Battles of westeros - round - second phase: "Marshaling phase"!

The second phase in the first round is called "Marshaling phase".

During this phase, players gain resources for the round.

These resources are order tokens and leadership cards.

The following actions will be taken by both players:

1-Receive order tokens

2-Draw leadership cards

On each scenario in the "Battle plans"-book there is an information about game components.

Battle plan description:



1-Receive order tokens:

In this description, the so-called order rating icon determines the number of dices,



which should be rolled by each player during the marshaling phase for receiving order tokens.



The player takes order tokens that match the dice results from the supply.

DON'T FORGET:
At the end of each ROUND EACH player MUST discard Leadership cards and order tokens (of his choice) so that he has maximum of one leadership card and one order token for the next round.

This one order token (since the beginning of the second round!) and the additional order tokens matching the dice results form the players ORDER POOL.

2-Draw leadership cards:

In the battle plan description there is also a leadership rating icon:



Equal to this number each player draw cards from his own leadership deck and add to any card he carried from the previous round.



If there is no more cards remaining in his deck; then he shuffles his discard pile to form a new leadership deck.

"Battles of Westeros" order tokens - receiving through "order rating" and discarding!

The "order tokens" are one of the important aspects of the game.

We use them to give a single order to an uncontrolled active unit.

Beside each battle plan in "Westeros Battle Plans" book, there is an order rating icon (the "two dices" - picture).

The active player rolls a number of dices equal to that number and takes order tokens from the "order supply" matching the dice results.

That makes with the order tokens from the previous round his "order pool".

For further information:

15.02.2011 order-tokens-another-component-in BoW!

During the last phase (Regroup phase) of each round there are 6 sub-sections.

One of them, the fourth section, is called "Discard excess resources".

The active player may choose one of his order tokens and discard the rest into the "order pool".

This means, that each player may have maximum one order token in his play area to carry over to the next round.

Giant Ogres / a new troop type for Battlelore's goblin army?

Those who read the manual of "Horrific Horde"-expansion carefully, noticed, that a new troop type "Giant Ogres" has been written on page 1, while describing the "Ogres".

Will be there another expansion with new additional troop types for the goblin army?

I hope so..

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!

Premium banner Packs for "Battles of Westeros"-boardgame!

Premium Banner Packs for "Battles of Westeros"-boardgame from Fantasy Flight Games are now on sale!

Each pack contents 44 plastic banners with sticker sheets of green, blue and red units for both sides of the game, Stark ans Lannister.

That's a very good idea, because the original banners in the core game has been critised in a lot of forums.

The highest number of banners needed in a single scenario totaly for both sides is 41.

And in the "skirmish" scenarios, the maximum number of units incl. commanders is 15.

That means, one pack of those "premium banners" will be enough for all the scenarios in the core game!

The price on FFG webstore is 9.95 USD.

Photo of the material from "tribes of the vale"-expansion

There is a new "box-content"-photo of the next expansion from "Battes of Westeros"-boardgame.

More about this expansion:

http://worldin172scale.blogspot.com/2011/02/new-expansion-for-battles-of-westeros.html

Have a closer look to the banners!

There are no more "banner poles", instead of them "plastic banners" with accompanying sticker sheets, like in the "Premium Banner Packs".

I am waiting for detailed photos of the figures.

Additionaly one drawing:

A new expansion for "Battles of Westeros" - game

It's a long time ago, that I reported about this game:

http://worldin172scale.blogspot.com/search/label/Battles%20of%20Westeros

I bought the core game but had no chance to let it send to Sri Lanka, so that I should wait for 6 months. Yes 6 loooong months, spent with reading the first 3 books!

While I am reading the rules and testing the game (review will be added soon!) I realized that a new expansion was announced on Friday, 11.02. (Not the 13th!)

Tribes of the vale!

For those who rode or reading (like me!) the books, one of the terrible actors in this fantastic story!

From the FFG website:

Born in the cruel climate of the mountains of the Moon, the clansmen of the Stone Crows, Black Ears, and Burned Men are of a violent breed. Uncivilized, uncouth and unrefined, these men and women live to kill and they do it well.

This new forces will supply House Lannnister (like in the story) or, if playing with the Skirmish rules, House Stark.

The miniatures has tan colours, different one than the other houses, for easier finding on the battle field.

In the set there will be 3 new commanders and 3 new unit types.

Shagga, Son of Dolf from Stone Crows

Timett, Son of Timett from Burned Men

Chella, Daughter of Cheyk from Black Ears.

As usual, there will a rules- and battle plan bok, new terrain, Clansmen Gambit and Skirmish cards.

and now, we may wait and wait, and wait...

Inside of the box of Zvezda's "Great Patriotic War"!

Here are new photos of the components in the box: (from "Art of Tactic"-forum)

When you open the box:



The pieces sorted out:



Some of the the boardpieces:

Playing the boardgame "Battles of Westeros"!

Every battle in this game has a limit of rounds, which is set in the "battle plans".

Each round is divided into 4 phases:

1- RALLY phase

2- MARSHALING phase

3- COMMAND phase

4- REGROUP phase

After the fourth phase, another round begins and the whole process continues until one side is victorious or the last round of the game is finished.

