Thursday, 28 December 2023

Frustrating Frostgrave


I've played about 4 games of Frostgrave after high anticipation for over 6 months. I have mixed feelings. The spells are very good with a range of ways to effect any game. 

(Above shows the 3rd scenario 'The Crypt' - could be tomb or mausoleum? In this game I tried to just grab the treasures closest to me and leave quickly. This conservative battle plan was formed in the utterly shithouse rolls/results in every previous game.)


Here the Snake cult has moved quickly to secure the loot. In this way, the game is working as every other game of Frostgrave - ie: running up to grab nearby treasure and running away. 


My snake cult is led by a witch who tries to utilise magic that controls or blocks LOS or movement rather than using direct attack. Above a wall of fog temporarily blocks the dwarvern apprentices view to cast spells. 


Unfortunately, there are no more images. The game followed a now familiar pattern ... the dwarfs punched the crap out of everything while I took massive damage from whatever. EG: The Dwarfs killed 6 or 7 skeletons - which generated at the doors of the crypt. It took me 2 turns with my crusader AND treasure hunter to drop a single skeleton. This continued in the final turn as the Dwarf leader just cast Fools Gold to rob me of a chest to make sure I had 2 while he secured 3/4. 

I must say I find the Fool's Gold spell very frustrating and it just prolongs a game you thought was over some time ago. It might be funny once or twice buy every damn scenario? Nah! Slowly dragging treasure away gets a bit dull over time ... and this is half the game! 

My dice have been very shit ... or is it my lack of hmmm ... dunno??? I'm reaching the treasure first and limiting my opponents moves and view but this is having no effect. Speaking of no effect are the 3 Frostgrave scenario's I've seen. Both sides just do the same thing regardless of scenario - you just grab the treasure near you then bugger off trying to mitigate losses. After 4 games, my cultists have gathered almost no useful treasure, while the dwarfs are jetting along. I've found two grims with spells completely opposed to my witch and utterly useless ... and I can't sell or profit from them in any way! 

Comes down to a D20 game. That results in damn swing-y-ness constantly. And that can be fun ... to a point ... then it just gets frustrating especially with a low game turn-over. A smaller game time would lead to more games resulting in (probably) some swings both ways. As it is, one game per night (which can go shit based solely on rolls) leaves a disappointing feeling behind. 

Its a good game but I'd like there to be something else ... like Mordheim. Ahhh, the sweet Mord ... will there be another fantasy skirmish to match you??? After Warcry and Frostgrave. I'm beginning to have my doubts. 

Also, we're finding Frostgrave a bit slow with the ability to only play one game per evening. This is a bit crappy in my book for a skirmish game. 

Otherwise, my figures look great as does the terrain. 

 

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