Saturday, November 30, 2013

Romance of the Nine Empires

So, I've been playing a few games of Romance of the Nine Empires, a new LCG from Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG).  If you haven't heard about this, or haven't tried it, you should definitely take a look.

At the moment, the game consists solely of the core set (the "15th Anniversary Edition"), but there's plans for an expansion early next year, as far as I can tell, and I imagine if the game does well, we'll see more expansions.

For those confused by the mention of the 15th Anniversary Edition, I'll mention only that it's a reference to a movie (The Gamers: Hands of Fate), and that this really is the first edition of the actual game.  You're not missing anything, you haven't missed anything, the game is complete as is.

So, what is this game?

It's basically a re-implemented, slightly simpler, and re-themed form of Legend of the Burning Sands (LBS), a CCG that AEG put out back in the late 90s. The CCG ended up getting pretty good reviews, and was moderately popular, but CCGs as a whole basically started slowing down a little after this time, so LBS ended up disappearing.

The game currently has five factions (although I guess the first expansion will release the other four), each with different playing styles, and one nice thing about the R9E box- it comes with a complete playset of every card in the game.  That's a nice change from the FFG Core Sets, where you'll need to buy 2-3 copies of the Core Set to have a complete playset.

I won't bore you with too much details about the game (yet), but it will be a game I cover on here from time to time, since I've had a lot of fun playing it, and I'm eager to see where it goes.  I do, however, recommend checking it out if you're into LCGs.

Friday, November 29, 2013

Warhammer: Invasion no longer Living

Well, the news is out: FFG is no longer making new content for Warhammer: Invasion.

I find this to be very sad news, obviously.  Although I play W:I less than any other LCG I own (I've played exactly one game of it in 2013, despite my best efforts), I really felt like it was a strong, thematic system, with a lot of room for growth, if FFG wished it.

Apparently FFG decided not to bother, however.  It never seemed to do very well in the US (I hear that the tournaments in Poland are pretty successful though), and heck, maybe they wanted to free developers up to work on a new LCG (I can hope, at least).

With that said, I hate to see any LCG go down without a fight.  I'd like there to be some coverage of Warhammer: Invasion, even if there is no new official content.

So!  I'm going to try, over the next year, to come out with some fan made cards.  I can't guarantee how successful me doing so will be, but I think it'll be fun to give it a chance.  I'll throw together some new cards from time to time, post them on the site, and see how it works out, at least.  It's going to take me a bit to start off, since I'm not really an expert at imaging software, but I would expect at least something from me early 2014.

So, for my first set, I'm thinking of either trying to create a Bretonnian themed expansion or starting with one of the Black Library novels and creating a small expansion based off that.  I have ideas for new mechanics as well, but those may take me a bit to really work out fully.

If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, I'd love to hear them as well :)

Thanks!

Monday, April 1, 2013

Hobby progress for March, 2013

This month:

Malifaux:
* Re-based Neverborn Malifaux Cherub.

Warmachine/Hordes:
* Unit of Cryx Necrosurgeon and Stitch Thralls assembled
* Unit of Cygnar Mechanics assembled
* Unit of Cygnar Long Gunners + UA Assembled
* Cygnar Black 13th assembled
* Cygnar Journeyman Warcaster assembled
* Taryn di la Rovissi assembled
* Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord assembled
* Bull Snapper assembled
* Skorne Cyclops Shaman assembled
* Sylys Wyshnalyrr assembled
* Anastasia di Bray assembled
* Orin Midwinter assembled
* Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios assembled

Thursday, March 21, 2013

The Pirates of Lys Spoilers (A Game of Thrones)

Ser Lancel Lannister
Unique Lannister Character
2 Cost
2 Strength
Intrique, Power Challenge Icons
Holy Crest
Lord.  Knight
Ser Lancel Lannister gets +1 STR for each Holy Crest character in play.

The Bear and the Maiden Fair
Event
House Lannister only.
Response: After you win an Intrigue challenge by 4 or more total STR, the losing opponent chooses and discards 2 cards from hand. (Limit 1 per phase).

Cersei's Scheme
Plot
3 Income
6 Initiative
1 Claim Value
House Lannister only.
If you win a challenge as the attacker and defending player does not have more participating characters than you, choose and kneel 1 character controlled by the losing opponent.

Andrik the Unsmiling
Unique Greyjoy Character
3 Cost
3 Strength
Military (+Naval), Power Challenge Icons
Ironborn.  Lord.
Response: After you win a challenge in which Andrik the Unsmiling participated by 4 or more total STR, choose the topmost location in the losing player's discard pile and put it into play under your control.

