Saga: Difference between revisions
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==Game System== | ==Game System== | ||
Saga has a slightly weird rule system which is actually pretty original and interesting. Everyone has access to the same generic units (with some slight variations) but the flavour and tactics of each faction comes from the use of 'Saga dice' and the 'battle board'. At the start of your turn you roll a number of Saga dice - faction specific 6-sided dice with cool symbols on them instead of dots. The symbols you roll are used to activate units (move, shoot or rest) and perform special abilities from your 'battle board' (each faction has their own battle board and allows you to make units do heroic things like intimidate enemy units, form a defensive shield wall or fight a melee with extra brutality). The Saga dice themselves are very pretty, and use symbols such as Viking runes and Welsh dragons, but you can use standard D6's as substitutes if you don't want to fork out extra wonga (or if Gripping Beast don't have them in stock when you want to order them, which happens quite a lot...). | Saga has a slightly weird rule system which is actually pretty original and interesting. Everyone has access to the same generic units (with some slight variations): Hearthguard (which are 'ard as nails), Warriors (does what it says on the tin) and Levies (stinking peasants who are rubbish and tend to throw sharp objects from a safe distance) but the flavour and tactics of each faction comes from the use of 'Saga dice' and the 'battle board'. At the start of your turn you roll a number of Saga dice - faction specific 6-sided dice with cool symbols on them instead of dots. The symbols you roll are used to activate units (move, shoot or rest) and perform special abilities from your 'battle board' (each faction has their own battle board and allows you to make units do heroic things like intimidate enemy units, form a defensive shield wall or fight a melee with extra brutality). The Saga dice themselves are very pretty, and use symbols such as Viking runes and Welsh dragons, but you can use standard D6's as substitutes if you don't want to fork out extra wonga (or if Gripping Beast don't have them in stock when you want to order them, which happens quite a lot...). | ||
The other defining feature of the system is 'fatigue'. Basically if you push a unit hard it will get tired and your opponent can exploit this in combat, making fatigued units extremely vulnerable. Fatigue can be remedied by resting, but this means not being able to do anything for a turn. Therefore, sucessful game play in Saga revolves around battlefield tactics, making the best possible use of your Saga dice and careful management of fatigue (both yours and your opponents) rather than constructing a killer army list. | The other defining feature of the system is 'fatigue'. Basically if you push a unit hard it will get tired and your opponent can exploit this in combat, making fatigued units extremely vulnerable. Fatigue can be remedied by resting, but this means not being able to do anything for a turn. Therefore, sucessful game play in Saga revolves around battlefield tactics, making the best possible use of your Saga dice and careful management of fatigue (both yours and your opponents) rather than constructing a killer army list. | ||
==Historical or not?== | ==Historical or not?== | ||
Some hardcore historical wargamers have questioned the accuracy of Saga's game system, claiming it doesn't accurately depict the way groups of warriors fought in this period. Such people are clearly idiots. We have NO WAY OF KNOWING how dark age combat worked, the events of the game took place over 1000 years ago and the only surviving evidence we have to go on is the scribblings of a few of monks who were more concerned with proving the existence of miracles and the virtues of praying before a battle than analysing tactics and strategy. Therefore sure, the game might be completely historically inaccurate, but the same goes for every other toy-soldier game set in this period, so stop bloody moaning! | Some hardcore historical wargamers have questioned the accuracy of Saga's game system, claiming it doesn't accurately depict the way groups of warriors fought in this period. Such people are clearly idiots. We have NO WAY OF KNOWING how dark age combat worked, the events of the game took place over 1000 years ago and the only surviving evidence we have to go on is the scribblings of a few of monks who were more concerned with proving the existence of miracles and the virtues of praying before a battle than analysing tactics and strategy. Therefore sure, the game might be completely historically inaccurate, but the same goes for every other toy-soldier game set in this period, so stop bloody moaning! | ||
Revision as of 12:18, 19 February 2012
Saga is a historical skirmish wargame published by Gripping Beast and Studio Tomahawk, released in 2011. The game covers the 'Viking Age' (c.793-1066 AD) Players control a small army of around 30 models led by a Warlord. An expansion called Northern Fury is planned for release in 2012
Factions
There are four playable factions in the rulebook; Vikings, Anglo-Danish, Welsh and Normans (anyone clued up on their history will note that 3 out of these 4 are essentially just different types of Viking). Each faction also includes a couple of named characters, such as William, Duke of Normandy and Harald Hadradda. More factions, such as Picts and Saxons (and yet more flavours of Viking - metalheads rejoice!) are planned for a future expansion. Real men play Anglo-Danes.
Game System
Saga has a slightly weird rule system which is actually pretty original and interesting. Everyone has access to the same generic units (with some slight variations): Hearthguard (which are 'ard as nails), Warriors (does what it says on the tin) and Levies (stinking peasants who are rubbish and tend to throw sharp objects from a safe distance) but the flavour and tactics of each faction comes from the use of 'Saga dice' and the 'battle board'. At the start of your turn you roll a number of Saga dice - faction specific 6-sided dice with cool symbols on them instead of dots. The symbols you roll are used to activate units (move, shoot or rest) and perform special abilities from your 'battle board' (each faction has their own battle board and allows you to make units do heroic things like intimidate enemy units, form a defensive shield wall or fight a melee with extra brutality). The Saga dice themselves are very pretty, and use symbols such as Viking runes and Welsh dragons, but you can use standard D6's as substitutes if you don't want to fork out extra wonga (or if Gripping Beast don't have them in stock when you want to order them, which happens quite a lot...).
The other defining feature of the system is 'fatigue'. Basically if you push a unit hard it will get tired and your opponent can exploit this in combat, making fatigued units extremely vulnerable. Fatigue can be remedied by resting, but this means not being able to do anything for a turn. Therefore, sucessful game play in Saga revolves around battlefield tactics, making the best possible use of your Saga dice and careful management of fatigue (both yours and your opponents) rather than constructing a killer army list.
Historical or not?
Some hardcore historical wargamers have questioned the accuracy of Saga's game system, claiming it doesn't accurately depict the way groups of warriors fought in this period. Such people are clearly idiots. We have NO WAY OF KNOWING how dark age combat worked, the events of the game took place over 1000 years ago and the only surviving evidence we have to go on is the scribblings of a few of monks who were more concerned with proving the existence of miracles and the virtues of praying before a battle than analysing tactics and strategy. Therefore sure, the game might be completely historically inaccurate, but the same goes for every other toy-soldier game set in this period, so stop bloody moaning!