Quick question on game balance. You let the attacker take a few more units and another sub commander. But what about terrain. A single built up area can really chew up attackers. You showed us how a persons army is selected and built, but what about terrain? I think you mentioned something about having 12 premade terrain setups.
Balance
(9 posts) (3 voices)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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Right, there are 12 basic boards. They're pretty simple and open. You roll up one at random, and then both players can customize it a little.
In our playtests, over and over again it was painfully obvious that attacking was HARD. It's not just that have to get close to the enemy, usually in some formation like a column that makes you a sitting duck for his artillery, but also because you often can't use your own artillery very well because your advancing units are getting in their way.
Believe me, once you start playing you'll be telling me that the attacker should have MORE bonus units.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Begining to look like the defender has a major advantage then. How do you decide who is the attacker or defender? High roll?
Posted 2 years ago # -
It's a secret choice, simultaneously revealed. If there's a conflict (you both want the same role), you roll-off. That's where that army list modifier comes into play: some armies get a +1 when rolling to be the Attacker, some a +1 when rolling to be the Defender, etc.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Love it Sam. Now I know what the modifiers are for. What a great idea. You really put a lot of thought into making it a tournament game. I will try and see if I can get enough interest next year after it is out to get a tournament together in the KC area. How long does the average game take? Between this and Tactica II, looks like I will have a busy year coming up.
Posted 2 years ago # -
The average Army Builder game takes 2- 2.5 hours. More like 3 if you use bigger armies (more support brigades.)
Posted 2 years ago # -
HI there
The whole structure of Attacker / defender in the rules has me concerned about play balance. Of course not having seen the rules or played them I speak in ignorance.
From what I read of the rules (and Sam's answers here) they apear to have been robustly playtested, but it will when the great unwashed mass of us start playing that any lack of balance might come to light.
However I expect re-calibrating things, if required, would not be a major problem if an active player base posts their ideas.
regards
David b
Posted 2 years ago # -
Sam how big are the basic boards? What sort of terrain will we need for the board and what sort of terrain to customize it? I am assuming woods, buildings and hills, anything else? I tend to do my terrain as a base with moveable trees and buildings to move out of the way, will that work.
Posted 2 years ago # -
The smallest ("basic") board for the Army Builder assumes a 4' X 6' board. Terrain is no different from any other game: woods, towns, rivers, hills, etc.
Posted 2 years ago #
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