Holiday Updates
Happy Holidays, Bannermen! Michael Shinall here for one last update of the year, and we have quite a lot to cover so we will skip the formalities and get right into things!
This week, as a holiday gift to our loyal players, we’re showing off three important documents:
As mentioned, it is quite a lot! Let us break down each of these documents with some important notes and commentary:
2021 Update Previews
In this document you will find, surprisingly, some previews of various unit updates coming in the 2021 Card Packs, as we have been outlining in our Visions in Flames article series. These card packs are scheduled for release in Q2 2021, so still a way off, but we have been excited about them so showing off more has been fun for us over the last few weeks.
For this showcasing, we chose to preview items from the various Starter Sets for each faction (Note that the card packs contain updated cards for all faction components, as well as updated Game Mode components as well). Today we won’t be going over each of these items, but rather just present them so players can further get a sense of the direction things will be going. As mentioned, these are part of the overall Visions in the Flames article series, where we go into detail about these directions and the overarching changes. This document is mainly to showcase examples of those changes. We do want to note, however, that while we’re sure even showing these will lead to both excitement and a lot of speculation, it’s important to remember that every single aspect of these updates is only one part of a greater whole, so we advise to keep that in mind when exploring these previews.
2021 Rulebook
As we’ve done in most update iterations, the Core Rulebook has received another pass to both clarify some items as well as actually modify some core rules to streamline the overall game. Below you will find the listed changes. We have also noted specifically when a rule has been modified, versus when an item was merely reworded for clarification:
PG. 5: Common Game Terms: “Move” and “Target” added. “Pivot” definition reworded.
PG. 6: Activation Phase: Steps and definitions reworded.
PG. 6: RULES MODIFICATION: Clean-Up Phase and Tactics Cards: Tactics Hand limited to 5 cards maximum at any time implemented.
PG. 8: Range: Icons added to replace Long/Short Range indicators on cards.
PG. 9: House Name and Affiliation: Text added to further define these terms.
PG. 16: Engaging Multiple Enemies: Text reworded for clarification.
PG. 17: RULES MODIFICATION: Disorderly Charge: A Disorderly Charge now prevents playing of Tactics Cards for the remainder of the Turn, instead of the unit’s Action.
PG. 17: Attack Completed: Text reworded for clarification.
PG. 18: RULES MODIFICATION: Panic Test: Damage resulting from failing Panic Tests has been modified from D3+1 Wounds to D3.
PG. 21: Tactics Card Triggers: Text reworded for clarification.
PG. 22: Orders: Text reworded for clarification.
PG. 24: RULES MODIFICATION: Terrain Keywords: Numerous Terrain Keywords have been reworked.
PG. 25: RULES MODIFICATION: Terrain Examples: Various Terrain elements have had their suggested Keywords modified.
Summary Page: RULES MODIFICATION: Attack Abilities (Critical Blow, Precision, Sundering, Vicious) have been added to this section in place of writing out their definitions each time they appear.
Summary Page: RULES MODIFICATION: Critical Blow + Precision: Wording on these effects has been modified in such a way that they no longer interact. Critical Blow generates +1 Hit, Precision generates 1 Wound in place of rolling a Defense Die.
2021 Game Modes
We have revamped every available Game Mode as part of this update. These are available in both the Rulebook File as well as their own separate Game Modes 2021 Document. It is important to note that as part of this initiative we have also updated Objective Cards and Mission Cards. You can find the new versions of these cards in the 2021 Game Mode document.
• 1 Mission Deck per player is required for Game Modes that utilize the deck.
• A single Objective Deck is required for Game Modes utilizing the deck.
• Siege Attacker and Defender Cards, as well as the Castle Wall card (all utilized in Storm of Swords) are unchanged from previous versions.
• Most Deployment Zones have been modified from Short/Long Range to 10”.
Below I will briefly summarize any relevant changes to each of these modes:
• A GAME OF THRONES: Game Mode utilizes the revamped Objective Deck.
• A CLASH OF KINGS: Game Mode has removed general respawning of Units and now limits it to Commander’s unit. Game Mode now has a strong focus on these units above all others, incorporating the Objective Deck to grant additional buffs to these units.
• WINDS OF WINTER: Game Mode now utilizes Mission Cards and allows further control over said Missions by each player.
• DARK WINGS, DARK WORDS: Game Mode now utilizes Mission Cards. The method in which Mission cards are cycled throughout the game has been modified.
• HONED AND READY: New Game Mode added!
• A DANCE WITH DRAGONS: Game mode now utilizes the new Objective Deck. Units can now “steal” Objectives via Attacking and having more ranks than the Defender.
• HERE WE STAND: New Game Mode added!
• STORM OF SWORDS: Unchanged. Rules reworded for additional clarifications.
• A FEAST FOR CROWS: Objective Deck incorporated, as well as additional means of causing units to “drop” Objectives via having fewer remaining ranks.
• FIRE AND BLOOD: “Marked” unit buffs replaced with Objective Deck buffs.
Player Support
Need Assistance? Click here to reach our dedicated Customer Support team for help with your order, address changes, refunds, or parts replacements.