Battlefield Evolution Advanced Rulebook (2007)
Mongoose Publishing Product 4441
MSRP $24.95 US
ISBN (978) 1-905850-36-5
The Book
The Advanced Rulebook is a hardcover affair, containing 96 perfect-bound pages, chalk full of text (rules, fluff) and graphics (pictures, maps), all of it in full colour.
The majority of pages have a rugged, militaria-looking background to them, as if all of the text and graphics were encased in military-grade containers or something of the like.
The pages are high-quality and semi-glossy.
The text is well organised, and the different titles are easily distinguished to make reading through the book a breeze. The major section title fonts are reminiscent of the signature font in the word "Battlefield" throughout the game's products. The captions on the images are a little tougher to read, being chunky white with a black outline, but they are still legible. The various graphics are spread throughout the book, ranging from product stock images and scenario layouts, to maps and 'real life photos,' that I think are just paintings. There are a good number of photos that use arrows and other text/graphics to explain rules.
I wish my fiancé, who is in publishing, was here to help me describe this part of the book.
The book is pretty visually appealing, I must say. I do not think it is at the quality that Privateer Press produces, but I think Mongoose has done a fine job with this book.
Being FULL colour, from cover to cover, is great.
The number of images, from maps to products pictures is also satisfactory. Each scenario has a layout image, with important zones marked in colours.
There have been multiple complaints since the Rulebook came out over quality control. Apparently there was a run of the book that just did not come out properly, and fell apart soon after being purchased. Others have complained about it being hardcover, when softcover would be more appropriate with the perfect-bound pages. Perhaps the fact that the page edges, on the open side of the book, come right to the edge of the cover, which is not something you usually see.
The book that I have suffers from a peeling inner lining, but only if I pull on it. Other than that, I am perfectly content with my book.
The Rules
All of the basic rules are contained in the book. Everything contained in those Basic Rules sheets that come with figures can be found on pages 2 to 23. Of course, they are all expanded on.
But what would an Advanced Rulebook be without advanced rules? The book not only expands on previous rules, it also provides completely new ones, specifically Structures and Air Units. Under "More Advanced Rules," one will also find rules for Elevated Firing Positions, Emplacements, Sentries, Supporting Artillery, and many more.
Everything up to "More Advanced Rules" includes example imagery, most of them using miniatures on Mongoose's gorgeously terrained tabletop.
Also included within the faction background sections are Army Lists, which are basically army building rules. "Up to now," they begin, armies were just thrown together respecting point limitations. Now, however, rules have been introduced to build your armies based on either an Infantry Force or Armoured Force, or Militia/Government Forces for the MEA. These Army Lists will limit the amount of each type of unit (Squad, Support, Command, Transport, Armour, Air) relative to each other, depending on which type of Force is chosen. For example, in the PLA Infantry Force, you may have a minimum of two and maximum of six Squads, with up to one Armour per two Squads. Conversely, in the PLA Armoured Force, you may have a minimum of two and maximum of ten Armour units, with up to one Squad per two Armoured units.
Each faction also has a number of "Options and Upgrades" that may be used during army building, ranging from Supporting Artillery to the True Believers upgrade.
The rules in the book probably get the most flak from the BEvo community. I believe most players are happy to see the basic rules expanded upon, even in little ways, and even more happy to see example imagery, with those lovely arrows and circles and inches written down. I bet those having trouble with the rules "up to now" will be happy with the explanations.
However, there are some rules that are causing some 'interesting' discussion on various BEvo forums (linked at the end of this article). One such set of rules are those that deal with Structures. Whether it is Attacking a Structure or Grenades, the major beef is that Mongoose did not fully explain these rules, leaving much up to interpretation or player-preference. A lot of players are saying that the explanation should have been provided, with no need for confusion. I have to agree that there can be some confusion among these rules, but I'm the kind of guy that will happily revert to house rules before getting mad at the company.
Emplacements are also causing some discomfort, as there are only two small paragraphs and a table to explain something that, it seems, requires a bit more writing to properly explain.
Overall, there are a number of areas within the Rulebook that are just too vague for comfort, and it is causing a stink around the community. Sure, not EVERYONE has a problem with these things, but enough to warrant some raised eyebrows. Hopefully Mongoose is paying attention, so they know how to fix the problems for the release of Starship Troopers Evolution.
Fluff
When you set your game 10-15 years in the future, with some very familiar aspects of modern warfare and combating in Middle Eastern locales, you need to provide backgrounds on the war and the factions involved.
The Rulebook, and Mongoose published material on the game, does half the job in regards to fluff. On the one hand, the Rulebook has a section for each faction, explaining its use of different technologies and, sometimes, techniques, all 'in role,' but with a definite hint at which models are and will be available for each faction. Reading through these sections, you can pick up on the flavour of both the faction and the idea of the setting in general.
On the other hand, there is no 'history' to detail what happened between 2007 and 10-15 years from now, and although each faction has its own blurb, there is no grander story to the war. So you'll find a call for more fluff from many players.
I'll jump right into my explanation for why there is a lack of cold, hard fluff. I believe that Mongoose is allowing the game to create its own history for each player/group. Maybe you don't want to focus on the fictional battlefields of Kerakhistan, so you can go ahead and made whatever country up, or use real ones, and your games will be that much more interesting, because they are that much more personal. Players do not have to follow a defined timeline of events, or conform to any pre-ordained story.
