Gameplay Focus - Charging!

Hello everybody!

Welcome to our second gameplay post! Today we are going to be briefly looking at how charging works.

Everybody loves a good charge, whether it is the English and the Scottish in Braveheart or the Orcs and Goblins charging against the Last Alliance of men and elves in Lord of the Rings - it is always a brutal and bloody affair. We have aimed to make Drakenheim feel like this – with troops that receive a charge being hit very hard. It is a very cool mechanic and a well placed and timed charge can completely change the battle (especially if the charging unit is cavalry). Lets take a look at how it works:

Here are two units of enemies - red are Corustir and green are Drek:

The Drek controlling player chooses to charge in the momentum phase and he measures to see how far his unit can go. This diagram shows that the Drek at the front of the unit can break through 2-3 lines of the Corustir unit:

The front Drek move in a straight line towards the chosen targets. As they are covering clear ground the first model they hit is wounded on a 3+:

For models that reached the maximum length of their charge or were unsuccessful in killing their target, the charge ends at this point and they are now considered to be in combat. Models that killed their target and had distance left get to move to the next opponent - however momentum will have slowed and it will now be harder to wound the second Corustir:

Same again - for models that reached the maximum length of their charge or were unsuccessful in killing their target, the charge ends at this point and they are now considered to be in combat. Models that killed their target and had distance left get to move to the next opponent - however momentum will have slowed even further and it will now be even harder to wound the next Corustir:

The wound role is failed and the Drek is now considered to be in combat;

The Drek at the back can now perform their charges, mopping up stragglers that the front models didn't or moving up so that they are considered to be in the combat:

The charge is complete and both units are considered to be in combat:

This is a very brief look at how charging works, in the full rules there are factors like weather conditions, commander orders and reactionary skills from the defending unit (like covering up with shields, counter charging or falling back - although these will all have their own pros and cons). We hope that the example is clear and that you can get a feel of the gameplay mechanic. 

If you have any questions please comment below or email us at noctisgamingltd@gmail.com.

Faction Focus - Knight Order

Hello everyone and welcome to the third faction focus.

We will be using these articles as an opportunity to have a brief introduction of the four factions from our first Kickstarter.

Today we are looking at the Knight Orders:

History:

Knights, from various hosts, crusade far and wide across the lands of Mythrandris. Sometimes they are settled and create vast cities and townships, protecting the local peasantry for a fee. Self appointed kings, emperors and lords often install themselves in these newly formed communities, swelling the Orders numbers with recruits from the populace. Eventually, part of the Order will form a new crusader host and will move on from the original. Most often this is done with well-wishing and vows of brotherhood and fealty, but on some occasions the parting is fuelled by disagreement and hatred - sworn enemies are born in these circumstances. Yet other crusader hosts live as nomads, off the land and out of tents. It is unknown how many Knight Orders there are active in Mythrandris. The purpose of the different Orders are as varied as their origins, some are seeking treasures of ages past while others are determined to rid the world of magic-wielders and yet others have no reason to exist other than to support the community they now call home.

How they play:

Knight Orders are a solid all-round faction. They do nothing poorly but neither do they excel at anything. Their main strength lays in Empire building, where they are second to none. Magic is mainly wielded for buffing or as crowd control but higher tier wizards have the ability to call on some nice offensive spells too.

Miniatures:

The Knight aesthetic is very regimented and the models are about 20mm to the eyes – they will come in male and female options. The weapons are clean and well developed, the armour is fairly plain but with small flourishes. The troop unit will come with options for sword or spear and shield option – the latter of which can also be used to replace a model that loses their mount. The elite unit has a different helmet, slightly more detail and a two-handed sword that is effective against groups of people and heavier units. The archery unit is equipped with a longbow and small blade at their belt for close combat. The cavalry unit come on horseback and are equipped with spear and shield options, although the troop swords will also be able to be swapped in.

As an add-on, pledgers will be able to buy mages and warlords which will come in male and female variants, mounted and on foot - depending on popularity, these may end up as high quality resin.

As another add-on - we will provide a custom transfer service for the shields.

