One Book To Rule Them All

Shipping early, the new edition version printing update for Kings of War 3.0 is becoming available.  Jokingly referred to as the Big Red Book (BRB) - hearkening back to 8th edition of that other game which shall not be named, or as the One Book to Rule Them All.

Four Books for first edition praised on high,

Seven for second edition gamers to own,

Four for the third edition balance to supply,

One for Ronnie on his dark throne

In the Land of Nottingham where the Shadows lie.

One Book to rule them all, One Book to find them,

One Book to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them,

In the Land of Nottingham where the Shadows lie.

The problem being that trying to keep any game system fresh and balanced means that you constantly need updates.

Back in the before times, we had 1st Edition, produced by the first Kickstarter Mantic ever did.  But that kickstarter also included two supplements (Kings and Legends, The Basilean Legacy), and then a fourth campaign book followed (Hellfire & Stone).  These introduces special characters and the Ogre army, then the Basilean, Forces of the Abyss and Forces of Nature army.

So it was decided to do a second edition.  It wasn't long after it came out than the olde world blew up, and Mantic jumped on the chance to add players by providing army lists for models they didn't make with Uncharted Empires.  This was followed  by two campaign books ("Destiny of Kings" and "Edge of the Abyss"), and then three updates to keep things balanced with Clash of Kings 2017 (my favorite, and not because I wrote 5 pages of it (ok, yes, it is because of that :-) )), 2018 and 2019.

Then third edition came out, and it also needed Uncharted Empires to complete the army lists.  It also needed two yearly updates (Halpi's Rift and Clash of Kings 2022).  And while each update supplement replaced the previous ones, it still required players to have 3 books to reference and attempt to keep track of what was current.

So it was decided that instead of doing yet another supplement, Mantic would put out a new, consolidated book.  No more Uncharted Empires - all the army lists are now in one place (well except for the Twilight Kin, who (like in 2nd edition) are not in the book (though this time Ronnie has promised that they are being retooled and will reappear with an all new list including new plastics) (and the old version is usable until then).

Weighing in at 288 pages, this is quite a tome.  They have stripped out the background sections (though this is still available on their website via a QR code in the book).  It includes Siege Rules, Ambush (for games < 1000 pts) and Legendary (games > 3000 pts).  Those are great, and give players a reason to buy the book beyond rule / unit updates, but personally I would have rather seen these come one in  separate supplement dedicated just to them to lower the page count (and weight) of this.  In addition, I would have removed a lot of the 'extra' pictures - I know the full page battle scenes are fantastic art, and the drawings of every magical artifact are cool - but they could have cut out at least 30 pages by removing all of these.

Now what a lot (most?) of the people buying the book want are the updates.  Unfortunately, since they intended this as a full book (for new players) and not just an update, the changes ARE NOT marked.  I am disappointed by this, especially as some of the changes, while subtle, can have more effect than people expect - and if there isn't a way to know what has changed for existing players, then there will be disagreements and issues for quite some time (What do you mean  <favorite unit> cost more now?)

So much in the same way that I like to figure out all the ways NOT to assemble models for your enjoyment (so you don't have to), I spend several evenings (I do have a 'normal' job after all (something has to pay for my miniature addiction!)) going though the Gamer's edition, Uncharted Empires and Clash of Kings 2022 comparing rules and units to determine what has changed.

I'm not going to guarantee I got everything, and I DID NOT include the FAQ/Errata documents (as those are now obsolete with their changes in this book).  I do welcome (and encourage) feedback for anything I have missed.

Also, I'm not going to give you the new rules / profiles.  If you play Kings of War, you need to buy the new book, period.  I am going to list the rules / units that changed, but not the actual changes.  This way you know what you need to review immediately (before spending some time reading the entire book and memorizing everything in it (and there will be a test for competitive players, in the form of the next tournament they attend that will be using this book)).  I will give you the page number in the new book however, to make it a little easier to find.

There are some high level changes to be aware of

• Withdraw is now optional
• 'Smart' charges (multiple units)
• generally heavy cavalry regiments are cheaper
• Ignores Cover has changed to Ignores Obscured or Ignores Concealed
• generally will affect indirect war engines
• most Giants (option for Rampage or Slayer)
• while not a 'rule' or 'unit' change, the army lists are no longer listed in groups by alignment.  However theme lists still follow the main list (so Sylvan Kin are immediately after Elves instead of between Salamanders and Trident Realms).

So with no further ado, lets start with rule updates.

Rules

The Turn

The Movement Phase

• Engaged - pg 18
• Disengaging - pg 18
• I do want to point these two out specifically, as they 'snuck' in some 'larger' changes in the FAQ/Errata.  It turns out that I (and pretty much everyone I have played with) have been doing this wrong since it came out.  I know specifically many times with my Coral Giants I have not been playing things correctly when they are wavered (since they don't have Fury).
• Charge
• 1) Move - pg 19
• Proximity to Enemies - pg 21
• New diagrams - pgs 22-23
• Multiple Charges against the Same Target - pgs 24-25
• Total Charge Blocking - pg 27
• Optional Rule - Withdraw - pg 27
• Terrain
• Flat Terrain - pg 28

The Ranged Phase

• Engaged Units and Shooting - pg 30
• Testing Nerve - pg 31
• Cover - pg 32

The Melee Phase

• Additional Attacks - pg 35

Individuals

• Yielding - pg 40

Special Rules

• Aura(x) - pg 41
• Ignores Cover - removed
• Ignores Concealed - pg 42
• Ignores Obscured - pg 42

