So within the core box for Runewars there are upgrade cards to add to the capabilities of your various forces. Akin to Star Wars Armada, Star Wars X-Wing, heck even Flames of War is going this way it seems, having a point costed upgrade that adds something to a base unit represented by some card.
So let’s have a look:
With Rank Discipline, adding a additional rank of trays gives you the ability to reroll all of your attack dice. Without spending the 4 points on this card, if you have 2 ranks, you lose one figure off that back rank (your first loss), then you lose that ability. 4 points, you’ll always have it. I’d call this pretty important.
Trumpets and Metered March both add in movement abilities. In the case of Trumpets, you’re basically helping your activation order. Since longer march orders activate later, that upgrade will allow you to sooner in the turn, least when you’re turning, in the case of some units they can turn AND charge so Trumps isn’t a bad choice. Metered march, stop where you want. Exactly. Without it, you’ll marching the full distance of your order.
With this group we’re getting into combat effects.
Bull Pennon hands out a panic token as part of your charge. This is a nice value for amping up the effects for the attack that will occur with your charge.
Terrifying Heraldry hands out a panic token for anyone engaged, which seems like a nice way to protect your flanks too. It also seems like a slow burn type of effect. Since it’s part of the end phase, you’re really building up for the attack for the next round. If you have a fast attack without modifiers, this upgrade could make for a good combo.
Reaping Blade, a 4 point cost to guard against whiffs while handing out an unblock able would? Shut up and take my points. Let me whiff more please!
Heart seeker, is an obvious one only for archers. it’s 10 points, so that’s 5% of the cost of a 200 pt tournament list, this is a fantasy game, so ok set aside reality put on those blindfolds cause it’s a mega-ninja William Tell super power upgrade.
The last 3 in the core set, offer more basic combat related abilities.
Master-crafted Weapons, roll a couple of surges add a hit, for 4 points, seems like an auto include.
Shield Wall for 5 points is pretty situational. It’s great that you can up your defense, but only when you’re bigger when facing an attacker. I think for a line troop that is large, so a 3×3 tray of spearman, then this one will work.
War Crier is a good way to transfer bane tokens from your unit to an enemy. A real, I’m rubber, you’re glue, what hits me bounces off and sticks to you. It’s 5 points and for reflecting say blight bane tokens, this could be handy, however to use it, you’re spending your modifier and if you’re engaged in melee, for a number of units, that is giving up perhaps an extra hit, panic, or other modifier you might want to use.
In all it’s a core set, I was hoping for a bit more flavor here, maybe even a title or two, like Kings Lifeguard or something but instead it’s pretty basic, straight forward, melee and movement focused. I also wondered if there might be some upgrades that were say a magic item, maybe only a hero could equip, in these fantasy universes that’s the kind of thing a hero has and uses on the battlefield. Not so much it would seem, least not yet.
Likewise with obvious spell casters coming in the next couple of months, that’ll introduce magic onto the battlefield.
Stay tuned!