Zombicide - Dog Companions: Unboxing & Review

They say a dog is a man's best friend. And what better time to have a good friend by your side than when the Zombie Apocalypse drops. Let's open this sucker up and check out the K9 goodness within...

Front of box. Back of box..

Clockwise from top right: Moog & Gaspard, Lucian & Cherry and Bismuth & Martens... SIT!!!

Let's take a look at the minis. The box contains three different sculpts representing the six possible dog companions available to our survivors. No Chihuahuas or Pugs here, these boys are made of sterner stuff and coming from the hardy breeds of either German Shepherd, American Bulldog or Blue Heeler, they are more than happy to chew on Zombie bones should the need arise...

Bismuth and Moog add their fangs to the fight as our survivors hold back the tide...

The sculpts themselves are characterful, crisp and show a nice level of detail. The minis 'sit' snuggly on a central peg attached to the base. They're not directly glued in or anything and therefore can, if required, be removed from the base. This may come in handy for anyone looking for dog minis to re-base and use in other game systems... For example, how about the German Shepherds mixed in to a Bolt Action Heer Command Group? ;). 

Next up are the cards and as mentioned, there are six cards representing the six different dogs available. The box-set actually comes with a further twelve cards; six repeat cards printed in Spanish and again in French (set these to one side if needs be). The cards are of good quality and match up with the equipment cards found in the core game set...

Finally, we have the rules. Let's summarise the key elements players will need to know:

• Dog Companion cards are Equipment cards and the Survivor owning the card is it's 'Handler'
• The card doesn't have to be 'in hand' to be active
• Like other equipment cards, Dog Companions can be traded between Survivors
• Each Survivor can start the game with a Dog Companion or certain missions and objectives will see them shuffled into the Equipment deck (more on this rule in a minute...)
• Survivors can have multiple Dog Companions in their inventory
• Dog Companions have only one wound
• Dog Companions have the 'Low Profile', 'Slippery' and 3 Zones per Move skills
• Dog Companions add +1 Melee Die to it's handler. This is cumulative based on the number of dogs the Survivor handler has with him
• Dog Companions don't have any actions - The Survivor Handler opts to spend his own actions for the dog to use
• The actions a Dog Companion can use are: 1.) Move 2.) Melee Attack 3.) Make Noise 4.) Get In / Out of Car 5.) Search
• Dog Companions can hold Equipment they find, but not use it 
• Dog Companions can freely exchange Equipment cards with their Survivor Handler when they are in the same zone
• 'Moog' can't search but adds +2 Melee Dice

'Cherry' unearths an automatic shotgun... 'Good boy!'

'Moog' charges in like a hound from hell...

As mentioned earlier, the rules allow for our Survivors to start a mission with a dog companion already in tow, or gain one via achieving mission objectives etc. In the games we've played to date, we've preferred to shuffle all six Dogs into the Equipment deck, regardless. This has provided a really nice surprise for each player when they find one of the dogs and really does create an inseparable bond between man and beast.

In-game, the Dogs themselves have performed admirably; Doing a great job searching for items and with their ability to move 3 zones in 1 turn, acting as 'runners' to help quickly ferry vital equipment between our beleaguered Survivors. The Dog's ability to add additional dice in melee has also proved extremely useful. When a Survivor has picked up more than one Dog, they've become a real force to be reckoned with...

In one game, Grindlock had turned into a 'pack master'...
His three dogs and heavy duty DIY equipment making him a Zombie killing machine...

...And here's Grindlock taking his pups for a spin in the Pimp Mobile... 

In summary, the Dog Companions set is an excellent addition to the Zombicide game. The minis are characterful, well executed and add to the flavour of the post apocalyptic setting. Importantly, the Dog Companion rules really add a new dimension to the game, providing our Survivors with a range of new tactical and strategic options. Players will become really attached to their K9 counterparts and feel genuine sadness (quickly followed by blind rage vengeance!) when their loyal friend is taken down by the foul Zombie horde... NOOOooooo!!!!!  MOOoooog!!

