Arcane Legions

[Gabbi]

http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/1655/14766arcanelegions3lg.jpg

http://icv2.com/articles/news/14765.html
http://www.icv2.com/articles/previews/14766.html

sounds really interesting. it has some oddities, but I'm definitely curious...

[skyknight]

Those figs would work great for Descent I would think

[Bannister]

Do you know the scale?

Bannister

[Gabbi]

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/6196/14766arcanelegions2lg.jpg

looking at this photo, I would guess they're 15mm

[Bannister]

“Arcane Legions” from “Wells Expeditions” is a newcomer to the miniature wargame world and has an interesting premise. Magic erupted onto the world and three factions now compete for superiority, the Romans, Han Chinese and Egyptians. Here is a shot of the game board and 25 mm miniatures. The miniatures are early prototypes and not painted. Take note of the plastic peg-board on the left side.

Looks like 25mm if this report is correct.

Interesting....

Bannister

[Gabbi]

I see. they seemed smaller, to me...
nice find, btw.

[spacemonkeymafia]

Whew! I'm glad some other sites beyond ICv2 had info on this game as I was starting to get very skeptical. I'm very intrigued on how the system will ultimately play out. No matter what though, that price point for painted minis (as detailed by the ICv2 preview) is amazing. I still don't see how this is 25mm though the pics (with dice and hands for perspective) make them seem smaller. I was leaning towards 15mm but that seems a little too small (they look bigger than Battlelore minis).

Anyways, they have a somewhat official looking site up now (as found through Tabletop Gaming News.

http://arcanelegions.com/game1.html

can't wait to see more!

ED: awesome find Bannister! Nice pics from Living Dice, maybe those are 25mm, definitely not 15 like I was thinking earlier...

http://www.livingdice.com/1776/gama-trade-show-report-2009-part-4/

(for those to lazy to search :) )

[skyknight]

So what scale is dsescent?????

[Uprising]

This looks pretty damn cool.

[spacemonkeymafia]

"These models are 28mm scale and are lead-free pewter."

This was taken from the Descent preview of the Lieutenant figures (RtL expansion). One of the other posters on that site was commenting that the Descent figs are smaller in scale than the Lieutenants. The only other info I found at a quick glance was that the descent minis are very close to the D&D minis scale, which I thought was 25mm. I don't own Descent so I can't do a comparison.

[skyknight]

I won it, but I just don't remember seeing scale....cool, these may work!!!!

[spacemonkeymafia]

You won "it"? Descent or AL? If Descent, then that is a nice haul... if you won an advanced copy of AL, I need to fly out to whatever tourney/raffle you were playing at!! ;)

btw, the main AL site has a good overview of how the game is played.

[Onacara]

http://www.icv2.com/images/14766ArcaneLegions1LG.jpg

Warriors on Bears...awesome

[skyknight]

You won "it"? Descent or AL? If Descent, then that is a nice haul... if you won an advanced copy of AL, I need to fly out to whatever tourney/raffle you were playing at!! ;)

btw, the main AL site has a good overview of how the game is played.
that was supposed to say own....not won:D

[spacemonkeymafia]

Arcane Legions website confirms 25mm is the scale

http://arcanelegions.com/retailer3.html

[Mutt Lo]

Bear Cavalry! if only it was in Heroscape.

This game is looking better and better,cant wait to see how the paint jobs are.

[braveheart101]

Wow, this game looks amazing...Must...heed...crys...of...wallet...

[paradox22]

http://www.icv2.com/images/14766ArcaneLegions1LG.jpg

Warriors on Bears...awesome

ROMAN warriors on bears... even MORE awesome!:shock:

[paradox22]

Bear Cavalry! if only it was in Heroscape.

This game is looking better and better,cant wait to see how the paint jobs are.


Is this going to be pre-painted? I can't find that anywhere in the info...:|

[Mutt Lo]

Bear Cavalry! if only it was in Heroscape.

This game is looking better and better,cant wait to see how the paint jobs are.


Is this going to be pre-painted? I can't find that anywhere in the info...:|

The army and cavalry packs contain unpainted figures; all other figures come fully painted.

End of 4th paragraph: http://icv2.com/articles/news/14765.html

[spacemonkeymafia]

another image from the AL website (news section) came up today...
http://arcanelegions.com/pictures/IMG_5308_web.jpg

Its hard to tell the scale but those big brutes in the back look at least Krug-sized. I like where this game is headed...

Also, they should be at Origins demoing a (more or less) complete Starter kit, at least that's what I get from their news section. Maybe they'll show off the paint quality. If this is at GenCon, I will be picking this up :)

[braveheart101]

Wow, I really have to get this! Even if the paint jobs arent all that great, I would still love to paint them.

[spacemonkeymafia]

Well, from the looks of things, you'll need to paint at least some of the army (from the 40 unit army boxes and 15 unit cavalry boxes). This is the only thing I'm not sold on at the moment... Splitting up your product into painted and unpainted seems silly and indecisive. I'd rather they commit one way or the other. Leaving one part of the game unpainted means I'll need to paint at least some of my figures to match (something I'm not really into). The people who are into painting will touch up or repaint the pre-painted sets anyways so you're not doing them any favors.

On the other hand, this company seems pretty minis savvy so maybe they have solutions for those that really don't want to paint already in place. Maybe it'll be better to pick up multiple starters instead of grabbing army kits.

Oh well, time will tell. I'm still really excited to see how this game turns out and picking up 110+ pre-painted minis for $35 is never a bad thing even if you don't end up liking the game. If the game play doesn't work out at least the sculpts will work well for a 25mm pre-painted Battlelore conversion :D

[skyknight]

another image from the AL website (news section) came up today...
http://arcanelegions.com/pictures/IMG_5308_web.jpg

Its hard to tell the scale but those big brutes in the back look at least Krug-sized. I like where this game is headed...

Also, they should be at Origins demoing a (more or less) complete Starter kit, at least that's what I get from their news section. Maybe they'll show off the paint quality. If this is at GenCon, I will be picking this up :)Yet again my mind screams Descent!!!!

[paradox22]

Yet again my mind screams Descent!!!!


