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God of Battle review

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God of Battle review

Postby adlard.matthew » Wed May 15, 2013 12:25 pm

For those new to the game it is Jake Thorntons new Fantasy war game from Foundry released mid March this year, and designed to be played with two or more players using 28mm figures.

The Game play focuses on commanding an army rather than the minute intricacies of individual miniatures and what they are armed with.

Leaders, musicians and standard bearers all have a point to play in the game and add not only interest but define how your unit works.

The system covers everything you need to play with no hidden extra issues like, must buy several add-ons to play and support the game. (This I like, one book to rule it all)

Jake Explains in his blog

As well as all the basics of building armies and how to move and fight across the battlefield with them, God of Battles contains rules for miracles, weather, scenarios, camps, baggage trains, varying terrain and 10 complete army lists with over 20,000 words of background. It is a complete product in a single volume.

The combat system is based on the declare and then measure, so that makes for a fun (defender) and at times bloody (attacker) frustrating.

Army lists are easy and cover the usual races.
Norse Dwarfs
Orc Warlords
Thousand Tribes – Mix,inc. Halflins
Lords of Undeath
Blood Gorged – Beastmen
Mercenary – Human
The Godless – dark (very) elves
Sea elfs
T’lekkan Empires – Giant bugs

Scale of engagements are:
Skirmish 24 points – 20 miniatures
Battle 36 “ “ - up to 30-45 miniatures
Havoc 48 “ “ - up to 55 miniatures
Slaughter 60 “ “ etc

Example army list – cut down
- Blood Gorged -
Brutes Ravagers 12 Points – 10 Models
Brutes 6 Points – 10 Models
Slayers 12 Points – 10 Models
Younglings 12 Points – 8 Models

- Command -
Herdlord 12 Points – Character
Shaman 18 Points – Character
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Camp followers – these are important and apart from eye candy and a chance to go modelling nuts also take on a meaning with their position in the game and the need to protect them.

Such costs mean that you do not need a lot of figures and the system allows any ranges to be used as it is very flexible.

Turn sequence is I go, you go while each has the same number of units in play. As soon as a player has more units then they get to move these extra ones as they choose. either side may choose to pass, allowing the system to become tactical.

Magic/faith has no range an if you want to cast spells you need a priest or shaman, and the system here means that an opponent can try to stop or thwart your casting, at the risk of not having enough spell points to cast their spells. Cleaver and fun, also makes it more real and tactical.

Movement and targeting are from leader to leader and allow players to easily range and stops attempts to fudge the rules.

Shooting works well and follows declare, check, roll the dice. units that stay still can all fire, those that move, only half fire.

Unit types are important and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Formed units are obviously drilled and follow a front attack, side and rear arc are vulnerable areas. each has its own properties. loose are like skirmishers and can attack from any direction
war engines and monsters also have medium and large size which again means that the smaller ones are classed as loose units an large as formed. This means larger monsters do have vulnerabilities.

Stratagems – these are special rules that a player may play each game turn in-order to perform some clever bit of tactical manoeuvre. I.e – Biding my time: can pass even if have more units left, Feint: trick your opponent, etc

Fast play, this is an original idea with this system of fantasy and means that if you have a unit that falls to 4 models or less, its lost

The rules also make use of weather and terrain with the attacker and defenders setting up rolls making the whole board different each time.

Scenarios – This is a clever bit of gaming and the games orientate around them, a nice bit of rule writing.

Overall the game is a fun one and plays very well. It’s a game about having a bit of fun and commanding your army over a couple of hours. This is something that has at times fallen by the wayside, so its good to find something to fill the gap.

The rules are simple enough to follow and easily allow players to concentrate on what you want your army to be doing, not like some systems which sub-paragraph whole categories of rules which players in the end argue over.

They may not totally innovative but they are smooth and play well, with a hidden depth and tactical approach which makes it an enjoyable system.

Fleshed out and enough to go straight from the book.

Its worth a look and a good game to go with only a few miniatures.

www.wargamesfoundry.com

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/flyteoffantasy
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Re: God of Battle review

Postby mattjgilbert » Thu May 16, 2013 12:10 pm

I considered picking up the book when it was released but it's the wrong time for me. I've just got too many games on the go at once and yet another would just dilute and confuse things even more!
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Re: God of Battle review

Postby Baragash » Thu May 16, 2013 1:31 pm

^What Matt said! I don't have a problem with the price, but it does mean it's not a "I fancy a casual flick through this" purchase otherwise I would have got the book, hope to pick it up in 3-4 months though.
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