After having done four big articles on the rules for DW 2.0, I thought it would be a good idea to turn some attention to how the core nations have changed with the release of the new model stats. And, what better place to begin than with my beloved Prussians!

What the new model stat sheets represent is a complete re-stating and, in some cases, re-classification of practically every model in the DW range. This means that some models have gotten stronger, some have been hit with the dreaded “Nerf Bat” (or “Nerfed” for short) and been made weaker, and still others are just…different now. But all of that in good time. First, lets looks at what kinds of goodies the Prussians get as a faction, as well as some general observations.

PE Faction Overview

The PE now has Rugged Construction (1) for all models as a faction Universal Rule. While that is certainly not bad (it helps to offset the PE’s limited access to shields, that’s for sure!), it does seem to pale a bit in comparison to the UR’s given to other factions. The KoB, for example, gets Redoubtable for all Primary Weapons, as well as Engineers! However, the PE has gotten a major boost thanks to the major improvements made to Tesla weapons. The first upgrade is that Tesla/Speerschluder weapons now all have Lethal Strike by default, in addition to being redoubtable like before. Secondly, most Tesla weapons are no longer saddled with a Fixed Channel arc of fire, making them much more flexible and less fiddly to use. And finally, Tesla weapons are now everywhere! The guns on PE frigates are now Tesla weapons, for example. All of that combined makes PE ships deadlier and more flexible.

The PE has always been a boarding-heavy faction. This is still true, thanks to the overall higher crew qualities PE medium and small ships have access to. For a nominal cost, most of the fleet can be upgraded to at least the Aggressive crew type. In addition, much of the fleet has the Specialize Defenses MAR, meaning it will get 2 more AA/CC dice against boarding actions. This points to the PE being well suited for agressive boarding tactics, since they will tend to be hitting on 3+’s, with some extra defenses to balance the vulnerability incurred by AP losses.

Model by Model Comparisons

Lets take a look at what I think are 3 of the most-changed models under the new stats!

Blucher Class Dreadnought

This model now counts as Massive (as it should have all along!), and is now much more expensive; 290 points base, up from 235. Those 55 points buy a considerably stronger fore Tesla weapon with a much better fire arc, similarly improved broadsides, an Elite crew, and slightly better shooting from the main turrets. The generator options have changed slightly; you can now get a Disruption generator, and the stats now specifically forbid a player from taking two of the same generator (no more double shields!). Overall, this ship is still the beast it has always been, though the higher cost will price it out of must smaller fleet builds.

Riever Class (Light) Cruiser

This in my opinion might be one of the most improved models in the lot! First, the price has dropped 15 points to 50 per ship (you can make 5 of those points back to upgrade the crew to Aggressive). Second, the shooting dice for the broadsides and Teslas have been slightly buffed, and the firing arcs are no longer FC. The defensive stats have been tweaked a bit; AA and CC are now 3/3, instead of 4/2 as before. On the downside, the model now only carries 4 AP, down from 6. The biggest boost this ship has gotten however, is that it no longer counts as a captial model, making it a natural predator for of all the Small class ships with the Small Target MAR out there.

Arminius Frigate

No doubt about it, the PE frigates have been nerfed a bit. That is only fair, since they were IMO some of the most effective ships on a pound-for-pound basis in the game under the previous stats. The biggest downgrades are that the Arminius is now 30 points, and loses one point of AP. So, no longer will shoals of cheap 3 AP PE frigates roam the table terrorizing enemy large and massive models! However, this is counteracted by the fact that the ship’s RB 2 shooting has been significantly upgraded, and that the fore turret is now classified as a Tesla weapon.

This is good for starters, but it barely scratches the surface! Until next time…