Samurai Battles (aka Battle Lore Does Japan)

[Heroscape74]

Thanks for the very detailed breakdown. As much as I love '44, your posts have convinced me I would probably rather be water boarded by a Choom Gang than get within 100 yards of those minis.

Cheers!

[chas]

IndustrialOkie: On boardgamegeek there seems to be (as usual) an entire spectrum of responses to this new board game "experiment." For example:

*I would rather see blocks that are more convenient.

*I love minis, this is the way to go!

*I'm only interested in the Commands and Colors game.

*I'm only interested in the Art of Tactic(s) game.

*Its a great value having both versions in one box.

*Help--I'm still trying to figure out which game pieces go with which game version.

*It took me four whole days to assemble the minis!

*The minis are too complicated and fragile.

*The minis are beautiful and I'm paying another $100 to get storage materials for them!

*It took me two weeks to assemble the minis with a simple color coded ID trim paint job, and it'll be a while before I do the second box, but I'd assemble the new types right away when they come out (Me).

*I'm selling my second box to fund mini storage materials!

*I'm going to now go back and get Barbarosa, the other Zvesda board game of WWII Russian Front combat. (Actually, Zvesda has been experimenting with adding war games rules to their mini playsets for years in various periods, although I've never played one).

*The minis are too hard to handle, and I'm putting the game back on the shelf to play the other Borg games I own.

*I've painted the minis in a simple spray paint color for each army.

*Here are the photos of my Rembrant like detail of painting I've used for the minis!

*Here are the photos of how I've added the old Zvesda soft plastic more simple to assemble but now almost unavailable minis, which are no longer being made because Zvesda had a falling out with the original sculptor..!

*Here's my detailed review, but I let my husband assemble the minis!

*I haven't published my review yet, because I'm not satisfied with it...

*Etc.!

There have only been a few reviews posted in video or written ones so far, as everybody is still evaluating the many new aspects of this game. Those of us who have played through the only eight scenarios you get are now on a second hiatus, waiting for the new figure types and additional Core Set scenarios promised by Richard Borg's pal, who has to get RB's final approval on them.

My feeling of the general consensus is that its a great game, especially if you can play someone else's copy, or pay someone to assemble/paint the minis for you! The Dragon Cards may be the best Borg card deck made so far, especially if you have a feel for the period. I've been watching lots of samurai films lately...

[chas]

My usual opponent took a road trip and worked on rotating the board 45 degrees to accomodate the AOT scenarios as C&C! He reports that this worked just fine, if you make up the initial sets up resources for both sides (How many of each of the two kinds of cards and number of Honor/Fortune markers you start the game with).

I've also introduced SB to two more pals. If I ever get the second box figures done, we can try out a double board battle!

A pal brought over many, many old soft plastic Zvesda Samurai horsemen and even Mongol horsemen, which he sold to me for very little, even though I told him that he could probably get more on ebay now that SB was out, and you can't find them anywhere. Lucky me!

[chas]

Important update--I haven't tackled the second box's set of figures yet! But I won't sell it off either, as who knows whether the game will be available in the future.

Still waiting on new figure sets!

[dra(gon)]

i got the game on essen man so manny pieces.
i got some expansions thre for anly 2,50 $
but find the other expansions is hard as hell.


on essen i got the packs
mounted samurai
a shigaru with arquebus
samurai naginata
samurai commanders

there the future expansions

[chas]

Dra(gon):

Hello to Germany--land of the Essen show! It sounds like the "expansion" packs you got were more of the same figures in the regular game. Unfortunately the photos you sent don't connect properly when I try to enlarge them.

The new packs are supposed to be:

Warrior Monks
Mounted Samurai Archers
Ninjas

Did you get or hear about any of these or others not included in the original box?

[dra(gon)]

yes, the expansion packs on essen were the normal core soldiers but they said they expanded the game. the real new units were even not in essen. the flyer has 13 units they are all for 2012. i could make a better scan on wendsday.

[chas]

Dra(gon):
Great; I'd love to see them. Thanks.

[dra(gon)]

[chas]

Dra(gon):

This is the best material I've seen yet on what will be coming out in 2012. Thanks!

For those of you who are confused (and I know I am) by the many different announcements: the following are the "new sets" containing figures not in the original game box:

Mounted Samurai Archers
Dismounted Samurai Archers
Samurai With Long Swords
Monks With Yari and Naganata
Monk Archers
Ninja
Peasants With Ammo Supply (Arrows?)

Seven new sets--wow!

[dra(gon)]

i found an uk shop that had some of the real expansion. that is good for the future expansion, and if i want an unique samurai army.

[chas]

I'm thinking of buying two of each new set, one for each side. Of course, I already have two basic sets--the second still unassembled.