Mine too... I think it's mostly becasue of the color of the minis. That "off-white" is almst identical to the Descent minis.

[Junge Roman]

The entire game seems to be almost all miniatures. There's some small cardboard parts, but that's about it. I hope the price is reasonable. If it is, then it might be worth it just for the figures. That will be cool.

[spacemonkeymafia]

Yet again my mind screams Descent!!!!

I haven't played enough Descent to start thinking customs but this game does seem ripe for use in other systems. I think that $35 price point for pre-paints really makes it worth a look. Now we just have to get more details on that starter (supposedly demoing at Origins this year).

[boom]

Wow, just read about this game today, and find it very interesting. The basing of mass minis reminds me of the new Lord of the Rings/ War of the Ring variant from GW, which I really like. The prices of these Arcane Legions figures are, however, anything but GW. $14.99 for 15 Cav figures vs. $25 for 6 from GW?

This game has definitey caught my eye.

[sturmkraehe]

Duplicate entry

[sturmkraehe]

I just playtested this game last week and I can mention a few things (we were not required to sign an NDA though I am not going to spill too many beans).

Format: Collectible Miniatures game, large skirmish format (45-60 figures a game for a small battle).
Scale: true 25mm scale (yes, the figures resemble the hero minis for Descent in their general size and proportion...they are NOT Descent figures though).
Material: I have only seen the gypsum proofs of the figures. They will be plastic but what type of plastic I can't say. Each unit in the game consists of a large plastic regimental base, a cardboard insert for the base stating what the unit's stats are, and the figures themselves mounted on the base with the cardboard sandwiched between.

Gameplay: I won't go into too much detail here, but first I will say it was fun and addicting. There are three factions - Romans with some magical/mythological creatures, Egyptians/Undead/Greeks, and a Han Dynasty (Chinese) faction. The combat system is best described as a buckets-of-dice system similar to games like Heroscape. Movement is similar to games like Battleground: Fantasy Warfare or De Bellis Antiquitus. In the demo game we each had 5 combat units with varying degrees of special capabilities. The game has a very unique method of tracking these capabilities that really make it a tactically challenging and fun game to play.

Who's Making them? - A new company called Wells Expeditions but if you were wondering where the talent of Wiz Kids disappeared to now you know. For more info about this game including how they plan on packaging and selling units and a brief overview of how it works head on over to the web page that was mentioned earlier in this thread...

http://www.Arcanelegions.com

My only regret is that the game isn't out yet and that I have to wait until September to pick some of these guys up.

[skyknight]

Cool, thanks for the info sir

[boom]

Thanks for this info. How long did the game last with just the 5 units you were using? Was there talk about the painted figures?

Too bad Greeks didn't get their own faction. It would have been nice to have an even number.

[spacemonkeymafia]

Thanks for the info sturmkraehe! Do you know if 5-6 units is the size of a typical game or if that more like the minimum required?

Mark from the facebook blog mentions that the common units aren't going to be completely unpainted, but rather he says:

Unpainted figures doesn’t mean no color. We are tempo printing the banners and shields in color tempo prints. When the figures are assembled on the colorful bases along side the pre-painted figures, the overall look and experience will be very cool!
That sounds pretty cool indeed.

[EyeOfSauron]

Wow! Just found out about this game and I'm very interested.

Funny that the "back story" seems very similar to HeroScape.

This article: http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/14766.html seems to indicate a Risk-ish dice mechanic. While I love Risk, I'm not sure I like that mechanic outside of Risk.

Also, it seems like individual figs (or even types of figs) don't necessarily have stats, but the cards have stats based on where you place the figs...

Anyway, I'll be keeping an eye out.

[sturmkraehe]

Playtested again last night and checked on NDA status. I was given free reign to say anything about the game so I will answer your questions here...

1. Painted Figures: What Spacemonkeymafia said, plus, the booster packs will include fully painted figures. The booster packs will contain the specialty units and leaders and probably won't make up a huge portion of your army. These are the guys that pack the extra whammy. Common grunt-type figures will be released in army and starter packs so you won't have to waste your hard earned cash to get that 300th Hoplite while trying to chase down the elite Egyptian sorceress.

2. Combat: Each large base has 15 or so places to put a figure. Your base has 10 figures on it. There are smaller bases, too, that have 3-5 figures on it. In the demo the smaller bases had the specialty guys (Egyptians had a necromancer and body guard, Romans had Minotaurs, Han had a Human Artillery unit). Each of the 15 or so places had an ability attached to it. The ability is either a move, melee, ranged, or special attack or a mix of more than one. Depending on how you have your figures pegged into the base is how your unit will behave. If you have all your movment pegged then you won't have many guys on melee or ranged. If you focus on melee you won't be moving very fast or shooting much. You can change how your guys are pegged by spending command points so you aren't locked into a certain format for the whole game. In fact, managing your formation changes, movment and fighting ability is the core of the game mechanic. All units have different abilities available so a Roman Testudo unit won't ever have much melee capability, but its defensive capability against missiles is impressive. Han elite archers won't melee well, but you don't want to be in range when they attack regardless of how they are pegged. Minotaurs are fast, melee beasts with no ability to conduct ranged attacks.

When you either shoot or fight you add up the number of dice showing on the holes you have pegged and you roll that many dice. The defender gets to roll as many defense dice as they have pegged. You compare the results with ties having no effect. Each attacker ranged and melee dice that beat the defender's dice cause 1 damage. Each defender die that beats an attacker's melee die causes 1 damage back. Defenders can't strike back against ranged attacks. It's pretty simple and, yes, very Risk-like in some ways, but the Risk similarity ends with the dice mechanic.

3. Number of elements on the table: For the demo we each had 4 full sized units and 1 small unit. I think this will be the minimum size for a game though you can certainly fight with smaller armies. I don't really see a cap on how big your army can be other than the points you want to spend to build it. Like most miniature games both sides will start with the same number of points to build their army. You might see one army with 4 elite units fighting against a horde army with 6 or 7 units. I suspect as more people increase the size of their collections you will see the typical unit count in a game go up to as many as 10. Any more than 10 and you are in for a pretty long game. With 5 maneuver elements and 8 command points a turn our games were lasting approximately an hour. It costs 2 command to move or attack with a large unit and 1 command for a small unit. It costs 1 to re-form your guys on their base or conduct a special action. There are some other command costs for other actions, but that covers the basics.

