Steampunk Miniatures game
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Hello Captains!
The Pledge manager will be closing tomorrow March 1st at 5pm PST. Please make sure to get any last changes or information in there before it closes. As a note if changes need to happen after this point please email us and we can still try to help you with anything that comes up.
There will also be a sperate email going out when we get closer to shipping that will reverify everyone's address so don't worry if you plan to move between now and the shipping date.
Tomorrow with a post announcing the close of the Pledge manager there will also be a new short story released to all the backers as a part of the Kickstarter. We will also have new art, maps and STLs to show off.
See you then,
Bryn Bills
Hello again Captains.
Today we will go over the Operation Hannibal campaign box, discussing the historical context of the conflict, the general gameplay found within, as well as the components that will be provided.
As a quick note, the Operation Ragnar Box set will have a separate post that will come later, but it will be mostly the same concept with only a couple differences.
Historical Context for Operation Hannibal
After the initial attacks and counter attacks along the frontline between the French and Germans at the outbreak of the Great War, the Germans strike into the Alps. Their is goal is to take all of the Alp Eteroid mines, the main material used in making Leviathans fly. In turn the French attempt to hold their locations and push the Germans out of the region.
The campaign is being carried out in the winter months, meaning that all major movement is accomplished not on foot but with Leviathans, including shipping supplies and troops between the mountains.
While the Austrians and Italians border the region, conflict elsewhere keeps them from focusing on this front and allow their allies to clash over the Alps.
In addition to the great powers clashing, Swiss mercenaries can be found working for both sides, using their wealth from the Eteroid mines to operate their own Leviathans in the region.
The winner of this conflict will have a large advantage come spring, being able to use the Alps to supply their Leviathans and strike out into enemy territory from a new angel.
Gameplay
The main goal of Operation Hannibal is to end the game having the most Etroid, gained from holding the mines found throughout the mountains.
A Leviathans campaign is split between two primary game play interactions.
First, players take turns moving their fleets around the campaign map, taking territory and preparing for conflict.
The second interaction is done after movement on the campaign map is completed. This is when fleets clash and a standard game of leviathans is played.
Between these events, players design their fleets, upgrade admirals, and plan for the next skirmish.
The Campaign Map
The campaign map is where the strategic part of the game will take place. Each player (between 2-4 players per side) will control a fleet that will move around the map. On a turn players will do one of the following: move to a new location, establish and outpost, or gather supplies from the region.
The map has multiply different types of locations that can be battled over. Each location type will provide a different bonus to the strategic play as well as having different rules for how the tactical game of Leviathans is played out. For example one location is a mountain pass. These locations provide defensive bonuses in the form of Anti-Leviathans guns to defend adjacent locations from attack. Another example is an Etroid mine, which provides a team with Etroid (the victory condition). This location can have a base which provides its own defensive if it has been upgraded. Each of these would have a selection of maps that can be picked as well as different mission goals for the tactical game.
After everyone has moved on the board, the teams will go back and forth, selecting fleets and attacking locations, with the other team responding by defending the chosen spots. The attacker will have the ability then to chose the exact location that the fight will take place in, while the defenders will be able to chose which fleet they wish to defend that location with.
Tactical Play
Once all fleets are parried off the tactical game begins. This is then a standard game of Leviathans, using the mission rules and map picked from the Campaign map, begins. What really stands out here are the various new units that can be included in your fleet, as well as the experience points that has been spent on perks for your fleet over the course of the campaign
When it comes to new units for the battle, the following will be included in this conflict:
Anti-Leviathans Cannons - These cannons are placed onto the map at the start of the game and provide additional firepower for their side. While not very stronger, their small profile makes them hard to hit. In addition, their underside targeting allows them the ability of doing damage to a ships structure even if they don't create a breaking the keel role.
Floating Mines - Electroid powered mines, these small objects float in the air along narrow mountain passes and can make moving though the mountains even more dangerous then normal.
Swiss Mercs - The swiss mercenaries can be hired, bringing in their own Leviathans. While provided a great deal more firepower, they are not going to risk being destroyed and will leave if they take to much damage.
The Hindenburg Fort - A floating castle in the mountains, this fort defends the main bases of both teams. In addition, from time to time they can be moved to the frontline for an especially important fight.
The winner of a battle will gain control of the location or destroy an enemy base if it was in the area. Both players will gain experience from the fight, which can they be spent to to gain perks such as longer ranges for their guns or faster engines during movement.
Repairs will also be needed, spending supplies gained during the campaign phase.
Eventually the map is updated, the fleets rebuilt, and the game moves forward into the next phase of campaign movement. A standard game covers 9 turns. It should be stated that as with most miniatures campaigns, this is meant to cover multiple weeks of playing, and not something meant to be done all at once.
Non Historical play
As a final note you can choose to not go with the standard German/French conflict and instead use any two factions to play versus each other. In addition, players can have different fleets on the same team if they so wish. The game will work the same way weather histocial or not.
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Hopefully this has been a good overview of what to expect from the Operation Hannibal campaign box.
Some additional things that come in this box are two maps centered around the Alps, admiral and plane cards for additional variety, and some more in universe fluff for the current state of the conflict.
Thank you all for reading and talk to you all next time.
Bryn Bills
Hello Everyone,
We have gone a time without a post so let's catch up on the big things.
As a quick update things are still moving forward. The pledge manager will be closing February 28th. That will be the last day to make changes before everything is locked.
As for the TTS, it has taken longer than expected but will be available soon, most likely this coming month.
This week will also feature a blog post covering the delayed post about the campaign box.
Talk to you all then.
To finish off our run down of all ship cards, here are the three other factions in the game with there cruiser ship cards and art.
Frontier (American)
Alder (Austria Hungry)
Kawa (Japan)
