Question for you: I bought a bay a Victrix Norman Infantry because the foot soldiers played such a big role in almost every Norman historical battle. However, the battle board really disfavors Norman foot. Is there another faction where these figures would be useful? The can be built as Andalusian, early Crusader era, or Spanish infantry. Where would you build an army that used their foot Hearthguard or Warriors well? My figures need a home. Thanks.
As a relatively new player (maybe 5 games under the belt) I really appreciated this breakdown of the factions. I've had varying success as Vikings playing against Irish and Anglo-Danes. My next faction is the Norse Gaels, just got a few more guys to paint and they're done. Then i've got a GB Scots starter warband to paint. Fun times ahead!
Glad you found them useful. Thanks for watching Denny! Hopefully you're experience with the Norse-Gaels goes well. I just played them again yesterday and it's fast and furious with those boys!
Thanks for the shout-out, Rodge and Monty, on our Advance the Colors tournament in Ohio! I agree with those posting that Age of Melee works just fine combining the books. There are just as many board vs. board difficult matchups in the same age, I feel, as any outside of Age books. That's my opinion, though, and others can disagree and still have fun playing Saga!
I think I would come out with a pretty similar ranking on the difficulty to you. Thanks for the shout out for the Benelux Grand Melee (17/30 spots already taken!) and the channel/podcast.
How about a video going over battle boards of different factions. Some of those boards are hard to figure out. The Irish Sidhe is one that’s tough discard attack dice for a +1 on attack dice.
We've covered the Irish and all the Viking and Crusade factions (with a big dent in the remaining books) in separate videos. Give the channel a search!
FWIW, my son is brand new to Saga and also finds Pagan Rus easier to play than Vikings. Partly that's because my Polish warband has a bunch of bow levy and mounted, so Pagan Rus limiting shooting and charge to M is brutal (as well as that one that makes it uneven within VS around a unit), but I do think it's easier overall for a new player regardless of matchup.
@Richard Sharpe I don't really play wargames to accurately reinact history. I play them more as a form of intellectual exercise, a battle of wits between myself and my opponent, whereby we make the best of the tools/resources at our disposal. I see models on the table more as game pieces like on a chess board and I enjoy mathing out and pushing the limits of what each of those game pieces can do in combination with others... Exploring the depth of tactics/strategy and mechanics within a game is what excites my mind, not a reinactment of battle X that happened in whatever year the history books say it occurred. If it was like you say guns and rocket launchers vs bows and swords, then yeah it would be a little silly, but the advancements in weaponry doesn't seem to be that much of a gulf between the ages covered in each book? I kind of like the idea of these kind of warbands meeting on an alternate timeline to the one that actually took place and it doesn't take much imagination to come up with ideas of how that could have occurred. Vikings vs Samurai in a battle to the death? Hell yeah, I'm all about the 'what if' of that playing out.
Largely, it works. Exceptions for specific matches being uneven can be made. Crusades is the one that can possibly be seen as stronger than the rest but I feel that is due mostly to the mounted options versus many foot slogging armies.
Hi Andrew! The one I played was using older Warhammer chaos figs - mostly Nurgle stuff. One was using LotR and 3d printed figs. The third one I'm not sure.
Rodge, bad news, but spells don't stay on board longer than your turn unless they say otherwise. just got the answer from Studio Tomahawk themselves. so Stoked Fury is just for the turn you cast it! its even in the FAQ :D regards
Howdy Jeff! I did miss the Stoke Fury FAQ. Rush would still work as I outlined as it has not been FAQ'd. There is no blanket rule for spells lasting one turn written in the book. Each spell indicates it's own duration.
@@RodgeRules well, its what tomahawk told me, spells only last your turn! unless its says otherwise. " Les sorts ne durent que pendant le tour" their answer.
Love this breakdown. Keep coming back to it again and again. Great job.
Thanks Joshua! Glad you've been finding it helpful!
Fantastic resource in terms of the breakdown of the factions - thanks very much
So great to hear! Happy to help. :)
Question for you: I bought a bay a Victrix Norman Infantry because the foot soldiers played such a big role in almost every Norman historical battle. However, the battle board really disfavors Norman foot. Is there another faction where these figures would be useful? The can be built as Andalusian, early Crusader era, or Spanish infantry. Where would you build an army that used their foot Hearthguard or Warriors well? My figures need a home. Thanks.
Great question! I think they would work well for Crusaders in AoC! The Spanish board is also cav heavy so may not have much use for 'em with that one.