4. Greek Hoplites are part of the Egyptian faction and I think there will be a couple of different Hoplite formations. You can design your army how you want so if you want an army that is mostly Greeks that is possible. There will be an internet site where you can design your own bases so you won't be limited to just the formations that Wells' provides. It looks like using the website will have a small fee (I was told less than $5/mo) and will include more than just the army design mechanic. It should have promo offers, tournement notifications, etc.

I hope that helps, let me know if you have any questions. Dealer demo packs should be available sometime in the near future so let your FLGS know about these guys and perhaps they can get in on this. The demo packs will have enough figures and bases to match what we were using in the playtest sessions (we didn't have figures, we had push pins to represent where figures were located on the bases and the bases were made of foam core instead of the plastic peg bases).

The demo armies had -
Rome -
1 Testudo 10 man unit (no ranged)
1 Legionaire 6 man unit (full sized base with 2 hit point figures)(no ranged, shield rush ability allowed to do 2 damage to engaged unit)
1 Archer 10 man unit (no melee)
1 Legionaire 10 man unit (melee unit with ability to make a small, short ranged thrown spear attack and good defence against archers)
1 Minotaur 4 man unit (melee only, no ranged, good defence, 2 hit point figures on a small base)

Han -
1 Terra Cotta warrior unit (10 man unit, can absorb hits of other adjacent units, fragile...take extra damage in battle)
1 Terra Cotta warrior unit (10 man unit, identical to above I think)
1 Elite Archer unit (10 man unit able to fire unobstructed through other units)
1 Elite melee unit (10 man unit...allowed ranged attacks on adjacent enemies regardless of range)
1 Human Artillery (5 man unit able to score hits on tied dice, able to fire unobstructed through other units)

Egyptians -
1 Zombie Unit - 10 man melee unit (able to regenerate 1 figure a turn, gets extra dice if they charge into combat)
1 Hoplite Unit - 10 man unit...sorry don't remember much about these guys other than good all around unit. I think they could throw spears like legionaires above.
2 other units I don't remember much about other than being full sized. One was an archer unit.
1 Necromancer unit...3 men. 2 are 3 hp body guards and one is the necromancer who was able to regenerate 1D6 zombies a turn if they were adjacent to the zombies.

[ChaosChild]

Thanks for the info. I will definitely have to check this out at GenCon.

[spacemonkeymafia]

Great write up! Thanks for the info, now if I just lived in Seattle... So, with just the demos you've run through, any favorite faction yet? How would you rate the game on skill vs luck?

I saw on some pics that the card base had a diagram of the base and arrows points to each cardinal point (North, East, South, West). Seems that this implies facing, is this the case (ie. some units can attack better/worse depending on which direction they are attacking)?

Thanks again and I can't wait to see what pics they have at Origins next month.

[spacemonkeymafia]

A new shot of the minis (painted this time) cropped up on the AL Facebook page:
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs022.snc1/4254_1130268130421_1038769485_30509472_4136318_n.jpg

[braveheart101]

Wow, those look good!

[sturmkraehe]

So far I am kind of partial to the Romans, though I could see the Greeks (Egyptians)ultimately being very appealling too. Luck vs. Skill...hmmm...I would put it on a par with Axis and Allies, the original board game. Luck can make all the difference in the world when it comes to critical moments in a battle. Getting to that critical moment takes skill, though.
The arrows you see DO indicate facing. If you are engaged on a side where you have a red arrow facing you can defend and attack normally. Some units have weak flanks and all units that we had were weak to the rear. This meant they threw 3 fewer defense die when being attacked from those facings.

[spacemonkeymafia]

Thanks for the info, Sturm. In your BGG (p)review, you mention some possible balance issues with ranged units being overpowered. Can you give examples of how range works (ie. are there line of sight rules? distance rules? rules for firing at engaged units? etc.)? Nice write up on BGG, btw.

[KevinWC]

I just saw these pics on board game geek:
I still want to know if the type of figure on the card has any affect or not.
http://images.boardgamegeek.com/images/pic484856_md.jpg
http://images.boardgamegeek.com/images/pic484858_md.jpg
http://images.boardgamegeek.com/images/pic484860_md.jpg
http://images.boardgamegeek.com/images/pic484859_md.jpg

[boom]

Oh man, those pics are getting me totally fired up. I really hope this game is as good as I'm feeling about it.

[spacemonkeymafia]

I still want to know if the type of figure on the card has any affect or not.

If I'm understanding your question correctly, you are asking that if you put some Roman figures on the base of the first picture you posted instead of the green undead guys, would there be any mechanical change to the unit? I would say technically no. The figures on the card are a tracking mechanism that determines the current stats of that unit. It shouldn't matter if you have those green undead guys on that unit base, roman figures, or simple pushpins (as Sturm indicated in his playtest post).

Thematically and likely for organized and official play, you will need the appropriate figure sculpt to correspond to the appropriate card. Just like in HS, you and your friends can sub out the real Sir Hawthorne for a bic lighter if you so choose, but to play with Sir Hawthorne in a real tournement, you will need the actual figure (or a close replica in Hawthorne's case).

Leader figures may break this rule and add an ability or mechanic to the unit group they are embedded with but this (as is most of this post) just conjecture. I see this as pretty close to correct as the first and last pic posted show identical unit bases save that they have a different leader figure (white in the first, blue in the last). I would assume these figures have a special ability unique to their name or sculpt.

I hope this helps as this is the way I understand it so far from the playtests reports and comments from the official WE rep.

[Bannister]

Are those examples of how they are going to come painted?

If so, I am not as interested before.

I would prefer they come not painted.

Bannister

[braveheart101]

I think that the paint jobs are pretty decent. All they really need is a black wash, and they would look awsome, for a mass produced game.

[boom]

I believe only the heroes/leaders come painted, not the rank and file. If however, they did come painted, and the price remained the same I'd be all over it.

