SFR, Inc.

[dutchjohn]

Well I know they are new but the rules have been available for some time I was wondering if someone has found a masterplan for the use of the new terrains.

Yes, the new color combo's are a plus but actualy the eight face wil be the main strategy changing thing I guess.

Me myself I have read the rules but somehow I was absentminded and did not think up a watertight strategy......ok ok I didn't think up any strategy at all.

so I need to do scavenger like things, like this post, to get my strategies together

tell me your secrets in choosing and using the grounds for battle

cheers,
John
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[Autpost]

I would have posted this elsewhere, but since you have started this topic it fits in here.
I have made a table for all 10 terrains:

	#1	1-1-5		Dragon's Lair
	#2	1-2-4		normal Wasteland
	#3	1-3-3		normal Flatland
	#4	1-4-2		normal Coastland
	#5	2-1-4		Castle
	#6	2-2-3		normal Swampland
	#7	2-3-2		Vortex
	#8	3-1-3		normal Feyland
	#9	3-2-2		normal Highland
	#10	4-1-2		Grove

Dragon's Lair => for your melee armies
Vortex => for missile armies (reroll for Bullseye and Stone; watch out for Medusas)
Grove => for your mages
Castle => if you cannot decide

What do other players think? Which is the terrain to get?

[DialFforFunky]

@ Autpost: Thanks for the nice table, very clear. I like it a lot!

I made a short analysis of the new terrain while I was studying (so I wasn't actually studying...) let me see if I can find it again...

Got it. Here's what I thought:

Castle: Dwarves might like this as an alternative highland. Flexibility is always a good thing. If you find yourself facing black magic, going for temple could be quite a pain for your opponent. But otherwise, this terrain is a bit bland. It doesn't really seem to favor any specific race, and the tower on this thing is nearly useless.

Vortex: The Vortex has fairly balanced distribution. The 8th face is good for amies with monsters or rares with good SAI's. Yet the distribution doesn't really suit troll-fireshadow armies. This terrain might be good for amazons?
edit: does the reroll apply to dispel rolls (and alikes)? That might make the 8t'h face just a bit better. oh nvm, I just read the army has to roll, so it won't apply. But what if the whole army consists of dispellers?

Grove: the blade cuts at both edges for mages. It's the safes terrain in respect to the initial die-roll, but it allows for slightly less explosive magic rolls. Still, I expect a lot of firewalker mages on this terrain. The 8th-face seems more like an extra than enything else really.
edit: 3 health goblin mages with a golden medallion could have fun with this terrain. Spirit furnace two 3-healths for 12 magic, put them back in the DUA, repeat... This might actually be quite good.

Lair: This is the terrain I expect to make the biggest impact on the game. The melee-centric distribution is brutal. This terrain is simply made for troll-fireshadow type armies. They love to start out in melee, and once it's captured, it gets even better. These kind of armies tend to struggle once it captures an 8th face. But with the lair they actually have a fair shot at summoning 2 dragons each turn, which is bound to hurt sooner or later. This terrain might also be good with dragonlord-kind-of-stuff, though I'm not too sure on what they actually do as I don't really like them . But watch out for this terrain.


F

[cliffwiggs]

For the most part I agree with all thats been said, but a few things I wanted to point out...

I think you underestimate the Castle. I agree the Tower effect is not currently useful, but there are many times you don't know what your opponent will bring. The ability to choose your 8th face can really help in this case. If they bring the uber death magic , just jump into a temple. If you see a weakness in them that you could exploit (IF ONLY) you had access to a few points of magic in a color you didn't bring... jump into a standing stone. and if you think you need that extra help bringing back units, the City effect is perfect for you.

BUT BEWARE! The Castle is just as useful for your opponent. If you bring it and want to use it, put all your efforts into capturing it.

I believe the horde roll will be come more important in the future. Currently a lot of players will 'give-up' the horde roll and stack their units at the other two terrains. They can no longer do that, not just because they want to pick their frontier terrain, but you might really want your opponent to NOT have his terrain. If you see their entire strategy is around getting a special frontier terrain, keep them from doing it!


concerning the dispel question... There is fine point in the rules about this. An army roll and an individual roll are different, even if ever die in the army is involved in the individual roll. This is most common in armies that consist of a single common. Even if it is the only die there, individual is still individual.

I agree the Dragons Lair is going to make a huge impact in the game. I can't wait until next Gencon to see what people bring.
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[kainthedragoonx]

Looks like I am going to be in the market for Dragon Lairs and Groves...
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[DEEPBLUEB2]

[cliffwiggs]

[jedijon]

I see a lot of terrains with only one magic icon. Nothing new there

Why no terrains with only 1 melee? I would imagine that given the prevalence of magic, that making them suffer through a few three faces of nothing on their way to eight isn't the end of the world. However, shooting armies only have two faces to go to regain viability - but why does only melee break the mold with 5 dedicated faces? I'd like to hear more about that.

My guess is playtesting shows that melee (sans charge) has more than enough risk to balance its rewards even with its smattering of excellent SAIs; but I'm not the expert.

[piMaster]

Because when the terrains are rolled at the start of the game, we want the possibility that any of the three action types could come up. Since face six is the highest face you can start at, faces 6 and 7 will always be melee.

[cliffwiggs]

[DEEPBLUEB2]