New Units for existing factions?

[Smokestack]

With plenty of new factions and more coming, will there be new units for Starks and Lannisters? Or are they pretty much done?

I just picked up Lannister heroes 2. Great minis Hope we se some more Lannister goodness.

Any thoughts on what still can be released?

 

[ZMeinecke55]

I think there will still be Heroes boxes for the two factions, and maybe the occasional troops? But I think the main focus will be expanding the factions and keeping a good balance so it's not just multiple armies of the same style.

 

[Smokestack]

They could do the fantasy flight/ starwars way and have elite or named versions of units with alternate sculpts.


I would wager that would be way down the road though.

 

[wyvern_72]

I have an idea for a new unit.

How about a generic unit type to represent a region of Westeros. Generic units types such as archers, cavalry, criminals, crusaders, engineers, garrison, guerillas, infantry, mercanaries, peasant levies, personal guards, raiders, sailors, and scouts. However instead of one unit card in each box there would be multiple unit cards. Each card representing a different minor house from that region. Thus changing the abilities slightly.

Example: Northern Infantry

Units Cards: Cassel, Cerwyn, Dustin, Flint, Glover, Hornwood, Ironsmith, Karstark, Manderly, Moss, Slate, Tallhart

Unit must be allied with Stark faction or even Night's Watch depending on the minor house the unit card is representing.

If you take a moment to look at the scope of Westeros. There are a lot of unit possibilities with the dozens of minor houses in each region

 

[Smokestack]

That’s a good idea. They could even sell affiliation card packs if they didn’t want to put all the cards in each box.

 

[serbaelish]

That’s a good idea. They could even sell affiliation card packs if they didn’t want to put all the cards in each box.

Gotta disagree with this--I like having everything I need for a unit in the unit box. I'm not fond of having to buy more cards to use with a unit I already have.

 

[Smokestack]

Gotta disagree with this--I like having everything I need for a unit in the unit box. I'm not fond of having to buy more cards to use with a unit I already have.

While I agree in not wanting to purchase new cards, if it means the difference between it being cost effective to produce the units or not, I would rather have them sold like that, than not all.

Though even with that model, they could still have the cards available Digitally.

 

[wyvern_72]

Smokestack and Serbaelish, you both make good points. The marketing side of the idea could be tweaked to accommodate both cost and player customization. In the books and the show the minor houses are always playing a "behind the scenes" role for the Great Houses. Could have it so some minor houses only provide peasant levies or archers, some infantry etc. etc. They would also attach to the main faction similar to how the Neutral Faction does since they are a "minor house" and shouldn't take up the bulk of your army. With the introduction of new factions such as Baratheon/ Targaryen, older factions like Stark/Lannister will end up not being played as much. I would much rather see them expand on the "Minor Houses" than to create fictional units to bolster older factions in an attempt to get players to continue to play them. One of the things I've always liked about the world of A Song of Ice and Fire is the complexity and amount of detail that is presented. It would be great if the game designers would attempt to capture that detail while at the same time making all the factions so versatile that players will continue to play them.

 

[Alliser Thorne]

Saying new factions will cause older ones to not be played is only true in the sense that more diversity equals a bigger spread. Just because a faction came before another one doesn't mean it won't be played.

More so, we've already seen a constant stream of new units for Starks, Lannisters, and Neutrals. There is no reason to believe this won't continue.

 

[ZMeinecke55]

I like the idea of generic troops for each faction, but I'd rather see the minor houses get a single unit instead. Add a unit of women warriors for House Mormont, a unit for House Karstark, cavalry for House Manderly in the North and I think it'd be better serving to the faction that way.

 

[wyvern_72]

I do agree. You will always have that player that plays the faction he loves. However, regardless of what platform a company uses to entertain their customers be it video games, card games, tabletop games etc. The question is always the same "How do we keep customers interested in our product?" Which goes back to Smokescreen's questions in his original post.

I understand the game is less than a year old and so far the concept of the game is "Wonderful". Unique sculpts for units are "Awesome". The ease in which one can learn/play the game is "Great". The speed of new releases are "Fabulous". I just hope you are right about the constant stream of new units once more factions are released. Though I don't think it would bother most people if releases for their favorite faction slowed some. All of the units released so far are unique sculpts and they take time to create. The idea of a generic unit would help offset possible development problems. This will give the player more customizable options for their army as opposed to waiting for a single unit to be released for their favorite faction only to find it doesn't fit their playstyle.