On this note, if your gaming group likes a hard-core challenge, you could then turn your freshly munched pooch back on his former master, in the form of a zombie dog...

Well, hopefully you enjoyed our look at the Dog Companions set for Zombicide. If you're into the game, I highly recommend you put them on your shopping list. At this point, I should also say thanks to my mate Olly who bought me my box for my birthday. Good on ya' mate! :)

Let's round things off with some fan made custom Dog Companion cards. Or in this case, Wolves...

Until next time... Zombicide - Dog Companions: Unboxing & Review

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Super Dungeon Explore - Forgotten King Kick Starter

Back in August, we took our first glimpses at the much anticipated SDE expansion the Forgotten King. Soda Pop have now lifted the lid and announced the details of their Kick Starter.

And what better place to start than the minis...

New Heroes - "Princess Emerald and her companions are questing deep Into the Lordship Ruins to confront the evil that resides there. The Forgotten King includes 5 new Heroes to brave the depths, including the Thundervale Huntress, Fae Alchemist, Tusk Tribe Shaman, and the brave Questing Knight. Each lend a new dynamic to game play and strategy to conquer the Forgotten King and his minions..."

Our intrepid heroes...

Looks like those hooves could provide the Thundervale Huntress with quite a move...

New Monsters – “Explore the Fae Wood, home of the Kodama, sentient forest spirits with a taste for adventuring Heroes. Wisps lure Heroes into ensnaring traps as terrifying, man-eating plants sprout from the loamy forest floor to devour them. Continue into the Lordship Ruins where the once proud bramble knights, now corrupted and twisted into servants of the Dark Consul; stalk the stony ruins for any who would defile their lord’s holdfast. Don’t get too close to the trees; we hear the squirrels are in an ill mood…”

The Consul's minions...

New Bosses – “Brooding from his darkened hallways, the Forgotten King is a cursed lord who has pledged himself to the service of the Dark Consul, darkening his once lush and verdant lands. At his side are two new Mini-Bosses - Trent, a towering guardian of the forest with thick bark and brambles for armour and, Boris - a raging brute with snarling ursine features….”

Trent...

Aside from battling within a new realm of Crystalia, this edition of SDE sees a number of new changes to the way the game is played:

 - Interactive dungeon tiles provide a new dimension to game play

 - New streamlined rules now remove the Adventure Tracker to keep the action on the tabletop

 - Introduction of new unit types such as Pets, Creeps and Traps

 - New Princess Coins allow our Heroes to stay in the game longer

 - Increased chance of spawning mini-bosses creates deadlier fights

 - Game has been designed for easier expansion for future game play modes such as PvP Arena and campaign play

Whilst fully compatible with previous SDE expansions and supplements, the Forgotten King is a new starting point in the SDE series, providing players with a new and improved version of the game. For example, alongside Classic Mode, TFK introduces ‘Arcade Mode’ - A fully realized cooperative play game for up to 5 players, pitting your party of adventurers against a fully automated dungeon. Soda Pop have also considered their existing players by providing a complete set of updated rules (the first game certainly required it’s fair share of FAQ’s!), along with a set of six, long over due, new game tiles…

And in a further attempt to blow our tiny little minds, Soda Pop have also announced the release of a new dark elf Mini Boss, Kaelly the Nether Strider...

"Smoke, shadow, and dark energy twist and lurk from the scarred lands known as the Nether Rifts. From the depths of this stygian abyss the Nether Elves appear. Renowned amongst her dark kin, Kaelly is an assassin without peer. Embrace the darkness with this unique mini-boss and should any oppose you—strike from the shadows!"

If you've never had the opportunity to play Super Dungeon Explore, now's the time to get involved. Because beneath all that cute chibi styling, there's one hell of a great game bursting to get out...

