Some Commonly Asked Questions
As we move closer to the release of BattleLore, we thought we would take this opportunity to revisit some commonly asked questions, as well as answer a few new ones.
Some - but not all - of these issues have already been addressed or discussed at length in a number of venues (our forums, boardgamegeek.com, etc…). We are mentioning them here for the benefit of our most recent readers, and for the sake of completeness, not out of a desire to reopen some already hotly debated subjects. 
Promotional Miniatures
There are two promotional miniatures to be released for the launch of the game: a Hill Giant, and an Earth Elemental.
In the US -
The Hill Giant is available to anyone who pre-orders the game from a FLGS (Friendly Local Game Store). As of this writing, all participating stores should have received their figures, and be able to hand them out as pre-orders are placed. If your FLGS does not have any Hill Giant in stock, they should contact their regular game distributor. If your store or their distributor has already run out of their initial allocation, no worry - They will be able to get additional Hill Giants in sufficient quantities to fulfill all of their pre-orders on hand, when the game finally ships.
Recognizing that not everyone is within easy reach of a FLGS, we are also making the Hill Giant available to folks who choose to pre-order the game from our web site. The Hill Giants for these pre-orders are being shipped out as of this writing. They are going out in batches, with the earliest pre-orders handled first. Because these are being shipped ahead of the actual release of the game via parcel post, some of you may already have received your figures, while others are still waiting for them.
We ask that you do not call or e-mail us to ask the whereabouts of your miniature(s). This would just slow us down, and we would not be able to provide you with any additional details.
The Earth Elemental is going to be used as a promotional item to spur game demonstrations surrounding the actual launch of the game. These will be released at a variety of events, venues and conventions which will be listed on our web site. A few lucky participants at BGG.con likely received the first Earth Elementals to reach this country, last week-end in Dallas. Other events will follow soon: Demo events and volunteers will be the subject of an upcoming blog entry.
Again, realizing that not everyone lives within driving distance of the various events that will be held in the coming months, we will also make the Earth Elemental available from our web site.
By early next year, any registered owner of BattleLore (like all our big box games, BattleLore contains a unique web access number which you can enter on our web site to register your product and gain access to a variety of functions, including the free Online Adventure Editor) will be able to order a copy of the Earth Elemental. The Earth Elemental will be available free of charge, save for a modest shipping and handling fee.
In Europe -
Due to differences in our distribution networks, in Europe, the promotional miniatures are being handled as follows:
A limited number of promotional miniature sets, including both the Earth Elemental and the Hill Giant, are being allocated to each country. These miniatures will be given to pre-order customers on a first-come, first-served basis. Note that unlike the US, these miniatures will NOT be handed out or shipped ahead of the game’s actual release. Instead, they will be handed out with the first copies of the game.
Days of Wonder customers who placed orders on our European web store will receive their miniatures in the same manner, along with their own copy of the game.
In the rest of the world (including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, etc…) -
Both the Hill Giant and the Earth Elemental will be shipped to our local distributors, along with their pre-ordered copies of the game. These distributors will then pass those on to their own local resellers along with copies of the actual game once it ships.
Days of Wonder customers in these parts of the world, who have placed orders off our web site, will receive both miniatures via parcel post, either ahead of the game’s shipment or along with it, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Again, we kindly ask that you refrain from contacting us to ask the whereabouts of your own promotional minis until you have received your own copy of the actual game, as we would not be able to provide you with any additional information.
Languages, Rules & Localization
As of this writing, the game is published and fully supported in three languages, namely: English, French and German.
With the generous help of some volunteers, some additional languages (Spanish, Dutch, Italian) are partially supported via online resources such as this blog. However no definitive plans have been made to release the complete game and its upcoming expansions in these languages (not to mention others); nor is it likely for us to make any decision in this regard until we gain additional visibility on the demand in these markets.
Likewise, we have no plans to release the 80 pages rulebook as a PDF. For those wanting to learn more about the game, the present blog provides a comprehensive and rather detailed overview of the game and its mechanics. In addition, and recognizing that some will want additional copies of the rules for their own reasons (to loan out, bring on trips or to the office, give out to members of their role-playing group, etc…), we will make additional copies of the rulebook available, for a charge, on our web site following the shipment of the game.
Expansions Roadmap
While we have to keep some surprises up our sleeves regarding the future of this game, here are a few tidbits we’ve already shared about upcoming expansions - with a few additional details thrown in for good measure!
Starting in March 2007, we hope to release 2-3 mini-expansions every month. These expansions will come in the form of easily recognizable blisters (similar to those used for the promotional miniatures), which will be available through our regular distribution channels as well as our web site.
Pricing will typically be in the $7.00 to $12.00 range, with some items lower, and a few higher.
