Terrains, Landmarks and Lairs
Medieval battles, while brutal and bloody affairs, were often framed by basic and familiar terrain. An impassable waterway, a densely wooded copse, or an elevated mound bordering the battlefield, were often the sole distinctive geographical features on the horizon.
Though rumors abound of a multitude of terrain variations and nuances in remote lands, there are only four basic Terrain Types in the core BattleLore game:
- Countryside
- Wooded Terrain
- Elevated Ground
- Waterways
Each terrain type is characterized by its impact, or restrictions, on movement, battle and line of sight.
Some common Woods
When present, terrain battle limitations impose a cap - or limit - on the default number of battle dice a unit attacking in or from this terrain type will roll by default.
Usually, the rougher the terrain, the lower the limit. As a result, Red Banner troops, weighed down by their superior armament, or armored mounts, usually suffer the worst in difficult terrain, while Green Banner “irregulars” fare comparatively better.
This limit on the number of dice rolled, when present, only applies to the base number of dice rolled by that particular troops’ unit type. Bonuses gained from Lore or Command cards or any other source are not subject to this limit and still add up, so that the actual number of dice rolled by a unit in difficult terrain may still exceed the maximum for that terrain type.
Landmarks
What nature does not provide, the ingenious talent of man will usually build. As a result, many distinctive Landmarks dots the battlefield.
Unless specified otherwise, Landmarks provide advantageous defensive capabilities to their occupiers, since a landmark’s occupant usually becomes Bold by the sole virtue of occupying said landmark, regardless of adjacent troops’ support or not.
In BattleLore, Landmarks often confer to their owners unique advantages, making them heartily contested and prized possessions.
When landmark rules are in effect, any player who is the sole owner of a level 3 Lore Master of a given class is entitled to his own, unique Landmark.
A high-level Wizard’s prized possession…
The side benefit of a Master Thief’s life…
Unique among all Lore Masters’ landmarks stands the Commander’s Stronghold. Indeed, any player with a level 3 Commander will find itself with its own Stronghold on the battlefield.
A Commander’s Stronghold
The Stronghold bolsters the morale of the Commander’s troops (making any of those adjacent to the Stronghold Bold), but beware the fool who lets his Stronghold fall to the enemy!
Lairs
High-level Lore Masters are not the only ones to enjoy the benefits of one’s family properties. Creatures of legends are often rumored to have their own secret lairs from where they lay in wait - ready to jump and pounce on the next hapless, straggling enemy unit.
Some circles of power are better left alone …
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October 31st, 2006 at 4:32 pm
w00t! First to post, go me!
Every passing day my shoes are stained with yet more drool…
October 31st, 2006 at 4:34 pm
Very interesting.
Eric, you mentioned that you would explain the logic of say a master rouge having a hideout on this particular field of battle. Or, does a level three rouge have a hideout on every potential field of battle?
October 31st, 2006 at 4:50 pm
“Rogue” not “Rouge”
(spot the WoW player… ^.~ )
October 31st, 2006 at 5:31 pm
@MZA - LOL, thought the same thing
October 31st, 2006 at 5:42 pm
if you are the ONLY player with a level 3 rogue on a battlefield, then you may, at the start of any adventure where the Landmark rules are in effect, place the Thief’s camp on any empty hex on the 3rd or 4th row from your side (and an exit hex, that is either a hill or a forest, as a replacement of any one hill or forest hex on the board).
The interesting decision (besides figuring out whether it is worth you specializing enough to retain a level 3 Lore Master) is to decide, based on the adventure, which Lore Master would best fit your need (with 6 levels, the best you’ll usually be able to get is usually a single level 3 Lore Master).
October 31st, 2006 at 5:53 pm
I have a question about lore masters. Are these generated at the start of each Adventure in every case or is there ever a case where one or several would be carried over in a series of adventures (or campaign)?
October 31st, 2006 at 6:13 pm
At the start of any Lore adventure in which you wish to bring the War Councils into play, you must first:
* Turn your War Council sheet onto its other face, revealing the tent and all its potential inhabitants ;
* Agree on a total number of Lore Master levels in each War Council;
* Grab the corresponding number of Lore Master Token levels;
* And secretly assign these tokens to the Lore Masters you wish to have present in your War Council, piling one token for each level desired.
The total number of levels in each War Council is often specified in the Lore Adventure’s battle notes. When it isn’t, we recommend setting it to a mutually agreed 6 levels, which is sufficient to permit a wide combination of Lore Masters and levels of expertise, while forcing some serious choices from among the various possible trade-offs.
October 31st, 2006 at 6:17 pm
Ooops - hit submit early.
Most examples so far seemed to have used 6 as the number of Lore Master points to spend. Those who like ‘gritty’ gfantasy may choose a lower number.. and those who like a lot of magic flying around (wizard and priests) can go higher.
As we know there is a Heroes expansion coming in 2007.
I guess there is plenty more to look forwards too.
This line got my attention.
Though rumors abound of a multitude of terrain variations and nuances in remote lands, there are only four basic Terrain Types in the core BattleLore game:
Does this mean we will see additonal terrain, such as Swamps etc in Expansions ?
October 31st, 2006 at 7:33 pm
I would imagine that, while DoW has many solidified plans for near-term expansions, they don’t know for sure what the distant future will hold. If the game takes off (which I think we can assume it will), they will probably consider all sorts of crazy expansion ideas, not the least of which would be additional terrain.
It’s a good time to be a gamer!
October 31st, 2006 at 8:47 pm
I wonder if other races will come out before the Hero expansion.
As I have said before, it would be nice to have some heroes on the board. In that same vain, it would be great to have some new races (undead, elves, etc.).