[KevinWC]

If I'm understanding your question correctly, you are asking that if you put some Roman figures on the base of the first picture you posted instead of the green undead guys, would there be any mechanical change to the unit? I would say technically no. The figures on the card are a tracking mechanism that determines the current stats of that unit. It shouldn't matter if you have those green undead guys on that unit base, roman figures, or simple pushpins (as Sturm indicated in his playtest post).



Thank you. That answers part of the question. Let me rephrase it this way. In the Egyptian unit there are zombie things with spears and some with swords. On another unity I thought I saw some archers. Does the weapon of the figure matter, or are all commons equal?

[spacemonkeymafia]

If I'm understanding your question correctly, you are asking that if you put some Roman figures on the base of the first picture you posted instead of the green undead guys, would there be any mechanical change to the unit? I would say technically no. The figures on the card are a tracking mechanism that determines the current stats of that unit. It shouldn't matter if you have those green undead guys on that unit base, roman figures, or simple pushpins (as Sturm indicated in his playtest post).



Thank you. That answers part of the question. Let me rephrase it this way. In the Egyptian unit there are zombie things with spears and some with swords. On another unity I thought I saw some archers. Does the weapon of the figure matter, or are all commons equal?

Ah, now I see what you mean. I have not come across any info to definitively help with that question. My assumption is that the two different zombie sculpts are just different poses for the same unit figures (like common HS units- different unique poses for all the units on the same army card). I can't see that those differing zombie units would actually have differing stats or a unique power based on whether they had a spear or khopesh. It would really bog the game down if you had to keep track not only of the stats of the cards as you remove/rearrange figures but then to also keep track of another card depending on if a certain sculpt was removed from play or placed in a particular spot (on top of any leader effect the special figure adds).

[Madshadow]

[quote=KevinWC;825064
Thank you. That answers part of the question. Let me rephrase it this way. In the Egyptian unit there are zombie things with spears and some with swords. On another unity I thought I saw some archers. Does the weapon of the figure matter, or are all commons equal?[/quote]

When you first put your figures onto the base unit they have to be configured with the exact figures in the exact set starting position. After that any of the figs can be moved around on the unit to any position. The position they occupy on the base will dictate what special abilities they pick up at that point.

[Madshadow]

I just discovered this forum and thread today, so to honor the largest thread on the net about Arcane Legions I give you an exclusive. Just the final proof of a print ad, nothing too fancy, but posted only here (for now)

http://www.arcanelegions.com/pictures/AL_ConsumerAd.jpg

[skyknight]

So can we take it you may have something to do with this game Madshadow?

[Madshadow]

So can we take it you may have something to do with this game Madshadow?

You would be correct there. Just looking at my profile will tell you that I am the "Online Marketing Manager" for Wells Expeditions:)

[spacemonkeymafia]

Thank you. That answers part of the question. Let me rephrase it this way. In the Egyptian unit there are zombie things with spears and some with swords. On another unity I thought I saw some archers. Does the weapon of the figure matter, or are all commons equal?

When you first put your figures onto the base unit they have to be configured with the exact figures in the exact set starting position. After that any of the figs can be moved around on the unit to any position. The position they occupy on the base will dictate what special abilities they pick up at that point.

Good to see you made it, Mark! Now I don't need to pretend to know what I'm talking about :lol:. What about the "leader" looking figures, one in white and one in blue, do they enhance a unit? can a unit play without one? when they are placed on the base, do they have something unique to the figure or is the blue figure-ess the same as the white figure-ess?

Thanks for the marketing piece. I like the styling of the Army box. Will the back of the box indicate the exact contents with actual figure photos or be more art with general content indications?

[skyknight]

So can we take it you may have something to do with this game Madshadow?

You would be correct there. Just looking at my profile will tell you that I am the "Online Marketing Manager" for Wells Expeditions:)Well welcome to our humble little community here...you picked a good one to show up in...most of these folks here have a severe disorder when it comes to buying too much stuff.

I can't wait to try the game...if it plays well I may buy a second set to play, and another one to turn into Descent customs...the figs look great and I can't wait to give this a whirl.

[Armydillo978]

I won it, but I just don't remember seeing scale....cool, these may work!!!!

The scale is 25mm per the designers. Of course, the odd troll or other beastie will be a bit larger.

[EyeOfSauron]

I just posted a "this is strikingly similar to some other games" post over on BBG with a mention of Heroscape:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/409098 (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/409098)

[Gabbi]

I have one small, insignificant complaint, from what I've seen until today: color of the bases. while the red ones are near-ok as they are, the blue ones catch the eye more than the minis on it. the use of less bright colors would be advisable. the best would be using colors appropriate for ground, to distinguish between armies (brown and green).
anyway, this is just a small complaint, I'm really looking forward for this game.

[spacemonkeymafia]

A new update on how the movement and ranged rules work were posted on the new facebook site:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Arcane-Legions/97069005457

looking pretty cool, can't wait to see what news comes out of Origins.

[Bannister]

Thought I would throw this out for all to see.

http://www.robotviking.com/2009/06/arcane-legions-could-be-a-game-changer/

Bannister

[braveheart101]

Wow, I am really excited about this game now!

[boom]

That link has again stoked the fires. Thanks Bannister.

[spacemonkeymafia]

Demo rules posted!!

http://www.arcanelegions.com/documents/AL_DemoRules.pdf

[boom]

Thanks 'monkey.:D

*additional*

I checked the Arcane Legions site and noticed an article about demo packs that were made available to some folks. The article shows quite a few photos of the finished figures. They don't quite look 25mm to me, more like 20mm, but I'm cool with that. There are also quite a few figures that will require assembly, arms, shields and stuff, and the commons come on sprues that have to be removed with an exacto knife or similiar.

No big negative, but wanted folks to know. It appears most shields will be painted or at least, colored.

There was also problems with the demo figs not fitting properly into the bases and some pegs not matching up with their holes at all. Wells Expeditions wrote these problems will be fixed prior to release, so that's good news. Still looking forward to it. I hope you Gencon attendees come back with lots of info.

[spacemonkeymafia]

I hope you Gencon attendees come back with lots of info.

