Post by Fadril Adren on Jul 13, 2017 14:53:22 GMT -5
The call to war has been sounded, and on July 25 at 3:00pm EST, A Song of Ice and Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game (ASOIF:TMG) from Cool Mini Or Not (henceforth CMON) and Dark Sword Miniatures, Inc, launches on Kickstarter. Based on the hit novels by George R.R. Martin, ASOIF:TMG will let fans experience their favorite characters and the world they live in like never before.
The War of the Five Kings began with the death of King Robert I in 298 AL. Westeros was plunged into chaos as different noble Houses, each with their own claim to the crown, fought to place their leader on the Iron Throne. Few families have more history and more reason to fight in the War of the Five Kings than the Starks and the Lannisters.
In the ASOIF:TMG Starter Set - Stark vs Lannister, players will take control of either House and fight for honor and glory on the battlefield. Each army can be assembled with different Combat and Non-Combat Units. The soldiers you put on the field will make a big difference in the strategies you can employ. However, behind-the-scenes tactical maneuverings and political subterfuge will play as big a role in the outcome of the war as any blades, armor, or arrows will.
Hailing from the North, the Starks use their speed and aggression in combat. They take the battle to the enemy where they can, secure in the knowledge that their cause is just. The Lannisters of Casterly Rock, rely on trickery and counter attacks, opting to wear down their opponents and destroy their morale. To win this war, a General needs to understand their army, compensate for their weaknesses, and take advantage of their strengths.
Leading up to the Kickstarter launch, we’ll continue to share more details of the Units, Tactics, and Scenarios. ASOIF:TMG is a collaboration of some of the most accomplished minds in the gaming industry today. Whether you’re a fan of the book series, or new to the land of Westeros, you will find yourself drawn in to this new miniatures game.
The conflict begins when A Song of Ice and Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game launches on July 25 at 3:00pm EST, with more expansions featuring iconic material from the hit novels and organized play when the game arrives at retail in 2018. Answer the call to war, pick up arms, and prepare for battle. The calendar may say July, but winter is coming.
INTRODUCING A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE: TABLETOP MINIATURES GAME
A Song of Ice and Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game is a new miniatures game designed by Eric M. Lang and Michael Shinall. You and your friends will lead armies from your chosen Houses into battle, controlling trays of infantry, cavalry, and more from throughout the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series. Iconic characters such as Jaime Lannister or Robb Stark – both available in the two-player starter set heading to Kickstarter later this year – can lead your troops, providing special abilities to the units they are assigned to. Even those who choose a more political battlefield, such as Cersei Lannister, have an impact on the battle by giving new tactical options via the Tactics Deck. The rules are designed to allow veteran tabletop miniature players a wealth of strategy, while players new to the table will find the game accessible and easy to learn, no matter the size of the battles.
You will form your armies by bringing together units from your chosen faction. These units are brought to the table in trays, ranging from one to twelve models depending on their type. Combat is resolved with an intuitive D6 system. As units engage in combat, models are removed from their trays to indicated damage received during fights. Depending on the number of models left, a unit’s stats will change. Keeping track of your armies’ stats and abilities is simple as each unit and named characters have one card featuring all the info you’ll need for them during play.
Alternating activation (where one player takes an action and then the other player does) means you’ll never find yourself waiting for your opponent to move their entire army. So, no matter what scale you play at – a small battle of a few units per side or recreating the grandiose battles from the books –, the action never stops. And even when you’re not attacking, you’ll have options thanks to the innovative Tactics Deck. Based on the heroic figure leading your army, your Tactics Deck will be modified, allowing you to play cards that can alter attacks or give you the upper hand when engaged by the enemy. Non-combat characters (NCC), such as Cersei, will allow you to claim multiple spots on the Tactics Board, a key companion to the Tactics Deck. Claiming these spots will grant your army powerful benefits for the round, and also unlocks additional effects and abilities from your Tactics Deck and NCC characters.
