Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

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ColdSteel
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

tgb wrote:Don't they also say something in that same post about the changes meaning the game is pushed back to '17? Or was that another EA roadmap I read?
I think it must be another roadmap. That said, they did say this last big update will take them several months to complete so that will be pushing it into early December. If I had to guess, I would say late 2016 to early 2017 might be a the best bet for the release date.

I just noticed it's on sale right now for $15.99 until 1:00PM EST in case anyone was waiting fro a sale to pick it up. I've been playing the latest update a lot and I really like what they've done with their latest changes. It gets better and better. I've got 82 hours into it so far and I'm not getting tired of it at all. I can't wait for the next update. That should add just about everything it's been needing to make it a truly great game. I really have a hard time believing what a good job these devs have done throughout EA. They're a model of how to do EA right.
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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ColdSteel
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

The final update is out on the Steam beta branch.

http://battlebrothersgame.com/final-upd ... ta-branch/
Here we go – the new and final major update is now live on the beta branch of Battle Brothers!

What’s new?

As this is the final major update, our focus was on general polish, balance and quality of life improvements as much as on the remaining major features. Here’s the shortlist.
•Three different ‘Greater Evil’ late game crises for you to get involved in – a war between noble houses, a greenskin invasion and an undead invasion. Each comes with their own set of contracts, events and changes to the world.
•The Ancient Dead – an entire faction with new enemies to fight, new lootable weapons and armor, and unique tactics on the battlefield.
•A new system for mood and desertion – your men will react to how things are progressing, and it’s your job to keep them content.
•Ambitions – set goals for your company to pursue on their way to become legendary.
•Obituary – honor the brave men that have fallen under your command.
•Retirement – retire from your mercenary company when you’re ready to start a new life, and see how the company and its members fare without you.
•A complete overhaul of Ghouls into the new and more challenging Nachzehrer.
•New mechanics for morale to make resolve and initiative more important.
•11 new contracts.
•54 new illustrated events.
•2 new music tracks.
•70 Steam Achievements.
•Lots and lots of smaller improvements, changes and additions.

Steam Trading Cards will be unlocked at a later time.

Note that this update is not compatible with older savegames. You will have to start a new campaign!

What’s still to come?

While this beta version is very close to the final release, there’s still things yet to come over the next few weeks.
•Bugfixes
•Balancing
•More events
•A few legendary items hidden across the world
•One more music track

Any saves created with the beta version will be compatible with the release version, but some additions or late changes may require a new campaign in order to take effect. If that’s a problem for you, don’t opt into the beta.

Why put this in a beta branch first?

This update makes changes to many of the game’s core mechanics. Extensive changes like these will inevitably upset the game’s balance and introduce new issues. Participating in the beta is optional for everyone that wants to experience the new content now and doesn’t mind a few hiccups – we’re thankful for your feedback and bug reports! Everyone else may want to wait a few weeks until the game is more balanced and any issues that popped up have been ironed out.

Please report any issues you encounter in the forums following the instructions there. Do not leave random complaints as comments to this news post, they’d only get buried and lost.

How do I access the beta branch?

In order to access the beta branch of Battle Brothers you need to do as follows:
•Go to your Steam library.
•Right-click on ‘Battle Brothers’ and select ‘Properties’.
•Go to the tab labeled ‘BETAS’.
•Select ‘beta’ from the drop down menu.

Steam should now download the beta branch and once it is finished you can normally run it via your Steam library.
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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LordMortis
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by LordMortis »

I was just thinking about getting back to this game this morning. From the sound of it, it's pretty close to being done cooking. So maybe I need to look at other games first and just wait for the release.

There must be a dozen beta games I bought over the last few years that I need to return to but I'm not even sure how many of them actually hit "release" state.
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tgb
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by tgb »

I just came here to post that. Looking forward to checking it out.
I spent 90% of the money I made on women, booze, and drugs. The other 10% I just pissed away.
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Sepiche
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by Sepiche »

Sweet. Had a lot of fun playing around with this during development, but I've been waiting for them to release to really dive in.
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by Archinerd »

:horse:
Except there are no horses and I'll probably be decapitated by an orc, but the sentiment is the same.
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LordMortis
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by LordMortis »

Archinerd wrote::horse:
Except there are no horses and I'll probably be decapitated by an orc, but the sentiment is the same.
I did OK against the orcs before I set the game down. I was just starting to get on to really tough bandit hideouts, where the getting through armor took a lot of combat, resulting in the my probably getting decapitated by a mercenary...
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ColdSteel
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

I started a new campaign last night using the final update beta. At first everything went pretty smoothly. I chose the company goal of expanding my company to 12 men and by doing local contracts, was able to add some cheap brothers and get there after 8 days or so. That gave my company a big boost in renown and I started getting higher paying contracts which was important because I was pretty wiped out financially after hiring the last few men.

