Foundry's God of Battles fantasy rules

[redben]

That is indeed the case. The majority of the minis are available with a phonecall or email.

[Vermis]

Not an ideal situation, though. I still have the feeling that taking a fantasy range offline at the same time as releasing a fantasy game wasn't the wisest move...

But, I've started reading the book properly and even after a few random pages it's looking great.  I've got a bunch of GW ogres and old C11 halflings that I was going to put together for Warhammer and then Kings of War, but now I think I'd like to give them a spin with GoB first. Like I said on Frothers a while ago, I appreciate an army list that lets me properly use 'em together without too much counts-as and house rules and faffing. (halflings standing in as gnoblars or goblins never seemed too right to me)
But what size are Foundry ogres? IIRC they're a bit smaller than most other companies' ogres, and in the wee pic under their unit entry they don't look much larger than big orcs, based on 2p pieces. I know the book says don't worry about base sizes, but is a 40mm base taking the proverbial if that specific unit was developed and tested with ~25mm bases?

[eilif]

I know they are available but not on their ebay site yet, as the Face Book chaps have posted pictures of them so you can get them in store or drop them a line

That is shockingly short-sighted.  Do you mean that they already had alot of these minis produced, but chose not to have them readily available for their newest game?  Who's running things over there?

I don't have the book, but was looking at some sample pages on line and they looked quite nice. Very much like many of the late 80's-early 90's style of miniatures that I prefer.  However, I checked the Foundry ebay store but didn't see any.  Meh, if they can't be bothered then I can't be bothered. I should probably thank them for not making a greater effort to tempt me into adding to the lead pile.

[redben]

40mm bases for Ogres wouldn't be an issue.

There was a change of management at Foundry last summer as the Ansell's took over running the company again. At the time they took it over their priorities were to get all the (mainly Perry sculpted) ranges that had fallen oop back into production and to overhaul the website. The release of GoB got bumped from it's initial June 2012 date but as the re-organisation of the company was taking longer than anticipated and they didn't want to hold off releasing GoB any more than they already had they decided the best solution was to release it and support it as best they could until the historicals re-organisation was over and they could start on the fantasy ranges. Like I say, this is taking a lot longer than they anticipated and it's affecting the historicals ranges as well, they don't even have their historicals books on their website at the moment. It's a very big job and they've encountered a number of hiccups along the way. By the time it's finished, God of Battles will have its own Foundry website.

[redben]

The rulebook is now available with free shipping (or £1 shipping depending on how you look at it as the price has gone up by £1) - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/God-of-Battles-Jake-Thorntons-Fantasy-Mass-Combat-Wargame-Rules-/230989813539?pt=UK_Toys_Wargames_RL&hash=item35c810d723


And for anyone who missed it, Foundry have reintroduced the bonus blisters scheme that was dropped when the blister price was reduced from £12 to £10 but they're holding the £10 price for another couple of weeks. Essentially, Foundry now have a sale on and you can get 10 GoB blisters (enough for a 24pt army and a little more in most cases) for £80. You'll still need to email or call Foundry with an order as the fantasy stuff is still not online.

[WitchfinderGeneral]

I'm digging our this older thread because I read through the book and got a question to the more experienced GoB players (or more thorough readers).

Are the army lists so fixed as it seems? So when I 'buy' a Skeleton Horde (16 models for 5 points) it ALWAYS has 16 models?
On page 213 in the book is a picture of a much larger horde (the size I'm used from WHFB) - is it possible to have a horde that size? Or the other way round: When I already have a unit that size (from other games), am I supposed to split it up and get some more standard bearers/musicians?

Did someone found out the math for creating the troop pofiles? Or are they just made up by the author and balanced intuitively at some test games?

It is written at some placed that the game emphasizes 'telling a story'. But the book only features 3 scenarios which are basically only terrain-distribution-maps. Or did I missed something?

[Lowtardog]

I'm digging our this older thread because I read through the book and got a question to the more experienced GoB players (or more thorough readers).

Are the army lists so fixed as it seems? So when I 'buy' a Skeleton Horde (16 models for 5 points) it ALWAYS has 16 models?
On page 213 in the book is a picture of a much larger horde (the size I'm used from WHFB) - is it possible to have a horde that size? Or the other way round: When I already have a unit that size (from other games), am I supposed to split it up and get some more standard bearers/musicians?

Did someone found out the math for creating the troop pofiles? Or are they just made up by the author and balanced intuitively at some test games?

It is written at some placed that the game emphasizes 'telling a story'. But the book only features 3 scenarios which are basically only terrain-distribution-maps. Or did I missed something?

Unit sizes are fixed with units being 16-12-8 models either formed (16-12) or formed and loose at 12 and 8 figures. On standards, musicians and leaders these can or could be abstract so you could add in something on a base such as a talisman, it is more a case of the effect the standard, musician has. The leader is essential as that is the basis for movement. You dont have to have both standard and musician it is optional.

