The latest Kickstarter for Dragonbond: Battles of Valerna is a big one. It’s a complete 3D printable wargame with over 250 gorgeous STLs and a stack of new stuff. But what new stuff, I hear you ask? And will there ever be an actual physical release?! And did someone say something about a new dragon…?!
We hear you. So, in order to answer these questions and more, we sat down with rules writer Alessio Cavatore and Draco’s very own Creative Director Dani Ehrli to answer some of your most frequently asked questions.
So, what’s new in Battles of Valerna? How is this Kickstarter different from the previous ones?
Dani: Since our last Battles of Valerna Kickstarters, so much has changed! We have developed the rules through four more iterations, taking us from version 1 to the current 5th version (more from Alessio on the specific changes shortly).
As well as the rules we have a host of new models that have also been added, including a new dragon and the stunning army of The Scourge Triumvirate.
We’ve also created a scenario pack to lead you through the game step by step.
What’s new in the rules?
Alessio: The Upgrade Tokens have been replaced with a deck of Artifact cards. This allows players to equip their Heroes with powerful magical items to create killer combos and bluff the enemy into defeat.
We have introduced a Neutral Units section to the rulebook. This includes Mercenaries and Monsters, bringing all the amazing models from the Tribes subscription into your games of Battles of Valerna.
We have expanded the Vaala cards available to each magic-user in the game.
Multiple combats have been streamlined. We got rid of multiple combats with units both flanking and flanked at the same time – each unit can be either flanked or flanking, not both.
We have merged Captains and Heroes into Heroes. Smoother Command rules that introduce new and interesting tactical choices.
Pitched Battle is now the main game mode, as we felt it was the most fun and interesting. The other scenarios are available as alternative choices.
We have re-balanced the points values and found that 50-points games are also great fun – tactical and fast when you don’t have an afternoon to enjoy a full game of Battles of Valerna.
Download the latest rulebook pdf and see for yourself.
How do I get started?
Alessio: We know that with a wargame of this magnitude, especially a 3D-printed version, getting started can feel daunting. So we’ve written a brand new scenario pack.
This is the perfect way to start, as the scenarios take you from small skirmish games all the way through to full battles. This means you can play right away with just a few models, and then gradually build your forces out until you can field a full army.
What if I don’t have a 3D printer?
Dani: We understand that not all of those who enjoy our games have a 3D printer, and there are a few options available for those that don’t.
The Print and Play tier option has sheets of tokens that can be used to play the game and test out the rules without miniatures. Alternatively, you could use existing miniatures as placeholders—we use standard base sizes so you can use what you already have to play the game.
We are working on a list of trusted printers from which you can order printed miniatures. We’ll create a blog post that lists these out in the most useful way, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
Only-Games, part of MyMiniFactory, also have a wide range of Dragonbond minis that you can order 3D printed directly from their site.
The hobby of 3D printing has grown a lot over the years, so if you are looking to buy your first printer we are creating a blog post with a list of recommendations. From budget to pro, these tried and tested printers can open up the world of this wonderful hobby for you.
What’s new for Tribes subscribers?
Dani: In case you don’t know, Tribes is the place where we launch our miniatures to our fantastic community of fans, and a lot of the models that are included in this Kickstarter have already been part of our Tribes subscription.
However, there are a few new miniatures included just for this campaign, like the dragon…
This is the first time we have done a gargantuan dragon since our original Dragons of the Red Moon campaign. So we’re all super excited about this one!
Tribes members will also be able to add more mercenaries, rules, and wandering monsters to their games through our future Tribes releases.
On top of that, we are also upgrading many of the units released through Tribes, so our Tribes members will be getting all those upgrades for free as long as they have the original models in their libraries.
When is the physical release coming?
Dani: I know we keep pushing it back, but the delay has been worth it to get the rules into a place where we are happy that they give our community a really great experience. We don’t have a fixed date just yet – but our newsletter is the best place to hear about things first!
Sign up here for behind-the-scenes content, sneak peeks and to keep up to date with all the Dragonbond news.
Hopefully, that has answered a lot of the questions you may have had regarding what’s new in Battles of Valerna. If you’re keen to go deeper and learn even more about the new game, then watch our YouTube video where Alessio and co-writer Jack Ceasar chat through things in more detail and really whet the appetite for the new game.
The campaign launches soon with truly massive savings to be had, especially for early bird backers. Don’t miss out.
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