I was getting low on food and cash so I took a lucrative delivery contract that took me to the far north, close to the snow line. I checked the tavern there and they had an interesting rumor about a dead man with a wondrous weapon somewhere to the north. Of course I couldn't resist the lure and headed right north into the snow to explore. Sure enough, in a snow shrouded copse of trees I found an ancient citadel, which happened to be just full of undead. I was used to the undead in the previous version so I plowed right ahead. I wanted that legendary weapon and what could go wrong, right?

Well, I got the weapon but it came at a very heavy cost:

Image

I lost 6 of my hard earned 12 men in this action. These are not your father's undead. These undead are the heavily armed and armored remnants of an empire. Basically, they're undead Romans and most of the ones I encountered are the heavy armor/weapon Ancient Auxiliaries. These are new to the game.

In addition to the Ancient Auxiliaries there was also a Necrosavant (also new). The Necrosavant has light armor but has the ability to teleport so he would pop up behind my line and attack my archers then teleport elsewhere as soon as I brought some brothers over to surround him. His cleaver type weapon caused bleeding and I lost one brother when he bled out (no bandages, unfortunately).

The battle actually went very well at first. I set up a nice spear wall with 7 of my brothers and they repelled attack after attack without taking a scratch and sending many undead to their final rest. Finally though, one of them missed an attack and then they were able to close and do battle with my men. A lot of the Auxiliaries had shields and I only had 2 brothers with axes. Which would be fine except I was fighting in snow, which really slows movement and also increases fatigue. It was a deadly combination.

My recent level 1 hires died first. Surrounded by undead protected by shields they had little chance. After the deaths of the first few brothers, morale on the others started to waver. Suddenly a few men bolted. The Necrosavant immediately teleported over to one of them and chopped him down as he tried to run away. It was an ugly sound. The other runner, who was my 2-hand axe brother, a founding member of the company (so he should have known better), and my best melee guy, rediscovered his courage and rejoined that battle. That was the turning point as he smashed shield after shield. One bother with a cleaver beheaded two undead straight up, even though they still had shields. the rest finally succumbed to my spearmen and it was finally over.

So, very heavy losses netted me a bunch of gold treasures to sell in town and, of course, the legendary weapon. This was the reward for the death of 6 brothers. I'm pretty sure it wasn't worth so much blood and death.

Image
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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LordMortis
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by LordMortis »

:wub:

Maybe I play this weekend, even if it's not done cooking. Your small AAR gives the game a feel I never got when playing it. The one critical thing it was missing. A point. I loved the game from way back, but the sandbox nature just said "get your 12(?) guys up to level 12" and then nothing which felt so disappointing to such a great growing (at time) tactical game.
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ColdSteel
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

Yeah, after I got to 12 men I was offered another choice of goals for my company. I chose the one to save up 2500 crowns to get a battle standard for my company. Sure enough as soon as I hit that amount I automatically purchased a battle standard for 1500 crowns. It's actually an equipable spear weapon with your banner attached to it that shows up in your inventory. It has a range of 2 hexes and provides a morale/resolve boost to all your men within 4 hexes of it. It also does good damage. Pretty sweet actually.

Right now my current company goal is to visit every city on the world map to spread my company's name and fame far and wide. Also, for the end game crisis I picked the undead one at startup. After that last battle, I'm thinking it might get rough. If those undead legions start swarming everywhere at some point, it's going to be brutal.
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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LordMortis
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by LordMortis »

ColdSteel wrote:Yeah, after I got to 12 men I was offered another choice of goals for my company. I chose the one to save up 2500 crowns to get a battle standard for my company. Sure enough as soon as I hit that amount I automatically purchased a battle standard for 1500 crowns. It's actually an equipable spear weapon with your banner attached to it that shows up in your inventory. It has a range of 2 hexes and provides a morale/resolve boost to all your men within 4 hexes of it. It also does good damage. Pretty sweet actually.

