15 December 2015

Frostgrave


I made a cheeky impulse purchase the other day, the Frostgrave rulebook. I don't know why, I was on Amazon looking for something and before I knew it there was another item in my basket!

It's a superb, perfect bound, hardback book slightly smaller than A4 (I'm guessing US letter size) and is a great read. The premise of the game (as I like to think of it) is Mordheim with wizards. You choose a school of magic for your wizarding band leader to wield, choose an apprentice, then flesh out the rest of your band with soldiers – these can be made up of Knights, Thieves, Apothecaries, Archers, you name it!


A one-off game consists of two wizards and their bands fighting across a 3'x3' board to collect treasure tokens. If you're playing a campaign, your wizard can collect experience (as well as treasure) and level up over time to become more and more powerful. You can collect various cash and magic items from treasure tokens which can in turn boost your band (who don't get to level up).

It all sounds very fun and with a model count of between 5 and 8 models there's no great time investment painting models.


The campaigns also include creatures that you can encounter as you wind your way through the streets of Frostgrave, including zombies, skeletons, rats. With the first supplement 'Thaw of the Lich Lord' already released, and another 'Into the Breeding Pits' due soon, the game is already expanding, offering players new troop types and challenges.

The rules themselves seem very straightforward, nothing earth shatteringly new or original, yet rather intuitive to folks who've played these types of skirmish games before.


Now, North Star have a host of models specifically produced for Frostgrave, including a wizard for each of the available schools of magic. They also do some great looking plastic kits for soldiers and cultists. However, I'm sure you folks will have suitable models already kicking around in your metal mountains, so this could be an easy entry game at a time when we're all looking to save money. It's an opportunity for a bit of fun with a new game and a chance to use up some spare models and get creative with spare bitz.

17 comments:

  1. Frostgrave has to be one of the best games I have ever gotten into!
    It's wonderful fun.
    ;)

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    1. Excellent! Sounds like it could be a good laugh with a group of friends!

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  2. Don't forget you've now got a nice selection of figures for use in Frostgrave thanks to Black Plague ;)

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    1. Absolutely – ah, so that's how I get the motivation to paint my Black Plague models!

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  3. It certainly is a fun game...quick to pick up and play...and brutal!

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  4. I've got two Frostgrave warbands in the works. Haven't played yet but I'm really pleased with the rules just from reading them.

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    1. I did like your Orcish take on the warbands – look forward to seeing them painted over the next month!

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    2. Orcs - did someone say Orcs? Now you have me interested.

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    3. Yes, a wizarding warband made up of Orcs!

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  5. I do like the figures for these rules, just wish they were historical??

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    1. I'm sure they're historical from a certain point of view ;)

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  6. Because we need another distraction! ;)

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    1. Between Guild Ball, Black Plague and this we'll have you gaming for the next few months Mr Awdry ;)

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  7. You always seem to have an eye on the horizon. It does seem to have a nice feel to it and some of the models are right up your street especially with 'The Hood' going on in the background.

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    1. I'd hate for us to actually settle playing one game for any length of time ;)

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  8. Cool, I'm still on the fence on this one. Though I am considering picking up the plastic cultists to convert them into some Wasteland nomads

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