Each faction is designed to bring a different feel to the game. For example, House Stark is full of in-your-face aggressive units. They love to close in on enemy forces, utilizing their increased maneuverability and positioning, and take them on in hand-to-hand combat. House Stark fight for their cause, as such their stalwart determination makes them even more dangerous the more desperate the situation. Heroes like Robb Stark fill their Tactics Deck with straightforward sorts of cards, like adding to charge ranges. Contrast that against the House Lannister. Instead of trying to simply stab their opponents to death, they will work at bringing down an enemy’s morale using different status effects. Due to their great wealth, the Lannisters have the best weapons and armor money can buy. Their Tactics Deck is filled with intrigue, playing at the mind of their foes. But money only goes so far when one’s life is on the line. The Lannister morale can be rather shaky, as you can’t spend your pay when you’re dead.
The highly-detailed miniatures in A Song of Ice and Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game are all-new sculpts based off original art created for the game by CMON’s talented crew and approved by George R.R. Martin and his team to ensure they fit the vision of his world. Models come pre-assembled and are plastic with ABS weapons that prevents bending. The initial Stark vs Lannister two-player starter and future unit boxes are all playable out of the box. Units have multiple sculpts, giving armies strong, visual variance. Extra details on unit leaders and bannermen (for those units that have them) add even more variety.
A Song of Ice and Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game lets you recreate your favorite moments from the book series, as well as any sort of “what if…?” scenarios you and your friends might come up with. The game begins shortly after King Robert Baratheon has died. From there, it’s up to you to see how things turn out in Westeros. Perhaps the Red Wedding never happened and Robb Stark assaulted King’s Landing. Or what if the Battle of Riverrun turned out differently? Hero models in the game will also have different versions with varying stats, abilities, and sculpts depending on the point in the novels they are pulled from.
A Song of Ice and Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game brings all the excitement and intrigue of George R. R. Martin’s books to your gaming table. With its easy-to-learn rules, quick play time, incredible scalability, and numerous options, you will be able to dive right in and feel like you are leading an army to conquer King’s Landing to claim the Iron Throne. But how long before someone comes to challenge that title?
A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE: TABLETOP MINIATURES GAME- THE BEGINNING
Every good story has a beginning, a time when all the major players are introduced, the stage is set for the story arc, and the action starts to unfold. George R.R. Martin’s wonderful book series A Song of Ice and Fire begins with the first book, A Game of Thrones. Readers are introduced to the Lannisters and the Starks as they battle over control of Westeros. The tale of A Song of Ice and Fire has continued in a series of books and has turned up in a number of different forms of media. New characters have been introduced, more drama has been added, and fans of the story have become more and more invested in the outcome. With the announcement of A Song of Ice and Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game (ASOIF:TMG) by CMON in partnership with Dark Sword Miniatures, Inc., a new chapter in the tale has begun. Like many stories, this one begins with two old friends looking to go on an adventure together.
David Doust, Founder and President of CMON, Inc. and Jim Ludwig, owner of Dark Sword Miniatures, Inc., have known each other for years. Their friendship dates back to around 2003, when Doust was dipping his toe in in the miniature market with Dark Age and Ludwig was working to get Dark Sword Miniatures off the ground. They have always considered joining forces, but it wasn’t until recently that a project came along that made sense for them to work on together. One thing they agreed on: if they were going to team up, they were committed to doing it right.
“Jim and I have been friends for a very long time, and we have always wanted to do something together but never had an opportunity like this. And it wasn't a quick decision, we talked about it for a long time before committing to a project of this magnitude,” said Doust.
Dark Sword has had the license for A Song of Ice and Fire for years, and had fielded countless offers of partnerships to produce a tabletop miniatures game based on the series.
“I had been approached more times than I can count over the years from established smaller companies and game developers asking about joining up on such a project, but I rarely responded to the enquiries,” explained Ludwig. “But with CMON, it made sense to me as their resources and their experience in these areas always impressed me.”
It wasn’t long after they started talking that Doust and Ludwig realized they shared a vision for where the game could go.
“We had a number of conversations, meetings, and demos about what I wanted the game to be and what they wanted the game to be, and found that we had huge amounts of common ground,” said Ludwig. “CMON is the main driver on this project, while Dark Sword and George R.R. Martin's camp are involved every step of the way. It is beyond impressive for me personally to see the CMON team in action on this project.”