Right now my current company goal is to visit every city on the world map to spread my company's name and fame far and wide. Also, for the end game crisis I picked the undead one at startup. After that last battle, I'm thinking it might get rough. If those undead legions start swarming everywhere at some point, it's going to be brutal.
Can you rename your men? This might be great for an actual AAR.
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ColdSteel
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

LordMortis wrote:Can you rename your men?
Yes, absolutely. I usually rename all my men but I've been lazy this time. I also like how you can give them titles as well. Like "Arnold the Clumsy Clown". I'm about to give one of my men a suffix of "the coward", I think. Hopefully the new banner helps.

Yes, this game will make for some epic AARs. It should be as good or better than the original X-Com in that regard.
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by Archinerd »

LordMortis wrote: The one critical thing it was missing. A point.
This.
My last campaign (pre beta update) ended when I walked to the Eastern edge of the map to look for the hardest fight I could find because I didn't really have anything better to do.
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LordMortis
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by LordMortis »

Reinstalled the game last night. Didn't get much further than that. I did see that "the cloud" had saved my old game *somewhere* from last March. Of course it was completely incompatible with the current game.

I found out quickly I have absolutely no idea how to choose my brothers anymore and the Wiki openly says that all of the information it has is really really outdated.

I'm looking forward to playing this weekend. Assuming they are close to launch, I will treat this a learning experience and maybe I'll try and do the first post release version as my very first AAR.

I'm looking forward to this weekend where when I should be preparing for a trip for work, I will rather be playing a beta of this game all weekend. :ninja:
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ColdSteel
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

I forgot to mention that one of the more interesting changes in this final update is not listed in the patch notes. You can now attack any party on the map by using Ctrl + Left Click. Running low on cash? Yeah, you can attack that juicy friendly caravan from that city you just finished a contract for. Or yeah, you can attack that rival band of mercs for that nice equipment. Just be aware that there may be consequences. You won't be able to enter that city to buy or sell stuff anymore, much less get more contracts from there. Patrols in that area will chase you down. That merc band you attacked may have allies. Still for those that don't mind playing as a slightly more evil band of mercs, it certainly does seem to open up a world of possibilities.
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by Sepiche »

ColdSteel wrote:I forgot to mention that one of the more interesting changes in this final update is not listed in the patch notes.
Good to know, I didn't even notice that last night.

They did a fantastic job of polishing the game in the last few months. I noticed a lot of little oddities with the game and interface are just much cleaner than the last time I seriously played a few months ago.
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by dbt1949 »

I haven't played it in almost a year. Are the differences pretty big?
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

dbt1949 wrote:I haven't played it in almost a year. Are the differences pretty big?
Yeah, I'd say so. There's been a ton of stuff added and even more stuff tweaked from a year ago.
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

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LordMortis wrote:Can you rename your men? This might be great for an actual AAR.
Here's an example of one of my renamed men. This guy was struck down on the battlefield and everyone thought he was dead. After the battle it was determined that he was still miraculously alive somehow. He eventually made a full recovery physically but was left with permanent PTSD. He'll run like a jackrabbit as soon as things start to go south a little bit in a battle. So, naturally I had to rename him to this:

Enlarge Image

He's still a really good fighter so I keep him close to my banner carrier to boost his resolve and I gave him the resolve boosting perk as well. He still has very low initiative but there are worse things than going last in the line of battle. I love how you can come up with workarounds for challenges like this in the game.
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by TheMix »

Inspired choice!

"Seventeen *missions*? Hey man, I don't wanna rain on your parade, but we're not gonna last seventeen moves!"

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ColdSteel
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

Well, alas Hudson, it really is game over, man. We had a contract to bring back the head of a bandit leader and he had a military cleaver and a kite shield. Ol' Hudson got in there and gave him the business pretty good with his own khopesh cleaver. Unfortunately, he took a hit that started him bleeding 10 HP a turn and he didn't have any bandages. I frantically tried to kill the last 2 bandits before he bled out but one was an archer and kept running away. So, Hudson went down with a gurgle and a last gasped "game over, man, game over".

