yep, more news on Bearded Brave

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=1613

With info on the Spyglass Dwarfs and Arbalests (they look the same to me as the Crossbow ones though - unless I'm missing something there)

And for those familiar with M44..we have artillery it would seem, in the Mighty Bolt Throwers!

Those poor Goblins...they seem to not gotten their artillery!!

It seems, IMO, that the Dwarven Arbalest might be an attempted retcon (for lack of a better term?) to 1) give the crossbows a bit more power (e.g. if they are upgraded via Training Camp), 2) make the arbalests a little more plausible of a ranged weapon (allowing them to move & fire in the same round), and 3) emphasize the pros/cons with the Bolt Thrower. I'm actually hoping there will be lots more crossbowmen (crossbowdwarves?) cuz that lone Dwarven Crossbow unit always looked so out of place.

In any case, now my massive Dwarven Spearbearer contingent won't look so ridiculously out of proportion with the rest of my Dwarven army!

I'm more excited for the expansion than for HoHo, Creatures, and Dragons combined. Well, definitely at least HoHo and Creatures.

Looking carefully there is a minor difference regarding the Special info at the bottom of the card. The original Dwarven Crossbow card states "When used on the move, reduce the number of dice rolled by 1". While the new Dwarven Arbalest card reads "Wnen used on the move, the number of dice rolled is 1" - Notice there is no meantion of Lore tokens on this card. This differs from the Human Arbalest from Hundred Years War which reads "Cannot be fired on the move, even at Point Blank. Do not collect Lore tokens".

I wonder if FFG is updating the rules for the Arbalest such that it can move and fire, but only at 1 die. This would seem to make sense because it has the same name and the illustration on the cards are identical. Otherwise, FFG should have given the weapon a differnent name if it was intended to have different parameters (like they did for the bows: Common Bow, Long Bow, Reflex Bow). It just doesn't make any sense to me that a Dwarf could move and fire an Albalest but a Human couldn't? Maybe an Elf could move and fire a bow better than a Human, but in my mind, not a Dwarf - does that statement make me racist?

I'm also speculating that the Dwarven Arbalest is a blue banner unit just like the Human Arbalest. If they are Green banner units, why not just call them Crossbows and use the same cards from the base game?

Other thoughts from anyone?

Also, regarding Lore and missile weapons I understand that all Ranged attacks fail to collect Lore unless used in Melee (Point Blank). So I'm puzzled as to why this "modern" (as apposed to original base game) summary card doesn't also state "Do not collect Lore tokens". Are others playing that Missile Weapon Ranged attacks collect Lore tokens unless specifically prohibited on the weapon summary card? I could have sworn I read that Lore is not collected by Missile Weapons Ranged attacks, but I have no idea where?

I noted this over on BGG but the mighty crossbow-o-doom has a glass jaw and a half, a retreat for any reason removes it completely! (and it effectively only has 2 health as two minis are removed per hit) but I sure wouldn't want to be on the other end of a darken the skies...

Chris

Also, it is a tad strange, for me, that dwarfs have a "spy glass" person. Dwarfs traditionally are the ones at the front of the battle lines - duking it out due to their hardness..not hiding behind artillery/bows! (I could see the spyglass person for Elfs - if there will ever be such a class!) but dwarfs??

Really was hoping for like another type of soldier group for dwarfs...maybe the Bear Riders (mentioned in the first news item..unless that was a typo for Bull Riders [small joke at economy...Bears vs Bulls <G>] And if you are reading this Richard, sure hope you don't have a Bulls vs Bears scenario!! <BEG>)

And the first one mentions 6 different Iron Dwarf units (and 40 units total)

So thus

1. Bear Riders (9) - probably a cav unit for sure...

2. Arbalests (8) (editor note : Sure hope we get like 2 crews of them to add to the one crossbow unit from Base - namely if they are different colors!)

3. Spy Glass (4) - Dwarf's version of Goblin's embedded unit...so only the Humans don't have one now.

4. Mighty Bolt Throwers (+ crew) (4 or 8) [may by opponent's crew cry when I roll flags against them! - and bet they even hate the Lore card Terror <G>]

5 & 6 - ?? (leaves 12 or 15 left for them)

First Query for this box set :

If an Arbalest moves and has an embedded Spy Glass, I bet it still gets 2 dice (1 due to moving + 1 from Spy Glass unit) - or is the Special case ALWAYS true no matter what? I suspect not, but that Special on the card, will have some rules lawyering for sure!