The objective of these expansions is NOT to start an arm’s race toward the most powerful Creatures, Units or Armies. While these expansions will come in blister packaging, they will not all be plastic figures, units or battalions.
Instead, our goal is to both surprise you and delight you, by building upon some of the many foundations introduced in the game’s core rulebook.
While competitive play is definitively a possibility, and will be an aspect of this game, we care just as much about story-telling and providing you with the tools needed to create memorable game sessions. As you think ahead to the game’s future, think D&D just as much as Warhammer!
This also means that we do not plan to design every mini-expansion as a must-have for everyone. Instead, the mini-expansions provide us with a vehicle which are intended to explore different facets of the game, styles of play and players’ tastes, etc…
In addition to the above-mentioned expansions, there will be two major expansion released next year, one around the summer, the other before Christmas.
Again, while possible candidates include the miniature additions (army expansions à la Memoir ‘44 expansion packs) one would come to expect for such a game, just as likely a source of inspiration comes from the role-playing side of the hobby. Campaigns, Heroes & the like are all subjects worthy of consideration and future development.
One other small piece of news/confirmation: While we do intend to stay away from a traditional point-based approach to building armies, Richard and the development team have been hard at work on an innovative, and truly fun new approach. So stay tuned!
Other Languages:
November 16th, 2006 at 4:44 pm
Thanks for the update! I just can’t wait for the game itself, let alone dream about expansions…
November 16th, 2006 at 4:49 pm
First post?
Waiting for the game to ship is hard enough, it’s going to be a long wait til March…
November 16th, 2006 at 5:39 pm
Question though…
Will all of the figures (Giant. Elemental) be available for purchase eventually at our local store down the road? Say someone never got the pre-order stuff but 6 months later wanted to add those figures to his arsenal. Could he wander into a store and buy them by themselves?
November 16th, 2006 at 5:51 pm
Well done DoW! Once again, I find myself delighted with your respect for the customer. I have no regrets or hesitations about pre-ordering this game.
November 16th, 2006 at 6:21 pm
I like your idea of a non traditional point-system for allowing the players to choose their army from scratch.
I don’t know what you have in mind (and I’m sure it’s as great as your core system), but I would appreciate a boardgame-like mechanism that could be a kind of short game in itself before playing the battle.
For example each player would have their own board showing an aerial view of their camp (that could be a game component of a specialized expansion eh eh). A camp board would consist in rows and columns giving a number of squares, each with a tent inside (some tents could receive cavalry, some other red units, some other being ruled by a OR choice and so on). Players should draft their troops one after the other from a common pool of units, according to a number of rules introducing some limitations for rows, columns, squares and so on.
No need for the players to sum any numeric values. It would be the designers work (yours eh eh once again) to make it well-balanced.
Anyway, I’m hungry to see what you’re preparing for us.
Oh, and I played the Azincourt adventure: Grrrrreeeeeeaaaaaaat game!
November 16th, 2006 at 7:23 pm
Did you really mean to include Canada in the “Rest of the World” part? Cause neither I nor any of the stores I’ve talked to have hard anything about us getting both the HG and the EE. We just thought we were getting lumped in with the US like usually. And you can’t really order for Canada, cause it’s US or Europe on the site.
Just curious if that was a typo or not.
November 16th, 2006 at 7:34 pm
Same here. I’ve only heard about getting the Hill Giant with my preorder in Canada (But then, the guy at my game store didn’t seem to know a preorder bonus at all until I asked him about it).
But hey, if you want to give me a Earth Elemental with it, I’m ok with that too!
November 16th, 2006 at 8:00 pm
I pity the poor harrased DoW staff with the can-of-worms they have opened with these promo-miniatures releases =8)
November 16th, 2006 at 9:18 pm
Yes, we meant what we said for Canada. The HG and EE should reach the stores there at the same time as the product (assuming the stores buy from our distributor, Filosofia - I can’t promise anything re- potential grey market copies). In any case, if you have a pre-order, we will make sure you get the HG. And worst case, the EE will be available off our web site, like for US customers.
We currently have no plans to make the HG or EE available for sale through retail after the release of the game. The HG is really for pre-orders. As for the EE, it will be available as described, off our web site, in addition to store demos and cons.
November 16th, 2006 at 9:54 pm
Yay!
November 17th, 2006 at 12:17 am
Eric, last time I ask (I promise). Will the demo team info come out prior to the release of the game?
November 17th, 2006 at 12:22 am
The DoW crowd has managed the release of BattleLore exceedingly well.
Thumbs up to them.
November 17th, 2006 at 12:41 am
DOW:
Could you comment on when you expect to release info on Epic adventure? Is this something far in the future (sometime next year or the year after) or is it in the near future (this December)?
