I am a big WW2 and WWI fan and a fan of alternate history so this game looks interesting especially now that it has matured for a while and has some options. I do have some questions, I am interested in starting out and having all 3(?) factions at once.

Is all that I need the base set and the one that adds the Russians, or whatever they are called ? Also do I buy the rulebook separately or as part of the base set box ?

Look for a sticker on the Base Set saying it includes the Revised Rules. That way you'll have every thing you need to get started.

But I do recomend picking up a second rule book if you can afford it, that way you don't have to pass one arround the table.

I purchased the revised book on drivethrurpg.com about an hour ago, $5 bucks so why not. Least this way I can read the rules to see if I like the game.

Is there a place with more background info or is the rulebooks and the timeline pretty much it for now ?

Seems likes its been a while since anything was released, seen a few announcments but nothing released. Is that normal or is something wrong ?

What minis come in the Novgorod pack ?

Whoa, lots of qusetions...

Currently the Tannhauser Timeline is a liitle questionable, as the "history" was reset when FFG bought the property. You can check out my Mythopoeia here's a link miah000.blogspot.com/2010/09/tannhauser-mythopoeia-september-2010-ed.html . Also on my blog are links to other sites with info, etc.

As for releases FFG has went as much as two years or so, without a release, Daedalus was announced the first time in 2008, if this is a mojor problem for you Tannhauser may not be for you right now. But they are getting faster and this may not be an issue over the next year; we have to wait and see.

You can probably expect to see something every six months or so, we hope, fingers crossed.

The Matriarchy faction is included in Novgorod, It should all be in the rule book.

Its not a problem really as it allows me to catch up if I like the game.

Was wondering what the actual minis content of novgorod was, any sites with pics of the different minis ?

These ones...

Left to Right: Irishka, Zor'ka, Irina, Voivodes in front.

The slow release is partly due to the revised rules being released, it was a catch up game to make everything compatible and they had to change all the upcoming products that take on you had created. We just got two new troop packs and there seems to be a lot coming in next little while.