Post by Gilvan Blight on Oct 9, 2007 15:32:44 GMT -5
Quickly: evilly collectible, nice minis, bad paint jobs, fun game.
[glow=blue,2,300]Summary:[/glow]
The collectible pre-painted miniature game from Wizards of the Coast based on their Dungeons and Dragons role playing game. Players collect collectible miniatures from up to four factions based on the core alignments in D&D. They then build a warband from one of those factions at a set point cost decided by the scenario that will be played. Once a warband is made the player picks a map to battle on.
Once two players come together they roll a D20 and add their commanders rating to it. The player that rolls the highest picks what map to fight on. Another roll is done to determine who sets up first. A third is done to determine who goes first.
Play then continues in a number of rounds until a set victory condition (usually a number of victory points based on the size of the warbands) is met. This condition is usually met by defeating models in an opponents warband and/or by occupying key areas of the map.
Each round the players act in order of initiative (determined by another command role) and activate two models from their warband. Models can them make a move and make an attack, make two moves, or stand still and make multiple attacks. Many specific models have skills or spells that replace either a move or an attack. Movement is done based on creatures speed and is affected by the map played on with rules for things like fog, rough ground, pit traps, underbrush etc.
Combat is a watered down version of D20. Attackers roll a D20 and add an attack bonus, then compare to the targets Armour Class, if they meet or beat the targets AC damage is taken off of hit points. This is all modified by special abilities and skills that either add damage or reduce damage.
In addition to this Skirmish Wargame all of the minis come with a card that gives the D20 Dungeons and Dragons stats for the character or creature, making these the perfect addition to any fantasy D20 rpg game.
[glow=green,2,300]The Good [/glow]
The best part about the entire range of minis that is out now is the fact that everything is in scale. It's great to see just how tiny a halfling is compared to a Hill Giant. There are expansions that include Huge creatures and even stand alone minis for Colossal Dragons. The included maps are great and can be used for roleplay immediately. It's also nice to see that many maps coming with other D&D products have the stuff on them to use for D&D minis. The minis are just cool. It's just neat opening a pack and finding some Lizardman cleric, or the feeling you get the first Green Dragon you open, or some great ranger that would be perfect for a PC. The actual skirmish game is a lot of fun. I know many people don't buy these to play the game, but they are missing out. It's like a great RPG combat with simpler rules and with creature combos that would never make sense in a game. I love the way that some creatures combo well together, and it's neat to discover ways to use one creatures abilities to compliment another's. It's a good way to spend an hour or two, and based on the fact there are so many minis out there, each game plays differently.
[glow=yellow,2,300]The Bad[/glow]The paint jobs. I'll admit some are pretty good, but most are pretty horrible. They seem slightly better then the wizkids minis I own but still not as nice as a three colour basecoat applied by a standard mini painter. I'm not a fan of the material the minis are made out of either, it's a rubbery plastic that bends easily, and due to it I don't think I have a single fig with a straight sword.
[glow=red,2,300]The Ugly[/glow]It's collectible and random with uneven distribution! I hate the fact that I can't just go buy 20 goblins that I need for the module I want to run Thursday. Or the fact that we have bought the core game and 8 boosters and we can still only make one Lawful good force due to not having enough minis from that faction. Due to being collectible, the coolest mobs are also the hardest to find, and thus very expensive if you didn't want to take a chance buying randomly. With only one rare in each pack, at approx $20 a pack, it can get expensive to find that one you really want, or the one you are missing.
[glow=purple,2,300]Overall[/glow]
Well here was a game I was NEVER going to get into, and here I did. I picked up a starter set due to planning on starting a D&D rpg game. I then found out that I ended up with a really good skirmish game as well as some cool minis for use when roleplaying. I have to admit, I'm not a fan of the collectible format, but I keep buying more just to see what cool new monsters and heroes I will find, as well as hopefully get some more goblins to add to my themed warband. I suggest this game for anyone that enjoys a game of D&D. You get some cool minis your DM will love to use against you, and you get a good game to go with it.
