Youtube Channel Saga Thorsday

Via Studio Tomahawk forums I found Wisco Horndog and his Saga Thorsday videos. I have been playing Saga for over 3 years ... 4 years? ... and consider myself experienced. I'm not tooting my horn or anything but I've quite a few Saga games under my belt though I can always use more experience. On top of that I never felt very good at "figuring out" any rule set until I am running it for years (Dungeons and Dragons 3.x for example). Still, time in and reading other opinions about something is the combo I need to learn something. I used to suck at it, now I think I am an OK player and would not feel completely outclassed at a tournament.

Most Saga videos, over the years, have been really basic; unboxings and tabletop reviews. Frankly I hate those kinds of reviews for anything. Nothing is more of a waste of time to me than a review where somebody videos a new and shiny item they just got in the mail and surmise things it could do.

Where was Wisco Horndog (funny fuggin name) 3 years ago!?! Wow! This guy and his guests really do a good job of breaking things down, the Saga battle boards that is.

That brings me to a point I'd like to make and an epiphany I had and have discussed face to face wit ha few others. First, as I have mentioned before, my first 2 games in the genre of Historical Wargames was All the King's Men (in 54mm) and then Saga. I got into other games later. I kind of dove into Historicals feet first and with little knowledge of the generations the hobby has been around and it's history, sacred cows, and traditions. I'm learning about the nuances of the hobby and it's culture as I type this here blog entry.

Bare with me here...

Saga is not a historical wargame. Please, take this statement as just that, a statement. I mean no offense, I also do not mean to attract haters of the game in some shark-frenzy.

It's got historical trappings - Dark Ages, figures in nasal helms and hauberks with spears and shields. They are called Norman and Norse Gael and Anglo Saxons. They have specific boards that have abilities that are congruent to the mythology of the culture named. Pagan Rus are connected to the cold Russian steppes so have all kinds of winter abilities. Byzantines are the Eastern Romans and have a military system to match thus Saga board abilities that match that. The diaspora of Vikings is a fast-moving and aggressive force and their battle board replicates that rather well in my opinion.

BUT ... it plays more like a typical War-Ham-Ma-Hordes game. It at least leans that way. It's "fiddly" and there are distinct tactics you should be playing depending on the war-band you are playing. Not being aggressive with Vikings? You'll fold real fast. Charging straight in with your Bretons? You'll probably get crushed.

Further - Saga is not a beer and pretzels game. It kind of acts like one. Games are under 2 hours most of the time. Small-ish board and not a ton of terrain needed. Around 40 figures per side. Easy to get said figures as there is no exclusive line.

BUT... there are objectives, figure removal, scores, you can pull an ability combo at the right time and change the course of the game so there is some gaminess. One can torque and tinker with a build to exploit certain rules if so inclined.

To me, and in my small amount of experience in wargaming, that is not a beer and pretzel game like Lion Rampant can be. Like many other games I have not experienced can be. You can get a game in under 2 hours though, that's really easy for some experienced players.

On that note, and to bring back around full circle, that's why I love Rodge "Wisco Horndog" and his Saga Thorsday videos. He tells you what the function of a specific Saga Battle Board is and unpacks it to it's core and, since he's a War-Ham-Ma-Hordes guy (and I assuming, I know very little about him really) he can break down Saga like that.

If you are inexperienced I recommend his videos as he and his guests go over a war-band's battle board, some abilities gets a "JUICY" comment, and that indicates to you it's something you should be doing while playing. He boils it down much better than I could ever do I think.

Brings me to the point regarding my discovery a few years ago about finding the "rice" to you battle board... the ability that only costs you a common or uncommon dice and you should load up every round (other than the ability almost all war bands has that increases your attack pool). Here is a partial list off the top of my head from my own experience:
Vikings - Ulr
Normans - maybe Gallop
Pagan Rus - Standing Like Bears
Norse Gaels and Bretons - not sure yet
Scots - Hold the Ground and Counter-Attack

Why do it this way? It speeds up the game #1 (a complaint about Saga I have seen - people take a long time pondering the battle board allocating Saga dice). It also gives you a base tactic that all other tactics will play off of. This helps me focus myself and speeds up the game for me.

Anyways, most of you are getting ready for Enfilade 2017 as I post this so I'll cut it here. If you like Saga give Saga Thorsday a good watch and, even if you are expereinced, you may learn a thing or 2. I sure did.

See you at Enfilade. If not, have a good weekend, Memorial Day is for those that passed before us, and I hope to run into you soon.