I'm thinking of buying Battle Lore, but have a couple questions first. I think I will play the historical battles sideof the game more than the fantasy battle side of the game (goblins on ostriches just don't do it for me). That being said, I was really interested in the Hundred Years War Expansion, but it seems to be out of print everywhere. Is FFG going to discontinue this, or re-release it? Does anyone know?

As to tactics, I understand that Battle Lore is not a deep tactical game, and I'm okay with that, but I would like some strategy and tactics to go into a victory or defeat. I've heard it said that you can win or lose this game based on the cards you draw. Really? If that's true, I probably don't want it because I'd like a win or loss to be based on a player's tactical decision making, to a degree. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

I don't have a lot of time to post right now (shot my morning wad replying in the PBEM thread ), but I will reply quickly (and surely come back later) by saying that this is a game that rewards thinking. The player that rushes forth without consideration is typically the player that loses. Game comes down to rolling more dice at more affective rates and greater concentration than the opponent, and there are many factors that have affect on that outcome. Setting traps for opponents to move into is key to the game.

Cards a huge factor in the game, but it is not the cards drawn that determine victory or defeat, but how one chooses to play them. Often times the player with "good" cards is too aggressive early and the player with "bad" cards is able to build a good hand while playing conservatively and then have a crushing response to an ill-timed advance (brought on by an aforementioned trap ).

I have no ideas about a reprint on the HYW, but I will add that it is one of my favorite expansions (although I have no problems battling with goblins riding on ostriches).

I have to agree with everything Todd posted above. I have played numerous games of BattleLore and have never been completely stymied by a hand of unusable cards, at least not to the point where it cost me the game.

As a side note, we typically play epic games which provides more options for both sides. If you are not familiar with the epic rules, basically, on your turn, you are able to play a card from your hand and a second card from a set of cards shared by both players. So even if you're holding less than optimal cards in your hand, when combined with a card from the Epic rack, you can still make an effective play.

Now, if only my dice rolling skills didn't stink so bad.

Card draw can be a factor at times, but a bad hand can be mitigated by being flexible with your strategy and adjusting your plans based on what the cards allow. Generally, games usually last long enough for a player to go on the defensive for a bit and keep busy by dressing his lines while waiting for a more optimal card draw. Battlebacks are a key part of a defensive strategy.

Fortunately, game time is usually short enough that if you do end up getting routed from the field you still have plenty of time to set up and try again -- which is actually a plus for the game and at least for me keeps it enjoyable. And it is rather fun to see what you can scrape together for a battle plan when fate seems to be against you, though some gamers don't see it that way.

Thanks for the advice. From the sounds of it, strategy is a key element to the game. Also, the randomness of some cards in certain situations probably adds some realism. I imagine ancient battles, where masses of troops were clashing and generals could not organize percision strikes because there were no radios (only trumpet blasts, shouted orders, etc.), then I guess random, unforseen events would arise, causing the tide of battle to shift. Anyway, I can't wait to jump into this game, and hopefully a Hundred Years War reprint is in the works.

I appreciate that you're a historical fan, but you're really missing out if you dump all of the fantasy elements to the game. Maybe you'll change your mind once you've played both ways.

Here's the thing on the cards. Many, if not most, of them are usable in one of three areas of the board. If you get all fixated on fighting in one area and then can't get cards for that area, you might say you drew bad cards but I'd say you shouldn't have put all of your eggs in one basket. Also, it's a viable strategy to crush the enemy in one of these areas so that they may draw cards they can't use any more. Are they having bad luck now or should they have done more to not let an area get crushed in the first place? I can see where someone might find the "fog of war" of your cards to be irritating, but this isn't a combat simulator. It's not as "true" as a miniatures battle would be. But for me, Battlelore deals with medieval warfare at just the right level. It's a fun game with lots of eye candy (even when unpainted).