Elberon said:

No one wants to be on the other end of darken the skies with those bolt throwers + arbalests with embedded spy glasses!! Even more so if you are a poor goblin and has to retreat...won't be fun!! (remember I'm the person who would take the goblins and roll a certain NEW YORK person over in a base set scenario - but think the odds are shifted a little for dwarfs to do the smack talking now with their embedded unit! May the goblins have their embedded unit on the board too!]

Be kinda like how our Colorado mountains are...lots of flames!!

Cab

b_fortner7 said:

There is another very real possibility. The Lore notation is removed because it is assumed that you are playing with the game's OFFICIAL rules which are (yes indeed you guessed right!) BATTLE SAVVY rules.

There is no need for the Lore notation anymore because no ranged weapon collects Lore anymore.

As for the Dwarves having heavy machinery this is consistent with the typical Dwarven stereotype. I don't find it weird at all. Dwarves in almost every fantasy setting are great fighters AND great constructors/engineers of castles, war machines and explosives. It's only natural that Dwarves have the heavy artillery.

The humans do have an embedded figure - the hornblower from HYW set.

Cheers,
Ben.

b_fortner7 said:

b_fortner is an unrepentant dwarfist! (Though "gobist" is a much more humorous term )

I like this pick of the bear

Where's that from? Looks awesome!

Here you go, B&K: http://artofgastonbros.blogspot.com/

(guess I should provide a warning that one won't find any other revelations for BL, but isn't to say there won't be any revelations a'tal).

Although I don't think the style of these illustrations is as good as Julien Delval's art for the original Battlelore I'm glad FFG have found artists and let them develop a consistent style for the new battlelore stuff.

"Fantasy Flight games- unannounced project 2010", could it be the human army pack?

diaper said:

Not to dampen any enthusiasm, but the fact that it is listed as (ag/dez) (meaning both brothers) rather than (ag) (Anderson alone) would suggest that it isn't BL.

Noooooooo

toddrew said:

These guys were on the canceled Legacy of Kain project. Well, If only seeing Kain and Raziel and a bunch of Saraphan make an appearance as miniatures would be a possibility...

Rules ret-con! Battle savvy! All clear now! It's AN HYLDEN TRAP!

Geez, am I nerdy, ain't it?

1.5 months later and we get more news about Bearded Brave (namely the Bear Riders..yep another calvary unit for Dwarfs..poor Goblins!!)

www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=1720

Seems they don't have the follow up pursuit like other calvary units but they do get to reroll sword on shields for additional hits - which might make up for the follow up attack [doubtful..always nice to get that additional attack with calvary units when a unit flees]

Caboose said:

While they aren't able to pursue in the sense of taking an additional hex after gaining ground and before making a bonus attack, they do still get the opportunity for a bonus attack after gaining ground - similar to the much maligned cattle riders. After reading about their exploding bonus strikes, kinda hope they are blue (and had some form of trot ) like the bulls too...

toddrew said:

Todd, look at the card - I think they are blue, based on the icons in the upper corner.

Caboose said:

Do you mean that Dwarf blazon? I've always liked that it was mostly blue, as that is a good default color for the Dwarfs, just as green is a good default color for the Goblins (though their blazon has a red hue). Anyway, I don't read anything into that blazon - just the generic indicator that the unit is a dwarf unit.

Well FFG release the rules and of course, in the rules, it lists what will be in Bearded Brave :

One RED unit of Iron Dwarf Bear Riders

Two GREEN units of Mighty Bolt Throwers

Three BLUE units of Iron Dwarf Arbalesters (aka crossbow men from the base set) [Yeah..more Dwarf crossbowers!!]

4 Iron Dwarf Spotters

Plus some previously released items :

2 Blue Iron Dwarf Axe Swinger units (from Dwarven Battalion)

2 Blue Iron Dwarf Swordsmen (base unit)

Also noted, that the Dwarf Bear riders are FOUR units. They are LIKE mounted units but they don't do a pursuit move (they only move into the vacated square and still attack) Thus they trade off the additional unit for pursuit - probably a fair trade.

Caboose said:

a "tank" trade, more like it.