I understand if you just aren’t sure right now. I would appreciate just to know that if this is the case.
Thanks,
jElliot
November 17th, 2006 at 2:37 am
JElliot,
Most likely next year for the Epic stuff (rather than this year). Just don’t come and beat us up if we end up managing to release an epic adventure before then, though!
As for the demo team info, I can’t tell yet - as some of the implementation details are still being worked out as of this writing. more news on this soon.
November 17th, 2006 at 7:19 am
Dear Eric,
Having just got my giant, I see there isn’t a scenario with him included in the blister pack. Do you have plans to release adventures with each mini-expansion blister, or do you think you’ll have the ‘army building’ scheme together soon enough to allow us to use the mini-expansions in our own custom games?
November 17th, 2006 at 10:57 am
A creature seems to represent a level, so with an adventure where you assign levels (e.g., 3 to a commander, 2 to a wizard) you could choose to have one or maybe even more creatures, sacrificing any levels you could have given to the Lore masters.
Once you have the creature, I imagine there are rules govering general creature placement at the start of the game, along with common sense.
But that’s how I would play them in lieu of any explicit scenarios.
Just sort of fantasizing, don’t mind me.
November 17th, 2006 at 5:51 pm
Matt,
We are actively considering both.
November 17th, 2006 at 6:14 pm
Eric: Regarding Canadians, you say ‘And worst case, the EE will be available off our web site, like for US customers.’ - is this to say that Canadians who get the EE from their preorder will be able to get a second one from the website registration? How will DoW be able to differentiate Canadians looking to double up their Earth Elemental promo from those who never got one?
I still don’t know whether or not I’ll be getting the EE with my preorder, but I suspect not (as my vendor has claimed to already have the HG’s in stock, while you claim Filosofia hasn’t got EITHER the HG or EE yet). Yet this place is claiming they have access to both French and English editions, which makes me think they are going through proper Canadian distro channels after all (is DoW even distributing the French edition in the US?). I’m so confused!
November 17th, 2006 at 7:40 pm
Looking foward to the army choosing system that isnt standard point system, could prove to be absoloutly amazing, i can only let my imagination run. As a U.K.(england) ‘customer’ (i own 2 DOW games), i’m highly considering pre-ordering. On your online store locator it doesnt seem theres any stores near me or any of my family, and im wondering weather to order it on your online euro store (which probably means paying pound-euro exchange rate and a long shipping wait). Can you please tell me if there are any stores near me (Plymouth,England) that i could pre-order from and if i should cosider pre-ordering online. Thanks, David707
November 17th, 2006 at 9:19 pm
David707 - Good to see another UK DoW gamer
I’m travelling over to the US in 2 days and have my pre-order arriving there but I’m after a copy back in the UK too.
According to the Euro store - the English version of the game is now sold out - and is on back order for the 20th of December. That doesn’t affect me, but if you want a copy from 30th Nov - I recomend either Leisure games in London (spoke to them today and they assured me that I’d get both promo figures and a game on 30th Nov for £44-99 + £5 p&p. Or Spirit Games in the Midlands are doing a similar deal.
£50 is close enough to 70 euro to not make a difference and you’ll get your game and both figures around release day !
November 17th, 2006 at 11:38 pm
David, more info,
I had a play around with the store locator.
This gives
The Games Player 7 Plough Court, Roskrow, Cornwall TR10 9AP
Web site: http://www.thegamesplayer.com 01326379329
Email: TGPGames@aol.com
That might well be your nearest store.
http://www.daysofwonder.com/index.php/?t=store
November 18th, 2006 at 12:27 am
I think I read that DOW will be shipping in the EU by UPS. Whenever I’ve had shipments by UPS in the EU it has taken 2 days at most (spain to sweden). I’m anticipating my pre-ordered copy the very first days of december, which will be about 3 weeks to late
November 18th, 2006 at 3:41 am
Just got the Hill Giant today in Ohio. Nice suprise. Keep up the great work.
November 18th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
3 Blisters a month? that would be 122*3*7$=252$ in a year when i want to buy all of the blisters PLUS the two big expansions (for maybe 40$ each?)! This is too much for a boardgame ….
November 18th, 2006 at 2:52 pm
So don’t buy them! Man, I am so sick of hearing people complain! If it isn’t “I can’t get my free Hill Giant” it’s “it’s too expensive to buy all the expansions” - this is ridiculous! No one is forcing you to buy everything! Some of us think the game is going to be great and are looking forward to all the releases with pleasure, comfortable in the knowledge that DoW is continuing and exceeding their commitment to excellence in gaming.
The rest of you, give the whinging a rest will ya! At the very least, until the game comes out!
Sorry to go off, but I am so heartily sick of people complaining about nothing. When a company does something *wrong*, then complain. When they give you free stuff and create lots of the things you like - well, rejoice!
