A while ago somebody posted something about a new TOI expansion ('Fury of the Bear" -Eastern front) making its debut on GenCon. Since then I haven't heard anything else about it. Does anyone have additional information? This is THE expansion I'm looking forward to!

Kingtiger said:

You and me both brother!

I've been keeping an eye on BGG for any scuttlebutt, but so far nothing.

I suspect with Gen Con being so close, that is when FFG will fully unviel the details of the expansion.

I further this call out on the Eastern Front expansion.

Please, if anyone comes across any information, be kind enough to post it here.

Much THANKS FFG!

[ps: am really looking forward to running some Soviet infantry across the game boards!]

Any news from GenCon????

Kingtiger said:

GenCon is not until Aug. 13-16.

The Demo games of Fury of the Bear were pulled from the event listing and there has been no official posting from FFG about the expansion so I suspect that there was some optimism about it being ready for Gen Con and after the initial posting of the event catalog they decided it wasn't going to be ready and pulled it. So, while I'm sure we'll be asking about it I suspect the general answer will be that it will be ready when it is ready. Honestly with no advertising going on for it now it is unlikely there will be a firm date out of FFG this week. Though I will remain optimistic and hope.

Maybe FFG ran into production issues or something.

I would think that if they were at the printing stage they would be teasing us with the prototype/master printing pictures and information by now with a tentative release date on the horizon. The fact that there is no information at all suggests development delays.

sloejack said:

I think you're right here. I also read a thread recently on BGG explaining new, stricter policies here at FGG regarding the premature release of information - premature info that was consistently creating frustration for gamers whose expectations were repeatedly disappointed because of postponed releases. This might explain the quick pull from the GenCon schedule followed by an erie silence.

(For those interested see previous thread: " Fury of The Bear: Gaffe or Misinformation...? "

Well, I was at GenCon and there were no announcements about this product. I was assured that this was their premiere WWII game and that they were going to be continuing to produce product for it. But no details.

FFG did announce that they are planning to release 3 new unannounced games before the end of the year - 1 standard size and 2 tombstone size boxes - perhaps one of the later ones is the Russian or Pacific fronts (and hence big enough to deserve their own box?).

I do not know much FFG marketing strategy, but I would dare to guess that another TOI expansion (Russian or Pacific) will have standard format - i.e. normal box - like it was the case with DOTF and Normandy.

Since I have only three FFG games, I do not know whether some expansion for a "big format" game was also in a big box.

But I do not think that they would keep secret publishing of this expansion. I would understand it in a case of some brand new game.

But as it is said "nothing is as it seems". Let us keep expecting and hoping.

Well then, that in of itself is good news.

Great feedback guys. Keep it up.

Artemis said:

You are correct in that FFG has only ever released base games (not expansions) in the coffin sized boxes, even expansions for games in coffin boxes are in normal boxes.

I can't see a russian expansion in a regular box. If I was making it I would do an all new 12 map set with urban maps. The russian army alone will require more than a small expansion. It took 2 expansions to get all the British out. Not only that but there are alot of eastern front fans that could be lured to TOI by a full scale release. I say big box with a full russian army, tanks, trucks some american lend lease stuff etc. and enough Germans to get a game going. Maybe some new german vehicles to further tempt exisiting players. I'd also do another designer series book dedicated mostly to the east front.

Am i the only one that finds it odd that there hasnt been much news concerning upcoming releases? [in ToI]

Just a thought.

Cyscott1 said:

I was under the impression that "Days of the Fox" had a whole British army included.

Sure they might attract some eastern front fans, but they'd also put off a lot of exhisting fans who are forced to pay even more money for an army that they already own.

I guarantee you that Fury of the Bear (and all future expansions) are NOT going to be big box releases (or even standalone).

I wouldn't be suprised if they did make another Designer Series book, but not for a quite a while.

I see.

So then, we shouldnt hold our breath for another 2 or so years, correct?

[assuming that 2 years is enough time to see the release of an eastern front package]

Burnhamalive said:

You should look at the rules for normandy and days of the fox which are available for download. The unit counts are in them and you'll see about half of the british army and it's vehicles are in each set.

The eastern front would be doable in two small-box expansions. One Stalingrad box concentrating on infantry and assault guns in an urban setting and one Kursk or Bagration box adding armor and field fortifications plus a few new maps.

I hope that this expansion comes to light soon. The russian armies need to be represneted in this already awesome game.

I echo JR above.

There is a large market for this game, as more and more FoW players seem to (at least in my neck of the woods) be shifting to less costly, tabletop boardgames.

Merely my opinion here.

[hope FFG is listening]

Do you all really expect THAT much new stuff from an estern front expansion?

IMHO the basic box of Tide of Iron is already a superbly designed and balanced game, able to simulate all kind of terrain, weapon categories, squad types, etc.

ToI is a game which gains much of its fun from the generic statistics of the infantry and the tanks. A German soldier is much the same like his American or British counterpart....yeah, yeah I know the MG is somewhat better . The power of the tanks is obviously very different (compare a Tiger to a Sherman), but nevertheless their outfits are summed up by only very few numbers (armour, firepower and movement). What I like best about ToI is, that the units have very, very few special rules, e.g. no stupid "All German tanks have the Blitzkrieg-Ability"-stuff. The game works fine with very few, easy-to-calculate and easy-to-understand numbers. This combined with the intuitive d6-machanism makes playing easy and fun.

I think the Dotf (can't say anything about Normandy, didn't played it yet) already did not add any extra value to the game...except some nice-looking British models. But what about the new terrain, the new AT-guns the new specilizations, I hear you saying? Hmm, to cut things short: 1.) Terrain did not offer anything new (FFG just replaced hills with dunes and painted the boards yellow); 2.) I think the AT-gun rules do not work properly and 3.) I don't want more tokens and more cards and more of everything, just makes the game more complex which leads to less strategy and more luck. Of course, all these points are just my opinion and about most of them you can open a new thread itself I guess.

So what is it I want to say? With all the things above i mind i do not think the the eastern front expansion will offer anything completely new except for the russian infantry and vehicle models of course. But why would I want a seperate Stalingrad-expansion??? Look at the fan-created scenario Pavlov's House takin playe in Stalingrad. It is done withe the basic box only using American soldiers for rhe Russians...and i works great. You just take the urban overlays and use a lot of regular infantry to resemble the city of Stalingrad and the training status of the Russian infantry - done.

Please, don't get me wrong. I am not completely against expansions, but I will only buy them if they add a whole new aspect to the game. I this is in my eyes not done by providing new plastic models and more strategy cards decks, etc.

So, now everything is said and done; you can crucify me now

IMHO...I fully agree. Thanks for expressing it well.