I plan on it :D

It makes sense that all those commons will come on sprues (I was trying to figure out how they were going to turn a profit on selling that many minis for so cheap). Its interesting that they keep pushing that this game is not intended for hobby use (ie. assembling and painting) but the more I hear about the commons, the more I feel like I need to shift my perspective to that of the hobby side of wargaming. I'm on the fence on how much this will hold me back from this game. I'm still interested and can't wait to really see it in action but there are some aspects that cause me to hesitate.

I keep looking at HS and comparing their sculpts vs what I've seen of AL and HS wins hands down. The paint jobs seem better when compared against the uncommon/rare prepaints of AL and the sculpts have a more engaging style to me. I liked Mageknight sculpts and paint jobs better than the trash that D&D has been peddling for the last 8+ years but the only prepainted system that I can say beats HS is Confrontation but that gets expensive quick (even with the 1/2 price sales FFG ran). Those 2000 pt army packs for $80 have piqued my interest in Confrontation again though. In the end, I'm hoping that the figure sculpts and paint jobs are better in person.

btw, there is a good podcast narrated by an annoying sales rep (he's not really that bad but his voice just drips of used-car-salesmanship). The rep states or warns that out of the box, the Starter will take about 2-3 hours to assemble (cut the pieces of the sprue, fit them together, etc) though he states no glue will be needed.

[Madshadow]

I hope you Gencon attendees come back with lots of info.

I plan on it :D

...btw, there is a good podcast narrated by an annoying sales rep (he's not really that bad but his voice just drips of used-car-salesmanship). The rep states or warns that out of the box, the Starter will take about 2-3 hours to assemble (cut the pieces of the sprue, fit them together, etc) though he states no glue will be needed.


That "annoying sales rep" is the founder and president of the company, Ray Wehrs.
This interview was done on the fly in the middle of the Origins game hall with no warning. http://www.pulpgamer.com/myriadgames/134628/myriad-games-game-gab-origins-2009-arcane-legions

We look forward to seeing you at GenCon so we can put some of your fears to rest :)

Mark

[boom]

I wish you guys would have come to the San Diego Comic Con, Madshadow. :(

[Madshadow]

We would have loved to have been there. Unfortunately we're a relatively small company with a new product on our hands that has not yet released, and it is taking all we have to make this happen.

I can't promise at this point, but I'm assuming next year we will be in a much better position to hit more cons, and we'll actually have a product to show :)

Thanks,
Mark

http://www.arcanelegions.com/pictures/set1_figures/1R22_Minotaur_Warriors.jpg

[Parduz]

http://www.icv2.com/images/14766ArcaneLegions1LG.jpg

Warriors on Bears...awesomeThis is the FOR SURE a fantasy game. In reality Romans will cease fighting and start cooking that bears on a barbecue :D

[paradox22]

We would have loved to have been there. Unfortunately we're a relatively small company with a new product on our hands that has not yet released, and it is taking all we have to make this happen.

I can't promise at this point, but I'm assuming next year we will be in a much better position to hit more cons, and we'll actually have a product to show :)

Thanks,
Mark






But you will be at GenCon? Will you have product for sale there?

[Madshadow]

Here's the official word:

Arcane Legions™ armies are marching into Indianapolis August 13–16 for Gen Con! Come find your encampment at Booth #2005 and learn the art of mass action battle. Don’t be alarmed by the scorched earth and signs of destruction—that’s just what happens when you’re fighting for world domination!

You’ll also be able to bring the battlefield home with the Arcane Legions presale! Gen Con will be the first place in the world where you can purchase this revolutionary game. Please note that quantities are limited and your badge will be punched to reflect your purchase. Prices include tax:

• Arcane Legions Starter Game: $38 (limit 1)
• Arcane Legions Infantry Pack: $16 (limit 1)
• Arcane Legions Cavalry Pack: $16 (limit 1)
• Arcane Legions Booster Pack: $13 (limit 4, one from each faction and one customer’s choice)

Once you’ve completed your Arcane Legions training in the booth, you can continue to hone your battle skills in the tournament hall or open gaming rooms. Your strategy and prowess will be greatly rewarded!

---

We will be running 2-3 tournaments daily as well.

We hope to see you there!

[Onacara]

Ok who am I giving my $142 to, to get this for me? :ponder:

[Madshadow]

Heads up!

All retailers can get a free demo copy of Arcane Legions now by ordering one from their distributor.

If you would like to give the game a try, get into your LGS and tell them to make the call!

[paradox22]

My LGS recieved their demo copy, but I haven't had a chance to play it yet. Has anyone played it yet? How'd it go?

[Bannister]

A review of the demo kit. (http://www.livingdice.com/2195/review-arcane-legions-mass-miniature-combat-game/)



Bannister

[ReverendBayes]

A review of the demo kit. (http://www.livingdice.com/2195/review-arcane-legions-mass-miniature-combat-game/)



Bannister


Thanks, Bannister, for the link. Unfortunately, I'm a bit more off the bandwagon after this review.

[EyeOfSauron]

My LGS got a demo kit and I'm gonna try it out next week...

[boom]

I'm still at least getting the starter. Thanks to years of GW addictions, Xacto knife work never slowed me down and I'm looking forward to painting all the minis on the sprues. I have high hopes for this game.

[boom]

I was able to visually inspect the demo kit at my LGS and am still behind the game. True, you'll have to assemble some of the common troops, but only about 40% of them and the shields come prepainted and look good! There's some minor flash, but a nice sharp exacto knife will handle that easily enough. The figures seem closer to 1/72 or 20mm, than 25mm.
The prepainted heroes look cool. There's a couple of minotaurs, a couple of monster zombie thingees, a stone lion, 4 Han bowman and a leader for each of the three factions. The Egyptian mummy leader looks impressive. The paint jobs are simple, but there's a nice palette of colors used and I'd be happy with them.

The starter also comes with the necessary bases and 36 dice, 12 each of blue, white and red. I'll head back when I have more time and get a demo in.

The common troops are what I'm digging. There's the Legionnaires, the Terracotta warriors, Greek Hoplites, Han bowmen, mummies and large Roman soldiers, like statues almost. I can't wait to see what other types of figures are in the boosters. I'm still excited.8)

[boom]

Anyone with even a passing interest in the game should check out their new website. Lots of cool pics and you can find photos of all the miniatures in the first set, too.

