As a regular feature we plan to offer Guest Writer Wednesdays- an opportunity to read something from one of our many fans, blogger friends, and fellow gamers. Sometimes this feature will be about their local game meta, sometimes their own hobby or hobby techniques, sometimes tactica, and sometimes upcoming product- really anything that they want to tell us about. LXG is about sharing our hobby, and Guest Writer Wednesdays is a great way to share. If you are interested in submitting something for GWW, just send us an email.
Today's Guest Writer is Panzerphillou, our first European Correspondent! This is his article on a current Kickstarter for a product named "By Fire and Sword," a historical tactical game. It's good stuff, give it a read!
Among the numerous Kickstarters which exist at the moment, I would want to highlight you a very favorite, By fire and Sword.
What’re we talking about? A very original historical game. Yes I know sometimes historical game are just – let’s face this – boring. You move line of models without any means to overleap your opponent, rules sets are full of sheet (pun intended), games take hours. But this one is a very very special one.
First the background centers on the war in the Eastern Europe between Poland and their numerous foes during 17th century. Art of war at those place and time, even in Pike & Shoot era, favored movement and ascendancy of cavalries (playground are the immense Ukrainians plains). So no more almost no-existent movement phase, it’s time to have some cunning plans!
Second the models are just fantastic, and original: you can play of course the famous polish winged hussar, aka “the wings of Death” (because they never stop an assault until their foes or themselves meet their demise), but Swedish, Ottomans, Tatars, Cossaks… 6 different factions with their own nations rules and units, and the first supplement (“Deluge”) will bring 3 brand news, with among them Imperial from Holy German Empire.
The game has existed since the end of 2011 in Poland and dashed on KS to finance its English translation. I discovered this game during the European Team Championship 2012 on a stand(run by the designer of the game!) Nice boxes and a awesome book (more on that later) catches my eye, we start to talk (he’s a very nice and full of knowledge) and before the end of the competition, I bring several boxes home, waiting for rules translation. I was told wait for 2013 and here we are, Fire and Sword kickstarter launches few days ago and is already a success.
But back to business, if I want to convince you to put a few your your savings(or a lot, don’t be shy) in this excellent game, here’s the models!
I really like box’s design.
Each factions has its own color (here green for ottoman and regal blue for
Swedish. They looks very professional and seems to attract your money…
Boxes are almost full up
with nice toys! Of course you have models, but three very nice add-ons too: metal
base, metal (copper-like) pike or lance, and one (for unit box) to three (for
command box) standards sheet.
Copper-like made pike. Thrust me they can make
you bleed. They’re strong and well sized. You’ll have for your pikemen of
course but for all lance-equipped cavalry too, with some little pierced balls
to make lance guard).
Standards are a welcome idea. It adds a big
visual impact for your units, and several are at disposal. You find one sheet
(3 standards) in units box, and 3 sheets in commands box!! (they’re totally
historical by the way). They’re made from hard paper, you just have to cut
(carefully), glue them.
Close-up of banner ottoman
command: Notice the effect of folds of fabrics given to every banner and the
quality details
Every box contains exact
number of models but if something is missing, you can always contact them to
have replacement.
Models are made in
medal, so you have a cleaning work to do, but I found it really light. I just
had to clean some mold line on some models, that’s all. They’re 15 mm size but
have an amount of details I rarely see on that scale. Pictures can tell you I’m right.
Yes they even have mustaches!!
Handgunners and canon. Just look how every detail is well sculpted. A pleasure for the painter.
Ottomans command. Horses are
very well proportioned. What I find amazing, beyond all historical details, are
the work done on faces. Sometimes you just can’t believe it’s 15mm scale.
Units boxes are about 17,5-22,5 € (so 22-30$), skirmish set (thinks as a starter army box) are about 60$. Warpath games will sell the game afterleasing of the Rulebook in English, but why wait when you can have kickstarter special prices?
I hope to have tempted
you to go to have an (very interested) look on their Kickstarter. If I add
moreover, to have had the Polish version of the book between hands, it’s maybe
the most beautiful book never made for an historic game (and maybe for a
tabletop game, period): the illustrations are just outstanding, all units nits
are presented full page with their own rules and art.
For now English
translation is funded, now pledge level are for making new skirmish set (thinks
as a starter army box). Polish, Ottoman and Swedish ones are just funded as I write (go Poland!!), and maybe I’ll be tempted by those nice
Tatar too…
Ruleset seems great (remember old Space Marine Epic with order? One thousand times better!), what are you waiting for to go to their KS page!
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