Each phase has his own actions:

RALLY phase:

a-Determine advantage
b-Refresh commanders
c-Rally units

MARSHALING phase:

a-Receive order tokens
b-Draw leadership cards

COMMAND phase:

a-Use order token
b-Play leadership card
c-Pass

REGROUP phase:

a-Resolve status conditions
b-Score victory points
c-Check victory conditions
d-Discard excess resources
e-Recover morale
f-Advance round marker

After Regroup phase, victory conditions should be checked, for controlling if one side had fulfilled them.

If not, the game continues with a new RALLY phase.

This whole procedure looks complex, but after playing for a while you'll recognize that it works smoothly.

The rules are in town!

The long desired rules of the "The great patriotic War 1941" is in english and can be downloaded here:

http://www.file-upload.net/download-2974610/6134_Barbarossa_Rules_Eng.rar.html

The rules are 15 pages long and can be classified to "medium difficulty level".

Have fun!

T 34/76 mod. 1940 for Zvezda's boardgame!

After the reinforcement for the germans, the russian side gets also his own armour.

T-34/76 (mod. 1940) box picture:



This fast kit has only 5 parts (Pz. III G has 9!) and is in 1/100 scale.



The price is 2,95 EUR.

The one with a basic paint work:



Hopefully ASAP I'll be able to buy one and report detailed.

And if someone has the possibility to compare with Flames of War models in the scale, please send an article!

Morale in "Battles of Westeros"- Fantasy Flight Games - boardgame!

Like field-marshal Montgomery said:

"High morale is a quality, without which no war can be won!"

Morale is an essential element, which should be calculated in each wargame.

I missed this object in Battlelore.

On the contrary Fantasy Flight Games made it an important component of Battles of Westeros, which is inspired by Battlelore.

In Battles of Westeros there are morale segments, morale hub and morale marker.

Each house has its own morale segments. Those segments will be attached to the both sides of the morale hub, so that the morale track is formed.

The sides of the morale segments are different and in each battle plan it's described which side must be used.

Both morale markers are placed at the beginning of the game on the center space of the morale hub.

On each morale segment there are 10 circles, with the numbers 2 to 11 on one side and 2 to "a rout place" on the reverse, which means, that the only difference between both sides of a morale segment is the last circle.

The circles on the morale segment have different colors. 2 and 3 have grey, 4 to 7 yellow, 11 red color.

When creating the battlefield, following the battle plan, the morale track will be placed next to the battlefield in such a position so each player's morale segment must be on his side of the battlefield.

Number "10" is the morale track!

(The photos are from the "rules of play"-book of the boardgame.)

Plastic figures/Lannister forces - Battles of Westeros boardgame

The "other" side in this beautiful game, the "Lannister's" have also 4 units in the core game.

Their so called, "Rock Cavaliers", cavalry unit

their heavy infantry with "heavy armour"
their "Westerlands" archers
and

their "Lannisport Guard" with their long spears

Panzer III G - expansion for Zvezda's boardgame!

A new expansion for the german forces is on the way!

Panzer Kampfwagen III version G box picture:



The fast-kit has 9 parts and in 1/100 scale.



The announced price is 2,95 EUR.

A finished model without any paint work:

The game begins!

The game is on the market; in Russia and was sold in ESSEN 2010!

The first picture:




and the first scenario pictures:




The price for the russian market is 1.600 rupley, approx. 52.- USD or 38.- EUR!

the first armour vehicles on both sides and Clearness in Scale guestion!

Today we have pictures of the first armour vehicles from both sides:

German armour in the basic game will be represented by Panzer II, actually a light and uneffective tank against soviet counterparts!

Box:

and the back side of the box:


A finished model without any paint work:



I expected, honestly a Panzer III, a medium german panzer, as the main unit at the beginning of the OP Barbarossa!

But when I saw the soviet armour counterpart:

T-26 box:

and box back:


A finished model without any paint work:


Both Panzer consists of 5 parts and have their unit cards!

By the way, due to the information on the back side of the box we know that the armoured (and unarmoured ones logically!) have the 1/100 scale!

Soviet counterparts!

One the best airplanes (maybe the best!) of the soviet tactical air support during WW2 was the Ilyushin IL-2.

It was a ground attack aircraft (Shturmovik), produced by the Soviet Union in very large numbers.

In combination with its successor, the Ilyushin Il-10, a total of 42,330 were built, making it the single most produced military aircraft design in all of aviation history. (Source: Wikipedia)

It was a prominent aircraft for tank killing with its accuracy in dive bombing and its 37mm guns penetrating their thin back armor.

That means, there must be a IL-2 - model!
Box:

Back side of the box:

The box contents 12 parts with info-card of the unit!

No glue is required!

Air support!

During the "Great Patriotic war" or so called, "Eastern Front", the air support were vital.

I realized, that none of articles in the blog contents any information about "air support" - factor in the game.

At the beginning of "Operation Barbarossa" the tactical air support played an important role. The famous (not the best in WW2!) on the german side was Stuka.
Depending on this reality there will be naturally a stuka model in the basic game.

Here some photos:

Box:

Content:

finished, but unpainted model:


Back side of the box:


Now it's clear,that the scale for the airplanes is 1/144 and the box contents 8 pieces!

No glue is required!

Naturally there will be russian counterparts...

Plastic figures/Stark forces - the main component in Battles of Westeros - boardgame from Fantasy Flight Games!

In the core game there are 4 different units for each side.

Stark has his cavalry, called "Winterfell cavalry"
his infantry, called "War Host of the North", a halberdier unit

northmen archers

and a very special unit, "Stark Kennelmaster", which can use an animal attack.