PS: anyone want to play a round at a future gathering let me know.
[glow=blue,2,300]Summary:[/glow]
The collectible pre-painted miniature game from Wizards of the Coast based on their Dungeons and Dragons role playing game. Players collect collectible miniatures from up to four factions based on the core alignments in D&D. They then build a warband from one of those factions at a set point cost decided by the scenario that will be played. Once a warband is made the player picks a map to battle on.
Once two players come together they roll a D20 and add their commanders rating to it. The player that rolls the highest picks what map to fight on. Another roll is done to determine who sets up first. A third is done to determine who goes first.
Play then continues in a number of rounds until a set victory condition (usually a number of victory points based on the size of the warbands) is met. This condition is usually met by defeating models in an opponents warband and/or by occupying key areas of the map.
Each round the players act in order of initiative (determined by another command role) and activate two models from their warband. Models can them make a move and make an attack, make two moves, or stand still and make multiple attacks. Many specific models have skills or spells that replace either a move or an attack. Movement is done based on creatures speed and is affected by the map played on with rules for things like fog, rough ground, pit traps, underbrush etc.
Combat is a watered down version of D20. Attackers roll a D20 and add an attack bonus, then compare to the targets Armour Class, if they meet or beat the targets AC damage is taken off of hit points. This is all modified by special abilities and skills that either add damage or reduce damage.
In addition to this Skirmish Wargame all of the minis come with a card that gives the D20 Dungeons and Dragons stats for the character or creature, making these the perfect addition to any fantasy D20 rpg game.
[glow=green,2,300]The Good [/glow]
The best part about the entire range of minis that is out now is the fact that everything is in scale. It's great to see just how tiny a halfling is compared to a Hill Giant. There are expansions that include Huge creatures and even stand alone minis for Colossal Dragons. The included maps are great and can be used for roleplay immediately. It's also nice to see that many maps coming with other D&D products have the stuff on them to use for D&D minis. The minis are just cool. It's just neat opening a pack and finding some Lizardman cleric, or the feeling you get the first Green Dragon you open, or some great ranger that would be perfect for a PC. The actual skirmish game is a lot of fun. I know many people don't buy these to play the game, but they are missing out. It's like a great RPG combat with simpler rules and with creature combos that would never make sense in a game. I love the way that some creatures combo well together, and it's neat to discover ways to use one creatures abilities to compliment another's. It's a good way to spend an hour or two, and based on the fact there are so many minis out there, each game plays differently.
[glow=yellow,2,300]The Bad[/glow]The paint jobs. I'll admit some are pretty good, but most are pretty horrible. They seem slightly better then the wizkids minis I own but still not as nice as a three colour basecoat applied by a standard mini painter. I'm not a fan of the material the minis are made out of either, it's a rubbery plastic that bends easily, and due to it I don't think I have a single fig with a straight sword.
[glow=red,2,300]The Ugly[/glow]It's collectible and random with uneven distribution! I hate the fact that I can't just go buy 20 goblins that I need for the module I want to run Thursday. Or the fact that we have bought the core game and 8 boosters and we can still only make one Lawful good force due to not having enough minis from that faction. Due to being collectible, the coolest mobs are also the hardest to find, and thus very expensive if you didn't want to take a chance buying randomly. With only one rare in each pack, at approx $20 a pack, it can get expensive to find that one you really want, or the one you are missing.
[glow=purple,2,300]Overall[/glow]
Well here was a game I was NEVER going to get into, and here I did. I picked up a starter set due to planning on starting a D&D rpg game. I then found out that I ended up with a really good skirmish game as well as some cool minis for use when roleplaying. I have to admit, I'm not a fan of the collectible format, but I keep buying more just to see what cool new monsters and heroes I will find, as well as hopefully get some more goblins to add to my themed warband. I suggest this game for anyone that enjoys a game of D&D. You get some cool minis your DM will love to use against you, and you get a good game to go with it.
PS: anyone want to play a round at a future gathering let me know.