Army Selection

• Allies & Alignments - pg 49

Magical Artifacts

• Banner of Abbetshire - removed
• Macwar's Potion of the Caterpillar - removed
• Sir Jesse's Boots of Striding - pg 54
• Wine of Elvenkind - pg 55
• Tome of Darkness - pg 59

Magic

• Hex - pg 62
• Host Shadowbeast - pg 68

Game Scenarios

• Redeployment - pg 71

Siege Rules

• NEW
• pgs 76-84

Kings of War Ambush

• NEW
• pgs 86-87

Legendary Games

• NEW
• pgs 88-93

Army Lists

Abyssal Dwarfs

• Abyssal Berserkers - pg 103
• Abyssal Halfbreeds - pg 104
• Slave Orc Gore Riders* - pg 104
• G'rog Mortar - pg 105
• Katsuchan Rocket Launcher - pg 105
• Hellfane - pg105

Ratkin Slaves

• No changes <sarcasm> (because we all know this is the perfect balanced list, able to handle everything and take on all others). </sarcasm>

Basileans

• Heavy Arbalest - pg 115
• Phoenix - pg 115

Order of the Brothermark

• Villein Skirmishers - pg 121
• Order of the Abyssal Hunt - pg 122
• Villein Siege Artillery - pg 123
• High Chaplain Augustus[1] - p 123

Dwarfs

• Berserkers* - pg 125
• Canon - pg 127
• Jarrun Bombard - pg 127
• Dwarf Lord on Large Beast - pg 128

Free Dwarfs

• Jarrun Bombard - pg 134
• Free Dwarf Lord - pg 135

Elves

• Kindred Gladestalkers - pg 140
• Stormwind Cavalry - pg 141
• Silverbreeze Cavalry - pg 141
• War Chariots - pg 141
• Bolt Thrower - pg 141
• Elven Archmage - pg 143
• Noble War Chariot - pg 143

Sylvan Kin

• Master List - pg 147
• Sylvan Gladestalkers - pg 147
• The Windborne[1] - pg 148

Empire of Dust

• Skeleton Deadeye Crossbows - pg 154
• Revenant Cavalry - pg 154
• Sandborne Wyrm Riders - pg 154
• Reanimated Behemoth - pg 155
• Undead Wyrm - pg 156
• Cursed High Priest - pg 157

Forces of Nature

• Hunters of the Wild - pg 161
• Beast of Nature - pg 163
• Keris [1] - pg 166
• Shaarlyot [1]  - pg 166

Order of the Green Lady

• Order of the Brotherhood - pg 170

Herd

• No Changes to theme units

Forces of the Abyss

• No Changes

Goblins

• Fleabag Chariots - pg 190
• Sharpstick Thrower - pg 191
• Big Rocks Thrower - pg 191
• Mawpup Launcher - pg 191
• Giant - pg 191
• Goblin Slasher - pg 191

Halflings

• Juggers - pg 198
• Howitzer - pg 199
• Greedyguts [1] - pg 202

Kingdoms of Men

• Knights - pg 206
• Beast Cavalry - pg 206
• Charioteers - pg 207
• Siege Artillery - pg 207
• Ballista - pg 207
• Canon - pg 207
• Giant - pg 207

League of Rhordia

• No changes to LoR unique units

Night Stalkers

• Scarecrows - pg 217
• Reapers - pg 217
• Mind-screech p 218
• Horror Riftweavers - pg 219
• Soulflayers* - pg 219
• Banshee - pg 220

Northern Alliance

• Pack Hunters - pg 224
• Ice Kin Hunters - pg 224
• Frost Giant - pg 225
• Ice Kin Bolt Thrower - pg 225
• Lord on Frostfang - pg 226
• Serakina, the Ice Queen [1] - pg 228
• Hrimm, Legendary Ice Giant [1] - pg 228

Varangur

• No Changes

Ogres

• Army construction - pg 237
• Siege Breakers - pg 239
• Red Goblin Slasher - pg 240
• Giant - pg 240
• Nomagarok [1] - pg 242

Orcs

• Skulk Raider Chariots - pg 247
• War Drum - Pg 247
• Giant - pg 247

Riftforged Orcs

• Storm Giant - pg 254
• Stormforged Shrine [1] - pg 254
• Riftforger - pg 255

Ratkin

• Shredder - pg 261
• Birthing Daughter - removed (misprint - this is still that same as CoK 2022)

Salamanders

• Kaisenor Lancers - pg 2682
• Komodon - pg 269
• Ghekkotah Slasher - pg 270
• Phoenix - pg 270

Trident Realm of Neritica

• Riverguard Dambusters - pg 276
• Coral Giant - pg 277
• Leviathan's Bane - pg 277

Undead

• Soul Reaver Infantry - pg 284
• Revenant Cavalry - pg 284
• Balefire Catapult - pg 285

ERRATA

Unfortunately it seems that errors always seem to creep into things, no matter how thoroughly they are proof-read.  I'm copying the errors here to consolidate them:

• Elves : Madriga - pg 144 - Ignores Cover should be Ignores Concealed)
• Sylvan Kin : Silverbreeze Cavalry - pg 148 - should be same points as elf version on pg 141
• Forces of Nature : Scorchwings - pg 162 - these are irregular
• Herd : Master List - pg 175 - Scorchwings are irregular
• Orcs : Gakamak [1] - pg 250  - should be 220 pts
• Salamanders : Scorchwings - pg 269 - these are irregular
• Trident Realm of Neritica : Depth Horror Eternal - pg 278 - still has Fury)

Again please feel free to let me know if I made any mistakes or omissions in this list.

A very special thank you to Michael Crossman for the corrections and errata.

Because it is all fun and games . . .