I´ve got BattleLore!

It´s totally my kind of game. Me and my wife already played it several times, and we are psyched.

It plays fast, leaves you with a meaningful decision at every turn, and feels very nice. I can also totally imagine the battle while it is played out. And the good thing: you can squeeze a game of BL into tight schedule! It´s about one hour to a battle.

Anybody else here who has caught the BattleLore fever?
There doesn´t seems to be a very big online community right now, so I´d really be happy to share AARs, war stories, scenarios or general BattleLorisms.

I´d also gladly answer questions if anybody wants to know more about the game.

How does it compare to Battlecry or Memoir '44?

Shouldn't this be in the Other Games section?

Also; is the game itself set up for fantasy battles, or historical? I've heard conflicting info on that one.  What are the armies? What are the scenarios that come with the game?

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPunditShouldn't this be in the Other Games section?

Also; is the game itself set up for fantasy battles, or historical? I've heard conflicting info on that one.  What are the armies? What are the scenarios that come with the game?

RPGPundit

Its historical fantasy: you play French or English armies but there are fantasy  elements such as recruiting dwarven or goblin mercenaries.  Its quite light on both the historical backdrop and the fantasy bits -- probably to make room for expansions.  The scenario book begins with the regular armies and gradually adds the fantasy (or "Lore") elements to the game.

As its based on the Memoir '44 system, Battlelore is more or less a wargame for Euro-gamers.

It adds a lot of nifty stuff to the basic engine. Battling Back (Gegenschlag) is one of them. It means that if your troops are

a) in a fortified position
b) supporting each other (2 other own troops are adjacent)

then you can ignore one retreat result AND make an attack agaisnt anyone who attacks you.

The Game is set in (a) Uchronia of the Hundred Years War period. The dwarves are Scots, the kobolds are Ottoman Empire etc. But: you have the option of leaving out the fantasy aspect.
The first two scenarios (Agincourt, Montfort vs Blois) do exactly that.

And all other scenarios are also historical battles, juiced up with fantasy elements, like the french being allied to the scottish dwarven mercenaries etc.

As you have eight basic troop types, you really can play some historical battles.

It´s still a rather lightweight of a game, so it´s not much a simulation, but it captures some key elements of the period. Still, there´s a bit too much quality infantry for true medieval feel, but the 14th and 15th century actually did see an increase in footsoldier quality.

Ugh.

Keep your fantasy the fuck out of my historical wargaming!! I mean, fuck, why is it that just because its medieval it needs to have goblins and fucking dwarves?? You didn't need dwarvish mercenaries or elven panzergrenadiers to make  Battlecry or Memoir '44 excellent games, why the fuck did you need to do that to the 100 years war?!

I'm almost certainly going to be passing on this game.

RPGPundit

As I said, just leave em out, and it´s even better than Battle Cry.

But they want to do exansions, and then when it´s easier to do it with fantasy I guess.

You should at least give it a try. It´s the most polished of the bunch, ruels-wise.

To be honest, much as I love Battle Cry and Memoir '44 (I just got all the expansions for the latter with part of my Christmas bonus, and have been playing it all week), those games are pretty much fantasy out of the box, with a veneer of historicity.  BattleLore just reverses the formula, giving you history with a veneer of fantasy. (edit: or is it: fantasy with a veneer of historicity, with fantasy overlaid on top?)

Anyway, it's a great system and from all reports a fine game.  That should drive the ultimate decision.

Yepp, it´s a great game, but not neccessarily a great wargame.

Quote from: SettembriniAs I said, just leave em out, and it´s even better than Battle Cry.

But they want to do exansions, and then when it´s easier to do it with fantasy I guess.

You should at least give it a try. It´s the most polished of the bunch, ruels-wise.

But can you just "leave em out"? I mean, are the scenarios set up so you can play them either fantasy or non? Or will taking out the gang of Goblin mercenaries or whatever end up unbalancing the whole scenario?

Also, what actual armies come in the gamebox? I mean, will I be left with a very paltry group if I take out all the fantasy forces?

RPGPundit

QuoteBut can you just "leave em out"? I mean, are the scenarios set up so you can play them either fantasy or non? Or will taking out the gang of Goblin mercenaries or whatever end up unbalancing the whole scenario?

Well, for starters, half of the scenarios (5 from a total of 10) are already fantasy-free. And there is a lot of fan made scenarios that are also. With future supplements I suppose they will move more into fantasy terrritory.

QuoteAlso, what actual armies come in the gamebox? I mean, will I be left with a very paltry group if I take out all the fantasy forces?

This is the good part: You get enough footmen, archers, skirmishers and knights. About 50 minis are kobolds and dwarves, that leaves 200 regular minis, enough for any battle.

Actually, the fantasy element is very basic in the game as is. But I suspect it will move into that direction rather strongly.

Take a look at the game here:

http://www.boardgameswithscott.com/?p=54

Yea, ok, at least it sounds like they did that part right.  See, it makes sense to make the basic game human/historical, and then to fantasy the crap out of it with most of the expansions.

RPGPundit

Yeah, that´s what I think too. They are very careful and thinking, it´s their biggest project sofar. And they plan to go easy on the expansions, not more than two big ones a year, and several (less than ten) smaller blisters not more than $12.

And for historical stuff there´s always C&C:Ancients.

I have one criticism, though.

The look and feel is not entirely to my tastes. It nearly is, but several times colours are too bright, not matching well. It sometimes borders the tacky colours of WoW.
But that´s a real nitpick.

How do they handle the fantasy aspects?

There are "special" type units for monsters and wizards, heroes and such, correct?

Is there big battle magic?  Just fireballs and such, or can you alter terrain, etc?

There's a ton of articles for this game on boardgamegeek.com, but it takes a while to sift through all the little threads to find the info you want.  Which is why I'm asking you these things now.

QuoteIs there big battle magic?  Just fireballs and such, or can you alter terrain, etc?

Well, there´s a "swap two units" teleport, that can drastically change the tactical situation. Sofar, terrrain remains unaffected.