Just finished our first run. Was only 3 players (Elf, Human, Undead) but game was great.

The way the balance shifted one way then the other. You could really feel the depth of strategy involved in order choices, and I thought some of the season card game effects (like long winter) were brilliant.

The heroes, while subtle, definitely provided color, though one almost wishes they could have an affect on a battle in a zone they're in (Maybe a HR?).

Battle, while it seems to rely more on luck than strategy, still is fun and full of flavor, and some of the special FX (like the Necromancer's raising new units mid-battle!) are simply awesome.

Anyway, these are just some random ramblings-- Thought I'd share, discuss, etc.--

RB

RuneWars is one of our favorite games. The heroes can definitely be underestimated upon initial plays. However, with subsequent games, you'll quickly learn their value.

I def see their value to the game, I was just thinking more from a flavor standpoint. The way Gandalf led the Rohirim, it's be cool to have Valadir "leading" a group of footman into battle (maybe providing an extra fate card?). Dunno, just an idea.

While that could be cool, if you really need that sort of thing you can try War of the Ring

Using your heroes is one of three main startagies to winning this game. When you dont need a stratagize, and dont care about the Mobalize supremacy try rallying support in spring of the first year. Starting year 1 summer with two heroes, Aquire power the same year and get the heroes league title. Repeat in year two and by summer you will have three heroes to quest with. If they each complete one quest a summer your heroes will generate 1 dragon rune a year by turning in rewards. Add timmoran shards to the mix and this is the fasted way to win the game. Most dragon runes are given away in winter seasons so getting them in summer with heroes is a great advantage.

Played a 4 Plyr game tonight. Was a blast!

I played humans. Early on the The Uthuk player declared an "alliance" with the undying player. So naturally the elven player and I bound together.

And so the battlelines were drawn. Elf and undead duked it out on the west half of the board while the humans and dark ones went head to head in the east.

Some highlights - Elf and Undead vied for a city for 3 years (their relentless fighting causes us to name it the "holy city") giving and taking and generally battering each other.

Meanwhile - The Uthuk player used a mountain pass to seize an isolated city - pinned behind 2 mtn ranges. That same season the humans teleported in and seized control of the province. The tide shifted aftee Uthuk threw a MASSIVE force at me in Autumn. Luckily I played the tactical retreat card - and let winter do my dirty work for me.

Elsewhere- The human seized another city and allied with a dragon (a bit of luck - spent 1 influence and got one card!) to reinforce its defences. Meanwhile the Uthuk player recruited his own dragon and assaulted the city 3 years in a row without taking it (with no small thanks 2 siege towers and htose knights providing new tactic cards). Finally the wizards council called down flames from the heaven and burned the city to the ground.

Heroes journeyed about on their quests, but Sir Valadir (rune Armore and flame blade) took it upon himself to slaughter the evil heroes - (and claim their rewards!)

Though for the first 3 years I had only 1 dragon rune, in year four my heroes were able to capture two more and by the spring of year five I had a robust empire well supplied with troops. Somewhere around year 4, the undead player turned his attentions my way, and the elves, having gotten the worst of the previous years of warring, offered very little by way of support. So, now I was fighting a 2 front war.

In the fall I tried to shore up my allies situation using favored alliances and 2 trade routes

..It was the following year I found my I find elven (ahem) allies were suddenly marching AGAINST ME! (Just can't trust them pointy eared sneaks! ).

So, by summer of year 5 I had Uthuk attacking from my left, the undying pounding at my gates from opposite, and the elves to my right I was literally fighting three fronts. Two was bad enough, against 3 I knew I could'nt last long

A storm in spring of year 6 helped me stave off some campaigning but not much

Desperate to divert enemies away I turned to my heroes ( I had three, having gained one earlier with an order card and coerced another with a tactic card).

I decided the elves needed to be taught a lesson. With four elven units threatening my relatively unpopulated homelands (two spaces away) in the Summer Questing Phases I used the Orc hero's SA to do kill to one of the elven units, and then with ranger hero used a rune reward that routed another three this would ruin his conquest for the year and give me time to reinforce my rear.

With Sir Valadir, I moved deep into Latari territory and used a rune of summoning, suddenly plopping a load of troops in a dragon rune provincee in the elves' utterly undefended backyard. This drew the latari troops away from my frontline - and though I lost this province (in year six he attacked my seven units with 16!), it was the respite I needed.

In year 6, my very worn down Uthuk opponent finally turned what was left of his armies to other proivinces, but in the fall, a mountain pass card let me slip into his home realm and claim a dragon rune space in the fall.

Still threatened by a large undying force poised to strike against me, some table talk finally convinced the player to relent, and attack the softened and distracted elf army - (Surelyu a better choice, I intimated, than assuredly suffering heavy losses assaulting my province with 2 siege engines a dragon a stronghold and misc supporting units (this was his only way to get through to my rune provinces).

My friends had some great moments of their own - and all 3 (new to the game) absolutely loved it.

All agreed the Primarch is the best title in the game since wizard council cards come up so often in the season card, that free influence and tie breaking vote goes a looooong way.

Thnx for reading.

RB

Also a Q: It seems that units that are retreated OUT of an acitvated province (either through battle or tactic card) into a non-activated one, can attack again in the same turn (through a mobilize or conquer order). Is that true?

Roy Batty said:

I don't believe so. Page 22 of the rules: "When a figure retreats, it is always routed." Of course, the "Tactical Retreat" card is an exception.

TK

Also, with the Rally Cry Tactics Card, you can stand up some routed units, and that would allow retreated units to attack again.