use just to mix up gameplay besides the usual "wipe out everyone" objective.
Again, I've seen that the start book and the big book will have a bunch of scenarios in it, so hopefully we'll see a few variations to objectives soon.
Now we get into the thick of the actual battle and the various phases.
Battle Rounds
One of the most interesting rules is the Initiative roll. Every round, both players roll a die and the high roll decides who takes a turn first. This adds instant strategy, not just the "it's not fair that someone can get two turns in a row a lot in a lucky streak!" Because there are many times that strategically you want to force your opponent to go first, in order to make him play his hand in his movement and match-ups. Knowing the battlefield and when to make your opponent go first (or twice in a row) will be a very important tactic to learn.
Pre-Battle Abilities
First, there's a note to check if there are any abilities that apply "after set-up is complete." Meaning that some units will actually affect the battle before the battle starts. I'm interested in seeing what these could be.
Hero Phase
This is your spell casting and starting buffs phase. Not just wizards have spells, in a way, as Hero Phase Special Abilities (most seemingly buffs and debuffs) are basically "spells" even if not pure magic.
Since this is when you spell cast, might as well look at those rule too. Everyone can cast Arcane Bolt and Mystic Shield (damage dealing and bonus saves), as well as dispel if they're within 18" of another caster and can see them. Of course casters will have other spells on their warscrolls.
Success is based on 2D6 vs. Casting Value, with stronger casters having easier to cast spells and able to cast more spells per turn. This is something to see in play before I say anything on it.
Movement Phase
Most of this is standard, you can't move through enemies, you must move all models you wish in a unit before moving to the next, etc.
The oddest part of these rules are that characters can move vertically in order to climb or cross scenery, with no disadvantage I can see. So you can climb up a straight cliff face or wall or anything. That's very odd. That would certainly see a house rule.
There is also disengage rules, during the movement phase you can't get within 3" of an enemy model, but if you're already there (because of charging and fighting), you can move away (a retreat) and must end more than 3" away from an enemy unit. You can't shoot or charge after that, so if you retreat, you retreat.
Running adds d6 movement and flying means you ignore terrain and enemy models when moving, but still must end more than 3" away.
Shooting Phase
Anyone with missile weapons can shoot. Unless a unit ran or retreated, you can shoot. Simple
Charge Phase
You can Charge at any enemy within 12" of that unit. You roll 2D6, that result becomes your charge distance and must end with the closest model ending within 1/2" of the enemy. If it fails, you fail and don't move. Again, I'd house rule that, maybe forcing you to move half of what you roll and not be allowed to attack afterwards, even if that ends you within 3" of the enemy. The enemy, of course, can then choose to attack you.
Combat Phase
Any opposing units within 3" of each other can now engage in combat. This is a back and forth affair. The player who's turn it is, goes first, then the other player picks a unit to fight, then back to the first, until one person has more eligible units and he finishes all of it one at a time.
When you pick a unit to attack, you can pile in up to 3" allowing you to finish moving in units that charged but aren't in range yet. That seems reasonable.
So, Shooting, Charge, and Combat all deal with the Attacking rules:
Attacking
The Attacking rules are pretty standard, using the Warscroll to see how many attacks, the range or a weapon, the To-Hit rolls, etc. Again, everything being on the Warscrolls is awesome. Line of Sight rules still apply as do the Hit, Wound, Save, Damage model from GW. You inflict damage, with the player owning the units choosing who to remove from a unit. You still have to fully apply wounds to multi-wound models until they die, then allocate the next, etc. etc.
It says if a model is dead, you should remove it, but I would house rule to just knock them on their side at first. Only for making Battleshock easier.
Mortal Wounds ignore Save, that's easy to understand.
Cover is a bit weird. If all the models of a unit are within or on terrain, they have cover. Even if they're all on a hill fighting someone else on a hill. The only exception is if they charged into cover that turn. I don't think I like this. This is another house rule for me. I'd make cover based more on if the enemy can't see or get to all of a model, instead only seeing/reaching some of it. If they're behind a wall and partially sticking out, etc.
Battleshock Phase
Battleshock is your morale and I like the basics of it, but would change some things. Because the modifier is based on total number of models killed, that's why I suggest laying a model on it's side when killed. This makes it easy to remember total lost that turn if there are a lot of fights. Large units also get a +1 modifier for every 10 models left in a unit when the test is taken.
I don't like that a failure automatically removes models from the game. I like a proper retreat and chance to rally. I'd probably house rule that the difference that represents the fleeing units would have those units actually free. With them running towards that player's edge of the table (full movement + d6 roll) avoiding enemy units as much as they can. Each Battleshock Phase they can attempt to roll 2D6 under their Bravery to Rally and then attempt to rejoin their Unit (as per cohesion rules). Each time they fail, they continue to run towards the table edge and if they reach it, they are assumed to have fully given up and run away.
There's my first thoughts. A lot of this will change when I get a chance to actually play and see some of this in motion. I'll try to play with and without my off the cuff house rules and see what I like or don't.
I think the brevity is a strong point, it allows for those instant house rule ideas you and your friends can agree on to make the game more to your liking and do so without stripping away the core game presented.
Again, I'll have more thoughts/insights/etc. as I actually play.
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