Kind of sad to not see any Battlelore events for Gencon 2011 listed yet. I saw about 17 listed for Battles of Westeros but there aren’t even any Battlelore events listed outside of FFG’s influence. Lame. Was it just poorly attended the last couple of years?

Doubtful - just FFG trying to put a nail in Battlelore's death bed since it keeps rolling out Westlos stuff but nothing new for BL for 2 months now in the news.

I think BattleLore has had its day in the sun. I have seen with a lot of games, especially FFG games, that games come along, they are the "flavor of the month" for a while, and then the "newest and greatest" game comes along and the old flavor of the month is forgotten. I was a big fan of FFGs Doom, and this is what happened to Doom. However, you know what? Doom is still a great game and I play it all the time, even though FFG does not support it anymore. Right now, Battles of Westeros is the newest flavor of the month, but give it two years or so, and this too will fade into obscurity as a newer game takes its place.

As to BattleLore: This is one of the best games I have ever played, and FFG not supporting it anymore is not going to change that. In fact, I have so much BattleLore stuff (most of the expansions), if BattleLore expanded much beyond what it is now, it would become unmanageable. Here's the thing: I have so many ideas for all my BattleLore set, I haven't had the time to implement all these ideas and really, really get into the game. Now that I'm caught up on collecting the miniatures for BattleLore and putting them all together, I can really start exploring the details of this fine game. I plan to re-create the military campaigns of Vlad the Impaler, and I plan to create some epic fantasy campaigns in the Forgotten Realms setting. I also plan to re-create some historical battles of the Medieval era. In fact, I just re-created the Battle of Tannenberg (Polish-Lithuanians vs. the Teutonic Knights). I made this quite detailed, and the new Code of Chivalry pieces made this possible. I incorporated the charge of the Tartar cavalry that drew away a large portion of the Teutonic cavalry, and I also incorporated an objective marker representing the banner of Krakow, a valued objective of the actual battle.

Now that BattleLore has had its run (in my opinion), I can spend more time playing the game than collecting it. I look really forward to this, and FFG not supporting the game anymore is not going to change my enjoyment of it. So I'm probably not going to get an undead or elven army. I'll live. I like to focus on Medieval lore battles anyway, with humands vs. humans. If I want to foray into a fantasy setting, I have plenty of miniatures available for that (hydra, dragons, dwarves, goblins, etc.).

Interceptor said:

It isn't about life and death - simple question that FFG could answer at any time: is BattleLore's run over? In my opinion BattleLore has not had its run. Call to Arms has not been realized fully, no-brainer that additional races are intended. Now, if FFG doesn't want to touch the campaign opportunities that this game is wonderfully adept at providing (and they breached, but, in character left short, with Heroes), I understand, and yes, I'll live, but am certainly disappointed.

No events at Gencon seems to be about as explicit an answer as one will get as to what's brewing with BL.

I agree that more was likely intended for Battlelore, such as other races. However, I think sales dictated the direction of the game. Part of it is the fault of the gaming community. Too many gamers are easily distracted by other things (squirrel!), and if they don't support a system like BattleLore, it's existence will be short lived. I think part of this is the fault of FFG. It's a huge gaming company with tons of titles, and new titles coming out all the time. With a company like this, they have to weigh the value of titles that don't sell as well as others, and it seems like thay created a title in direct oposition to BattleLore, where sales of this new title (Westeros) would actually detract from BattleLore. So be it, but I wish BattleLore would go back to Days of Wonder. I think a smaller gaming company could give BattleLore the direction and attention it needs to still be successful.

Check out Last Night on Earth, one of my favorite games ever (also a miniatures battle game) from Flying Frog Productions. This is a smaller gaming company with a great game (honestly, better than anything FFG has produced except BattleLore--which was actually initially produced by Days of Wonder anyway). New products come out for Last Night on Earth only rarely, but when they do, they're great products that really add to the game. I hope and pray FFG never gets its hands on this game...their corporate attitude would destroy what made the game cool in the first place, and they'd run it into the ground, just like they did with BattleLore.

