I picked up BL just after Christmas of 2008 and am now just getting around to playing it, you all know life happens. Anyway, I really dig what I'm seeing, reading, and hearing about this game and it affirms my purchase. I collect games and am a big fan of Warhammer 40k and Games Workshop stuff over the years I've picked up 40k, BFG, BB, and LOTR SBG, etc. Interestingly, I wanted to get a Fantasy type Minis game other than LOTR and was looking hard at starting up with Warhammer Fantasy Battle. I figure get the box set, and then get the rule book, then pick up an Army book (it would have been Orges), and then start buying units. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I wanted to try something other than GW stuff, something different and, honestly a lot let less work in learning, painting, etc (unless of course I decided I wanted to).

Anyway, long story short, I decided to order Battlelore through my FLGS, primarily because I could paint it if I wanted, but didn't need to. There were also already plenty of expansions, and more planned and the game seemed much less complicated than WFB. The boardgame/mini thing reminded me a bit of Classic Battletech boxed set, which I enjoyed, so this seemed overall the whole thing looked like a win. I was pretty stoked to see the Creatures and Dragons release and I just read the February Comments about potential future races and armies. This is exactly what I was hopeing for with this game.

So I'll end with just a quick note and a questions. First thanks folks at FFG - Keep churning the stuff out and looking forward to seeing those other Armies/races options. Second, why did you all choose to play Battlelore?

For me, the game's promise seemed to hit all my gaming sweet spots: theme (middle ages fantasy and historical), variety (both in depth [factions/races/creatures/scenarios] and breadth [several modes of game play, campaigns and rpg-ish elements]), and quick play yet packed with tactical decision making. Aside from some stumbles in rolling out the factions/races, the game has delivered on all counts and continues to be the one game I would turn to if I had to make such an unnecessary choice

I'm really looking forward to being able to play the game that Richard Borg plays, but certainly pleased with what has come about so far.

Good to meet you, Metal1

I got into Battlelore by selling off all of my WH40K stuff for new copies of both this and Descent. The GW stuff was worth more, but I was tired of sinking so much money into a single game. I wanted something similar to WHFB, but that didn’t cost so much and was easier to get none miniature game players to play. Battlelore is the perfect answer to this. I am excited with the direction that FFG is taking with the series, but I worry about the cost of the expansions. I will be buying Heroes for sure and we will see about the other expansions. I don't regret my GW for Battlelore and Descent trade at all, even though I traded roughly $600 worth of stuff for this.

Well first off I got sick of the collectable aspect of miniatures games.

So that was thei first appeal.

This game offered something totaly new for me as well as the smooth run of a miniatures game.

Theme is good. Play style is good. and lots of room for expansions and new races.

Though I wish the dice were made of heavy plastic, the wooden dice seem like and miss the sound of dice hitting the table hard.

I don't mind the wooden dice too much. It is the fact that their colours fade that bothers me on that front.

I got into Battlelore because I like the medieval/fantasy theme. Also, I loved the fact that the armies did not need to be painted (but I've decided to paint them anyway ) . I really enjoy having a table top of armies going at it, but I have always hated using rulers to measure movement. While this my make it more "realistic" than what Battlelore offers, I prefer Battlelore's use of a board for movement. I can't wait for heroes and their ability to "level up" to provide an ongoing campaign feel to the game.

I am very concerned about the prices of the expansions (though I've already pre-ordered Heroes), and will probably wait on purchasing more creatures for the game. I like the fantasy element that the creatures add to the game, but I hope they don't put so much focus on the creatures and heroes that it starts to no longer feel like two armies clashing.

I can't wait for a goblin and a dwarf supplemental pack (hint, hint FFG), that would include enough figures to flesh out a base army for the goblins and dwarves. And it shouldn't cost that much since the molds are already made and they simply have to pour the plastic, right?

That would be a good idea to sell entire armies in packs rather than the small specialist expansions DOW put out. I wonder what the price tag on that would be.

Thanks for welcome here on the boards. After reading thru the basic rules, man I can see a lot of potential for the system for future adds on in regards other races units. While I'm in no hurry to get a bunch of expansions (still need to learn the basics! LOL!) the plan looks good and I'd like to see full up army boxes as well. GW does it, as does Flames of War, but they both sell small unit packs too.

