Was it the now infamous “BigFoot” card that first made its tantalizing appearance in Cleopatra… a perceptive trademark search publicized on Boardgamegeek… or a supposed-to-have-stayed-off-the-record quote at the end of an article inside a well-known European miniatures magazine this August?
Regardless of what, how or who got you here, welcome!
Today we are lifting the veil on a project dear to our hearts, and one that has been years in the making. Because this project is anything BUT our standard fare, and because there is so much we would like to discuss and share with you in the coming months, we have opted to forego the usual “animated teaser” approach of our recent game launches.
Instead, we will be using this blog as a venue to discuss what BattleLore is and isn’t, how it came to be, where it is headed and what you can expect from it for the years to come.
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Can not wait for more!
No boardgame announcement has ever gotten me this excited! Today I’m going to do the unthinkable…PRE-ORDER a game and pay RETAIL!
Thank goodness all the speculation built into expectations being met. Where do I sign up? Bring on the expansions!!!
I’d heard rumors of this game for months but now to see it materialize, and by such a great game company, fills me with excitement. Looking forward to much more information. Heck, I’m looking forward to the game! Say it will be out by Christmas, 2006!
This is great news!! I’ve only dreamed of a fantasy version Borg’s genius game system… now it’s reality.
How do I pre-order?!? (’nuff said!)
Count me in, a Fantasy C&C!!!
Looks like I’ll have to call my accountant
Starshaman,
According to their press release it will be available in late November, so well before Christmas this year.
If that’s the case, Bilben, then it’s going to be a great Christmas for boardgamers! There are numerous releases I’m really looking forward to.
We’re already getting customer asking us for this (thanks guys!) but there is some confusion over the promo figure. We’ve been told about the limit (6 per retailer) but some people are telling us they’re a hill giant coming with the promotion – seeing as how the deal is called the ‘preacher’ promotion, are they mistaken?
Where do we pre-order?
John,
The pre-order promo figure available through FLGS will be the Hill Giant.
I would not worry about the limit (6 per retailer). It is only the initial allocation of figures we will make available (because we are airshipping these minis ahead of the actual product delivery, so that you can give the mini to a customer as soon as he places his/her pre-order, ie before the actual final game ships). But if you get more than 6 pre-orders, we will make sure you get additional copies of the Hill Giant blister in time for the product’s actual shipment. So that ANY customer of yours who pre-orders the game will get his mini.
As for the Earth Elemental figure that we will make available at local cons & all, we are making sure to have it in sufficient quantities that people will have no trouble getting their hands on it. We learned our lesson with past promos (like the Mystery train promo for Ticket to Ride) and made sure we’re producing enough
eric
Where to pre-order:
From your friendly local game store, where a printed pamphlet (the BattleLore primer) and the Hill Giant promotional miniature will be able around mid-October.
And for those remotely located people without easy access to a FLGS, we will have the product (and the promo mini) available for pre-order on our web site sometime before the product’s actual shipment.
This sounds very cool. Some competion for Warhammer Fantasy?
When will more information become available on game mechanics, etc.?
I dunno… i see this as more of competition to Heroscape than warhammer….
We will be posting more information about game mechanics & all on this blog on a regular basis.
BattleLore, BattleLore,
We wait no more,
hope it won’t make me oh so poor.
But I’ll pay the price to roll those dice,
Won’t even have to ask me twice.
Borg’s fantasy system’s gonna look so nice,
‘Cause Days of Wonder does things right…
Competition to Heroscape? Not a chance. This blows Heroscape out of the water. Heroscape will always have a visual appeal that will be hard to surpass, but in terms of gameplay, Battlelore is going to be far more rewarding.
Wow! Exciting news. I’m going to have clear out some space on my shelf to make room.
I randomly stopped by your webpage, and saw the pictures for this game, which immediately reopened a part of my childhood I had forgotten about! My brother and I used to spend hours playing a game which (from what I can tell) looks incredibly similar: Milton Bradley’s BattleMasters… I’m sure your game will be infinitely better (knowing the quality of the games you put out), and I’m ready to buy it right now! Thanks for reminding me of my forgotten childhood of gaming!!