Terrain:

Human settlements have a medieval aesthetic – we wanted the architect to be instantly recognisable and relatable but also a realistic scale and have fully developed interiors. The renders below show a medium/ large dwelling in both ruined and complete forms. We aim to have a large range of terrain – just like the Corustir – like a tavern, Blacksmith and merchant shop as well as small, medium and large dwellings. If you have any ideas or suggestions please contact us below!

To the future:

In the future we would like to add:

• a cold weather unit with furs to protect from adverse climate conditions.
• siege units (both attacking and defending).
• a full range of terrain.
• naval ships of varying sizes.

For our next faction focus we will be taking a look at the Bhur. Check back soon!

Faction Focus - Drek

Hello everyone and welcome to the second faction focus.

We will be using these articles as an opportunity to have a brief introduction of the four factions from our first Kickstarter.

Today we are looking at the Drek:

History:

'Drek' was once the slave name that man gave to the Orc. It was originally a derogatory term to desensitise populations against the race. The name Drek has now been reclaimed and is worn as a 'badge of pride' by every Orc warband and society in Mythrandris. Drek are – wrongly – assumed to be big, stupid berserkers with no wit, however there are increasingly more instances of whole societies – both nomadic and settled. They are tremendous miners of ore and other precious materials due to their sheer strength and endurance, making them highly sought after clients by many of the bigger trade guilds. No civilised race comes close to them in terms of mass or brute might and they are an incredible foe to behold. Some warbands have gone totally feral and live to fight among themselves and the other races. However, more than once an elven hamlet or a human town has been under siege when a Drek warband has come and saved the populace. Orgrek (enormous half ogres) often follow Drek into battle, using their superior size to batter their opponent. Although much more dense than their half-kin, Orgrek prove to be obedient and capable warriors for a Drek army. Large warboars have been bred to carry the Drek to war as quickly as their powerful legs can carry them – unleashing brutal charges upon smaller infantry units that find themselves impaled on vicious horns or hacked down by the powerful riders. 

How they play: 

Drek are a tough opposition for lesser armies. A human soldier would have more attacks but Drek have the far greater power. Only the Corustir would struggle against the Drek numerically and even they would have a hard battle in store. Orgrek are phenomenal foes which can devastate buildings and walls as easily as the ranks of lesser warriors. Drek shamans use many different types of spells but their magic is always brutal to their foe.

Miniatures:

The Drek aesthetic is a very powerful and muscular look and the models are about 22mm to the eyes. The weapons are crude and the armour primitive. The troop unit will come with options for dual wielding or melee and shield option – the latter of which can also be used to replace cavalry models that lose their mount. The elite unit comes in heavier armour and use enormous two handed weapons to cleave through the foe. Orgrek are even bigger than the Drek, coming in at around 25mm to the eyes. Orgrek come with large two handed weapons and are optimised for cutting through heavier units, units with shields or even breaking down terrain. The cavalry unit come on giant boars and they specialise in a melee and shield loadout.

As an add-on, pledgers will be able to buy shamans and warlords which will come in Drek and Orgrek variants, mounted (Drek) and on foot - depending on popularity, these may end up as high quality resin.

Terrain:

The Drek tend to be more nomadic – living out of tents, huts or just in the wild. When Drek do settle, it is usually in the crudely repaired ruins of a conquered societies. Although we have the intention to create a full range of Drek terrain – we would like to include our pledgers in the decision making process for this.

To the future:

In the future we would like to add:

• a cold weather unit with furs to protect from adverse climate conditions.
• siege units (both attacking and defending).
• a full range of terrain.
• naval ships of varying sizes.

For our next faction focus we will be taking a look at the Knight Orders. Check back soon!

Gameplay Focus - Indirect Archery

Hello everybody!

Welcome to our first gameplay post! Today we are going to be briefly looking how 'indirect' archery works. 

One of my favourite moments in any historical or fantasy movie or TV programme, is when archers aim for the heavens and let loose with a volley of arrows, cutting down the enemy in droves! As a gameplay mechanic, for me, it has never been captured in a realistic way. As with all of Drakenheim, we have aimed (pun not intended lol) to make realistic and fun rules, but we also want the games to be fast and fierce. So lets take a look at how indirect archery works.

