Never been so excited about a game

With my copies of Space Hulk and Tanhauser I had my tactical minis boardgames covered. I even passed on the recent Incursion deals and was happily awaiting release of Cadwallon and Mansions of Madness. Then all of a sudden I get a look at Earth Reborn thanks to the FAT news section. Ho-ly-shit. I was put off by the post apocalyptic theme initially but started reading the rulebook anyway because I was awed by all the stuff you could do in this game according to some posts at BGG. Result: For the past 4 days I've been obsessing over this game. Out the window have gone my plans to purchase the mentioned FFG games, and I'm planning on ebaying Tanhausser, and if the game is that good, I may even part with SH. Oh and the theme is so well executed I'm loving it now. There is so much meat on this game it is not even funny. I've digested most of the rulebook by now (I've never done this with a game I don't own) and I think this game will be revolutionary if it sells well. It just has too many cool details and mechanics. I don't expect it to be quick to learn and teach, but the included tutorial scenarios are very promising to help everyone ease-in. It also promises infinite replayablity out of the box (thanks to a random scenario/mission generator) so it is well worth the little extra effort it may take to learn when compared against lighter games. For the amount of detail this game offers, the rules look simple actually.

This game may be set to become the granddaddy of tactical minis games. If it sells well in a few years it may be regarded as "the game that started it all".

Of course this is just a first impression from reading the rules and scenario books. I haven't played the game so it is possible that the game may buckle under its own weight. (Though my tolerance for weight is lot higher than the Descent-hatin'-castle-ravenloft-lovin' FAT crowd).

So if you are FATie in bad standing, (one who likes meaty Ameritrash games almost exclusively), you owe it to yourself to download the rulebook, skim through it, and drool.

I think it does look cool, some nice stuff in the rules I skimmed through. I like the modular board, as well. There are some questionable graphic decisions IMHO on the cards (crammed with icons) but it's not as complicated as you might think looking at it the first time.

It's a wait and see, though, for me. This just isn't my favorite type of game, I'd only buy it if the gameplay turns out to be really, really good.

I still need to read through it. As mentioned, at first glance it looks prohibitively complex. I don't need another 6 hour slog... I already own Descent.

That said, I am interested and I hope it ends up a good game.

Of course I am biased. But while I have only played the first 4 or 5 scenarios I don't think it has taken more than an hour each time and once I got my head handed to me in about 30 minutes.

I am truly excited about this game: it is my kind of game. And I do believe it offers so much.

And it is not a difficult game. I taught someone to play the core game and the next three chapters in under 15 minutes.

If you take it tutorial style you will absorb most of the game on that first pass.

Yeah I can go on about it but I won't, especially since it's not available yet. But I urge you to read the rules and check it out.

Zev

100%, no doubt auto-buy Zev. I'm so happy you are producing this game.

Thanks Cuaj-

I'd seen this a while ago and thought it sounded interesting, but never went any further to investigate. Your enthusiasm was just what I needed to devour the whole backstory on their site. GREAT STUFF. THIS is the type of game that needs to be coming out, dripping with theme and hopefully fun to boot.

I now have a game I'm actually looking forward to buying when it comes out.

Nice to meet you Zev. I've never played a Z-man game and went from not being a customer, to being a die-hard fan in a couple of days. If those game-length numbers you are quoting turn out to be true for the general gaming public (as opposed to them being the result with your familiarity with the game), you should market the hell out of this game. It has the potential to explode. This game is the closest I've seen to playing a good computer turn-based strategy game. I mean Jesus, an explosion can break a concrete wall and hit someone on the other side! Actually when I think of all the greats, (X-com, Jagged Alliance, Silent Storm) this game has the same level of detail. You sacrifice the z-axis and fog of war (this is a boardgame after all), but in return add location-activated abilities which these games lack!

So how are the pre-paint negotiations going? Count me in for one set. With so many miniatures games competing for attention, having the pre-paint option may wind up deciding the fate of this game.