CMON has a reputation for creating their own worlds in the games they publish, but recently, they’ve explored licensing existing stories for the tabletop market.
“CMON has been very successful in creating our own IPs such as Zombicide, Arcadia Quest, and Blood Rage. In addition to Bloodborne: The Card Game and The Godfather: Corleone’s Empire, A Song of Ice and Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game will demonstrate how well we handle external licenses and successfully transfer that onto the tabletop,” said Doust.
As you’d expect with a CMON title, a great deal of care was taken in the design and development of the all-new miniatures by the team with final approvals from both Dark Sword and George R.R. Martin. Fans have been envisioning these characters for years, and now they get a chance to see them come to life on the battlefield.
“I think the miniatures are some of the best CMON have created to date. Fans of the book will immediately recognize characters and units that they read about and will be able to recreate actual or hypothetical battles on the tabletop,” said Doust.
Beautiful minis are one part of the equation of making a great game. However, Doust and Ludwig wouldn’t have been satisfied there. The goal for ASOIF:TMG was to bring a game to the table that would work for both players familiar with miniature games and people new to the hobby.
“The miniatures are amazing, but I am most excited about the actual game play and back and forth ‘I go you go’ flow of unit activations,” said Ludwig. “ It is fast moving and brutal. And it is so much fun. The off battlefield political and character effects unique to each faction are also something I really enjoy. Right after we were done demoing a battle, I was ready to jump right back in again with another one.”
The best news of all for fans of the series is that Doust and Ludwig made a pilgrimage to meet with the father of the series himself, George R.R. Martin. A huge fan or miniatures, Martin, Ludwig, and Doust discussed the book series and the different directions ASOIF:TMG can go.
“It was a great pleasure to be able to meet George in person. We were fortunate enough to be able to spend a whole day with him. He has always been a huge miniature fan. I remember I used to see web orders coming in with his name on it when we were just selling single miniatures on our site. But his miniature collection is most impressive, spanning floors in his compound. He is definitely an expert in miniatures,” said Doust. “During our meeting, I brought along a lot of the early prototypes of the miniatures, and George was very excited to see our interpretation of his vision!“
The A Song of Ice and Fire book series began with one man’s inspiration. ASOIF:TMG builds off that inspiration and puts the fate of the characters in your hands while allowing you to also relive famous battles from the series.
A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE: TABLETOP MINIATURES GAME - KNOWING YOUR ARMY
Few deaths have caused as much political upheaval as that of King Robert Baratheon. When he passed, the land of Westeros was plunged into chaos, leading to all-out war. Many different families claim to have the right to the Iron Throne, and they are willing to go to great lengths to take their place upon it. Some armies rely on their pure strength of numbers, others have vast wealth at their disposal, and some must rely on their cunning to win the day. In A Song of Ice and Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game (ASOIF:TMG), you have to know the different strengths your army possesses and take advantage of them on the battlefield.
An army is broken up into different Combat and Non-Combat Units (CUs and NCUs), all with their own specific stats. Combat Unit Cards provide all the information one might need for their specific CU of choice. Everything you need to know about it is contained on this card: no need to reference books, sheets, or anything else. Combat Unit Cards streamline the game, making each engagement a true test of your military prowess.
Each CU Card displays the various stats of that Unit:
Speed: This shows how far a CU can move in a given action.
Defense: This shows how good the Unit is at fending off enemy Attacks. When a CU is Attacked, for each Hit it suffers, it will roll 1 Defense die. For each number meeting this value, a Hit is negated.
Morale: This represents how well a CU can keep its composure under pressure, whether that be getting Attacked by an enemy or suffering other dubious effects. When a CU tests its Morale, it will roll 2d6, needing to meet or exceed its Morale value.
Next, we have a CU’s Attack Profile. The first number displays the CU’s To Hit value. When it Attacks, each die rolled that equals or exceeds this number is a Hit. Next to that, we see three values that represent the fighting capabilities of the CU based on its remaining Ranks. In ASOIF:TMG, a CU’s combat potential degrades over time as it suffers damage.