 

[wyvern_72]

I like the idea of generic troops for each faction, but I'd rather see the minor houses get a single unit instead. Add a unit of women warriors for House Mormont, a unit for House Karstark, cavalry for House Manderly in the North and I think it'd be better serving to the faction that way.

I can agree with this!:fingers-crossed:

 

[HighOnTEa]

I like the idea of generic troops for each faction, but I'd rather see the minor houses get a single unit instead. Add a unit of women warriors for House Mormont, a unit for House Karstark, cavalry for House Manderly in the North and I think it'd be better serving to the faction that way.

During some presentations prior to kickstarter campaign, Karstarks have been mentioned. I would love to see them make an appearance as spearmen/spear sergeants unit with, maybe less mobility but a shield wall ability.

Besides, CMON has some unused concept art for Stark infantry, which could be used with addition of a white sunburst sigil: https://www.facebook.com/ASOIFTMG/photos/a.345760949174036/348086178941513/?type=3&theater
s

 

[ZMeinecke55]

During some presentations prior to kickstarter campaign, Karstarks have been mentioned. I would love to see them make an appearance as spearmen/spear sergeants unit with, maybe less mobility but a shield wall ability.

Besides, CMON has some unused concept art for Stark infantry, which could be used with addition of a white sunburst sigil: https://www.facebook.com/ASOIFTMG/photos/a.345760949174036/348086178941513/?type=3&theater
s

Spearmen, that's what I was blanking on for the Karstark unit! I sat for a few minutes trying to think of the unit, haha. I think that a spearmen unit is needed for the Starks anyways, so maybe a Stark set of basic spearmen and a Karstark unit with heavy shields and the shield wall ability you mentioned.

 

[wyvern_72]

Spearmen, that's what I was blanking on for the Karstark unit! I sat for a few minutes trying to think of the unit, haha. I think that a spearmen unit is needed for the Starks anyways, so maybe a Stark set of basic spearmen and a Karstark unit with heavy shields and the shield wall ability you mentioned.

I can agree with this. The game intends to follow the books and the Karstarks were a featured house in the War of the Five Kings.

 

[ZMeinecke55]

I can agree with this. The game intends to follow the books and the Karstarks were a featured house in the War of the Five Kings.

I'm in trouble because my favorite house is House Arryn, so I expect that if they're brought in, it'll be as a late Neutral force. But for Stark, I really want to see Mormont, Manderly and Karstark units.

 

[Starkadia]

Spearmen, that's what I was blanking on for the Karstark unit! I sat for a few minutes trying to think of the unit, haha. I think that a spearmen unit is needed for the Starks anyways, so maybe a Stark set of basic spearmen and a Karstark unit with heavy shields and the shield wall ability you mentioned.

I'm torn about whether or not to agree that that the Starks need a spearmen unit. Part of me really wants one since I'd like to have the ability to discourage a charge from the front, but the other part of me points out that the Starks are all about mobility and getting the charge on the enemy, denying them the chance to charge you.

Additionally, How would a Karstark unit with Shield Wall differ from the Tully Sworn Shields? I'm all for giving the Starks more units, but they need to be new units not just palette swaps.

 

[Oakwolf]

One unit i'd want to see is "peasants levy" neutral troops with spears. A Generic spear infantry to represent the barebone fighting unit of the 7 kingdoms. We're clearly lacking in spears atm.

 

[HighOnTEa]

I'm torn about whether or not to agree that that the Starks need a spearmen unit. Part of me really wants one since I'd like to have the ability to discourage a charge from the front, but the other part of me points out that the Starks are all about mobility and getting the charge on the enemy, denying them the chance to charge you.

Additionally, How would a Karstark unit with Shield Wall differ from the Tully Sworn Shields? I'm all for giving the Starks more units, but they need to be new units not just palette swaps.

It doesn't have to be a shield wall. I see spearmen as a relatively cheap defensive unit, leaning towards anti-cav specialization. In that case, an ability,whatever it is called, could force enemy cavalry that charges from the front to perform a morale test with D3 wounds/disorderly charge in case of failure.

Also, if they receive larger kite shields, they could block D3 hits from ranged attacks by default (without order).

Unit's attachment could be an officer with special order that allows the second rank to launch their spears as javelin preemptive strike (1-4 dice rolls with 3+ to hit). Can only be used once.

 

[wyvern_72]

I'm in trouble because my favorite house is House Arryn, so I expect that if they're brought in, it'll be as a late Neutral force. But for Stark, I really want to see Mormont, Manderly and Karstark units.

I would love to see House Arryn. However, they weren't really active during War of the Five Kings. They are one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms though which I think is deserving of being featured in a starter.