I love Battlecry and Richard Borg’s game systems. However I never purchased a copy of Memoir 44 because the plastic was so soft and pliable that all the tank turrets were bent in the boxes I played at GENCON. Did they ever fix this in later boxes? Will this be a problem with this game? Bent swords? Curled spears?
Will the hill giant promo figure be available if I pre-order from an online retailer?
A potentially critical question; what is the scale of the included figures?
eric:
Thanks for the reply – appreciate all the info. As PJ Keller asked – will we be able to extend this offer these to our online store customers or just to our locals?
>> And for those remotely located people without easy access to a FLGS, we will have the product (and the promo mini) available for pre-order on our web site sometime before the product’s actual shipment.
At what cost?
>>At what cost?
Your first born child and the tear drop from a unicorn….
OK….I’ll ask as well.
FLGS and DoW store will most likely charge the msrp plus shipping. Now, buying the rather big and expensive game from out favorite online vendor will save us a bundle of money. However…I would like to get the promo figure included in my order when I get the game from an online store.
Will I be able to get this through an online retailer? If there are enough out there, then I would assume that DoW is going to send a bundle out to gamesurplus, thoughthammer, funagain, etc.
????
Come on DoW…don’t leave us discount online shoppers behind
Will the promo’s be sent overseas? I’m living in the Netherlands and for US based game-manifacturers it seems sometimes difficult te realize that people in Europe are intrested in playing US-made games and getting the nice promo’s
As a fortunate Floridian I have had the honor of playtesting Battle Lore at Richard’s house. This game is a lot of fun and Richard and the group have put a lot of hours into making it flexible and expandable.
Let me tell you, it’s something else sitting next to Dave Arneson and playing this game!
I’m looking forward to the published version.
I add my voice to the list of those desiring the promotional figures to be made available to online retailers (Timewellspent, Thought Hammer, Boulder Games, etc.). Surely the customers of these fine retailers deserve the same bonus for pre-ordering your game!
Official feedback would be much appreciated.
Respectfully,
Ben
The Dice Tower did an interview with Eric. You can find the link at broadgamenews.com.
It sounds like this game will going after the Warhammer/Warmaster market rather than the Heroscape market.
Eric’s game background is very simliar to mine, so now I am really looking forward to the release of the game.
I will also add my voice to the Thought Hammer needs to also send out promo figures call.
I am also interested to see where the Earth Elemental will be available from.
The Hill Giant will not be available through online discounters, since the whole reason for this program is to help the Local game stores that support the hobby through live demos, organized play and such.
For those w/o access to a local game store, the mini will be available from our web site – anyone who pre-orders the game will receive one. Like all our games, the price on our site will be the MSRP (ie suggested list price, in this case $ 70 in the US, 70 euros in Europe)
We will post lists of events, venues, and other ways to get the Earth Elemental from. As I posted on another thread, availability of this figure will NOT be an issue, and people should have no reason to rush on eBay to pay crazy prices.
We will also find a way to make it available to people in remote countries with little distribution or reseller support, in a reasonable manner.
Needless to say, I think Battlelore is going to be a great success. I certainly will buy one or two copies right off. I do have a few comments:
I think it would be quite clever of DOW to make the game not *only* a medieval fantasy game, but also a medieval wargame. I understand the main focus is going to be on the fantasy aspect (which is fine by me), but since the military system is essentially medieval (and indeed introduces the game through Agincourt), it would behoove DOW to consider making at least one expansion purely medieval military (obviously there could be several). This will surely lure in those non-fantasy players who loved C&C Ancients so much.
