"Heart of Leviathan" Topic

This game looks like exactly what I've been looking for a while. It is fast play WWI naval that can have 1v1 up to fleet level action. While the game is not out yet and I have only read the rules (free for download), it looks exciting. I have also listen to/read several No Dice, No Glory (https://nodicenoglory.com/) podcast and articles that have reinforced my thoughts.
Heart of Leviathan is a 1/1200 scale WWI naval combat game. The rules are straight forward and are free for download. You can also find how to play instructions and videos at their homepage: imagestudios.us
I am even more impressed that this is out for pre-order, the developers did not go the Kickstarter route that most folks would have gone with this game. It's is being done all in house and is truly a labor of love. If you have any interests in the period, I highly recommend that you check this one out!

just wish they had started with the Battlecruisers

I'm not sure a system which has information cards like those illustrated will be able to handle up to fleet action, with hundreds of ships in a game.

"the ships will be produced to 1/1200 scale but will be condensed in length rather than following exact prototypes"

Pity.

The game photos show ships steaming at each other in line abreast, which again makes me wonder how much the designers really understand naval warfare in the age of the big gun. And a 36" by 36" playing area is suggested?!

And I also notice that the beautiful looking information cards have spaces for "ship class upgrades", so it looks like players can "imagineer" their super-dreadnoughts.

It does all look beautiful, but I'm afraid what I see is a fantasy spaceship type game plonked on the sea for some zeitgeist context as naval seems to be 'mainstream' now…

Sorry

Looking forward to this one!

And looking a bit further I can see in the 'How to Play' example, the German player has elected to upgrade the SMS Konig's historical 12" guns to 14" guns…

It may well be fun to play, but any more than 2 or 3 ships per player I suspect that the detail will bog it down.

If it had been a steam-punky alternate universe game I think it would have been fine, but not as an historical miniatures game.

I agree, the whole thing, despite being attractively produced, is nonetheless unappealing. It smacks more of X-Wing with those upgrades while the ships look like caricatures of the real thing. The playing area is conducive to claustrophobia, and gives me the feeling of trying to fit into size 6 shoes when you wear 11s.

That said, I certainly wish the creators luck, as they clearly have put a lot of thought into the look of the game, and though it isnīt my cup of tea Iīm sure there are others who will feel differently.

Me too – if had been a bit more 'fantasy' steam punk I'd probably go for it as I am sure it will be fun, it's just to say it allows you to recreate historical clashes is too much of a stretch.

And for all the condensing the miniatures look great.

Nick

I think the X-Wing angle is exactly what the designers are aiming at, because there is a big group of scifi gamer kids out there that need a gateway game into historicals.

The ships look a bit weird? They don't look right.

According to the website, the ships are 1/1200 scale but shorter, so it makes them look kind of like the nautical version of egg planes.

I also do not find this approach my personal cup of tea,but hey whatever gets people started with naval is fine. I started playing ancients with DBA, so..