Once BattleLore is done, I'm done with FFG, because they have nothing else in the way of gaming that interests me. I used to have four FFG icons on my profile...Tide of Iron, Doom, Descent, and BattleLore. Doom is no longer supported, so that's gone. Descent became too big and unmanageable, and the prodects being released were just so, so substandard that I refused to pay the cost (I'd open the box and find broken and warped miniatures, and every expansion they released, I had to go to the FFG website to download all the eratta content...it's as if they don't even have proof readers, editors, or playtesters for some of their products). As far as Tide of Iron goes...good game, but WWII is not really my era. I'm interested in the Middle-Ages, so I sold all my Tide of Iron stuff to get BattleLore, and now this game too is soon to be gone with the wind. Which means my relationship as a consumer with FFG will come to an end, and my impression of the company is not that great. I wonder if FFG did a survey of it's customers, how they would fare.

I'm not sure I see Battlelore dying out so soon. FFG has released 3 decent size army packs within the last year or so. In my book, that's a reasonable rate of expansion for any game. My opinion on some of the specific contents of those packs is a topic for another thread.

I'd like to see some new content for the game as much as anybody, but I don't want to be in a position where I have to buy a new expansion every month or two to keep up. If we wait a year without any news, I may start to bemoan the fate of Battlelore. Until then, I'm still enjoying my battles with the latest releases.

Sorry, but there really hasn't been that much new content. Just rehash of items in the base sets or other expansions WITH a few items thrown in (think one of the dwarf expansions was like 50/50 of old and new content). I've been gunho about Battlelore from the beginning...buying ever expansion during DoW tenure + a few from FFG. But so far, FFG can't even tell us ANYTHING about Battlelore (but more than willing to hype Westeros...give me a break!)

And FFG still hasn't even gotten, after 2+ years now, to REALLY new content as in ALL new in any expansion (remember the first few were items that DoW had planned to release but never did).

And no Battlelore events at GenCon, where FFG is ONE of the big sponsors but there are 17 Westeros events, doesn't bode well either. Sorry, but I can't support a company that keeps saying "WE are supporting Battlelore" but can't even have a FFG employee to monitor the Battlelore forum for news updates and/or answer questions (but can have 2-3 for Westeros??) And we keep hearing they are supporting it but again, more news for Westeros and nothing for Battlelore.

And don't EVEN get me started on Westeros being "like Battlelore"...it's NOT EVEN CLOSE!!

Lastly, notice Richard has disappeared from the forums as well - and I talked to him about little over 1 year ago in person - and still nothing of the new races or anything of the like. And I've even emailed Mr. Petersen (CEO of FFG, if I have his title correctly) and NOTHING from him other than the same song about "We've got great things coming out for Battlelore" repeatedly time and time again. I and others are sick of the constantly being led on. We've had the carrot put in our face too many times - show us the stuff. And make a **** base set as well - if no base set, NO NEW players period. Hard to get new players if the old ones are dropping out. Repackaging the French base sets is okay for SHORT term, but doesn't meet long term when those sets are gone.

Well off of my soapbox - doubt this will get any reaction from FFG but it isn't because I haven't tried. And if you are fed up as me, write on various forums and to FFG as well. Hopefully we won't be ignored. And if you do go to GenCon (I don't..sorry..), ask them WHY no Battlelore games being done. And don't let them get away with the "We've got great things" BS message. Ask to be shown. Be a pest and don't fall for any of their tag lines. The more, the merrier. I think 2+ years is MORE than enough time for FFG to have some items in the design stage. And if that person won't, ask who can answer your concerns. Namely if you have bought items from FFG, you are a customer and deserve to be heard!!

Cab

Sorry, but I can't support a company that keeps saying "WE are supporting Battlelore" but can't even have a FFG employee to monitor the Battlelore forum for news updates and/or answer questions (but can have 2-3 for Westeros??)

We've been over this before. There is no one from FFG monitoring the BoW forums. They couldn't care less. Just like with all of their other forums. FFG is not a community minded company unfortunately.

But so far, FFG can't even tell us ANYTHING about Battlelore (but more than willing to hype Westeros...give me a break!

The hype for BoW has been adequete compared to other FFG games that are not LCG's but no where what it should have been for a game whose setting has a major new HBO show that just premiered. Not even an intro video on YouTube like so many of their other games. Possibly boardgame/wargame hybrids are just too niche.

And no Battlelore events at GenCon, where FFG is ONE of the big sponsors but there are 17 Westeros events, doesn't bode well either.

That really should be troubling for BL fans I have to admit. It's the fate of most FFG games eventually it's sad to say. I'm not unsympathetic as that will be the fate of BoW eventually most likely. Only LCG's and RPG's seem to get constant support.