October 31st, 2006 at 10:03 pm
A couple of questions (per always, by me)…
(1) On the Rogue’s Den, the wording of the card “Establish or Use” would seem to indicate that a player can determine where the secret passage is in the midst of the game, as opposed to the beginning. It is a *secret* passage, after all.
If so, considering that there are two exit points… does this mean that a player could establish two secret passages in one game (one leaving @ a forest and one leaving @ a hill), assuming that they pay the cost for each? That’s pretty cool.
(2) On the Circle of Summoning, is this ability intended to bring the EE into play, or just to “teleport” him from one section of the battlefield. If the latter, while I can somewhat understand the ability (considering the expense of the movement EE)… it would be tough to plan where one should place the circle on the battlefield before the game “starts,” isn’t it?
November 1st, 2006 at 1:03 am
1, No, it’s either one exit (the Hill one) or the other (the Forest one). The Establish or use is to indicate that you pay 1 Lore to set the passage, and another whenever you use it.
Of course, plenty of variants and house rules are possible ;-).
2. The circle of summoning is there to invoke the Elemental into play, not to “teleport” it from somewhere else.
November 1st, 2006 at 6:12 am
I may have missed it somewhere but does anyone know what the Warrior’s special tile is? I had thought it was the Stronghold but that appears to belong to the Commander.
November 1st, 2006 at 10:32 am
I was curious if the summoning circle works for either side. If one side gets a level 3 wizard and puts it out, he still has to hold it or the other side will benefit. At least that’s what it sounds like. So seems these special locations work for whoever happens to be there at the time.
As for the elemental it goes to whoever summons it? Do you just declare at the beginning of the game that an elemental terrain is on the board and whoever gets there first gets the monster? I thought you picked your monster like a wizard but it seems the elemental is treated differently.
November 1st, 2006 at 11:23 am
don corazon - Training Camp. For troop upgrades.
November 1st, 2006 at 9:57 pm
Regarding summoning circles, I can see both possibilities being possible (and fun).
A “personal” one, cast (or placed) by the Wizard, that would cost X Lore to activate
A Circle that would be considered as part of a Terrain feature (ruins, temple, etc) that could be used by either side, for X amount of Lore, plus “ownership” or control of the said terrain hex by friendly troops. The Summoned Elemental associated with this “Fixed” locale might be more powerful, costly to maintain, yet be able to last more than one scenario, when playing a campaign. Obviously, this would be a central goal to certain scenarios and/or campaigns.
So many possibilities…
November 2nd, 2006 at 2:52 pm
My pre-order can’t come soon enough! All these teasers have had exactly the effect that DoW would have wanted. I can see me getting totally hooked on this game. Bye bye money.
On the terrain issue — the fantasy setting allows for all sorts of house-rule terrain types. I guite like the idea of moving terrain - enchanted clouds or noxious exhalations from the inner regions of the earth. Deserts could have shifting oases and sandstorms.
As Jim above says … so many possibilities.
November 2nd, 2006 at 10:07 pm
I know saw some comments in other threads about the logic of heroes dragging fortresses in their luggage train on the way to battle. And aslskfan seemed to be asking about it again in this thread.
My 2 cents is if you are having trouble suspending disbelief in that aspect of a *fantasy* game. Here are two rationales that would be as good as any and consitant with the rules thus far:
1. The heroes in any particular battle are local mercenaries that have been hired for the battle. Thus their owning a special piece of land in the region.
2. Master level wizards, rogues, and warriors have lots of these things scattered throughout the world and in stroke of strategic foresight have arranged the battle conveniently near one their strongholds.
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:27 pm
Why does it appear that all the landmark tiles have the same effect on battle dice? It makes sense that woods (for example) reduces attacking into and out of to 2D. But I would think that some tiles (like the stronghold) might only hinder attacking into them. Otherwise, heavy troops would be disadvantaged in the stronghold?
Am I misreading something? Or is this just another abstraction in which Richard has gone with the simpler solution in order to avoid added complexity?
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:41 pm
Not all landmarks will have the same cap on battle dice. But, by default, landmarks have a common effect (which is overriden when appropriate).
November 3rd, 2006 at 12:13 am
Ben, thanks for your take on why landmarks are there for a particular battle. I have no problem with it in a one off game, because the simplest explanation is that is the way it is. It would only get more interesting in a campagin style game. I ws just following up on the earlier thread, as you mentioned.
November 3rd, 2006 at 12:45 am
Would be sweet if we got a size 4-tile castle
being able to hold 4 units
November 3rd, 2006 at 9:09 pm
As far as landmarks being built on the site of battles, several times in ancient history the Romans built full fortifications on the battlefield. At Alesia (I think!), the Romans completely encircled a Celtic fort with their own fortifications.
Also, you could look at the landmarks as being there before the battle, but being improved on by troops prior to and during the battle. This happened in many historical battles (exa. - the Alamo).
November 5th, 2006 at 5:43 pm
Well, that appears to be ‘most’ of the game covered
Maybe the next Blog will be on expansions ?
November 6th, 2006 at 1:03 pm
Or mercenaries?
November 6th, 2006 at 3:17 pm
or scenarios?
Come on…..give us more info on lore and scenarios and what we are going to have in the base game and on the following months!
November 7th, 2006 at 5:53 pm
When is the next update due?
November 7th, 2006 at 10:46 pm
Thats it?
November 8th, 2006 at 3:49 pm
Eric, any word on the demo team?
November 8th, 2006 at 5:30 pm
No word on the demo teams yet as we’ve got a few more things to figure out/develop in that regard.
But a new entry (on Adventures) is coming up - most likely tomorrow.