Battle for the Danube - expansion of "Art of Tactic"

There are more photos of the new units in the expansion:

Armoured train:



River boat:



Unarmoured train:



Romanian unit:



Another photo of the whole expansion:

Zvezda's new expansion for boardgame "Art of Tactic"

There will be an expansion for Zvezda's boardgame "Art of Tactic", which is called "Battle for the Danube".



Due to the cover picture, there will be river boats, a bridge and armoured train. I think additional romanian units too.

The ones who checked the photos from Nuremberg 2012 recognized the river boats and armoured train weeks ago!

New units, Ogres and goblin halberdiers in the "Horrific horde" expansion of Battlelore!

The new expansion introduces 2 new troop types for the goblin army.

Ogres with red banner:

and

Goblin Halberdiers with their green banner:

Today I would like to explain the Ogres.

The Ogres are larger than most Hobgoblins, but they are not Creatures.

They fight in units and as an unusual foot unit, not 4 figures form a unit, only 3 are enough.


Their weapon is a spiked club for a melee and they fight with 4 dices, typical for a red banner unit, which means they move one hex and battle.

Against mounted units, their first "on shield"-hit is ignored, although they are bigger then mounted units. This fact makes them IMO different than other foot units.

On the contrary, they are resistance against "on shield"-hits of their enemies.

They have a "bonus" strike with "on shield"- result and they have the ability "FRENZY"

But they may NOT ignore a flag unless supported.

As usual, they take one hit for each retreat hex, which is blocked.

This is another fact, which irritates me, because they are not a creature, but they "are larger and stronger" (from the manual!). than other goblin units.

IMO these facts make them something special, a "special unit" should have some "special" characteristics.

The ones, who read the manual and the unit card, could say, that they have 2 specialities.

-Being "Frenzy"!

and

-Rampage

Being "Frenzy" means, while attacking enemy unit, each "on shield" dice result of the Ogre unit, is rerolled for additional hits OR flags until the target enemy unit is dead or no more "on shield" dice result are rolled.

You are right, this ability is something special, but such a unit deserves this one, IMO it's nothing extra.

The ability, "RAMPAGE" is actually a consequence of "may not ignoring a flag!"

This new troops, who are larger and stronger than their racial brothers, are forced to retreat in case of a flag-result of an attacking enemy unit when they are not supported by another unit of the goblin army.
But, then they break into a fit of rage and rampage before retreating.

All units, (enemy or friendly) in adjacent hexes, must roll 2 dice.

Each player rolls for hits on his opponents units.

A hit is scored when a banner color is rolled that matches the unit; all other symbols are ignored.
Ogres retreat after all rampage rolls.

When you first read these rules, you don't recognize how they influence the game. I'll say like a double-sided sword.

OK, the Ogres should reteat, but the ability of "Rampage" makes them very dangerous for the attacker.

I can hear you now, saying "Look, another special ability!". But, don't forget; it makes them very dangerous, also for their own army units in the adjacent hexes.

And Each flag could cause a loss of a figure, in case of a blocked retreat path.

Did you said: "OK! Then play offensive with them."

I'll do; but it's not always wise, because they could be surrounded easily and possible too!

As you see, this "special" ability is not 100% benefit for the Ogres unit.

Last word:Ogres are a very good addition to the goblin army, exactly the "through break" or "spear-head" troop type, which the goblins needed!

But, we'll change 2 rules for our house games.
1-Their first "on shield"-hit against "mounted unit" is NOT ignored.

2-They retreat in case of 2 flags-result of the attacker with RAMPAGE.

3-In case of 1 flag result of the attacker they DON'T retreat BUT RAMPAGE.

AND DON'T FORGET, there are standard and pennant banners for Ogres, which means you can hire them also for a human army!

Battlelore: Horrific Horde expansion!

Today I opened one of the expansion sets of Battlelore.

Horrific Horde is the name of the expansion and its called also "goblin army pack"

This expansion set contains

42 figures, including

three types of previously released troops,

12 goblin swordsmen, (blue banner /core set)

6 Hobgoblin cavalry, (green banner/ core set)

6 Hobgoblin Hyena riders, (blue banner/"Goblin marauders" expansion)

and 2 new types of troops,

6 Ogres, (red banner)

12 goblin Halberdiers (green banner).