And don't EVEN get me started on Westeros being "like Battlelore"...it's NOT EVEN CLOSE!!

There's more in common between BL and BoW than there is between D&D 3rd Edition and 4th Edition. It's obviously the same system with a few major changes. It's not anywhere near the same amount of differences as between BL and Tide of Iron for example. The BL tag is there because the similarities are so evident they likely could not legally do it any other way.

FFG puts out quality games with quality components. But they do little to nothing to create long lasting communities or fanbases. It's their greatest weakness. They put out a game and if it falters in any way they're on to the next game. That is their business model. You can be bitter toward BoW all you like but in all honesty it will happen to us too.

I can even tell you why.

These are not hobby games. That is not how FFG sees them. Board games players are also notoriously flighty; always going on to the next shiny pre-packaged, and ready to play game. FFG caters to them well.

You have to take each product from FFG seperately and decide if based on the contents of that single product whether it is worth a purchase as you never know if there will be further releases. Only buy what is worth the price tag and have no regrets when the game eventually fades out.

I got that with BoW. It's one of the best board games AND war games I've ever played. When FFG abandons it I will have no regrets on my end and will continue to play it for years to come. Each expansion that comes out is just a very awesome bonus.

I will continue to find joy in my game. Will you continue to find joy in yours?

I agree with the last post. I love the game and if FFG don't support it i will still paint my mini's and will continue to play. Let's have fun where we can and enjoye it for has long has we can.

I agree with Morpsele...let's just enjoy BattleLore, even if FFG will no longer support it. I can understand FFG not supporting BattleLore from a business perspective...cost vs. sales and all that. However, I'm frustrated with FFG taking over the BattleLore line in the first place. Granted, Days of Wonder had to agree to this, but I feel that if DoW still had the title, it would still be going strong (maybe not the rapid number of expansions we've seen from FFG, but certainly not the end of the line). It does seem disingenuous of FFG to take over the title, and within a year or so, announce Westeros. Honestly, my response to this is..."Oh well." Nothing to get too bent out of shape about...it's just a game after all, and there are certainly more pressing matters in the world to worry about. What we do have for BattleLore is great, and like Morpsele said, let's just play the game with what we've got. The reality is, with what we've got, the possibilities are limitless. How long has Milton-Bradley produced the same game, again and again, year after year, maybe with a slightly different design, but the same game just the same? I'm talking about Monoply...I remember playing this when I was a kid back in the early 80s, and I just played "Simpson's Monoply" with my kids the other night, some 30 years later. Just because BattleLore is no longer supported by FFG (or so I believe), doesn't mean it's not a quality game that can't still be played year after year. This is exactly what I plan to do. I'm a big, big fan of the Middle-Ages and medieval fantasy stuff, and BattleLore is right up my alley (Warhammer Battles would be great, but who has the time and money to collect and prepare a game like that? Not me, so BattleLore is a perfect substitute). I plan on attending my local Renaissance Festival this year, watching some of the cool new medieval movies coming out on DVD (Black Death, Solomon Kane, Season of the Witch, etc.), and reading my historical and fictional books of the days of yore. The Middle-ages was a massive era, with bloody battles fought all over the whole of Europe and the Middle-east. I can recreate battles from this era infinitely, as well as create my own fantasy campaigns. Even if FFG killed BattleLore, in my game room the tramp of marching feet, clash of steel, and cries of battle will still echo from my BattleLore armies. Hail and kill!

It seems as if everyone reached the acceptance stage of things here that FFG is no longer supporting Battlelore. It disappoints me to no end. There were many possibilities with the game that I've seen throughout these threads. There is a passion by many for the game, however FFG sees bigger buck potentials for other games... BoW comes to mind. I still to this day don't understand why FFG bought the Battlelore name and stamped it on the BoW box... then decided to not support Battlore in the end when the games are different. Marketing has made some interesting choices indeed.

All I can do on my end is shrug my head and be thankful that it's been supported as much as it has. I'll still continue playing the game for years to come. Kind of like a funeral in that no expansions will likely be released, but not really as it will be played many times in the future.

I just thought I'd point out that Days of Wonder had pretty much given up on Battlelore before Fantasy Flight picked it up. At least FF was able to breath a little bit more life into the game. Just because Battlelore releases have slowed/stopped doesn't make my set any less playable.