Here is a unit of enemies:

Here we can see where the unit of 10 Corustir archers are aiming for:

The Corustir player roles a D6 for each shot, which determines which of the segments the arrow hits (shown here highlighted with white 'boxes'):

 

Now we look at who gets hit. Any enemy which is 50% or more in a segment counts as being hit. Models 50% within the templates circles count as being a critical hit. Each enemy model can only be hit once (indirect archery is a game of probability and for someone to be hit twice it would be fairly unlikely):

All that is left after this example is to role to wound and remove casualties. There is no armour saves for the defending unit.

This is a very brief look at how the indirect archery works, in the full rules there are factors like weather conditions, commander orders and reactionary skills from the defending unit (like covering up with shields or hitting the ground - although these will then affect the unit in the proceeding momentum phase). We hope that the rules are clear. 

Our archery templates will be made in laser cut acrylic and come as an add-on for the armies that can use them.

If you have any questions please comment below or email us at noctisgamingltd@gmail.com.

Noctis Gaming

Faction Focus - Corustir

Hello everyone and welcome to the first faction focus.

We will be using these articles as an opportunity to have a brief introduction of the four factions from our first Kickstarter.

Today we are looking at the Corustir:

History:

The Corustir are the most common type of societal elves in Mythrandris. They often have vast cities and strongholds that owe allegiance to a royal house. Elves as a race, are often very secretive and reclusive, dealing with other factions on their own terms and protecting their own interests above everything else. The Corustir are an example of this - however it is not uncommon for a royal house to have allegiances with the other races. It is also equally likely to find two Corustir houses that are outright at war with each other. While less likely to be nomadic, it is not unheard of to meet caravans or outposts of Corustir throughout Mythrandris - even as far north as the Great Glacier. They are formidable warriors, artisans and scholars and where an elven society takes root invariably becomes a hub of commerce and trade in that region.                    

How they play: 

The Corustir are currently the most elite army available in the game. They excel in almost all areas leading them to have a lower model count. They are particularly strong in organised close combat where foes will need to bring superior numbers and flanking manoeuvres to really break them down. The Corustir wield light magic for buffing, confusing and controlling their enemies before hitting them with brutal fire spells.

Miniatures:

The Corustir aesthetic is a mix of historical Roman/ Greek, but with a subtle touch of High Elf too. We wanted to convey that they are a more disciplined and regimented force. The split between male and female models will be around 50/50 but for our first prototype and render we choose a female to balance out the first four factions. The model stands 20mm to the eyes and will come on an 18mm base. We hope that the models will be multi-posable so that people can make some great poses of their own. Their troops come with sword and shield options but there will be a stretch goal that will allow for spear and shield. The elite unit wields a double handed sword - excellent for hacking apart heavy foes. The Corustir will have a ranged unit equipped with long bows for thinning enemy hordes and a cavalry unit which will have the same aesthetic as below but will be on horseback with spear and shield. Elite, archer and cavalry units will also come with an option to add a lieutenant to the force - who can act as sub-commanders for large armies or the nominated commander of smaller armies and skirmish forces.

As an add-on, pledgers will be able to buy mages and warlords which will come in male and female variants, mounted and on foot - depending on popularity, these may end up as high quality resin.

Terrain:

The Corustir architecture is very ornate and spacious - we wanted to convey an established and developed society with very clean and clear lines and features. The renders below show a medium sized dwelling in both complete and ruined form. The building is modular and additional stories can be added and extra roofs purchased for customisation. We aim to have a large range of terrain including a Corustir tavern, Blacksmith and merchant shop as well as small, medium and large dwellings. What would you like to see?

To the future:

In the future we would like to add:

• a cold weather unit with furs to protect from adverse climate conditions.
• siege units (both attacking and defending).
• a castle/palace/stronghold (both ruined and complete)
• naval ships of varying sizes.

For our next faction focus we will be taking a look at the Drek. Check back soon!

Drakenheim; Emerging Empires - An Introduction

About Noctis Gaming:

We are a new company launching our first Kickstarter in early June 2019. Drakenheim is a 20mm scale, fantasy tabletop wargame and we will be looking to fund the first four factions of the game as well as accessories and terrain.

About Drakenheim:

Drakenheim is a 20mm tabletop wargame set in a fantasy world called Mythrandris. We have created the game to be scalable from small skirmish size all the way up to siege size of 1000 or more models. 