I would check out the quickworthy site as he answers Qs and also wil have other info on there. One thing I have found easier than WHFB and other strict systems is that it is easy to translate from other lists units etc to fit what you want as points are fairly similar and within the rules the lists also permit use of allies to a greater or lesser extent to give more variety than you would traditionally expect. E.G. My whihte knight goblins are in a mercenary army but no stats so I proxy them for dwarves. Similarly I use from thousand tribes list allied cavalry albeit they are actually dwarf horse

On scenarios there are a number of options which can build up your story, terrain types by list, baggage and camps, weather etc which can affect the game style more than you would first realise

[Argonor]

I think you can easily expand unit sizes if you want to (twice the size, twice the points, etc., even fractions should be possible) - that would really mean rolling 'buckets of dice', though. I'm not sure whether it would upset balance, but my guess is, it would strenghten the built-in odds, as more dice rolled even out the odd results (or should, if you don't roll quite as catastrophic results as I do).

You don't really need to have standards for each and every unit. They are included in the points cost, yes, but they don't really confer such a big bonus. Musicians and Sharpshooters you can just assume are there, as the minis have no other effect on the game than providing their bonusses (as far as I remember). It doesn't really influence gameplay if they are not physically present on the table.

But try out the game using your existing collection - as Karl stated, it is very easy to find a list that has units matching the flavour of a given faction.

I use the Mercs for my Gondorian army - the Dwarf units are translated into formed units of Warriors of Minas Tirith, the Half Elf Warriors become loose units of Fiefdom Warriors, etc.

I'm going to build a Rohan force from the Thousand Tribes list on the same principles, and an Isengard army from the Orc Warlords.

I also plan to expand into historicals in the future, making a Caesarian Roman force, most likely built from the Norse Dwarfs list, but I haven't quite decided. The Blood Gorged could be used for a Dark Age Viking army, etc.

I game terms, the rules are very easy to learn and memorize - BUT, they demand your awareness of the strength and weaknesses of your units, and allow for a lot of tactical play.

You can swamp the table with rabble and still win the day if using your units to full effect, and you can field an elite force of hard hitters, only to see them chopped apart if you do not position them carefully, avoiding exposure of flanks and rear.

I played my first game (with 15mm models, 24 pts.) commanding Blood Gorged against Wood (Sea) Elves, and succeeded in sacking both Camp and Baggage of my opponent after playing a refused flank, receiving a counter-attack, and then launching an attack on the opposite flank. Exciting game with a lot of turns played in a few hours time.

Oh, and some loose units are 10 strong, too.

[Archie]

Its a great game. Very easy to proxy figures .... although having visited Foundry and seen the ranges in the flesh I can confirm most of them are magnificent!

That said I have built an entire ork army using Amazon figures because thats what I wanted to do!

Currently I am struggling to defeat my sons Undead army ... they have some nice special rules ... and he's playing them well!

[joroas]

Foundry were selling it at Worlds for £10......

[Argonor]

Foundry were selling it at Worlds for £10......

Yup, they had a sale on recently. Rogue Trader in Copenhagen took orders for bulk-ordering to save postage.
We have a growing communithy of GoB15 players here in Denmark (I've also purchased a bunch of Copplestone 15 mm barbarians to make a Horse Tribes army... eventually).

Undeads are tough. Maybe a little bit too tough, haven't played mine often enough, yet, to quite decide. But they look splendidly on the table in all their decaying grandeur   

[affun]

We have a growing communithy of GoB15 players here in Denmark

Speaking of which: Im still meaning to get into it. How many figures would one roughly need for an army? I am ordering stuff from Ral Partha soonish, and I think Ill toss in a little Demonworld too.

[Argonor]

Speaking of which: Im still meaning to get into it. How many figures would one roughly need for an army? I am ordering stuff from Ral Partha soonish, and I think Ill toss in a little Demonworld too.

What kind of army/race are you thinking about? I can PM you the number of models needed, and the points cost, for each type of unit in your chosen army, if you haven't got the rules, yet, but I strongly suggest you get the book asap to have access to the full army list.

Good news is, you never need more than 16 models for a unit, but the exact composition of your army is important when planning which and how many models to buy.

[affun]

What kind of army/race are you thinking about? I can PM you the number of models needed, and the points cost, for each type of unit in your chosen army, if you haven't got the rules, yet, but I strongly suggest you get the book asap to have access to the full army list.

Good news is, you never need more than 16 models for a unit, but the exact composition of your army is important when planning which and how many models to buy.

Ill PM you. I am going to order the book very soon. But I want to get painting as well.

You know what; it was on sale and I bought it, even though I clearly havent got the budget  I guess Ill just look at it when it arrives.

[Argonor]

Ill PM you. I am going to order the book very soon. But I want to get painting as well.

You know what; it was on sale and I bought it, even though I clearly havent got the budget  I guess Ill just look at it when it arrives.

Capital! Welcome to the madness! 

Skip right to the actual rules and army lists, and only use the section on generating terrain as a guide, unless you have tons of terrain already. If you have the necessary terrain, and enough models for the habitats, I think using the full rules now and then can be quite funny, but the real treasure lies in the core rules: Simple, fast, and fun, yet challenging to master. And if you own a Warhammer army, you can easily use the models for a 28mm force, too.

And if you get the chance, come visit Horisont in Odense late next month - I'm pretty sure we'll have both 28mm and 15mm represented there (Duregar and I are bringing a 28mm LotR GoB table, and I would be surprised if Phoenikuz/Torben doesn't bring his 15mm mat and armies).