Until next time :)

Super Dungeon Explore - Forgotten King Kick Starter

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Battle Line - Game Review

Me and the lads meet up once a week for a spot of gamin' in the garage. We chew the fat, eat and drink til' we're merry and try to cram in as much gaming as we can before the inevitable return to our loved ones and the realities of the 9 - 5...

With game time at a premium, the last year has seen a notable change in the types of games we've played, switching focus from tabletop mini war-games, to board games and CCC's.

This is nothing new - Recent years have seen the traditional and recognised stereotypes within the hobby world begin to blur, with gamers of all ages and experience becoming more open to the possibilities on offer. Our club day bears testament to this, with over twenty different game systems being played at any one time, seeing 40k, Bolt Action and Magic the Gathering players all vying for table space...

'Magic The Twatting Gathering?!!
Get out you soppy great wizard's sleeve!!!'

I love MTG by the way. Anyway, back to the post in hand...

I stumbled upon this game in a local charity shop and knew very little about it at the time. But it bore the legendary Reiner Knizia's name so I knew it must have some pedigree...

In Battle Line the object of the game is to play cards to create formations that are used to capture flags for victory. These 9 flags or 'strategic objectives' are laid out in a row across the middle of the table, with the two opposing generals attempting to win by capturing either 3 adjacent flags or 5 flags in any order.

From a starting 'Troop Deck' of 60 cards, each player is dealt 7 cards with which to start building their formations. These cards are in 6 'suits' or colours and are numbered from 1 - 10. If you've ever played any Texas Hold'em Poker you'll be right at home with the differing types of unit formations you can muster...

Having randomly determined who'll go first, the players alternate the following turn sequence: 

1.) Play a troop card next to one of the 9 flags

2.) Check to see if a player can successfully claim a flag  

3.) Draw a card from either the Troop deck or the tactics deck (more on that in a minute), to ensure your hand maintains 7 cards

4.) When both decks run out, no further cards can be drawn, but play continues

5.) Flags are won by formations of Troop cards played adjacent to the flags

Troop formations start to take hold...

...And flags are seized...

With the battle at tipping point, I counter Olly's all conquering wedge (three in, top right)
by playing the 'Mud' tactics card... Mwahahaha!

The Tactics cards. These can be real game changers and lead to victory where once all was lost and throw a real spanner in the works for your opponent. There are 10 Tactics cards and players are free to pick up from this deck instead of picking up from the Troops deck. There are however some conditions to follow:

1.) A player can hold any number of Tactics cards in his hand upto his maximum of seven

2.) A player may never play more than one Tactics card more than his opponent has played

3.) There are three types of Tactics cards: Morale Tactics (Leader, Companion Calvary, Shield Bearers) which are played in formations in place of Troop cards. Environment Tactics (Fog, Mud) which affect a single, unclaimed flag. Guile Tactics (Scout, Redeploy, Deserter, Traitor) which are placed face up on the player’s own side next to the Tactics deck...

The rule whereby you can only play one more tactics card than your opponent is what lifts this game into strategy heaven. With Tactics cards having potential to be so disruptive, you will often find yourself holding these cards back just to prevent your opponent from wrecking your carefully laid plans. Players will meticulously plan exactly what formations and tactics to play because you may never get the chance to play another one if your opponent refuses to let you…

Battle Line is one of the most engrossing, tactical games I've ever played. At it's heart, it's simple core mechanics make it very easy to teach to new players. But as they get the grasp of the game and how and then best to co-ordinate their use of tactics cards, both new and old players alike will be battling each other with a depth of strategic thinking the game initially belies.

If you get the opportunity to play this game or can grab a copy from eBay (or a charity shop!), I strongly urge you to do so. If needs be, park any minor hobby pre-conceptions to one side for a bit – Sure, it may lack the slick cutting edge design of more recent board and card game productions, but when a game is this elegant, accessible and engrossing, who cares?

  

Cheers ;)

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