Saga: Are javelins too powerful in the game?

[blipvertus 12598xp 0]

So, are javelins too powerful?

I’ve really enjoyed V2 but a couple of changes have exacerbated a problem.

First, with levy now generating Saga dice, not only are you more likely to see levy but you’re also more likely to see multiple levy units.

And most levy units have access to missile weapons and many have access to javelins.

Granted, levy are harder to activate but you are also rolling more dice and therefore more likely to get that levy unit to activate.

But javelins are especially problematic. First, their shooting is a free activation, unlike bows. Second, javelin units are typically 3/4 armor for levy and warriors and there are some armies where every single unit can have javelins.

Most armies do not have a defense against shooting and if they do, it’s a once per turn ability. But if you’re facing an army like the Irish or Welsh, you might get shot five or six times per turn.

And God help you if you’re a mounted army! That +1 to shooting cripples Normans and any army that relies on cavalry.

And it just boggles my mind that javelins get a +1 in the charge. Granted, you may not want to charge but you could get a bonus.

That bonus also invalidates certain army builds. Norse Gael players now have no incentive to take Dane Axes. Consider that a warrior Norse Gael unit with javelins gets the same +1 bonus in the charge as the Dane Axe units and the same armor in shooting and melee. The only downside is if they are the defender in the melee, which isn’t much and that’s the only occasion that the Dane axe units would be the better choice.

So again, I ask, are javelins too powerful?
Discuss!

[chaingun 1939xp 0]

You raise an interesting point and something I’ve not considered. I must confess first that I’ve only played a few games of V2 Saga and so I’ve not really come across this issue your having yet.

That said, I don’t play in tournaments and have no desire to do so. All of our games we play in our group are based on a narrative scenario or within a narrative campaign, where we try to recreate what we think would be the forces used in a raid or even larger battle scenario.

I have seen a few games being played at shows and yes your right there does seem to be more shooting in V2 than V1. Unfortunately this is a side issue of most Wargames where and sort of meta is involved.

 

 

[avernos 35248xp 1]

I don’t think they are too powerful, shooting is at best half your units number in dice before burning abilities and with a 6″ range you leave yourself exposed for a counter attack, where lower armour and the inability to close ranks will often see the unit annihilated.

I love my Irish, but I’m painfully aware that once combat is reached you’ll run into a world of hurt and opponents soon learn how to counter or stay away from you.

like every game the meta changes over time and the use of javelins now will just push people to use warbands that play to the weaknesses of javelins, then people will counter those type of lists with something else., and so on. It’s almost cyclical.

The +1 on the charge I imagine is to account for throwing multiple darts in as they charge and I like that. But I’ll always love my Dane axes for the both the look but also the historical accuracy of them. While taking them as levies or even some warriors, I’m much more likely to have a field of axes.

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