VPG Double Feature
Well, No High Scores is having some kind of issue with the layout or something and these games aren't at Miniature Market so it's an F:AT exclusive. Reviews for VPG's latest, Wings for the Baron and Hunt: The Unknown Quarry follow the regularly scheduled programming here.
Warhammer Quest is the big news for the day. It's really good. How good, I'm not sure yet and I do want to see if it has legs beyond what Pathfinder turned out to have. I think it is probably a better game- both a little simpler and a little more complex at the same time, somehow. I think that those of you that are hoping for a successor to Death Angel or that want something like LOTR LCG but less LCG-ish (and not as punishingly difficult) are going to really get into this one. It's also co-designed by a bona fide F:ATtie (and actual power metal musician, drummer for Lorenguard), Brady Sadler. So do support the home team and check it out. If you can, it looks like it keeps selling out and that's a good thing because it is going to need expansions to keep it current. The full review shouldn't take too long- maybe in two weeks.
I picked up Heroes of Normandie. I was sort of iffy on it because a) I'm tired of WW2 anything and b) it looked like one of those slightly janky European battle games with weird rules that always has a "but" attached to any positive comment. And also c) because there are a TON of extra purchases. The rules weren't weird though, it's sort of a Heroscape activation system with mechanics that are really more miniatures-oriented than wargame-oriented. And then action cards. And virtually zero historicity, which I actually prefer to fussing over if the Germans deployed an SDFkzv.1.4 with the 100mm armor plating or the JU-88 Luftgherkinjager with SS livery in the battle of whatever, whenever. Instead, it's got cartoon "Nazzies" and Americans with giant jaws and probably a lot of earnest patriotism. There's a character named after Lee Marvin and the whole thing feels like WWII is more of a fantasy setting. Which some people will hate, but I love it.
The game is actually pretty easy, but there is a ton of special stuff. Everything is mostly printed on the big counters along with some Euroglyphics, but it's pretty simple to sort out that you flip over the MG42 if you want to deploy the tripod. There's a lot of detail, but it's all "action" detail.
The scenarios are kind of shitty though. They have good setups (I especially like the one where you are trying to catch a dog in the middle of a firefight), but they just don't play out as interestingly as you'd hope. A least the first five, that may change in the back five. And you can make your own, kind of like how you can in Earth Reborn...which also this game also kind of reminds me of.
Definitely interested in more, especially Shadows Over Normandie, which adds horror stuff to it. There's also a small expansion that adds super heroes to it, which sounds really fun.
And I've got a PILE of review stuff on the way. The big one is Blood Rage, so I'll finally get to see what all the hootin' and hollerin' is all about there. I also have the new Pixel Tactics Deluxe inbound, as well as a big assortment of Thames Kosmos products, including Klaus Teuber's new one (Royal Tumult) and the Legends of Andor re-release. Then I've got Dungeon Saga coming from Mantic as well. So that should keep me busy through January.
You can always count on Victory Point Games to turn out unique games. I was a big supporter of their work back in the early days and over the years they’ve gotten bigger and better, at this point their games now have much better graphic design and production quality and they still ship with a stamped paper napkin. My love affair with Darkest Night put me back in mind of VPG so I thought I’d check out some of their latest titles- Wings for the Baron Review and The Hunt Review.