New SAGA supplement: Age of Crusades

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Saw this in the page of Gripping Beast:

https://www.grippingbeast.co.uk/SRB22_SAGA_Age_of_Crusades_Supplement_PREORDER--product--5544.html

It will include 6 new factions, besides the 6 factions that were included in the original supplement. The new factions are: Teutonic Knights, Russians Princedoms, Baltic Pagans, Mongols, Polish and the later Byzantines.

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Truth be told, I didn't expect the release of Age of Crusades so soon, and not before Book of Battles. If something is lacking in the new Saga iteration are scenarios. Probably A&A ones can be used for v2, and that is what I intent to do -hopefully, in Easter, when I can take a short holiday!-. I had thought about designing my own, but I don't feel that I know the quirks of the game good enough to design scenarios. Not just yet, at least.

Anyway, I am looking forward to AoC release. Particularly, because of Mongols!

[folnjir]

Thanks for the detail on the new factions. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with them.

I think the Rus Princedoms are actually an update that have moved from the viking age though.

[Codsticker]

Yay! Mongols!

[Calnala]

I see a Battle of Lake Peipus coming up with Teutonic Knights and some Russians.  Time for some good Eastern Crusades action.

[Ingmar]

Slightly surprised that it follows so soon after the first reworked book, but on the other hand very understandable, since they're basically reworking an existing range.

I've received my copy of the new rulebook and vikings supplement this week (thank you footsore!) and am pleased with the quality of artwork and layout. I haven't had time for an in depth read through, but based on my  first impressions, I'll probably order the crusade book as well..

[Gibby]

Let's hope the "Mutatawwi'a" are either not in it or have undergone an immense overhaul. All of their abilities in C&C seemed to be based on MODERN Jihadists, not medieval ones. One powerful ability seemed to simulate a guy exploding rather than fighting with a melee weapon (I think I saw one guy take down 12 mounted knights due to the ability, so either he was suddenly an anime level powerhouse or he literally took them all out in an explosion...).

[Coenus Scaldingus]

Let's hope the "Mutatawwi'a" are either not in it or have undergone an immense overhaul. All of their abilities in C&C seemed to be based on MODERN Jihadists, not medieval ones. One powerful ability seemed to simulate a guy exploding rather than fighting with a melee weapon (I think I saw one guy take down 12 mounted knights due to the ability, so either he was suddenly an anime level powerhouse or he literally took them all out in an explosion...).

It's the original 6 + Teutonic Knights, Russians Princedoms, Baltic Pagans, Mongols, Polish and the later Byzantines.

Can't remember the exact Mutatawwi'a abilities, but is it really that different from what something like an ability-laden Berserker could do? Over-the-top heroics are hardly uncommon in Saga, meant to represent exactly that kind of thing - the lone berserker at Stamford bridge etc.

[Gibby]

It's the original 6 + Teutonic Knights, Russians Princedoms, Baltic Pagans, Mongols, Polish and the later Byzantines.

Can't remember the exact Mutatawwi'a abilities, but is it really that different from what something like an ability-laden Berserker could do? Over-the-top heroics are hardly uncommon in Saga, meant to represent exactly that kind of thing - the lone berserker at Stamford bridge etc.

You make a good point, and I agree that Saga was never exactly overly grounded in reality, but something about the way the Mutatawwi'a battle board worked and read just didn't seem to fit the "game world" as well.