Kings of War - More Lessons Learned

We've had a couple of games of KOW at the club of late, an alternative to Warhammer that avoids WFB's particular style appears to have finally appeared in Fantasy gaming! Not that the rules were perfect yet!

The problems to date with the rules are mainly related to the army lists, and I am aware that many have now been resolved. Still the simple unit limits and some of the prices made the armies have a very clear pecking order...


The Elves are the strongest force with the Dwarves a reasonable second and the Undead running a disappointing third. Of course as I say this, some balance has been restored with some points values revised and new rules added to the skeletons.

Nevertheless, facing an Elven 'gun line' of 40 bowmen and 4 bolt throwers was the equivalent of going over the top from the trenches. One sided, and no fun at all.

In one of the games, my Dwarves didn't manage to inflict any losses on the enemy at all.

Game balance could kill the rules, but as Mantic Games are producing the rules and army lists for free, and are rapidly making amendments to the lists, it seems likely that problems will be fleeting rather than game breaking. Not as with other companies, whose flawed army lists typically have a 6 to 8 eight year lifespan of being broken.

On the plus side, it is a fast game, and both pretty and tactically rewarding (so long as armies are well matched of course).

Overall, I like it, and will keep playing it.