As a relatively new player (maybe 5 games under the belt) I really appreciated this breakdown of the factions. I've had varying success as Vikings playing against Irish and Anglo-Danes. My next faction is the Norse Gaels, just got a few more guys to paint and they're done. Then i've got a GB Scots starter warband to paint. Fun times ahead!
Glad you found them useful. Thanks for watching Denny! Hopefully you're experience with the Norse-Gaels goes well. I just played them again yesterday and it's fast and furious with those boys!
Thanks for the shout-out, Rodge and Monty, on our Advance the Colors tournament in Ohio! I agree with those posting that Age of Melee works just fine combining the books. There are just as many board vs. board difficult matchups in the same age, I feel, as any outside of Age books. That's my opinion, though, and others can disagree and still have fun playing Saga!
No problem, Mike!
I think I would come out with a pretty similar ranking on the difficulty to you.
Thanks for the shout out for the Benelux Grand Melee (17/30 spots already taken!) and the channel/podcast.
Huzzah, glad to hear my man!
How about a video going over battle boards of different factions. Some of those boards are hard to figure out. The Irish Sidhe is one that’s tough discard attack dice for a +1 on attack dice.
We've covered the Irish and all the Viking and Crusade factions (with a big dent in the remaining books) in separate videos. Give the channel a search!
Makes me want to get the Viking epic book and start up a warband!
Get to it! :)
Age of melee? What is this? When I played they were introducing cross and crescent.......I need to find out more on what they have produced
An Age of Melee event just means you can play any historical book/faction.
FWIW, my son is brand new to Saga and also finds Pagan Rus easier to play than Vikings. Partly that's because my Polish warband has a bunch of bow levy and mounted, so Pagan Rus limiting shooting and charge to M is brutal (as well as that one that makes it uneven within VS around a unit), but I do think it's easier overall for a new player regardless of matchup.
Thanks for chiming in Daniel! Glad to hear we're in agreement on the Pagan Rus and Vikings! :)
I watch The Northman and I loved it! Guess I'm playing AoV
Oh yeah!! Hopefully it inspired a few more folks as well!
is it possible to have factions from the different books/ages face off against one another or is the game not balanced for that to work well?
Some work, some less so.
Ages of Vikings/Crusades/Invasions are pretty well balanced together I think.
@Richard Sharpe I don't really play wargames to accurately reinact history. I play them more as a form of intellectual exercise, a battle of wits between myself and my opponent, whereby we make the best of the tools/resources at our disposal. I see models on the table more as game pieces like on a chess board and I enjoy mathing out and pushing the limits of what each of those game pieces can do in combination with others... Exploring the depth of tactics/strategy and mechanics within a game is what excites my mind, not a reinactment of battle X that happened in whatever year the history books say it occurred. If it was like you say guns and rocket launchers vs bows and swords, then yeah it would be a little silly, but the advancements in weaponry doesn't seem to be that much of a gulf between the ages covered in each book? I kind of like the idea of these kind of warbands meeting on an alternate timeline to the one that actually took place and it doesn't take much imagination to come up with ideas of how that could have occurred. Vikings vs Samurai in a battle to the death? Hell yeah, I'm all about the 'what if' of that playing out.
Largely, it works. Exceptions for specific matches being uneven can be made. Crusades is the one that can possibly be seen as stronger than the rest but I feel that is due mostly to the mounted options versus many foot slogging armies.
We almost always run AoI+AoV+AoC+Skrælings tournaments. It works pretty well.
There I no Strathclyde in this second edition?
Hi Steve! Strathclyde have merged with the Welsh. If you want to represent them, just take a load of troops on horses!
@@RodgeRules Thanks....i figured that out by watching more of your videos. Mounted=Strath. while dismounted=Welsh.
What models were people using for the Otherworld?
Hi Andrew! The one I played was using older Warhammer chaos figs - mostly Nurgle stuff. One was using LotR and 3d printed figs. The third one I'm not sure.
Rodge, bad news, but spells don't stay on board longer than your turn unless they say otherwise. just got the answer from Studio Tomahawk themselves. so Stoked Fury is just for the turn you cast it! its even in the FAQ :D regards
Howdy Jeff! I did miss the Stoke Fury FAQ. Rush would still work as I outlined as it has not been FAQ'd. There is no blanket rule for spells lasting one turn written in the book. Each spell indicates it's own duration.
@@RodgeRules well, its what tomahawk told me, spells only last your turn! unless its says otherwise. " Les sorts ne durent que pendant le tour" their answer.