"Saga 2nd Edition" Topic

Hi all

Here are some of the changes coming with the second edition of Saga. I'm putting this up here because I know this game is popular with allot of the guys at the conventions. I'm interested to hear what everyone thinks.

link

I'm not nuts about this. Most of the changes are for the sake of change and don't really improve game play. All the older battle boards are now obsolete. I now have to buy everything all over again……except the dice.

The rules will be cheap but there is no word on the cost of the Faction Packs. I doubt I'll get into this. Sounds like the same thing as WAB 2.

I'm glad that SAGA is successful enough to launch a second edition and hopefully continue to be a bridge between the fantasy and historical gaming communities.

On the other hand I'm also very glad that a year or so ago I didn't follow my whim and buy the first edition of this game that as it turned out I was only tangentially interested in.

I read this just moments ago at; "Saga: The Dark Age and Crusade skirmish game." Personally, I'll continue playing both versions… I love the game!

"SAGA 2
I had a long chat with the Gripping Beast team at Warfare yesterday. Andy was kind enough to spend 30 minutes talking through the changes and why they were made.

In short I was quite worried about a re-boot. I'm not any more but some aspects of the game will change. In general some information was recently released so I don't want to repeat that so let me add in a few observations;

- Troops L away from the enemy may make a free move as long as it doesn't take them within L of the enemy. Designed to stop a lot of time spent manoeuvring

- battle boards are changing – I saw the Anglo-Dane one and its broadly similar but different.

- the A&A boards are not changing – these were designed and play tested with with SAGA 2

- a lot of the changes are designed to stop some of the gamier elements of play – perhaps more often seen at tournaments

- all figures fight in melee, end of. doesn't matter where they are

- Straight line movement – its a thing but what wasn't explained is that you nominate a figure. That figure moves first and then all other models must end within (I think) VS of it. This stop for example a lateral line of troops shifting sideways as the figures on the far end cant possibly end within VS. It forces units to bunch.

- there is no side by side rule – warlords go in by themselves if they go in

- rules will be cheap…..however the period packs will be pricier. A price was mentioned but don't think I should post…..

- GP are selling SAGA 1 stuff 50% of cost now recognising the change is coming
- old boards are definitely compatible with new …..but some common sense allowances for new rules might needed."

I stopped carrying it at the store because on the revision and all old material is obsolete.

The original is only obsolete if you decide to wring your hands in anguish and get the 2nd edition……..stay with the original if you want…..

Non of my group intend to buy the same thing a second time.

The original is only obsolete if you decide to wring your hands in anguish and get the 2nd edition……..stay with the original if you want…..

Until my Saga 2 Warlord with 8 attacks fights your Saga 1 Warlord with only 5 attacks.

……old boards are definitely compatible with new …..but some common sense allowances for new rules might needed.

I agree. I will not buy the new battle boards for factions that I already own. I will buy the new battle boards for new factions and use Saga 1 to play them. That's common sense to me.

Non of my group intend to buy the same thing a second time.

I'm betting there are a few of us with that viewpoint.

I don't think the old battle boards will work nicely with the new rules (I mean, I'm sure you'll be able to use them, but some things will either be over powered or under powered).
But of course, no reason not to stick with the old boards and rules if you are happy with them.

But of course, no reason not to stick with the old boards and rules if you are happy with them.

Saga tournaments are quite popular. Now we need Saga 1 and Saga 2 versions?

Some (very few) of these changes are good. Most are just for the sake of changes. This will splinter the small Saga community. Overall, I worry this is a bad idea.

I wouldn't consider myself a big Saga player, however…

I'll buy the second edition rules. I guess I'm use to Game Workshop where they change rules and codexes every few years.

As long as the reading is good and there is allot of eye candy, I'm in. Just call me a sucker.

I'm looking forward to this. The different Warband needed to be rebalanced. And a new edition will help renew interest, which has been lagging.

The different Warband needed to be rebalanced

I don't see how the new rules will accomplish this. The new battle boards are not out yet.

I will not stock a second edition due to having 1st edition supplements in stock. It even makes certain miniature packs with 'special' cards obsolete.
A waste of money to stock systems who constantly make their stuff obsolete.

A waste of money to stock systems who constantly make their stuff obsolete.

To be fair, "once" is not equivalent to "constantly". However, your point as a vendor is taken. Who wants to stock the new Saga 2 rules and faction packs when they still have the original Saga material in their stock?

I received my new version and have been reading it the past few days and I must say, I am not thrilled.

Yes, the rules are cleaned up and tightened. Definitely the motivating factor was being able to have SAGA be done in a tournament or competitive format.

But a lot of the flavor is gone. Previously, all the factions had a very specific tactical theme that, if you followed it, allowed the factions to fight in a specific manner. Now they are all more or less generic.

Also the rulebook is surprisingly snarky and sassy. Too much so for a game that posits itself as a 'serious' game that can be tournament-worthy.

Maybe I'll feel better about the new rules after playing a few games but so far I'm not feeling it.

Too much so for a game that posits itself as a 'serious' game that can be tournament-worthy

Interesting comments, Zephyr. Thanks for presenting a differing opinion from the fanboys of FB.

What I enjoyed about Saga 1 was that it did not posit itself as a "serious" game. It was a fun, skirmish game that needed few figures and employed a novel activation and resource allocation system. And I've been playing in fun Saga tournaments since the game came out (Saga tends not to attract the power gamer type). I never realized that Saga 1 was so incapable of being "tournament worthy". Another example of fixing things that aren't broken.

But a lot of the flavor is gone. Previously, all the factions had a very specific tactical theme that, if you followed it, allowed the factions to fight in a specific manner. Now they are all more or less generic.

That's sad. One of the attractions of Saga was that it was a fun game to play and every army had a very different feel to it. When I would play with the Usual Suspects, almost every game ended in a laugh – and a trip to Red Robin.

I'll get the second edition. However, I'll keep my first edition close to me so we can still have fun with a non serious set of rules.

Thinking of playing…. need a good idea for a decent starting war band…. I like Normans and Persian/Parthian types.