Mongoose has, in fact, provided a couple of such 'histories,' but have not forced players to follow them. One came in the "Global Times," a promotional piece in the form of a newspaper, where various articles addressed each faction and various locations for battle (Kerakhistan, U.S. soil). Also, Mongoose's monthly Signs & Portents - Wargamer online magazine provided a number of scenarios based on a fictional war, with articles spanning a number of issues.
Thus, Mongoose provides enough fluff to give each faction, and the whole 10-15-years-in-the-future setting some character and depth, but it is up to the creativity of the players, and possibly the outcomes of battles, to determine 'what really happens.'
I will add, however, that the tried and true technique of promoting each faction in the same makes it incredibly hard to decide which to collect. You will not yet find detailed strategy articles for each faction, like you find now in S&P for Babylon 5: ACTA. This makes it a lot easier to determine which faction conforms to the tactics/strengths that you prefer, or the weaknesses you want to avoid. I went with MEA and PLA anyway
Scenarios/Campaign
I did not include these sections under The Rules above, because I believe they are an important aspect of the Rulebook. "Up to now," basic BEvo games were just skirmishes, with no objectives (unless the players made one) other than knocking your opponent down to its Shatter Point. Now players have 11 more official scenarios to choose from. Most are basic scenarios that tabletop wargamers are probably used to, such as various types of attack-and-defend and objective-based scenarios.
One of the real gems of the Rulebook is the section on Campaigns. For veteran tabletop wargamers they are probably nothing new.
The Campaign size is based on the Threat Level system like other Mongoose games, going from Skirmish up to Raid, then Battle, and finally War.
The book provides example balanced maps for 2, 3 and 4 players, as well as the tables that will determine, by d6 and 2d6 respectively, the specific Scenario and Points Value of each battle that comes up.
Also, the section adds rules for Favoured Units that get bonuses each time they pretty much survive, Attrition Points that upon reaching zero means elimination, and Force Modifiers that applies to your forces depending on battle outcomes.
There is not much to say here, other than I love the Campaign section. Not so much for what Mongoose provides as a Campaign system, but how that Campaign system can be a basis for players to put together their own campaigns, just as I have already begun doing. The maps that are in the book are very interesting, and there are even full-page ones provided at the back of the book. Although I do not know the true reasoning for these, as it would be hard to scan them to make copies.
Some of the Scenarios are pretty interesting. "Towering Inferno," for example, has your units move on to the board over the course of the battle, as you roll on each turn trying to meet a certain number. Another one, "Five Card Blind," causes the battle to be made up of almost random armies. The "Sabotage" scenario uses the rules for Sentries, and pits a single squad up against a 500-point force. Other scenarios have their interesting points, pros and cons. I am sure some will be used more than others, but providing 12 scenarios was great on Mongoose's part.
Making Model Buildings
What is a tabletop game with terrain? And what is Battlefield Evolution without lots of cover, especially in the form of well-made Middle Eastern-style buildings?
While you think of the answer to that question, those of us with the Rulebook will be building terrain like the master builders at Mongoose, using the 6-page set of instructions. These buildings are made of plaster, and if you can build them like they are in the book, you will have a gorgeous Middle Easter city ready in no time.
14 pictures detail how to make a small building, from initial mold construction to final drybrushing. Four more pictures show you that you can make multi-level buildings as well as Rubble Piles and Ruined Buildings.
As Battlefield Evolution strives on cover, why not have good looking, appropriate cover? This section of the book helps solve this problem.
This method of terrain building falls between paper/cardstock modeling and buying pre-painted resin stuff. You have to do it yourself, but you get the weight and strength of plaster.
I look forward to trying a building like this out. I'm afraid I might like it, 'cause then I'll have to build a whole city!
Contact at Qafir
The last section of the Rulebook provides something that Mongoose is very good at: photo-laden, in-depth session reports. In their S&P magazines you are most likely going to find at least one report for one of their games, and often multiples. BEvo has seen a number lately, and now one can be found in the rulebook itself.
This report is a turn-by-turn detailing of a battle between a USMC force versus an EFTF opponent. The battle takes place on one of Mongoose's great tables, so the plethora of pictures provide lots of eyecandy. The play-by-play, written by both combatants, details their thoughts and their actions, and the results.
I won't tell you who won the battle in the end.
Not much to say here, other than Mongoose knows how to provide session reports. They are both highly entertaining and equally informative, offering insight into strategies and tactics to use in your own games.
The Verdict
Far be it from me, someone who is relatively new to this kind of gaming, and with only limited BEvo playing under my belt, to tell you what to do, but my gut feeling about this book is: if you are serious about Battlefield Evolution, get this book.
It is a visually-appealing, very informative book that provides a number of new mechanics and techniques for you tabletop gaming, 10-15 years in the future. I found it enjoyable to read, and easy to navigate.
Being only 96 pages, it won't take you long to get through the book and be ready for some Advanced wargaming.
However, there are a number of rules that a lot of gamers are complaining about/confused by, so do not expect a perfect tome here.
Besides, if you want to save your $25 - the price of a whole unit box! - you can always visit the BEvo forums and get all of your info there.
Yet I think if you do not pick up this book, you will be missing out on something pretty special, and pretty helpful.
As I said, in my mind it does not equal the savoury lovelies that are Privateer Press' printed materials, but it is of a high-end quality that justifies the cost. I.e. This Advanced Rulebook is worth it to purchase.
Whether you buy the book or not, go out and enjoy Battlefield Evolution.
And for all your BEvo-related needs, visit the sites and forums at
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com
http://www.evocommand.com
http://www.boardgamegeek.com
Posted Sat Jun 23, 2007 4:48 am
