Skirmish games are a trend that will not die in the wargaming landscape. The promise of a lower model count, faster game and smaller table have attracted plenty of gamers to the skirmish game landscape.
Conquest by Parabellum Games does this a little bit differently. Instead of having a new model range that gamers have to buy in to enjoy the game – First Blood Second Edition (FB2) uses the same model from the The Last Argument Of Kings (TLAOK) range by just removing the circle base from their square stand. If you already have a TLAOK army, there is a good chance that you can already start playing FB2, and if you’re in the process of building a TLAOK army, you can start playing this game immediately.
What Is First Blood?
Other than being the title of a Rambo movie, First Blood is a skirmish game system developed by Parabellum to go alongside their big brother, Last Argument of Kings. They use roughly a similar structure in terms of gameplay and stat line, with many signature abilities from TLAOK adjusted to fit the skirmish game.
The game emphasizes smaller model count with each character model leading the army to have a more direct impact on the battlefield. Officers, which were previously unit attachments in TLAOK, also have a stronger focus in this game system, conferring their stats to the unit alongside any unique abilities that they grant to the unit.
What Is Unique About First Blood?
FB2 uses the you-go-I-go system that many modern skirmish games have. The twist is that you decide the order in which your units will activate in advance and in secret by building a ‘command deck’. Each turn you draw one of your command cards, that unit then activates, and plays passes to your opponent.
The upshot of this is a really satisfying rhythm of play. At the start of each round you need to stop, think hard, make your predictions and plan your strategy. Then after those decisions are made and locked in the round plays very quickly without the open-ended paralysis that sometimes strikes in alternating activation games.
Lead Your Army with Powerful Characters and Unique Command Abilities
Each of your warband will be led by a character; this powerful model brings four abilities to the table: The ability to give commands—a powerful buff / debuff to a regiment. A passive ability is something that benefits a certain unit in your army. Their personal contribution to the battle (often in the form of combat prowess or spellcasting) and, lastly, their retinues, powerful individuals who fight alongside your character.
Bring a bodyguard if your character is a frail but powerful spellcaster like the Spire’s pheromancer or perhaps your character is a frontline berserker who brings their strongest warriors in the field to fight alongside them like the konugyr of the Nord. The retinue system provides a unique way to build your character and can tell a story of who these distinguished individuals are.
Each character regiment in First Blood has a signature ability called command, triggered at the start of a character’s activation, they can use one of those commands to give certain benefits or disadvantages to a regiment. Using the correct command at the correct time is an important strategy that a player needs to master.
There is a stronger emphasis of this character model, with each of them having their own set of abilities and ‘combo’ for you to unlock. The list building is fun and rewards players who experiment with their builds.
Build Your Regiment Using All Available Models in Conquest
Alongside characters, they will also have access to any regiments that are currently available for army entry (without the Mainstay/Restricted limitations used in TLAOK). Although you can only bring a maximum of four copies of the same regiment with infantry regiment having thirteen model limit in one regiment.
A normal game of First Blood will have players make a list consisting of 1000 points. A minimum sized regiment of four infantry models (or one brute or cavalry) costs around 100-140 points, meaning that the model count is quite small. A player can have a First Blood warband in the 15-20 model count range—lower if you decide to bring a giant monster in the list (which costs roughly around 450-550 points). Therefore, the emphasis is in mixing and matching, and testing out different combinations of units, upgrades and officers. Due to the free-form way of building the army, there are infinite lists to try out!
Quick and Bloody Game!
Fast paced action is the key tenet of First Blood. Units are deployed at the start of the game, movement is fast and the game modes are designed to be completed in a short period of time. A game of First Blood can last between 6-8 rounds so expect around 90 minutes of gameplay.
The players of First Blood will fight alongside unique scenarios that will earn you victory points as you complete those objectives. Whether that be conquering the enemy’s zone or securing your own, each scenario is designed to be played in a certain way and will reward players who have a good understanding of the scenario and how their army will operate.
Conclusion
First Blood promises a fast paced skirmish game using a unique activation system to ‘pre-plan’ your move at the start of each round. If you already have a LAOK army, it’s a perfect ‘bite-sized’ game to try if you only have enough time for a short game. With a lower model count and faster gameplay, it promises you a fun and exciting game to dip your toe in the world of Ea.
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