Earth Reborn does indeed look incredibly good. It will be an autobuy for me. I'm a sucker for minis games and for andventure games. This game has a bit of both. I picked up a handful of dice at Gencon and tossed them onto the board and was overcome with game lust right there and then.

I cannot wait for this. really.

Steve"Thanks Zev!"Avery

ZMan wrote:

Yeah I can go on about it but I won't, especially since it's not available yet. But I urge you to read the rules and check it out.

Zev

A less subtle publisher would have included a link to the rules, like this -- earthreborn.ludically.com/downloads

S.

I'm totally excited about this game as well and it's on second place behind the new Civ game on my buy list.

After reading the rules and all it kinda reminds me of Jagged Alliance but then set in the future. Not many difficult rules but a lot of them (which is a good thing) means lot of possible choices and more strategic and thematic depth. (more options for narrative making it less than just another tactical miniatures game but adds a little adventure)

I haven't gotten through the rulebook yet (haven't gotten past activating units yet). Anybody care to boil down how the game plays? What makes it different than other tactical mini games?

This talk of being like classic turn-based strategy games has me intrigued.

Havn't had a chance to read it in detail, but I certainly have both eyes on it. A nice meaty game in a world of rules optomising.
If the pre-paints happen I'm in.

Read half the backstory and it was fucking terrible tho.

metalface13 wrote:

I haven't gotten through the rulebook yet (haven't gotten past activating units yet). Anybody care to boil down how the game plays? What makes it different than other tactical mini games?

This talk of being like classic turn-based strategy games has me intrigued.

I wouldn't say it's how it plays but rather the wealth of things that you can do. I haven't played Incursion so excuse my ignorance but here are some things that I haven't seen in games of these type which immediately come to mind:
1. Have the most modular board of all the games of this type.
2. All walls and doors are breakable
3. You can capture enemy soldiers instead of killing them to gain a strategic advantage.
4. Characters stats include line of sight arcs, close combat arcs, searching ability, among many other things.
5. There is a lot of resolution in the possible close combat and firing facing of the models and how these affect your chances for success.
6. The equipment to be found is dependent on the type of room you are searching so that it makes thematic sense.
7. Interrupt your opponent's turn (or be the first to act in a round) by bidding/bluffing command points. This is pure genius, and I predict will become standard in all future tactical boardgames.
8. Have countless rooms with abilities that can be activated, some doors requiring keycards, most of which can be bypassed by turning off the power in the building, (or just destroying the equipment.)
9. Supposedly the scenario generating system is a thing to behold, but that remains to be seen when we start playing the game. Seeing the wealth of different abilities that can be triggered in the different room tiles, I don't doubt it one bit. I can see missions preventing missiles from launching, containing the virus, blowing up the generator - or cryochamber - or surveillance, getting the wiring plans to shut down the power, freeing a captured soldier, capturing a soldier, scrambling communications, etc, etc, etc. All these examples are really in the game, not just some flavor text to get from point A to point B.

Mr Skeletor wrote:

Havn't had a chance to read it in detail, but I certainly have both eyes on it. A nice meaty game in a world of rules optomising.
If the pre-paints happen I'm in.

Read half the backstory and it was fucking terrible tho.

What! I thought it was great! Especially for a game of this type. I found the writing average but the story pretty neat.

Not only that but if you are the bad guys you can torture the captured enemies. They can also create zombies. The good guys get the mech unit.

I agree it looks very exciting and like a more playable and fun version of tannhauser.

Actually the only thing I'm not sure is the interrupting blind bid mechanic. I don't know if it will fit, myself. But we shall see.

The only thing I was really worried about is multiplayer but I am excited that they are created 3-4 player tutorials as well.

El Cuajinais wrote:

What! I thought it was great! Especially for a game of this type. I found the writing average but the story pretty neat.

The half I read sounded like the biggest left-wing fantasy jerkoff ever.

Evil govenment poluters and only noble Greenpeace can save us? Fuck those Facist pricks.