BATTALIA: The Creation is a competitive, fast-paced, strategic deck builder that combines map construction, hero and area control, and unique calendar mechanisms.
In BATTALIA: The Stormgates expansion, the players get the following additional functionality:
- Game material for 2 new players, so the game can be played by up to 6 players.
- Cooperative Teamplay, which is conducted simultaneously among the team members. The game evolves from strictly competitive to partially cooperative and at the same time from individually turn-based to semi-simultaneous. This new mechanics allows people to build alliances and to experience new strategies, while saving time compared to the standard game duration.The basic mode for 6 players will be 3 teams x 2 players each, or experimental for now 2 teams x 3 players each.
- The Stormgates allow for easier movement on the bigger map and will add some unpredicted event-bonuses to the players who use them.
- The new Kings & Queens mechanics will add more power to your deck and is an alternative strategy against the so called "super-slim decks". The new cards will allow you also to build higher level cities - one level 6 capital and two level 5 residences (one summer and one winter residence per player).
- Heroic mode will be added "officially" in the advanced scenarios section of the rules. In this mode players could use both heroes for simultaneous attacks possibly with increased moral bonus value - from 1 to 4.
Two new non-player characters will join the game directly through the expansion box:
- Bilkarr O'the Mountain people: the old and nice wanderer and herbalist, who could supply you with 6 powerful potion types (Colossus, Weakness, Freezing Touch, Solar Eclipsed, Brotherhood and Berserker), at reasonable price of course :) ... but you have to catch him on his never-ending trail. He knows all the hidden paths and moves constantly through the whole game board in the manner of a "billiard ball" ....
- Metamorpha: The mighty female Changeling knows certain things about the "Butterfly effect"... She is very sensitive to the natural surroundings and changes her outfit and influence on the players depending on the environment (i.e. terrain card) she stands on. Respectively the players have to expect 6 different situations / bonuses she will provide during the game. She is always attracted to new build terrains (no matter if cities or road cards) and appears magically directly on spot...Metamorpha radiates her influence on the whole map and all heroes standing on the same type of terrain as she does are affected immediately by her magic.
