Sunblade is an adaptation the tabletop game The 9th Age: Fantasy Battle.
Build armies from a variety of races, units, monsters and heroes; and let them loose on the battlefield ! Overcome your foes with an in-depth turn-based combat system. Make use of the complex cover and line of sight system, various terrains to encircle, ambush or outflank the enemy in order to setup devastating charges, or crushing salvoes and size the advantage by using your strengths and covering your weaknesses. Unleash devastating barrages of damage spells, protect or enhance your allies, or curse your enemies engaging in a duel of minds for magical supremacy ! Manage the discipline of your soldiers, or wage a terror war with your enemy to instill fear and disarray in its battleline !
Gameplay
A typical game is run in six game turns, after a deployment phase for both players. A turn has five phases:
Charge: Launch your units in a thundering cavalcade towards the enemy. With this, bring your close-combat specialists in range, and prepare to punch through the enemy lines ! But beware, charges don't always succeed, sometimes the enemy is further away from anticipated, and standing alone in the middle of the no-man's land can leave your units at the mercy of enemy gunlines, or devastating counter-charges.
Movement: Place carefully your units like pawns on a chessboard, navigating terrain, enemy units, line of fire, spell range and so on... Plan your future charges and try to seize objectives with the tools your army bring to the field !
Magic: Let your magicians express their potential, and use their magic to turn the tides ! But be careful, as the enemy can try to damper your rituals...
Shooting: Let the guns speak! after having placed your units, it's time to display the might of your technology ! or your numbers... As mighty as a huge mammoth can be, with the right placement and adequate amounts of firepower, it will think twice before running toward your gunline.
Melee: It's time for the carnage ! Now that your units are engaged in melee, true combat starts. After copious amounts of stomping around, and desperate attempts at keeping the line, what will the outcome be? Will your units stand firm against their foes ? will they run like cowards? Or, if the combat turns into your favour, will you be able to run down fleeing foes? Will your carefully crafted plan be thwarted in an instant? or Will a struck of luck give you a small hope for a distant victory ? No one knows ...
Races
Sunblade comes with two base races, and more will come in the future. Each race is a unique blend of specific rank-and-file units, monsters, heroes, artillery pieces, ...
The Ogre Khans: A race of huge troll-sized humanoïds, the ogres bring raw impact and melee power to the table. The aptly named 'Sons of the Avalanche' descend like a wall of flesh upon their enemy, bringing a variety of monster and melee combattants, all with a head and shoulders above the other races.
The Dwarven Holds: Stubborn and sturdy, the dwarves are quite a defensive race. With a wide array of equipment and artillery, they can kill from a distance their legs fail to reach. They are disciplined, elite and well protected, and will get the job done. And even if they seem slow at first, a well advised general will be wary of their melee capabilities; as they strike hard, and are quite resentful. Even if they run slowly, they will continue to do so until wrongs are righted, resulting in quite the surprise in the early morning, when the enemy army seen from afar in the evening is now at your door step...