The good news is that the bandit leader dropped the military cleaver and kite shield.

Enlarge Image
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by LordMortis »

ColdSteel wrote:Well, alas Hudson, it really is game over, man.
:(


Cash is much more difficult to balance, so I never buy things like bandaids. I also don't really have the inventory spots as they divorced the hand swap skill from the inventory spot skill.

But so far I like the slow progress. I chose random campaign and I assume I am in the undead campaign because the undead seem to pop in quests a lot and no green skins have.

I like the strategy of reserves but I don't really care for not knowing what your guys are until after you hired them.

I'm not sure what they've yet to finish but the game feels done so far and well done at that.

Skill selection is going to be interesting. Before I had no unique choices for my skills. Now, I might. I haven't raised anyone high enough to have diversity yet but I assume the lines I like to maintain will eventually see them specialize.

Anyhoo, having a blast and it looks like I will be for a little while and it looks like it will have some replayability. This could be the TBS I've been waiting for. :D
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by baelthazar »

Please do not name any more characters after awesome actors (or their characters). Apparently your Battle Brothers game can affect the real world! :(

I think I am finally going to pick this one up. I put it off because it wasn't quite finished. With your guys reports, I think now is the time.
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

baelthazar wrote:Please do not name any more characters after awesome actors (or their characters). Apparently your Battle Brothers game can affect the real world!
Wow, that's really creepy. Bill Paxton actually did die yesterday. He had a stroke following heart surgery. Talk about your weird cosmic coincidences.. :cry:
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by baelthazar »

ColdSteel wrote:
baelthazar wrote:Please do not name any more characters after awesome actors (or their characters). Apparently your Battle Brothers game can affect the real world!
Wow, that's really creepy. Bill Paxton actually did die yesterday. He had a stroke following heart surgery. Talk about your weird cosmic coincidences.. :cry:
Yeah... makes me worry about naming a character Ash. I am not sure I could handle killing Bruce Campbell with a video game! But yeah, this morning I thought about reading your post last night and went "how weird!'
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by dbt1949 »

I think I'll name a character Donald.
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by LordMortis »

Saved 8k to expand get a cart. Once I got 8k, 6k of get spent on going from 81 to 120 (I think. Maybe less) stash spots. That hardly seemed the same value as saving 2k to spend 1k on a really cool standard.

I'm not sure where to go with regard to seeking more acclaim. It seems everything else is time sensitive with my goals being in unknown locations and that makes me nervous.

I've yet to save any money to buy equipment. I've been surviving 100% by looting. All money so far has gone to paying the troops, acclaim goals, ammo, repairs, medical, and food. I take that back, I bought 3 war dogs who are handy for tracking down things like renegade necromancers, who really really suck to fight against in the swamp.

I keep eyeing a falcon that I wonder what it does.

I do wonder how my fights are always outside when I'm going up against forts and hideouts. :)

I will get to buying cool equipment. I will. and hopefully before I come against orcs. My memory is they were a bear with high level characters and full armor, neither of which do I have at this juncture.
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

LordMortis wrote:Saved 8k to expand get a cart. Once I got 8k, 6k of get spent on going from 81 to 120 (I think. Maybe less) stash spots. That hardly seemed the same value as saving 2k to spend 1k on a really cool standard.
I don't know, I'm always short on inventory space and was happy to pay to get another 25 slots or so.
LordMortis wrote:I'm not sure where to go with regard to seeking more acclaim. It seems everything else is time sensitive with my goals being in unknown locations and that makes me nervous.
Yeah agreed, I was feeling the same. Then I failed the Ambition to raise 8000 crowns and not much happened. I took a small morale hit but just got my men drunk at the tavern and rolled right along. Now I don't worry about it much. I guess if you have bad company morale it could be a bigger issue.
LordMortis wrote:I've yet to save any money to buy equipment. I've been surviving 100% by looting.
A man after my own heart. That's the only way to roll! :D That said, I did buy a heavy crossbow and a warbow for my archers. I wasn't ever seeing those drop and I wanted them for the extra punch.
LordMortis wrote:I keep eyeing a falcon that I wonder what it does.
They basically act as a scout and reveal the areas of the map under the fog of war. Very handy and I wish I could find one.
LordMortis wrote:I do wonder how my fights are always outside when I'm going up against forts and hideouts.
They had planned to add those locations along with others but ran out of time to implement . They'd like to add them in a post release patch or DLC if the game does well enough.
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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LordMortis
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by LordMortis »