Infantry Units are comprised of three Ranks of Troops; as they lose Ranks from suffering casualties, the number of Attack dice they roll diminishes as well. Usually, CUs will begin to lose dice immediately upon losing even one Rank, but as we see with the Halberdiers, they won’t lose dice until they are damaged down to only one remaining Rank, evidence of their weapons and training. However, when they are reduced to a single Rank, they take a major hit to their combat potential.
Finally, we come to a CU’s Special Abilities, which are listed in the boxes on the right side of its CU Card. Each Special Ability is unique, but as mentioned earlier, the entirety of its rules are listed on the card. Special Abilities are passive effects and always available to the CU. Sometimes you’ll see an icon attached to the Ability; this is used as a quick-reference to show when the Ability in question is used. In the case of the Halberdiers, their Attack can cut through even the heaviest of armor. This is represented by the Sundering Special Ability, and since it’s linked to their Attack, you have the Weapon icon next to it to remind you!
Success or failure on the battlefield often comes down to the ability to react quickly to an opponent’s actions. Combat Unit Cards in ASOIF:TMG put all the information about those troops in your hand and in an easy-to-reference format. They allow you to focus on the fight you’re engaged in, rather than looking up rules. Step into the role of one of the great leaders in the War of the Five Kings and battle your way to victory.
A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE: TABLETOP MINIATURES GAME - THE HIDDEN SIDE OF WAR
Wars are not solely fought on the battlefield. Behind the scenes, there is political maneuvering, shady deals, and outright backstabbing. It takes a mind that can see a complex situation from all angles to change the tide of a conflict in their favor. In The War of the Five Kings, forces clash on the fields of Westeros. But removed from the frontline, many influential figures work to control the outcome. In A Song of Ice and Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game (ASOIF:TMG), you need to balance commanding your troops on the field with working to put yourself in a better tactical position for victory.
While Combat Units (CUs) position themselves and ready for assault, alliances are being formed, plots are being crafted, and political machinations are taking shape. This is all represented via the Tactics Board and Non-Combat Units (NCU).
When constructing your army, you may spend points to include various NCUs, such as Tyrion Lannister and Catelyn Stark. These allies won’t see combat, but will work their skills aiding the troops none-the-less. During your turn, instead of activating a CU, you may elect to move one of your NCUs onto the Tactics Board, claiming an empty zone. When this is done, you’ll gain an immediate benefit based on where you positioned your NCU, ranging from extra Attacks, bonus Movement, or causing powerful debuffs to enemy Units.
In addition, most NCUs also have a unique effect of their own that will trigger when they are moved onto the Tactics Board. In the case of Tyrion, his cunning mind allows you greater access to Tactics Cards, or the ability to deny your opponent cards of their own. More so, if he is placed on the Crown zone of the Tactics board, his influence expands even further, allowing him to choose both effects.
Of course, the rewards for claiming a zone go beyond just the immediate benefit! The various Tactics Cards utilized by each player also gain numerous benefits and boosts based on claimed zones of the Tactics Board for the entirety of that game round.
These tactical, non-combat actions weave together with the war that is raging on the battlefield to provide some interesting gameplay choices for each player. Do you give up a favorable combat activation to instead set up a model on the Tactics Board? Is playing the long-game a better tactical choice? Or does the battlefield demand the immediate activation of a CU? Perhaps it’s best to move onto a spot you know your opponent will want to deny them their bonuses! These are just a few examples of some of the choices a player will need to consider throughout the game, each with deep ramifications to the overall flow of the battle!
Wars are often fought as much with secret bribes and hidden promises as with blades and arrows. Using NCUs and the Tactics Board effectively can change the course of the game and ensure victory for your House. ASOIF:TMG marries political scheming with vicious combat to capture the essence of this epic book series. Each new game you play will unfold like a chapter in the books. However, in this story, you write the ending. Get ready for war!
ASOIF:TMG is coming to Kickstarter in July 2017.
- FADRIL