November 18th, 2006 at 7:14 pm
Thanks MikeW22, the cornwall store would be ALOT closer than the london store and would save me paying like £10 congestion charge and waiting 4 hours to get through traffic. Cornwall is only 1 hour away so it looks like ill be popping down there. Thanks again, David707
November 18th, 2006 at 7:43 pm
Put me down for two of everything!!! I would rather blow my money on this and know what I am getting than on the “collectable” crap that you have to just cross your fingers on what you will get.
November 18th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
Free Stuff / Free Choice… neat
Superb Marketing!?
Too much money for a plastic boardgame.
Try a real Tabletop instead.
Sorry for complaining
Misterioso
November 19th, 2006 at 3:06 am
You mention that rulebooks will be sold…will you also be selling extra card decks - I anticipate wear and tear from plenty of play!
Regards, Bill.
November 19th, 2006 at 3:44 am
To each his own…To each his own…
Not me no_more….
Tabletop Gaming =
1.$ for rules,,,
2.$ for paints,,,
3.$ for ‘metal’ figs,,,
4.Hr’s for painting figs,,
5.Hr’s on Pages of Rules,,
6.Hr’s organizing people for a game,,
7.Hr’s unpacking figures & starting game,,
8.Hr’s of measuring,,,
9.Hr’s of fighting rules lawyers,,
10.Hr’s of rolling dice,,,
11.Hr’s of fighting rules lawyers,,
12.Hr’s of figures sloooowly crawling across table,,
13.Hr’s of fighting rules lawyers,,
14.Hr’s packing figs away…
15. And if U want to play somemore..?
start over @ step 6. .. some other day.
November 21st, 2006 at 11:49 pm
More blog goodness should be on the way. Erci posted this on the DOW site:
Re:BL demos/tournaments? Tue, 21 November 2006 02:28
Dan,
We hope to make demo events the subject of our next blog entry. So more answers will hopefully be coming your (and everyone else’s) way soon.
best,
eric
November 22nd, 2006 at 8:00 pm
Sorry but with Thanksgiving around the corner, we just don’t have time for an update this week. More news next week, and happy thanksgiving to all!
eric
November 23rd, 2006 at 9:23 pm
Very understandable.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
November 24th, 2006 at 7:45 am
Its not thanksgiving… Is it? Oh, crap!
November 24th, 2006 at 6:43 pm
Yes Thanksgining (US Version)I am still too full to read anything
so next week sounds about right…..burp….burp
OD
November 27th, 2006 at 10:13 pm
Ooh! Ooh! My game is shipping! I wonder how long it will take to get from Germany to the UK …
November 27th, 2006 at 11:23 pm
Yes, I saw someone in Germany has received their game.
November 27th, 2006 at 11:31 pm
What about the US, any sitings in the United States?
November 27th, 2006 at 11:46 pm
It has been very quiet from DOW, so let’s hope they are all busy wrapping our games! Don’t forget the Europeans had a headstart by not having Thanksgiving.
November 28th, 2006 at 5:22 pm
When is the new entry coming?
November 28th, 2006 at 8:58 pm
Can we add a new ‘Commonly asked question’ to the list?
How much longer do I have to wait to get my game?!
November 28th, 2006 at 9:56 pm
I have seen some posts that American pre-orders are going to start shipping from DOW on Monday.
Also, I have seen some posts that Battlelore is in the American distribution chain. I wonder if we will have to wait until next week to see the game at our FLGS.
November 28th, 2006 at 10:38 pm
American pre-orders shipping Monday Dec 4′th? I was hoping for November 30th as originally stated on the website when I pre-ordered. It is just a slight delay, but makes it yet another weekend without Battlelore.
November 28th, 2006 at 11:43 pm
JJR, I tottaly agree. I am stopping by my FLGS tonight, so I hope they will have better news for me.
November 29th, 2006 at 12:11 am
what how dare they not ship to the US of A first don’t they know we are the best country in the world. the home of obesity, fox news, and Paris Hilton. This must be some sort of punishment for complaining about the promo figures
November 29th, 2006 at 12:24 am
Be thankful you’re not waiting down here in Australia like me folks! Can’t - stand - it!
November 29th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
@wes mantooth - PMSL! Your three greatest exports, right there!
November 29th, 2006 at 3:31 pm
Well, I checked with my FLGS last night and their distributor is shipping to them on Monday the 4th. They do not expext to receive it until Thursday or Friday next week. So, time to take the adive I give to my kids, relax Christmas is coming.
December 1st, 2006 at 8:44 pm
Well I purchased BL through a Game Store in NY & just received an
e-mail my game is IN!!!!Sadly as i’m in NJ they will still have to
ship on to me.
OD