ColdSteel wrote:They had planned to add those locations along with others but ran out of time to implement . They'd like to add them in a post release patch or DLC if the game does well enough.
Normally, I'm not a fan of DLC, feeling like they were holding back to make an extra buck, but this could be a game with some longevity for me and they already put my money's worth in to is. I would support a full release as is and jump at another $15 that vastly expanded the strategic, RPG, and tactical (and literal) landscape. The only thing it could use is a hair more differentiation between character types, like if starting profession had a bearing on available skills and upgrades and trait preference (which I think it might but is ill explained at this point with trait *s)

This really does feel like the TBS tactical game I've been waiting for for a long time. When I played this weekend, I spent inordinate amounts of time retrofitting the current round of 12 (and sometimes less) active battle brothers and putting them in their best roster spots and torturing myself over advancing them as best stats available versus specializing them for their chosen role in the squad. I probably played 10 hours this weekend and early indicators that this might be an 7 1/5 tentacle second first impression.
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by Archinerd »

Well that does it. My XCOM2 game is officially on hold while I play this again.
My first Merc band was wiped out by two direwolves last night. TWO! I don't remember them being that tough.

Merc band II (The Merry Maids - with the crying lady banner) saved their progress last night just after doing the tutorial contract. I'm already up to 11 members with them so I'm hoping to pick my first ambition soon. We are a big band of unwashed street urchins, daytalers, refugees and madmen. Hopefully I find some cheap weapons for everybody soon because I don't think taking armed bandits with fists and rags is going to go well.
I had the good fortune to start in a town that produces Dye and Wine, so I used my initial funds to buy up all they had and sold them at the next town over for a tidy profit. There wasn't much to spend my money on besides cheap mercenaries though (some as little as 40 gold, all but one less than 100).
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by LordMortis »

Archinerd wrote:My first Merc band was wiped out by two direwolves last night. TWO! I don't remember them being that tough.
Me either but so far I like the challenge. I don't think I'd start by going after dire wolves. :ninja: My first attempt went after 4 nebkaneezer scrooges with ten scrubs and pretty much no equipment. It was.... brutal... Shortly before my second attempt, where I go my party up to 14 right away and then couldn't keep them fed or paid. It was... ugly.
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by Archinerd »

LordMortis wrote:
Archinerd wrote:My first Merc band was wiped out by two direwolves last night. TWO! I don't remember them being that tough.
Me either but so far I like the challenge. I don't think I'd start by going after dire wolves. :ninja: .
I didn't seek them out. They were just standing next to the road eating some bandits so I thought I'd jump in and pick off stragglers and get some good loot. When I got to the fight there were no bandits to be found (I think this is actually a bug based on a few comments I saw on their forums) and the wolves swooped in and disemboweled my best equipped fighter. The crossbows missed (twice). When my second guy went down another tried to run but was eaten before he took a step. I did manage to kill one but by that point I was down to a heavily wounded frontline guy and a crossbow guy who had no bolt loaded and no hand to hand weapon. Which was bad because the wolf was standing right next to him. So much for easy loot.
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baelthazar
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by baelthazar »

Got the game. Loaded it up. Whooped ass all over the first two battle. Total party wipe in my second battle.

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Archinerd
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by Archinerd »

The Merry Maids have been devoured by the corpses of their comrades.
The remaining tailor who was hanging out in the reserve has retired and now lives in the gutter.
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ColdSteel
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

There's another patch out today. Devs are really on top of things. More balance fixes and changes along with bug fixes.

The big change is that there now is no time limit on Ambitions. You can choose to abandon an Ambition instead of completing it and if you do, you get hit with the morale penalty then. I like that a lot better.

Change Log:
https://steamcommunity.com/gid/10358279 ... 2038158861
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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ColdSteel
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

On day 75 of my campaign, the undead arose from their tombs and the endgame crisis was upon me. I wasn't really sure how this was all going to go down so I just decided to do another contract as usual and see what happened.