We Do Not Sow
Event
House Greyjoy only.
Challenges: Kneel 2 influence or kneel a character with 1 or more Naval enhancements to turn all Warship locations you control into characters with STR equal to their printed cost, a Military icon, and a Power icon, until end of the phase.

Victarion's Scheme
3 Income
7 Initiative
1 Claim Value
House Greyjoy only.
During unopposed challenges, raise the claim value on your revealed plot card by 1.

Salladhor Saan
Unique Baratheon Character
3 Cost
3 Strength
Military, Intrigue (+Naval) Challenge Icons
Smuggler.  Captain.  Traitor
Response: After you play a Smuggler character, pay 2 gold to choose and discard from play 1 non-limited location with printed cost 3 or lower.

Oakenshield Port
Unique Baratheon Loation
2 Cost
The Reach.
When Oakenshield Port enters play put 6 gold tokens from the treasury on it.
Response: After you win a challenge, discard 1 gold token from Oakenshield Port to claim 1 power for your House (discard 2 gold tokens to claim 2 power for your House if a Naval attacker or defender was participating in that challenge).

Ours is the Fury
Event
House Baratheon only
Response: After you win a Power challenge by 4 or more total STR, stand all participating unique characters you control.

Moreo Tumitis
Unique Stark Character
3 Cost
3 Strength
Intrigue (+Naval), Power (+Naval) Challenge Icons
Captain.  Tyroshi.  Ally.
While you control at least 1 Warship, Moreo Tumitis gains renown.

Swamps of the Neck
Stark Location
1 Cost
The North
Challenges: Kneel Swamps of the Neck to choose a participating character you control.  Stand that character, and remove it from the challenge.

Titan's Daughter
Unique Stark Location
1 Cost
Warship
Response: After an opponent declares a Naval attacker against you, kneel Titan's Daughter to choose a standing character you control and kneel it as a defender.  If you win the challenge, search your deck for a character, reveal it, and shuffle your deck.  Then, put the revealed card on top of your deck.

Hellholt Docks
Martell Location
1 Cost
Dorne.
Response: After an opponent kneels a location, kneel Hellholt Docks to choose and kneel a location.

Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken
Event
House Martell only.
Response: After you lose a challenge, discard your hand of at least 1 card to reveal the same number of cards from the top of your deck, and put them into your hand.

House Targaryen Loyalist
Targaryen Character
2 Cost
2 Strength
Intrigue, Power Challenge Icon
Lord.  Traitor
If you control 1 or more Dragon characters, House Targaryen Loyalist loses the Traitor trait and gains: "House Targaryen Loyalist gains renown during Power challenges."

Balerion
Unique Targaryen Location
2 Cost
Warship
Any Phase: Kneel Balerion to lower the cost of the next character you put into play using ambush this phase by 1.  That character claims 1 power when it comes into play and until the end of the phase, it gains a Naval enhancement on its power icon, if able.

Fire and Blood
Event
House Targaryen only.
Challenges: Choose a Targaryen character.  That character gets +2 STR until the end of the phase.  Then, attach Fire and Blood to that character (counts as a Boon attachment with the text, "Attached character gains cannot be discarded from play").

Torrhen's Square
Plot
3 Income
4 Initiative
1 Claim Value
Military Battle.  City.
If you have no other City plots in your used pile, raise the claim value on your revealed plot card by 1 during Military challenges.

Negotiations at the Great Sept
Plot
3 Income
2 Initiative
2 Claim Value
Intrigue Gambit.  City.
When revealed, if you have no other City plots in your used pile choose an opponent.  You and that opponent may each choose to shuffle your hand of at least 1 card into your decks, and replace them with the top 5 cards of the same deck.

The Long Voyage
Agenda
Your minimum deck size is 85 cards.
When you draw during the draw phase, draw 1 additional card.

The Pirates of Lys Contents (A Game of Thrones)

41 Ser Lancel Lannister (x3)
42 The Bear and the Maiden Fair (x3)
43 Cersei's Scheme (x3)
44 Andrik the Unsmiling (x3)
45 We Do Not Sow (x3)
46 Victarion's Scheme (x3)
47 Salladhor Saan (x3)
48 Oakenshield Port (x3)
49 Ours is the Fury (x3)
50 Moreo Tumitis (x3)
51 Swamps of the Neck (x3)
52 Titan's Daughter (x3)
53 Hellholt Docks (x3)
54 Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken (x3)
55 House Targaryen Loyalist (x3)
56 Balerion (x3)
57 Fire and Blood (x3)
58 Torrhen's Square (x3)
59 Negotiations at the Great Sept (x3)
60 The Long Voyage (x3)

A Study in Static Spoilers (Android: Netrunner)

Disrupter
Anarch Program
1 Install Cost
1 Memory Cost
1 Influence Value
- Strength
Trash: Prevent a trace.  That trace initiates again with a base trace strength of 0.