I really want to get these minis and put a brush to 'em. Hope all you Gencon attendees let us have-nots know how the game's doing.

http://beta.arcanelegions.com/

[Onacara]

Anyone with even a passing interest in the game should check out their new website. Lots of cool pics and you can find photos of all the miniatures in the first set, too.

I really want to get these minis and put a brush to 'em. Hope all you Gencon attendees let us have-nots know how the game's doing.

http://beta.arcanelegions.com/

Taebelwalker is picking it up for me since he went with his fiance so she can get my copy for me. I'm stoked.

[boom]

Beautiful. Please post your thoughts on the quality of the figures (flash, mold lines, soft or hard plastic) as soon as you have them in your mitts. I know I really like the rules, but its the work needed to get the figures ready that's going to make it or break it for my group (not me, just the folks I hope to play against).

[Onacara]

Beautiful. Please post your thoughts on the quality of the figures (flash, mold lines, soft or hard plastic) as soon as you have them in your mitts. I know I really like the rules, but its the work needed to get the figures ready that's going to make it or break it for my group (not me, just the folks I hope to play against).

Did you watch the video tutorials on the website?


I am waiting for my email verification but it looks like if you sign up you can track your collection on their site also.

[boom]

Beautiful. Please post your thoughts on the quality of the figures (flash, mold lines, soft or hard plastic) as soon as you have them in your mitts. I know I really like the rules, but its the work needed to get the figures ready that's going to make it or break it for my group (not me, just the folks I hope to play against).

Did you watch the video tutorials on the website?


I am waiting for my email verification but it looks like if you sign up you can track your collection on their site also.

Sure did, and all the painted minis looked great. However, I've read some complaints that the figs in the demo kits were heavy on flash and were tough to put together (some had detached arms, weapons, etc.) That's really what most of the folks in my group are worried about; how much time/effort will be put in to assembling their armies, never mind painting them.

I'm also waiting for the link to be activated so you can join the fan club. Gotta get me that Han dragon.

[Onacara]

Here is a review of the game from our very own IMax....(but I'm sure you all read his blog regularly already)

http://drakesflames.blogspot.com/2009/08/almost-miniatures-game-review-arcane.html

[gamjuven]

I picked up a bunch of this stuff at gencon. It's pretty sweet. I took my girlfriend to gencon and she had a blast at painting minis. So now I have her painting the minis for arcane legends. She seems to be having fun with it. I am looking forward to an all painted battle. Still trying to figure out some army building rules though.

[boom]

I'm putting the finishing touches on my demo Romans and hope to have the Egyptians done by Friday. I'll post pics when they're done.

[boom]

Here's the images I posted last week that were lost, and a couple more new ones.

First, some painted Romans:
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/boomgoose/AL_roman_infantry_closeup.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/boomgoose/AL_shields.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/boomgoose/AL_roman_archers.jpg

And now, some painted Egyptians:
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/boomgoose/AL_egyptian_archersside.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/boomgoose/AL_hoplites_front.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/boomgoose/AL_mummies.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/boomgoose/AL_egyptian_irregulars.jpg

[boom]

Here's some terrain I made using the paper templates as a guide:

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/boomgoose/AL_terrain_overhead.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/boomgoose/AL_terrain_palmgrovestand.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/boomgoose/AL_terrain_hillwithstands.jpg

control terrrain
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/boomgoose/AL_terrain_controlterrainstatue.jpg

[nyys]

Nice! Did those trees come from a MegaBloks Pirates set? They look familiar. :)

nyys, jealous boom has Arcane Legions and I don't. :(

[A_Train]

I'm pretty stoked about the General Greivous mercenary:
http://www.arcanelegions.com/thumbnails/0000/0046/1M06_copy_large.jpg?1250291807

Other than that, I think this looks like an awesome game, that I won't likely get into. I don't really have the funds to start another collectible game, and I'm really quite satisfied with Heroscape. If I were wealthy enough, this would be a no brainer, but as it is, its a pipe dream.

[nyys]

I keep telling myself that, but then I look at the price, and it's too good to refuse. Besides, we're not getting much in terms of Scape to ask for Holiday Gifts, hmmm...

[A_Train]

Besides, we're not getting much in terms of Scape to ask for Holiday Gifts, hmmm...

But that's how I'm getting my Summoner War's, heh. There just too many games to choose from.

[nyys]

Me too... I hope. There's about a dozen games on the list right now, guess I can't get them all, nevermind actually find the time to play them. Erg...

[boom]

Nice! Did those trees come from a MegaBloks Pirates set? They look familiar. :)


Actually, they came from an old plastic dinosaur playset that my son had. There were about 10 in there and I've now used them all.8)

[nyys]

Nice! Did those trees come from a MegaBloks Pirates set? They look familiar. :)


Actually, they came from an old plastic dinosaur playset that my son had. There were about 10 in there and I've now used them all.8)

Yep, that was it, now I remember. My son ended up with two of those sets for some reason (double the trees... yay!). I remember MegaBloks coming with some cool trees as well, got the sets mixed up.

[Felindar]

The one big lack in the game for me is, I can not use the minis for anything else if the game goes flat. I will buy almost any good looking minis game, if I can use the minis elseware. The new World of Warcraft and Mutant Chronicals games fell off my radar for the same reason, and I had been waiting for MC for 2 years. I got AT-43 stuff because I wiped up some HS conversions, And I can alwase use them for 40K if needs must. At 25mm and probably 20mm as a description I am stuck. Mayby some of the Monsters bought as singles for our most beloved Heroscape but other than than nope.

Pete

[boom]

You could always use the figures for Hordes of the Things, if you play that and AL doesn't have legs.

[boom]

I demo'd the game for Bigjim and Roland last night and they had a blast. They game really plays quickly, and all the special powers and ability variables on your unit make for a thought-provoking game. I can't wait to see it played with some cavalry to handle those darned archers. Range sure hurts.

[Kepler]

What is the scale for these?

[boom]

What is the scale for these?

25mm, but they seem just a tad smaller.

[Kepler]

What is the scale for these?

25mm, but they seem just a tad smaller.

