DEADLOQUE – Death in the Snow(‘2nd Edition’) Crescent City Industries. £19.95
Reviewed by CRAIG GRADY
A couple of years back we saw a new and original game hit the market called Flintloque, and like many fantasy wargaming followers of the hit T.V. series Sharpe I was very excited that some one had come up with the idea of a fantasy ‘cross breed’ which used the exhilarating expeditions of ‘Shark’ in the gaming area, and Shark is actually right. This just about sets the tone for Flintloque, and that is one that is not serious, in fact it was designed then to be a pure parody of the ‘Napoleonique’ era.
Deadloque was the second boxed game to be released and this gave an expansion to Flintloque which just covered what we know as West Europe, Deadloque now gave us a chance to fight battles in the ‘Witch-lands’ (Russia) against the cursed undead.
As a set of rules the original Flintloque was basic and somewhat crude, but never the less it had its dedicated followers. I unfortunately moved on to new projects and ‘lost my way’ with the rules system.
So ‘the new edition’ of Deadloque was thrust into my hands and off I went to play. On initial inspection of the box I found that not much had changed, it still had its artwork (which makes a nice picture if you want to cut it out) and photos of 16 painted miniatures included in the box, (10 undead and 6 elves), which where the same as first time round.
Okay then what’s new? Well the rules are new, and many other Flintloque players that I have talked to are more than impressed by how the chaps down a Crescent City have reworked the rules and the format in which they are presented.
The background to Deadloque.
"In the search for immortality and the magical Sword of Shivalia, the Elven Emperor Mordread follows the seductive Lady Rosafiend into the icy Wicthlands. However the Star Wraith, lord of all Undead, turns out to be less hospitable than expected….."
The blurb on the back of the box gives us a peek into the background of Deadloque and to go into the plot any deeper would ruin it for all, however I can say that the rules are based on the Ferach (French) Armee’s retreat from these icy wastes and the deceptive ploys of the Vampires and their undead hordes.
Following in the first editions footsteps the new edition fronts itself as a stand-alone game by giving the history of each of the figures in the box and their special rules.
The elves are a rag-tag group from the Ferach main force who where cut off in a storm and are now fighting to stay alive on their journey home. They are lead on this ‘organised retreat’ by Colonel Etienne Gerard who is an elite trooper from the 10th Crown Hussars.
Relentlessly pursuing the elves is the Vampyre Officer, Girgori Dracsul who is on a personal mission to gain rank and status by killing the famed Ferach Colonel Etienne Gerard. Girgori commands a small undead force of 4 zombies and 4 skeletons, and is followed by a Liche of the Star Wraith called Graviski Bureov (who is part of Aleksanders ‘secret police’).
The rules.
After the troop history we are now presented with a section of the rules named "terms and definitions". This explains how experience changes characters abilities in a game and how it alters over a campaign, i.e. for every three games a figure takes part in its experience level will rise by one level, however, the opposite is true for the undead who actually decay by one level every three games making then less effective in some aspects such as shooting. "They just not got the brains you know".
Moving on to the centre pages of the rules we find 3 scenarios for the figures included in the game which are aimed at bringing you into the feel of the rules. The scenarios used basically involve the Ferach troops making a run for it whilst being attacked or attacking the undead forces. Whilst perhaps a little tedious to those of use who game often they are a great example of an introduction game, providing diagrams for terrain and troop placement.
If you are familiar with wargames then you will know how most turn based games operate, i.e. move, shoot, melee, etc, however, Deadloque is a skirmish game which runs using individuals rather than units, meaning that there is a new declarations phase where you must note what your character is going to do that turn, e.g. you may want to run, shoot, or move and shoot. This rather simple idea can stop a lot of arguments, a common problem with rules, as your figure must do what you have written down regardless of what actually happens in a turn. On the down side this can lead to some people having a lack of commitment in campaigns as they let their raw troops skulk about for three games.
Another alteration to the rules is the movement system. Before anyone could charge, but now it has been limited to cavalry, and what’s more is that the cavalry have to have built up speed for the charge by moving at their run speed in the turn before. This is a nice touch, which makes the all too usual devastating cavalry in to a thinking mans force. Along with this the names of the movement rates have altered and some statistics have change in this edition.
Whilst on the subject of statistics I must point out that quite all have in fact changed to some extent. I can only image that Crescent actual listen to their customers! Shock horror! And take on board what they have to say about modifying the rules.
Finally there is a summarisation section at the back of the rules containing all the tables needed to play the game quickly.
Oh yes I nearly forgot, the new edition also includes, wait for it, a full points cost list for everything in the game whether it be a raw elf of an elite bog orc, thereby making it easier to have a fair pointed game, this is something that was greatly missed first time round.
Summarisation.
I admit that I am no great expert on Flintloque, yet I do play a lot of games and know what I do and do not like. The first edition of Flintloque was sold to me when Sharpe was at its peak, and my interest eventually passed away, however the clean and crisp presentation of Deadloque ‘the new edition’ has rekindled many others and my own interest. This is a game, which is set in an amusing background and provides a fun and exciting to ‘era’ to play.
To those of you who are whinging historical buffs, yes you know who you are, "if I want to play Napoleonics I will do it properly with proper figures" types, then I say fine shut your mouth and get on with it, but on the way try these rules, (in secret if you do not what your ‘mates’ to know), with your historical stuff on you will find them more then adequate.
This is an extremely reorganised and polished edition of the Flintloque rules and as ever with Crescent City it is great value for money.
Craig
Special thanks to Louise Scott of CCI for providing this review copy.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Crescent City Industries Ltd
High Langmuir
Kilmaurs
Kilmarnock
KA3 2PG
Scotland
Tel: +44(0) 1563 520222
Fax: +44(0) 1563 523666
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