Rules

The rules have been designed to be realistic, tactical, proactive and reactive as well as being, most importantly, fun. The hardest part of our development has been to create a game that can be played in large scale in a reasonable timescale. In this, we believe we have been successful - a large game of around 800 models can be played in a few hours once you are comfortable with the rules. 

The game is simple to grasp but allows for complex tactics due to the proactive and reactive decisions that players will face every turn. For example, when targeted by an enemy units ranged attacks, you may choose to increase your units defence by creating a shield wall - however this decision will mean the defending unit will have to move slower in the proceeding momentum phase. It is this range of cause and effect decisions that really separates Drakenheim from others on the market and creates a realistic, cinematic and thrilling experience.

The core rules and unit rules will be free to download so when updates are made players can update their publications with no cost. All core and faction rules will stay free forever.

Miniatures:

The aim of Drakenheim is to bring large scale fantasy battles to an ordinary tabletop. To do this we had to adopt a smaller scale for our miniatures without compromising the quality of the product. We settled on 20mm as our scale as we felt this had the perfect balance of scale and detail. We don’t want these large armies to be daunting to paint so we have designed each faction to have areas of block detail for ease of painting. The miniatures are designed so that people who want to paint them quickly can do so, but also so that people who like a painting challenge can still get some incredible results. We will be showing some painted prototypes off over the next few weeks - painted by artists with a range of capabilities.

Lets take a look at two of the starting races:

The Corustir are a Roman/Greek/High Elf fusion and are one of the more organised and martial races in Mythrandris. This image is of a standard female warrior, however both genders fight in a Corustir army.

This is a Drek warrior with 2 hand axes. 'Drek' is a derogatory term dating back to the days when orcs were farmed as slaves and forced to work in mines. They stand taller than an elf or human - who will only come to the height of their shoulder.

Here is a little battle scene using some of our renders.

We will be offering a variety of faction models as 32mm skirmish scale too. See the Kickstarter for details!

Terrain:

To go with our miniatures, we are developing a range of terrain for each of our factions. From ramshackle huts and tents for the Bhur to the Roman/Greek/Elf fusion we have developed for the Corustir, our aim is to give each society its own distinct character and range of terrain. We will be producing pre and post battle terrain so that players can revisit locations from their campaigns after a battle has concluded.

Here is a Corustir dwelling suitable for an untouched battlefield:

Here is the same dwelling after the battle has been fought (or during if you want an evolving battlefield:

It won’t stop there either! We will sell the rooves individually in case people (like me - Tim) want to have snow and fair weather versions without having to buy full kits.

We also want to develop natural scenery that can be used at any scale - but this may be a little way down the line.

Kickstarter:

We have created a range of pledges to suit all budgets. The cheapest will be an entry point of £75 - which will get the pledger a small army of around 80 miniatures. The best value (per miniature) is the Crusader pledge - which will get the pledger either a Crusade scale army of between 600-800 models or two large armies of between 300-400 models to maybe share with a friend. The Crusader pledge is a premium pledge that will give players the ability to field various large armies to suit any play style.

We have also included 2 types of limited pledge; the Scholar pledge includes an invite to a beta rules seminar in August in which three pledgers from each faction will help develop some of the faction specific traits and special rules for their force! The second limited pledge will award a large army plus the ability to design a custom warlord which will come in on-foot and mounted options with official rules. We hope these will be popular so make sure that you come back regularly to get the confirmed launch date in a week or so.

We are not doing early bird pledges as we feel that they can often be unfair and we are not doing exclusive products for the same reason. We have created a range of pledges that can suit most budgets, all of which have really great discounts. So, instead of early bird pledges we have decided that we will give away freebies in the form of faction specific dice. These will be available to everyone as an add-on but the first 1000 pledgers will get a set (relevant to their pledge size) free.

We hope that you have seen something that interests you in our project. Feel free to send us an email at noctisgamingltd@gmail.com if you want any information, or you have any ideas. We would also love to hear from any artists or writers who would be interested in helping us expand the setting over the next year.

Check back next week for a full faction focus on the Corustir and an article about how ranged combat works in the game!

Noctis Gaming