Secondly, the complaints that discount online buyers should also get the “special” figures are bizarre. “Specials” are almost always designed to reward those who buy direct from the manufacturer or through those retailers who support the manufacturer. Perfectly appropriate. If you are getting a large discount, why would you also expect to receive the special benefit? (This is not a knock against online retailers, I have purchased games from them and will do so again. However, I also buy direct from the manufacturer as a gesture of support for the fellows who are actually making these great games).
Really looking forward to this series….
Thomas
I can definately understand the “promo” aspect, and respect it.
I am also happy that e-bay will not be the best place to get the Earth Elemental figure.
Also, I am so happy that this game will not be collectable in nature. I would have no interest what so ever if it was.
Eric, I do have two questions. You mention that the game is a “tool box” for the players to create with. Say, I want to play the BattleLore system with say the background rich Games Workshop Warhammer Fantasy universe as a base, how would I do that with the minis in the range? Or, would I need to make up paper units to play with. Or, is the idea that players would use the existing minature range to create their own worlds?
Secondly, are we going to expect an RPG type of dungeon crawl/city scape type game of Battle Lore to support the mass combat game, ala Warhammer Quest?
I think it would be quite clever of DOW to make the game not *only* a medieval fantasy game, but also a medieval wargame. I understand the main focus is going to be on the fantasy aspect (which is fine by me), but since the military system is essentially medieval (and indeed introduces the game through Agincourt), it would behoove DOW to consider making at least one expansion purely medieval military (obviously there could be several). This will surely lure in those non-fantasy players who loved C&C Ancients so much.
I fully agree with this. I would love to see various human armies become available over time.
I am a little disappointed about the one promo figures. I can see DoW’s point , but I guess you could make an argument as well going the other way. DoW is starting a new, big, exciting game system, and I am just sad that the same offer does not apply to online retailers. The game will probably run $49 from the online stores, and they oftentimes don’t make a whole lot of money either.
I guess my urge to pre-order it just grew a little smaller.
‘ No good deed goes unpunished ‘ comes to mind, Eric.
I think its great that DOW isn’t one of those – collectable corporations. Then we would have something to complain about on availability & fig prices.
Lets see,, you can still get the promo figs separate,and get the game at a ‘discount dealer’. Or go list price on the game and get the giant and get the elemental later for list prices. We might wait and see what kind of dollar difference were talking about here.
I think there should be a way for us good DoW customers to buy the game online from a discount retailer, and to get the promos from DoW directly for a nominal fee….maybe a few weeks after the game hits the market. That would be cool. But I am not gonna hunt minis down…and it sure sounds like I’ll be hunting.
I remember e-mailing another big Fantasy games manufacturer (the one with Fantasy right in the company name), and I got one of their promos mailed right to my door…free of charge…
I am still hoping for one of the promos with my online order from gamesurplus…who knows…people high up may change their mind…I have hope. If this takes off (and I was always thinking how cool a “Memoir’44 game with a fantasy theme would be), then they’ll have a nice money-making machine.
Figure scale?
I too agree that if they not only make it into a fantasy game but also a medieval military game ,which would be pretty easy to do ,they also generate a whole lot more sales as not everyone that likes the c and c system likes fantasy ,and they too could be lured into to buying it by making it doing so,myself being one of them.
Best if DOW answers.. but
I believe from the interview the standard ‘fighting fig’ is like 20% larger than a M44 solder, say 25mm range & the Hill Giant is appx. 50mm range .
Ya gotta get the unit of figure(s) inside a hex- giant, dragon, catapult, unit of archers, unit of cavalry or whatever.
So all can’t be the same scale anyway.
To me size won’t matter, didnt’ in BC or M’44 . I’m getting the game for the ‘game engine’. ( do people say that anymore? ) And the dwarf’s sculpting detail looks good enough to me!
Course the metal figure industry will probally get a boost as players will want a varity of figs as they design their own fighting units…..
My question on fig’s is painting them possible? What with the multiple use of banners/figures for different scenaro setups. Will you be able to paint units [regiments] with a look of their own? Or best to leave figures universal gray?
will it work like M44(i.e. hex tiles with figurines army and few expansions) or like heroscape(3d tiles with figurines army and expansions expansions and expansions)?