Force of Nature
Anarch Program
5 Install Cost
1 Memory Cost
1 Influence Value
1 Strength
Icebreaker.  Decoder.
2 Credits: Break up to 2 code gate subroutines.
1 Credit: +1 Strength.

Scrubber
Anarch Resource
2 Install Cost
1 Influence Value
Connection.  Seedy.
2 Recurring Credits
Use these credits to trash cards.

Doppelganger
Unique Criminal Hardware
3 Install Cost
2 Influence Cost
Console
+1 Memory Unit
Once per turn, you may immediately make another run when a successful run ends.
Limit 1 console per player.

Crescentus
Criminal Program
1 Install Cost
1 Memory Cost
1 Influence Value
- Strength
Trash: Derez a piece of ice.  Use this ability only after breaking all the subroutines of that ice during a single encounter.

Deus X
Shaper Program
3 Install Cost
1 Memory Cost
1 Influence Value
10 Strength
Icebreaker
Trash: Break any number of AP subroutines.
Trash: Prevent any amount of net damage.

All-Nighter
Shaper Resource
0 Install Cost
2 Influence Value
Click, Trash: Gain Click, Click.

Inside Man
Neutral Resource
3 Install Cost
0 Influence Cost
Connection
2 Recurring Credits
Use these credits to install hardware.

Underworld Contact
Neutral Resource
2 Install Cost
0 Influence Cost
Connection
When your turn begins, gain 1 Credit if you have at least 2 Link.

Green Level Clearance
Haas-Bioroid Operation
1 Cost
1 Influence Value
Transaction
Gain 3 Credits and draw 1 card.

Hourglass
Haas-Bioroid ICE
5 Rez Cost
2 Influence Cost
4 Strength
Code Gate
- The Runner loses Click, if able.
- The Runner loses Click, if able.
- The Runner loses Click, if able.

Dedicated Server
Jinteki Asset
3 Rez Cost
2 Influence Cost
3 Trash Cost
Facility
2 Recurring Credits
Use these credits to rez ice.

Bullfrog
Jinteki ICE
3 Rez Cost
2 Influence Cost
4 Strength
Code Gate.  Deflector.  Psi.
- You and the Runner secretly spend 0 Credits, 1 Credit, or 2 Credits.  Reveal spent credits.  If you and the Runner spent a different number of credits, move Bullfrog so that it is the outermost piece of ice protecting another server (the Runner continues the run from this new position and is now running on this new server).

Uroboros
NBN ICE
6 Rez Cost
2 Influence Cost
4 Strength
Sentry. Tracer
- Trace (4) - If successful, the Runner cannot make another run this turn.
- Trace (4) - If successful, end the run.

Net Police
NBN Asset
1 Rez Cost
2 Influence Value
1 Trash Cost
X Recurring Credits.
Use these credits during traces.  X is the number of links the Runner has.

Weyland Consortium: Because We Built It
Weyland Identity
45 Minimum Deck Size
15 Influence Limit
Megacorp
1 Recurring Credit
Use this credit to advance ice.

Government Contracts
Weyland Agenda
5 Advancement Requirement
3 Agenda Points
Click, Click: Gain 4 Credits

Tyrant
Weyland ICE
7 Rez Cost
2 Influence Value
4 Strength
Barrier
Tyrant can be advanced only while rezzed and gains "- End the run" for each advancement token on it.

Oversight AI
Weyland Operation
1 Cost
2 Influence Value
Condition
Rez a piece of ice, ignoring all costs, and install Oversight AI on that ice as a hosted condition counter with the text "Trash host ice if all its subroutines are broken during a single encounter"

False Lead
Neutral Agenda
3 Advancement Requirement
1 Agenda Point
0 Influence Value
Security
Forfeit False Lead: The Runner loses Click, Click, if able.

A Study in Static Contents (Android: Netrunner)

61 Disrupter (x3)
62 Force of Nature (x3)
63 Scrubber (x3)
64 Doppelganger (x3)
65 Crescentus (x3)
66 Deus X (x3)
67 All-Nighter (x3)
68 Inside Man (x3)
69 Underworld Contact (x3)
70 Green Level Clearance (x3)
71 Hourglass (x3)
72 Dedicated Server (x3)
73 Bullfrog (x3)
74 Uroboros (x3)
75 Net Police (x3)
76 Weyland Consortium: Because We Built It (x3)
77 Government Contracts (x3)
78 Tyrant (x3)
79 Oversight AI (x3)
80 False Lead (x3)