January 26, 2008
Call to Arms Deployment Cards
Richard Borg shares some thoughts about the design philosophy behind the Call to Arms Deployment card sets, and some favourite alternate ways his gaming group uses the cards.
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BattleLoreMaster Posts
January 2008
January 25, 2008
BattleLore Rules Summary Update
The BattleLore rules summary has been updated to v2.1. Some corrections and suggestions by Gerald Uitz have resulted in a more accurate document. There’s a double-sided basic rules summary, then single-sided summaries of the Epic and Call to Arms rules, then a page of game variants, including Reluctant Allies and Medieval Lore rules.
Not only that, but Gerald has also translated this latest version into German.
As always, print in colour on high quality card, laminate and trim for best results. And don’t forget to print at the 100% setting.
January 10, 2008
Official Word: Of Heroes and some Missteps…
Days of Wonder’s News Centre Blog features a long post from Eric Hautemont, DOW’s CEO. It’s an interesting insight into the challenges faced by Days of Wonder to guide BattleLore through its first year, and a small peek at what’s coming in the future.
Some fans seemed to be getting a bit antsy about initial releases, the lack of communication lately, the Heroes pack not arriving by the expected late ‘07 date, and the fact that there is as yet no campaign background for the game.
Eric’s post clears up some of the misconceptions, and also shows us that they are still very much taking on, and dealing with, retailer and customer feedback with the goal of making BattleLore the best game system it can be.
Let’s all sit back a little and let Days of Wonder do what they do best—make great games. Certainly customer feedback is essential, but overly critical and non-constructive comments on forums such as BoardgameGeek don’t do anyone any good. I think most fans would prefer that products took a little longer to release and were done right, rather than be rushed out with errors; and certainly very few of us fully understand all the issues involved with creating, producing and distributing modern boardgames.
And if mistakes do happen, DOW has always shown itself willing to correct them. The great thing is, DOW is the kind of company that isn’t afraid to be totally honest with its customers about the challenges that crop up up when making their games.
Right, enough of that, let’s get back to playing BattleLore!
We get a look at two brand new figures with the post—a female Sorceress and a mounted Thief. Part of the Heroes set?
A couple of other newsworthy items: more insight into the production process and a mention of possible army packs in the future in this post by Eric. And ColtsFan76 has hunted down some official responses to some questions that have been bothering BattleLore players.
January 7, 2008
The Raven
“Mister, mister, please, help my sister, please help!”
I had been lost in my thoughts as I walked the road, and this small scruffy urchin managed to run up behind me and grab my cloak. Proof that the greatest could fall from one small lapse of concentration, I thought, as I shrugged him off. He was a persistent scrap however, and ran beside me with hands outstretched, pleading.
“Help me mister! The ugly troll’s got her, he does! None from the village’ll help her, they’re all scared of ‘im!”
I had no time for this. Without a word I turned and shoved the annoying little brat into a muddy ditch.
Ignoring his cries, I strode on, hoping to reach the next village by nightfall. The sky had already dimmed and the first stars appeared by the time I came upon a stone bridge across a wide stream; in the distance I could see the smoke from cooking fires. Half way across I felt a presence and turned, and there stood the boy again, leaning over the bridge wall and shouting down into the dark underneath:
“He’s here Moon-Gnawer - I got you ‘im! A man for my sister you said, a man to feed on!”
Instantly I was fully alert. A huge knobbled hand reached up and took purchase on the wall near me, then another. With startling speed the beast had dragged itself up over the side of the bridge and stood, nine feet tall, dripping wet, huge shoulders supporting powerfully muscled arms that ended in hands that scraped the ground. One held an enormous rusty meat cleaver.
The horrible face slit open and a voice like ancient rocks speaking said, “Little grey man, ye be my supper. Keep still while I chop ye!”
An interesting proposition, but I had no intention of complying. From the folds of my cloak I whipped out my long thin knife. Slish, slash, snicker, but the troll’s hide was thick, and it was like trying to cut into ancient stone. This was a battle I could not win by force.
I drew my arms apart, palms upward. “Wait, Moon-Gnawer, am I not thin and stringy? Hardly fit for the pot, just bone and gristle!” It paused slightly, cleaver half-raised. “A hungry troll requires a man large and fat, juicy with easy living! I can get you such a tasty treat!”
“Speak, skinny one,” it said slowly, head cocked.
“Behind me on the road I passed a fat tax-collector on a donkey, trying to reach the village before the fall of night. He has but one guard. Allow me to return and dispose of the guard with my long thin knife, and the fat man will be yours for the taking. Not to mention the gold he no doubt carries.”
“Hmmm …” Was that slow grinding the sound of it thinking? “Very well, but be quick about it. I want my dinner.”
“Excellent. I will return quickly with your delectable dish, bridgekeeper.”
Turning tail, I fled back the way I had come, passing the wide-eyed guttersnipe. “But … my sister! He promised to free my sister if I brought him dinner.”
“You’d best find another for his plate as I did, snot-nose.” I shouted over my shoulder, still running. “I have a detour to make!”
January 4, 2008
The BattleLore Compendiums: January ‘08
The prodigious Gerald Uitz kicks off 2008 with a couple of updates: January editions of the English and German Lore Cards Compendiums.
Remember, for each new revision you now need only print and replace the revised index and pages with new entries.
As usual, go to the Guild Downloads section for the latest downloads.