This week on Konflikting Opinions:

It’s finally here, the book is in our hands, So what are your Hits, Misses and Favourite Bits from the new book?

James – Germans

First impressions are always hard, primarily because they are normally wrong so take all of this with a ocean full of salt.

The book it self is stunning, it’s hard back, full colour and well laid out all huge pluses in my book. Another often over looked thing is the font is clear and at a decent size. I had an eye operation a few years ago so small fonts like this are a total nightmare to read so I appreciate that to.

The background section is particularly good it gives a broad over view of the current war with helpful maps and explains the alternate history well.

For me I found the Persian and Middle East section really caught my eye the idea of a British Palestine defence force fighting the Russians in Iraq / Palestine really got my head spinning with conversion ideas as it suggests the bulk of the troops are Indian and warlord make some great Indian troops! I also liked the idea of a Finish partisan force fighting against the Soviet occupiers (That scene from the Heroes of telemark sprung to mind) so plenty of scope to put your own stamp on it ( I’ve written a brief history of the campaign I intend to base my first army on here) and yes I’m planning a second or third army!

I love that it’s not gone down the occult line and is very heavily science based which adds a layer of realism (i.e. you could see it happening rather than hand waving and a wizard did it)

Onto the rules, I haven’t much to say here they look like a solid upgrade of the bolt action but paired back from gates of Antares which is fair enough that’s the sort of game it wants to be. My two niggles are as the rules are intended to be backwards compatible with existing bolt action the points haven’t changed. This means things like the LMG are still way overpriced but they are being fixed in bolt action version 2, however there is no fix here. This leads me to think it’s kind of in limbo stuck between Bolt Action versions 1 and 2 while trying to be its own game.

Apparently this is being resolved by a PDF errata and that’s great but after buying a new book an errata to update rules when it comes from the same company seems a little off when it looks like the releases are less than 2 months apart. Second never been a fan of the vehicle rules they always seemed over costed and to fragile or under costed and to good I can’t say either way yet but it doesn’t look like there is much change here.

Overall my hobby juices are flowing so I’m very happy with the purchase and my head is full of ideas for future armies! The rules look solid and I’m looking forward to getting my first games in.

Simon – Soviet Army

I normally buy all of my rulebooks in a Ebook format.   Space in my house is limited and my long suffering wife gives me that “not another blooming game” look every time she catches me sneaking back in with one of those suspiciously large hardback books that she knows I like so much!    The e-option isn’t available yet for the Konflikt 47 rulebook and that’s my first and only real gripe with the rulebook.   It might seem weird and even I’m thinking #firstworldproblems as I type this petty little complaint but I’m in a position that I’m sure many of us are (especially those based in countries where land is at a premium and large houses are expensive) in that the real limiting factor on my hobby spend is space to store it.  I try and buy all supplements and rulebooks in digital format because then I’ve got them all in one place on my iPad (other tablet devices are available) and even better they’re searchable.   So incredibly tiny gripe over, what were the hits?

For me the maps were the first things that I noticed leafing through the book.   They helped me to visualise where the course of the war has changed in this alternate universe, I know it’s helped James with his army background and certainly it’s helped shape my thoughts on where I’m taking my ‘winter’ Russian army next.

The Walkers seem very flexible and have lots of options to take HE which makes me think that they’re predominantly anti-infantry.   I know we have an elephant in the room, or a Zeus in the room in this instance which looks, frankly, intimidating for any tankers out there.

The forces seem balanced and I like the slimmed down army list options in the book, without that, I think that there would have been a danger of the new infantry and vehicle options being lost amongst the bewildering array of vehicles available throughout the wartime years to date.    I know that Clockwork Goblin and Warlord have been very keen on stressing that BA 1.0 source books are compatible with K47 but I’d be happier seeing that slightly restricted,  mainly because I don’t think it makes sense seeing blitzkreig era German equipment wandering around with rift tech.

Rift Tech for me is where this book shines.   From the lovely full colour plates of the new warriors to the very individual and well themed infantry options.   The Big Stompy Walkers are what will make people notice K47, but it’s the infantry options and the way they offer new and interesting ways of achieving objectives is what will keep people coming back for more.

Stefan – Great Britain and the Commonwealth

When I opened the book, It instantly made me love the amount of detail from cover to cover with the Walkers, Mechs, the allied jump infantry and the soviet and German twisted troops.

I loved finding out where the different parts were for the armies to see the different troops the three sides got and checking how many points they were and what they could equip because I would one day like to bring some to the gaming board

I am incredibly inspired by the  AWESOME Automatons , Walkers, Mechas and other DNA modified and twisted mutations of what used to be soldiers, I am also amazed by the jump infantry like the fireflys of the US.

My first 3 things that I would like to get out of EVERYTHING are the Automatons,  the allied Grizzly and the Guardian light walker.

Shipman – USA

I had high expectaions of the book having been introduced to the Warlord games rulesets by the Gates of Anteres book, which was frankly brilliant.

All these expectations are met and exceeded. I am blown away (figuativly now, probably literally by heavy walkers later!) By the quality of whats been produced.

I don’t have really any experince with Bolt Action, but im told this is a good rules update. I’ll be honest, I mainly focused on the background and armies.

And I love it. The dieselpunk slant so its science based, the variety on how each country uses rift tech, just lovley.

The ideas are running thick and fast for narrative scenarios, small scale fighting as well as the big battles. We’ll be sharing some of these ideas here when we write them up.

I’m totally sold, now where did I put that Grizzly….