New Contender for Most Absurd Boardgame of All Time -- DoA II

Cyrano · November 10, 2015, 01:52:08 PM

I don't know as anything will ever unseat the mighty OGRE: Designer's Edition, although forever is a long time, so we can only hope. Warfighter (DVG's Warfighter, not that issued long before by Bayonet Games) looks to be making a run at it if Mr. Verssen's latest posts on the matter are to be believed. I had been eyeing Duel of Ages II with the Master's Set for some time and finally bought one of the collector's editions that had been proffered on-line. It weighs in at a dainty 16.5# compared to OGRE's 25, but it's a much more dense creature, particularly the expansion. The expansion is 100% new content -- all the RULES for it are actually in the main game.

It's got a seriously dizzying array of characters, maps, cards, &c., &c.

As to play, it resembles nothing so much as a more complicated, slightly less lovely, Heroscape. And I'm enjoying it a great deal...

Nefaro · November 10, 2015, 04:36:13 PM

I've heard stories about it's craziness. Like some juiced-up Rambo Machine Gunner taking on a Robot Unicorn or some such.

It was both tempting and scary to consider.

I had been considering that or Earth Reborn around the same time, regarding skirmish-y games. Decided on the latter for a bit less craziness.

Arctic Blast · November 11, 2015, 05:57:02 PM

It's so damn good. And while it might appear daunting at first, the rules are laid out piecemeal (a lot like in Earth Reborn, actually). First you learn melee and ranged combat, then how bases work, then adventuring. Once you get everything involved, every character becomes useful in different ways.

I haven't played it for awhile. I think I might have to rectify that. :)

Nefaro · November 12, 2015, 09:36:21 AM

Wasn't there some deluxe re-release that has most of the stuff in one box?

Cyrano · November 12, 2015, 10:27:59 AM

I suspect you're thinking of the above as I know of nothing that has combined these two. If Worldspanner's website is to be believed, we bought the last collector's edition which came with a few extra platters and markers.

The game is a shocking delight and I mean that sincerely. My son and I are working through the learning scenarios every evening of late and playing straight from dinner until his bed time. It is the next evolution of Heroscape and, if you can part with the delightful terrain and cool miniatures (I have significantly more Heroscape than I should like to confess), you'll find one of the most insane skirmish experiences you can have on the tabletop...and we've not made it past "Triad" into the final scenario "Quad". For that matter, we're still using the characters and platters from the base set and not added the 142 additional characters and 20+ platters that come with the Master set.

Nefaro · November 12, 2015, 02:37:29 PM

Quote from: Cyrano on November 12, 2015, 10:27:59 AM
I suspect you're thinking of the above as I know of nothing that has combined these two. If Worldspanner's website is to be believed, we bought the last collector's edition which came with a few extra platters and markers.

I looked it up at CSI. Must've been thinking of that $130 Master Set. Description even jokes about it being a "nine-pound mountain of content". ;D

Quote
The game is a shocking delight and I mean that sincerely. My son and I are working through the learning scenarios every evening of late and playing straight from dinner until his bed time. It is the next evolution of Heroscape and, if you can part with the delightful terrain and cool miniatures (I have significantly more Heroscape than I should like to confess), you'll find one of the most insane skirmish experiences you can have on the tabletop...and we've not made it past "Triad" into the final scenario "Quad". For that matter, we're still using the characters and platters from the base set and not added the 142 additional characters and 20+ platters that come with the Master set.

I'm tempted to look into it again. I watched part of someone's vid on the 'Tube about it a couple years ago, but the mashed-together themes looked so chaotic I was a bit wary.

I am still curious about it's game mechanics, however. I see that the base DoAII set is still readily available so it'll get added to my long Wishlist.

But between recently acquiring 5(!) new GMT games, having Posthuman showing up sometime this month, and another pair of KS games in December & January, I'm trying to put the brakes on until I get some of those punched & played. :)) Oh.. and that new Star Wars Rebellion boardgame from FFG due early next year is a foregone purchase conclusion. Dunno how I have any spare time or money with all the coolness coming out!

Arctic Blast · November 14, 2015, 02:50:54 AM

Yeah, I have a pile of KS games incoming right now, too.

IF the idea of this interests you, I cannot recommend it enough. It really is one of the best games that I have. And the ability to tweak the size, scale and scope of games means you can tweak it to fit pretty much any time constraints you might run in to.

Getting the Collector's Set does result in a pile of stuff, though. I have all the pieces and cards in the Master Set box, and the map platters and keys, plus all the character cards, in a 16"x 13" Rubbermaid tub.

Cyrano · November 16, 2015, 10:56:27 AM

Yep, still love this thing.

Huge help, though was finding the living rules on the official support website. The scenario rules were clearly not edited carefully enough in the first go-round and have been nicely clarified in the living rules.

My son is insisting we attempt "Redonkulous" after pasting me in a game of "Triad". I explained to him that the latter weighs in with three platters (maps), eight characters per side, and a handful of keys and labyrinths. It also has an estimated "short" playtime of 2 hours. The former used eight platters, 30 characters per side, and has an estimated "short" playtime of 12 hours.

He is unpersuaded...