Thanks. From what I hear most "25mm" figs are actually 28mm. So maybe these are true 25mm.

[Briguy385]

Hello everyone,

Wargamers Headquarters http://www.wargamersheadquarters.com/ has the Arcane Legions game in stock now!

Starter @$27.99
Cavalry @$11.99
Booster @$9.99
Army Bundle @$76.99
Army Pack @$11.99

And just $5.95 Shipping or free shipping if over $100 :D

[Onacara]

If anyone who plays Arcane Legions lives in the NorthEast region please note that I will be running 5 Arcane Legion mini tournaments at TempleCon the weekend of February 19-21.

Details to follow....2 on Friday-2 on Saturday-1 on Sunday

[jbbnbsmith]

Somehow I completely missed seeing this game until last night. After watching, and somewhat cringing through the video tutorials, I like the simplicity of the rules. But the whole painting thing, and the collectability issues will keep me from buying this one. It bothers me that you need to join an online club in order to purchase some of the figures. No thanks.

But for those who do paint, this seems like a much lower cost way to get into a fun miniatures.

I may end up using some of the rules from this game to help simplify Battleground:Fantasy.

[nyys]

I'm actually listening to the theD6generation.com (http://www.thed6generation.com) podcast where they review Arcane Legions right now.

I shy away from painting as well, but the price is too low to ingnore IMO.

[Onacara]

If you sign up to be in the Centurion Club on the Arcane Legions website you can buy the game prepainted....It costs twice the price though...you also get to buy the exclusives too.

[boom]

If you sign up to be in the Centurion Club on the Arcane Legions website you can buy the game prepainted....It costs twice the price though...you also get to buy the exclusives too.

Have you plopped down $50 for the pair of dragons yet?

I'm waiting for the ballista.

[TheSparkleInYourWater]

I am thinking about buying a couple cavalry packs for use with Heroscape.
Are they way too small to work? I've seen some pictures and some video clips of them, but it's kind of hard to tell. Sometimes they look way too small, but then in others they look like they could be used for scape, or maybe I'm just fantasizing about them being larger so that I could use them. Anyone else have a thought on this? I did see Felindar's post.

[Gunnbjorn]

Yeah, bud, they're way too small. The game itself was a letdown for me; I just ebay'd everything I own regarding Arcane Legions.

I took a photo for you of one of the starters I still own, and you can totally see how they compare to a 40K model and a Confrontation model I have (all my 'Scape minis are in my car):

http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae173/Gunnbjorn/Other%20Images/100_1961.jpg
Here are two Arcane Legion Miniatures.

http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae173/Gunnbjorn/Other%20Images/100_1962.jpg
Here they are compared to a 40K model and a Confrontation model.

Just thought this would help, seeing that you weren't sure.

Cheers! :)

[TheSparkleInYourWater]

Thanks Gunnbjorn. I was really only interested in the cavalry units, but it looks like they would only be the size of a medium heroscape figure.

[Gunnbjorn]

Awe, sorry Sparkle. :(

I sold off the rest of my Arcane Legions minis. But yeah, they're pretty small.

Hey, pssst! What kind of PT's have an addiction to chips? Mass Gainers do, that's who (man, I love bulking up on junk food)! :P

[Onacara]

Anyone out there still playing Arcane Legions?

If so...what would you like to see from Wells to make the game better?

I have a direct line of communications with the President of the company.

Also for anyone still on the fence about the game...what is keeping you there?

[gamjuven]

Anyone out there still playing Arcane Legions?

If so...what would you like to see from Wells to make the game better?

I have a direct line of communications with the President of the company.

Also for anyone still on the fence about the game...what is keeping you there?

I'd like to play it, I actually have a lot of stuff from Gencon, but the issue with me is I don't know anyone that plays in my area, and according to the main website as well as hobby stores near me, nobody is interested in the game. Kinda sucks, because I got everything the game has to offer.

[Armydillo978]

When the game was still in the development stage I thought it was awesome. Still do. Love the concept. The killer for me was the having to paint the common/squad figures. I like how the hero's come all done, but I'd rather have the majority of the figs (the common troops) be done. Soon as that came out, I lost all interest in it. 10 years ago, I wouldn't have minded. Nowadays, that's the make or break factor for me.

[Onacara]

I'd like to play it, I actually have a lot of stuff from Gencon, but the issue with me is I don't know anyone that plays in my area, and according to the main website as well as hobby stores near me, nobody is interested in the game. Kinda sucks, because I got everything the game has to offer.

That is a shame...my FLGS doesnt carry it either. They really only carry Flames of War and Warhammer as far as mini games go. I do get to play with my kids and we really enjoy the game.

When the game was still in the development stage I thought it was awesome. Still do. Love the concept. The killer for me was the having to paint the common/squad figures. I like how the hero's come all done, but I'd rather have the majority of the figs (the common troops) be done. Soon as that came out, I lost all interest in it. 10 years ago, I wouldn't have minded. Nowadays, that's the make or break factor for me.

They do sell pre-painted versions of everything now...it does cost a bit more though but if that is all that is holding you back it is an option.

[spacemonkeymafia]

Anyone out there still playing Arcane Legions?

If so...what would you like to see from Wells to make the game better?

I have a direct line of communications with the President of the company.

Also for anyone still on the fence about the game...what is keeping you there?

My group still plays regularly (once/twice a month). The two closest FLGSs stock the game and both say that Starter packs sell off the shelf still without any pushing. One store owner told me that no one at his store blindly buys Monsterpocalypse but he has several people who will blindly buy AL.

Our group just hosted demos and an OP tourney at GenghisCon last month and it went very well. I'd say my area is slowly getting more people (not enough to float the company or anything) but the group is pretty consistent and slowly gathering fringe players into a more organized setting.

Since we've taken the long approach to the OP, we still have plenty of scenarios and OP tourneys to burn through so hopefully by the time they reboot that play aspect, we'll be ready to join in.

This is my first foray into a Wargame system and I think that the medium is tough to succeed in from a sales perspective. The games that do succeed seem to come from established companies that entice users of their existing lines to try something new or they use established media licenses. Since any wargame is a commitment, it needs a community to support it. Building that community takes time and so I feel that the more things WE can do to build the community (both online and in store), the better.

