Each week here at Geek & Sundry we’re taking a look at new and upcoming exciting titles on Kickstarter! This week’s Kickstarter of the week is Time of Legends: Joan of Arc, a narrative miniatures board game set in the 100 years war, (which, as of this writing, has surpassed $1M in funding). We talked about it on our boardgame show Game the Game’s news segment a couple weeks ago. If you want to stay tuned into what’s going on in the world of tabletop, be sure to tune in every Wednesday starting at 4PM PT on Twitch and Alpha.
It was late in the 100 Years War when a poor French peasant claims to have received a vision from God. Only 13 years old this peasant would later gain an audience with the king and go on to become a spiritual leader and military advisor. That peasant was Joan of Arc. The 100 Years War was a time of conflict and myth, with stories of demons and angels told alongside tales of conquest and glory. Mythic Games is bringing this era to your table by way of the Time of Legends: Joan of Arc Kickstarter campaign.
It’s a time of war, but also one of myths. The Medieval ages were full of legends both inspiring and terrifying. Time of Legends: Joan of Arc attempts to reflect both the reality and the mythology of these times. French cavalry charge into battle along the real heroes of the age – Joan herself, Jean de Dunois, etc – but can also ally themselves with the forces of heaven and hell. Ghosts, werewolves, and even the Archangel Gabriel are rendered in plastic and available to join your soldiers in the war for the French Crown.
To paraphrase the campaign page itself, if the people of the 1400s believed in it then Mythic Games wants to put that creature on the table. The Devil himself is available to smash his way across the battlefield and tear down the detailed plastic walls of your castle bringing the deeply held beliefs shared by both peasants and kings to life. No doubt King Charles would have loved to be able to call on Unicorns and Angels to help his armies repel the English.
Time of Legends: Joan of Arc has two different game modes. A scenario-based system allows you to play through pre-set battles and experiences. Some are historical, simulating actual battles from the war. Others incorporate the supernatural forces of angels and demons in battles. Add-on purchases expand these options. We’d like to give a special shout-out to the Dragon add-on that basically redefines the term “miniature”. It’s bigger than some dogs I know; I mean look at this thing:
In addition to scenario mode, you can play Time of Legends as a skirmish battle game. The base pledge comes with over 40 terrain pieces that can be used to vary your battleground, and players will have the ability to compose their armies before battle. Will you proudly take up the banners of England, eschewing allies both holy and unholy? Or will you bolster your troops with the forces of the Devil? Both supernatural factions can be plaid independently or allied with one of the main combatants in the war; variety seems to be the name of the game.
The action system seems at once approachable yet tactical. Communal cards provide the resources you use to activate your troops, and activation is done by area not by model. Given the sheer volume of miniatures, tokens, and terrain pieces you’re going to have to set up, a simple system is welcome. I haven’t played a game with this type of activation but after watching a few of the videos I like the idea of chaining the various covered cubes across the board to adapt to the changing battle.
Already massively overfunded, Time of Legends: Joan of Arc looks to be a smash success for Mythic. Their previous Kickstarter, Mythic Battles: Pantheon is on track to deliver this December according to recent updates. Given the size – both literal and figurative – of this game, I imagine we’ll be hearing a lot about it as backers begin to receive their copies next year. The “Maiden Level” pledge is $120 and a number of stretch goals have already been unlocked.
You can secure a copy, check out the plethora of miniatures in the project, and keep up with the campaign by going to the Kickstarter page.
Want more miniature game goodness?
- Check out our feature on Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire, a miniature board game we think is a contender for Game of the Year.
- Have a peek at Folklore: The Affliction as a miniature boardgame to get your board game group into RPGs!
- Learn why people love miniature wargaming and what makes it so much fun.
Image Credits: Mythic Games
In addition to Geek & Sundry, Raf Cordero writes for Miniature Market’s The Review Corner and co-hosts the gaming podcast, Ding & Dent. Chat with him on Twitter @captainraffi.