This pack comes with 14 banners;

to field the Goblinoid troops for the Pennant camp and to field the Ogres by either camps (Pennant or standard).

As usual there are

2 Specialist cards, for both new troop types and

2 unit Summary cards,

1 "medieval tactics for "battle savy troops",

2 weapon summary cards, (incl. the update of "Sling"),

and 15 deployment cards for the "Call to arms" deployment system.
and at least 5 ready-to-play scenarios.

With this expansion, or this reinforcement of 42 additional goblin troops, goblins are no more "sporting actors" in the "Battlelore-world", not only mercenaries, they can build their own goblin army and devastate their enemies for their own purposes.

and don't forget it's only an expansion, but a scary one...

BattleLore: Goblin Skirmishers Specialist Pack

Yesterday night I played, rather tested solo a scenario from the expansion pack "Goblin Skirmishers".


If you followed the blog, you noticed that in the last weeks I am learning the rules of "Battles of Westeros".

This was the second expansion for Battlelore, published in 2007 and it contents 20 new figures with 3 different unit types.

Goblin slingers, which reflects the goblin characteristics "hit&run" in the best way.


Goblin drummers, which cancel the disadvantage of "being frightened" in each goblin unit, which they added.


Goblin band leader, which builds a "drummer unit" and maximizes the advantage of being "bold" for all goblin units in his own section.


And at least, IMHO, not the right choice for this expansion, the hobgoblin spear bearers, a heavy fighting unit for melees.


Yesterday I just wanted to make something different and choosen the "the sounds of water" scenario with some modifications.

After the battle some thoughts about the units in this expansion:

The range of slingers is 2 hexes and this is in a board with 13 hexes depth and compared to the archers which have a range of 4 hexes logical.

But it doesn’t reflect their characteristic, which is "hit&run" from a far distance.

The spear bearers are not the right choice for a “skirmishes” pack.

They should be a part of heavy troops, IMHO in the core game. I think, DoW realized this lack and added them. Not the right packet, but a “Welcome addition”!

The Goblin band leader and drummers are a “double-edged” matter.

They are welcome and a very good reinforcement for this “frightened” race, which makes the life/battle very difficult to their enemies.

But on the contrary the main characteristic of the goblin race, “frightened” is canceled with their existence, even in 2 battle sections, if you use them as a unit correctly.

Being “frightened” was a logical balance, compared to the “goblin rush”, (IMHO one battle dice, for the whole “goblin run” ( 2hexes), instead of 1 dice for each hex could be enough!)

OK; without confusing new players or potential gamers, the characteristics of the “goblin race” in the core game are the suited ones. They are bloodthirsty but at the same time frightened.

Those main characteristics should be kept in mind while adding new special units.

During the game last night, I realized that a correct placed drummer unit with a band leader (in a hex between two sections), which is protected by other units during the whole game, can change the course of the battle.

IMHO this is too much power for one unit and change the main characteristics of the goblin race.
There could be a range or time limit for the effect of this unit.

The music could effect only in 1 section or in a range of 4 hexes.

Or only by the complete units.

Just some thoughts..

Anyway it makes fun to play with and against goblins, with these addition!

Zvezda's "Art of Tactic" expansions-soviet and german paratroopers!

Another expansion sets for "Art of Tactic" boardgame series of Zvezda are 2 new paratroopers for Soviets and Germans.

In the catalog this time a picture of german paras:

and a photo for soviet paras:

Both in 1/72 scale!

There are 5 paratroopers-sets:

The oldest one from Airfix produced in 1976:

Marketed especially in France from Heller.

One from Esci produced in 1989:
Reproduced from Italeri.

In the same year from Revell:

In 2009 a new one was produced from Caesar:

And last year the newest from Italeri in tropical uniform:

All these set have 40+ figures and 10 - 15 poses. The new Zvezda concept contents not even 10 figures with maximum 4 different poses in each set.

What will be the reaction of collectors and painters to those "specialized" sets?

Wait and see! (and read the forums!)