Will the hexes and the board be the same size as Memoir ’44? Being able to use the snow and beach board would be pretty cool, as well as having the extra hexes.
Hi Railroad Baron: yes, the hexes are the same size as in M44 (31 mm).
What about the board? Same size as well?
Yann and/or Eric,
1) Is there any reason to by multiple copies (e.g. to play with a larger group as with M44)?
2) What is the largest number of copies with which a group would play (e.g. with M44 it was 3)?
Thank you,
jElliot
As to Orc breath’s comment:
(My question on fig’s is painting them possible? What with the multiple use of banners/figures for different scenaro setups. Will you be able to paint units [regiments] with a look of their own? Or best to leave figures universal gray?)
By all means it is possible to paint plastic minis. GW has recently released a new line of plastic minis that paint up just as nicely as metals, (although the heft of metal on the battlefield is nice & satisfying). I for one plan to paint up my minis, but the figs look nice enough to stand alone in their original grays.
Can’t wait to see the finished product!! Bring on the teasers DoW!!!
Smitty, sorry I was unclear.
I mean as in WH/table top miniature battles,,, painting up unique units [regiments] you design . With the ‘banner system’ changing out mini’s for different ‘adventures’, I did not know if I would have have to break up my painted special units of mini’s to fulfill what figures an adventure calls for.
(was I any clearer?)
But it sounds like they’ll be no problem, I will be getting 2 BattleLore’s (eventually). I’ll have plenty of mini’s !
Since the back of the game board is actually a larger scale half board that can be combined with a board from another box set.
I will be playing the game from the table top miniature battles angle, ‘epic adventures’, not just a stand alone game, adding what expansions/ monthly releases I like.
Has the RRP for the ‘monthly packs’ been announced?
Is the miniature scale going to be (somewhat) consistant? I mean, I hope that dwarfs aren’t looking humans in the eye.
will we have painted figures ??
maybe a deluxe edition ?
Well I hope this makes its way to the other side of the pond.
I’m curious as to whether the game can be adapted for existing 28mm fantasy figures and played on a normal wargames table? If the mechanisms are that good, why not compete with WHFB!!
cheers
If it does compete with WHFB it may change what you think a normal wargames table is.
well, I hope you are right..but on the other hand, I have, right now, hundreds of painted and based miniatures I’m always looking out for a deccent ruleset for!
Are they GW figures?
Will there be campaigns in Battlore (with a RPG-lite element) or just unrelated scenarios?
“Are they GW figures?”
Mostly old Grenadier and Alternative Armies..but also some older GW and many others
I hope that there will be a development into a dungeon diving type of game using the minis from all of the Battle Lore sets. Then your fighter, cleric, theif, or wizard can fight in the big battle and dive into dungeons, towns, etc.
The sky could be the limit for this game system.
When I first read about the game, it looked suspisiously like the AH game, Battle Cry. A few friends confirmed that Battle Lore was made by the designer, my intrest was peaked. I love the game Battle Cry, so I looked into Battle Lore. What I found made me think five words, “I’m definately getting this game”.
wow this game looks fab but i can’t find how big the actual pieces are???
I tried the demo game at Essen Game Fair and it inmediately got my attention. The playing mechanics is like that in Memoir’44 but the command cards are better balanced, and Magic (if you want to play with it) adds an element of surprise without being unbalancing. Still a simple wargame but more tactical than Memoir’44.
The possibility to add new monsters and rules makes the future of this game very promising.
I think the miniatures are 15mm; they are small but big enough to notice the details. As with most other Days of Wonder games, the atmosphere the nice art creates is so nice that playing is at least a feast for the eyes and mind.
I preordered my copy today, after carefully thinking for a day if I really wanted to preorder.
I am soooooo excited!
I am going to spend soooooo much money!
I already cant wait sooooooo much!
Harlequin