When I wrote my review of Oathmark in 2021, I was very smitten with the game. It was not without some problems, but they were few and easily houseruled away. As far as I was conmcerned, it was next to perfect.
It is not surprising then, that I played dozens of games over the years, fielding Dwarves, Humans, Undead and fighting agains Elves, Orcs, more Humans and with or against just about every monster in the game, including Dragons.
So I was very curious for this 2nd edition. Perfection seemed within reach, so expectations were high. But were they met?
The Kingdom Game
A lot is made in the rules about the Kingdom game, where the building of a kingdom enables you to play campaigns with your kingdom's territories and may lose or gain territories as the result of battles. As we already used to play like that, this seems like nothing new.
What has changed is that Region 6 (the Outer) Regions now only produce Monsters and Creatures that are Unreliable. Which makes them unable to profit from Command, brittler in Morale chceks and can even make them change sides. This is limited to Bodachs and Dragons, btw. WHile Dragons could use a tone down, in almost all games this was solved by not fielding Dragons in the first place.
Feedback from the gaming community
Over the years, some problems (or at least complaints) appeared. Those were roughly dividable in two categories; rules and point values.
Rules problems
Fortunately, there were precious few of those. They mostly revolved around abuse of said rules. There was the Make Room rule, with which you could oblige your opponent to open up his line so you could conveniently flank charge, the hideous Facings Erratum that sprang from that, the Smoke rule that could completely prevent charges and the Dispel spell that could only dispel spells cast on units, so that Smoke would be there forever (or until you rolled a 9+).
For those of you in hope that the 2nd Edition solved these problems, I must disappoint you.
They are all still there.
So far the 1st Edition Facings Erratum is not included, but this might be a matter of time.....
Point Value problems?
Oathmark 1st had a number of aspects I found very charming or interesting. The several factions all had their strong points but also their weak points. The Kingdom method of Army building allowed you to mix races into your armies for optimal combos while at the same time limiting your choices. I love a good dillemma!
But for people wanting to field single-faction armies this was a problem. Elves were superb, but so expensive they would always be outnumbered. Orcs and Goblins were numerous, but crap. So those players encountered problems on the table, caused by their playing preferences.
Artillery and long-range magic played a significant role. While not game-breaking (it cost quite a bit of points and Kingdom resources to field artillery and strong spellcasters) Heavy Catapults and Fireballs could wreak havoc. Use of cover, Smoke and Counter artillery were mandatory. For those players who liked to march their armies across barren plains, life became difficult.
Fortunately for those people (and unfortunately for the rest of us) the 2nd Editions caters to their complaints.
Artillery & Spells
Across all the lists, Artillery has significantly risen in points and lost the Champion Die. All Light and Heavy Catapults became a whopping 30-50+% more expensive in points, except the Elf and Skeletal ballistas.
On top of that, some long-range "artillery" magic was severely curtailed. Fireballs are now limited to an 18" range (shorter than any bow or artillery piece) and the Dwarf spell Explosive Ammo saw its casting Number rise 2 points. Curiously, the Elf Spell Trueflight was untouched and the CN of their Spell Truesight even dropped 4 points.
On top of that, Territories that produce artillery now only produce 1 instead of 2.
If you are seeing a trend here, just wait.
Spellcasters became cheaper overall, are now able to cast a spell with a penalty as a Simple Action and spells became easier overall. Magical Items generally became cheaper too. So in general magic becomes more influential. Except when the Spell effect has been curtailed.
Points & Stats
Across all lists, the 2nd Edition introduces quite a few big changes. A summary:
- Dwarves
- Chariot options added for Characters
- Costs remain the same, except Spellcasters and Artillery as mentioned above
- Dwarves gain Child Of Stone, which immunes against Horrific and Stone Gaze and gives a higher Defence against Fire breath.
- Humans
- Chariot options added for Characters
- Some Characters become cheaper, Spellcasters significantly so.
- Artillery becomes significantly more expensive.
- Humans gain Haste, a free half Move added to a Simple Action
- Orcs
- Linebreakers lose 1 Fight.
- Chariot options added for Characters
- Some Characters became cheaper, Spellcasters significantly so.
- Artillery became significantly more expensive.
- Orcs gain Wild Charge, where they not alread had that Attribute.
- Goblins
- Chariot options added for Characters
- Spellcasters become a bit cheaper, but their Light Catapult goes up 50%
- They do not gain an Attribute.
- Undead (now included in the rulebook)
- Revenants lose 1 Defence.
- Skeletons Activation rises by 1.
- Chariot options for Characters
- Necromancers become a bit cheaper. But the Reanimate/Revive Spells become harder.
- The Skeletal Ballista remains the same cost. The Light Catapult goes up 25 points.
- They do not gain an Attribute.
- Elves
- Chariot Options for Characters
- All Elf units become cheaper by some 9-14%, except their Ballista which remains the same cost.
- Their Artillery-related spells remain the same or get easier.
- They gain Eldest, a +2 Defence against all magical attacks.
Most of the contents of the expansions have been included in the rulebook now, which is a good thing.
Oathbreakers and Bane Of Kings seem to have been included almost completely, although for some reason the BoK monsters have disappeared. Formations are also conspicuously missing.
Battlesworn is included partly. Everything about water and Engineers seems to have been omitted, including the water monsters.
Lastly, the quite popular but hitherto "unofficial" Halfling list is still missing.
Conclusion
- Artillery is bad (except for Elves)
- Long Range Magic is bad (except for Elves)
- Necromancy is bad.
- Undead are scary and need to be toned down.
- All other Magic is OK so it becomes easier for everyone.
- We need more Magic, so Spellcasters can get cheaper.
- Surely nobody needs extra protection against all that extra Magic (except Elves)
- Nobody cares about Goblins (especially not Elves)
- Elves apparently need all the help they can get (and receive it, too)
It strongly reminds me of the GW Army Books, who make all earlier lists obsolete every few years. A good business model, but less so for the gamers.
If the book had solved the existing rules problems, there would at least have been a valid reason to produce such a deviating 2nd Edition, but bafflingly, these problems all remain.
So Oathmark 2nd Edition:
- solves none of the existing problems (at least in my opinion)
- cancels the 1st Edition as a sustainable alternative
- creates new balance problems, especially in the Elf list
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