[Armydillo978]

They do sell pre-painted versions of everything now...it does cost a bit more though but if that is all that is holding you back it is an option.

Do they? I wasn't aware of that. I'll have to check into and see what the LGS has. Thanks for the info. :)

[Jakall]

Walked into a local comic/game store about a month ago and spotted Arcane Legions. They were going to be having a sale on everything in the store the following weekend. It looked like a pretty cool game so I checked out the reviews (mixed) on BoardGameGeek. Checked the store's website and saw that Arcane Legions was going to be 40% off!

Civil War Dude and I had a conflict which meant we couldn't attend Cold Wars where we usually spend quite a bit of money on miniatures. He really wanted the game and agreed to foot about half the cost from his saved up allowance. For just over $200, we were able to get one of everything except the Han boosters which they didn't have. We even managed to get two demo sets for under $10 each to provide plenty of infantry for each faction.

The worst part about the game is cutting and assembling/gluing all of the figures. We have played several games now and really enjoy it. It is much quicker than most miniature war games. I might even try to paint some of the infantry fiqures since we have four sets of each.

I would be tempted to buy some of the painted infantry or Cavalry figures, but one set doesn't allow you to assemble many of the basic units, Two times each infantry and cavalry set would get pretty expensive and I think I would rather spend that much money on more different units (painted), Heroscape or other board or miniature games.

[boom]

It kinda goes like this at my venue. People who see the game love it. People who play it......... eh, not so much.

Range, as has been rehashed over and over, really puts the hurt on other units. That wrinkle will continue to be abused and will hinder new player involvement.

Also, and to me more importantly, Wells has got to get their forums squared away. The format is just awful! I can't count the number of times I really got jazzed about a game because of what I could read at the games' website. Good luck navigating the official AL forums and posting photos of your stuff. They are really losing out on an opportunity to show the game off to new players.

I'm also not a huge fan of the unit creator. I know I'm in the minority, but why are we allowing players to create new cheese when some of the basic unit types are nigh unplayable? (terracottas anyone?)

I like the game and I love the concept, but these flaws really hurt it.

[Onacara]

They do sell pre-painted versions of everything now...it does cost a bit more though but if that is all that is holding you back it is an option.

Do they? I wasn't aware of that. I'll have to check into and see what the LGS has. Thanks for the info. :)

The prepainted units are only available from Wells directly as of now....and you have to sign up for a free account on the Arcane Legions website to become a Centurion Club member to access the ability to order them from there online store.

[Onacara]

Hmmmm....I had made a long post response to what Boom said earlier :confused:


Regardless...Ray Wehrs the President of Wells is putting together a Task Force to address the issues with the site and competative play etc and asked me to be a part of it...he also said I can recruit a couple of people so....spacemonkey and boom are you interested?

[boom]

I'd be happy to do what I can to help this game along the path of success. Sadly, my time is going to be severely limited for the next 5 to 6 months. If you're looking for some part-time help, then I'm your man.

[spacemonkeymafia]

Sure thing, Onacara. Ray has already contacted me a couple times but we keep missing each other. If its easier to work through you so that he only has one point of contact, that's fine by me. I don't check HSers as much any more but I can reached on the AL site (same name- spacemonkeymafia). I'll still watch this thread to see how you guys are developing.

[Scapemage]

I got to try this game last night. It was a blast and I hope to buy it sometime soon. It's too bad most of the minis are unpainted though...

[gamjuven]

I got to try this game last night. It was a blast and I hope to buy it sometime soon. It's too bad most of the minis are unpainted though...

You can purchase pre painted minis from the main site if you are interested. Obviously they are more expensive but it's an option.

[stubobj]

I picked this up as a prize at TTO. Ive glanced through the rules and it seems a bit complicated for my wife. Im not sure how much play this will see. I may have to watch through the videos first. I also plan on reading through stuff on BGG. Personally Im excited to give this a try but as I said not sure how the Mrs. will enjoy it.

[stubobj]

So is anyone still playing this? After reading through the threads here and reviews on BGG im a little saddened that it seems this game isnt doing so well right now. I finally got my starter set put together. Im a bit bummed that there's not enough units for a full point battle but theres still a lot here. I was thinking about picking up at least one Infantry pack for each faction since the prices arent bad at all. After watching the videos on the website I think my wife could actually handle the rules just not sure if its the type of game she'll want to continue playing.

[Onacara]

So is anyone still playing this? After reading through the threads here and reviews on BGG im a little saddened that it seems this game isnt doing so well right now. I finally got my starter set put together. Im a bit bummed that there's not enough units for a full point battle but theres still a lot here. I was thinking about picking up at least one Infantry pack for each faction since the prices arent bad at all. After watching the videos on the website I think my wife could actually handle the rules just not sure if its the type of game she'll want to continue playing.

Its actually cheaper to pick up another Stater set and then this way you get the extra dice and turning tool

[Scapemage]

So is anyone still playing this? After reading through the threads here and reviews on BGG im a little saddened that it seems this game isnt doing so well right now. I finally got my starter set put together. Im a bit bummed that there's not enough units for a full point battle but theres still a lot here. I was thinking about picking up at least one Infantry pack for each faction since the prices arent bad at all. After watching the videos on the website I think my wife could actually handle the rules just not sure if its the type of game she'll want to continue playing.
I play. I'm still looking for a starter set of my own (I've got a pending offer), but I do play.

[Knuth Sleuth]

hey anyone still interested in this.
i have quite a bit to trade.

[Tai-Pan]

I just recently bought this game and have finally assembled all the pieces.

1 Starter, 1 each of Infantry, and Egyptian and Han Cavalry. Still looking for Roman Cavalry.

Anyone else still playing?

[nyys]

Got myself a starter set 3 years ago and its collected dust since. :(

[Aldin]

Got myself a starter set 3 years ago and it's collected dust since. :(

Same here. :(

~Aldin, who looks at the box every so often and sighs

[Glen_Quagmire69]

I recently got a buch of this at my local Goodwill. (2 starter sets and 6 boosters) All for about $15.00 it looks pretty cool I may have to try it out tonight.