My first contract was from the same Baron von Schmuck that wanted me to murder some of his own peasants earlier. He sent me off to one of his northwestern forest towns to defend it from the undead horde. I figured I was in for a big battle but I had no idea.

The first step of the contract was to reach the town so I was marching along the only road to this place, which just so happens to be right through the middle of the forest, when an event pops up. I have to fight my way through the undead surrounding the town in order to get there. Great.

So, naturally this is a forest battle. Against undead. In the middle of the forest. Yeah. Those that have played the game enough know what I'm talking about. Not fun. Fortunately, these are just your normal rise-from-the-dead zombie types and I was put in a good position with chokepoints the dead would have to funnel through. Also, it's in the day, though it's dusk, so I can use my archers. I was able to make pretty quick work of them without having to move around a lot. It's slow going in the forest.

So, I made it to the town with no injuries and only minor armor/weapon damage. Now I have to defend the town against the undead. No problem, I can handle a big battle, I'm in pretty good shape. So here they come. Oh wait, it's still in the forest. And nice, it's night now, so I can't use my archers. And what do you know, Ancient Auxiliaries and Legionnaires this time with two Necrosavants (Ancient Vampires) thrown in to boot. This is going to be so fun.

I ruthlessly sacrificed the town militia fighting with me by letting them take the front line, occupying the attention of the Necrosavants and other undead. Soon enough though, the Necrosavants were rampaging among my back ranks like wolves, sucking blood and causing giant bleeding wounds with their khopeshs. All this in a forest with little visibility and difficult terrain. And against an enemy that teleports anywhere on the map in one turn. To make a long story short(er), I won and didn't lose anybody. My armor was in ruins on my greataxe and greatsword wielders and they were pretty heavily wounded. But everyone was alive. Many of the villagers are appalled by the slaughter of their militia and abandon the town.

I'm thinking it's going to take a while to repair all my equipment and heal up and immediately another event pops up. Yep, here they come again. So, we do it again. In the forest. In the dark. No Necrosavents this time, thank god. Ancient Auxiliaries and Legionnaires instead. Tough battle. I still don't lose anyone. Back in town the villagers that ran away after the last battle are so inspired by all this winning that they come back and form a new militia. Hmmm, why would they need to do that? We just won after all. Twice in a row (3 times if you count the battle to reach the town, but who's counting).

This time there's actually a break and I'm in town selling loot from the battles and wondering why the contract objective still says "defend the town". Yeppers, here they come again. Final battle this time. I quickly swap out ruined armor for something that's not as nice but functional on the worst wounded guys. Then they close on the town and it's on. Me and the new militia that just reformed. It's still in the forest but this time it's dawn (been fighting these battles throughout an entire night) so I can use my archers again. No Necrosavants or Legionnaires this battle, just Ancient Auxiliaries. We win, no one dies.

So, finally it's over and I can return to the Baron to collect an ungodly amount of crowns for all this. 4 battles in a row with no healing and no repairing between battles. In a forest. At night (for 3 battles). My armor was shot and a few of my brothers had nasty wounds but nothing permanent. No brothers died so it went about as well as it could go. I have to say this was the most tense and challenging moment of the game so far. And a lot of fun. I can't want to see what's next.
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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ColdSteel
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by ColdSteel »

The game just came out of EA today and the full release version is now available.
"This game is best played with a warm cup of Folger's coffee in your hands, so you can actually smell the oppression while you relive the greatest period of all time. The period when white people discovered the world, and decided they didn't like it." - EUIV Steam user review
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LordMortis
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by LordMortis »

:csmile:

/Really wishes he had writing skills because this game is dying for an AAR to do it justice and I'm stoked to play the final release.
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gbasden
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by gbasden »

OK, I really should get this with the way you all are talking about it. I have to admit I'm turned off by the incredibly minimal graphics, though. Why is everyone missing their legs? From the video, it doesn't look like attacks are modelled at all? How do I know who is doing what to whom?
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dbt1949
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Re: Battle Brothers (Indie TBS)

Post by dbt1949 »

I was too at first. I got used to it. As a matter of fact The same thing happened to a number of game purchases during that time period when I bought it.
Ye Olde Farte
Double Ought Forty
aka dbt1949
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