Anyway, Richard Borg's post mentioned the following as potential races/armies:

Dwarf Culture: Shadow Army, Dwarven Lords

Elf Culture: Forest Elves, Shadow Elves, War Elves

Goblinoid Culture: Ork (actually we called them Torks, a strange race that are a combination of Troll and Ork discovered in Greenland by Barbarian Raiders)

Human Culture: Barbarian Army, Tribesman, Ice Army, Man'chines, Wolven Migration

Rat Nation, Reptilian Army, The Swarm (Bugs)

Necromancer Skull Army (featuring the dead and much more)

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=14&efcid=1&efidt=66779

Just from a cursory read of the rules there are a lot of variables one could add in to make these units unique without disrupting game balance. Take the Barbarians, I figure just have them always forced to pursue in a game. But it will be interesting as the above army's according to Richard tested out well. The background for integrating these into a semblance of history will interesting to read as well, as some of these takes it further and further into the Lore part of the game! Does anyone know if they'll do other mediveal countries armies vice just fantasy releases? Italian City-state troops, Spanish/Moor troops, etc.? They could use those (or fantasy races as well) to bring in Pikeman, or Swiss Halberds, or even pesant mobs.

Further, there is always the option of War machines coming out in the same manner as creatures, - trebuchet, catapult, bolt thrower, seige tower, Battering Rams. And while they have carboard hexs for fortifications, it would be cool to see some plastic fortifications, trees, etc. for a more 3-D effect. Lastly has the plague or things like that been introduced in any of the supplments? Might be an interesting Lore Option.

Well, I digress! As I said earlier I still have the get the basics down but am excited about the possiblities. Take care and God bless! Go Battlelore!

I got Battlelore because it wasn't a collectible game...just hoping FFG doesn't turn it into one, though it looks like they are staying clear of that. And because it had some of the theme and feel of the table top games without being annoyingly over the top geeky...I don't want to have to have a tape measure to play.

I have played it quite a few times and many times through the first ten adventure and am still not tired of it. I have all the DOW expansions and can't wait to play with them. My wife is my main opponent and she has recently encouraged me to start painting them. Started with all 72 blue infantry...and am almost done with them!

Looking forward to see what FFG will do with it and hoping it stays true to the simplicity that DOW developed it with.

For me, getting into BL was a couple issues:

One, I was at a dead end with Warhammer Fantasy, as the players at my small FLGS have long since moved on , and I was no longer interested in sinking money into it (though I love my Orks and Goblins, and have continued to get some dwarfs, and make extensive use of my Empire army for other games.

Second, I've been transitioning into smaller, cheaper and more user friendly games (to a point), and BL was advertised as the end-all and be-all of fantasy miniatures systems. BL is all that, but I quickly ended up making a hex map for my GW figures and subbed my 28mm stuff for the 15mm BL figures as I quickly got tired of how fiddly it was for me to move the BL units around.

Also, for my eyes I really need painted figures to distinguish the two sides apart more easily, and I can't bring myself to simply priming the figures in two different colors.

I need to follow through on making magnetic bases for my BL units (I purchased some magnetic sheeting from my local printing shop and need to carve out some time to do it, and I need to get painting. If only my boss would let me bring in stuff to paint at my desk after my paperwork has been shuffled and copied and sorted each day!

As you've noted, we've yet to see the full force BL that was promised in the early hype for the system. Mr. Borg has given us a sweet taste of all that is to come. Hopefully I will get the motorvation to get cracking.

I really didn't need another Fantasy mass battle system-but DoW did such a great job of selling BL as the Ultimate Game that I cracked & bought into the hype.Well that & the theme & the C&C system which I really liked in Ancients,M44 & Battle Cry.

Alas DoW had no second act beyond the hype & never could deliver beyond the base Game & small Dwarf/Gobbo expansions.Thats of course has all been hashed out along with FFG taking it's time to get things going with the game.

Hopefully in the months to come FFG can deliver on the BL we were promised a few years ago.

OD

I think we are going to see a lot of new stuff coming in for the Battlelore line so hold on and get your wallet ready!

Old Dwarf said: