We’re almost there! The new book is almost out!

That’s right, the day that Carnevale fans have been waiting for since… well since before the Plague Doctors unleashed a virus on the world… is almost here!

This Friday, Carnevale’s first campaign book, Blood on the Water is going up for pre-order!

Blood on the Water

This amazing new volume is 112 pages long. It contains:

• Brand new stories! An ongoing narrative moves Venice into the new year. The story explores the entire year of 1795, splitting into three distinct conflicts. The Guild and Patricians are battling over the fate of the Arsenale and Venice’s future as a military power. The Rashaar are invading the island of Malta as the remaining Hospitaller Knights try to hold firm and protect the people. Meanwhile the Doctors have been undergoing to devious new experiments that put them firmly in Vlad Dracula’s sights. Written in part by returning star Gav Thorpe, he and Lewis Clarke are joined by David laPorta to craft the new chapter in Carnevale’s history.
• Beautiful art! This book is so full of amazing full-colour art by a whole slew of artists. It’s truly a visual wonder, in which you’ll see your favourite characters and brand new ones rendered in incredible detail.
• An updated rulebook! That’s right, Blood on the Water contains the full Carnevale rules. In what we’re dubbing 2.2 of the rules, we’ve tweaked and changed a bunch of bits to make it the most engaging it’s ever been. Annoyances have been removed, and more new things have been added.
• Brand new rules! In addition to the core rules, Blood on the Water contains loads of new, advanced rules for your games of Carnevale. Exclusive to this book, rules like Reactions provide new ways to play, while expanded scenery rules allow you to ride to battle in boats! There are also new ways to upgrade your gangs with new Equipment, unique Artifacts and the dangerous Ill Tides.
• 15 new scenarios! Focusing on the three main conflicts, Blood on the Water allows you to fight the battles of the story. See if you can beat the protagonists and tell your own version of events with scenarios like none you’ve ever played before.

It’s a great book, full of everything a Carnevale fan needs!

It’s not just the book going up for pre-order this week though, every single faction is getting a new boxed set of brand new miniatures!

Dockworkers

The Guild are receiving help from the Arsenale by the Dockworkers. This complete gang in a box offers new ways to play with your Guild forces, and a whole new area to have dominion over: the water! With a Harbourmaster to direct the battle, a Shipwright to lead the charge with his huge riveting hammer, a Fisherman with choice of weapons, and two Mariners, the Guild are taking back the canals.

Venetian Navy

On the other side of the conflict, the Patricians are instating a brand new Venetian Navy! Taking control of the Arsenale is key to their plans, and they’re paying a whole new navy to do so. A Sopracomito is a Leader with a whole load of coin, while the Naval Leiutenant is a more reliable source of command and has a multi-barrelled Nock Gun. A Naval Ensign is recently promoted and looking to prove her worth, while the two Naval Recruits hope their enthusiasm makes up for their lack of training.

Feral Besiegers

Over on the island of Malta, things have been strange for a while. Since the Rent in the Sky opened, an army of feral creatures have been trying to scale the fort walls. This box contains all new Henchman choices for the Rashaar. A Bulbous Toad will skewer foes with its tongue and pull them back in to bite, while the two Hellhounds scale the walls with a dangerous speed. Finally the Cymothoan Crusher might not be the most hardy foe, but watch out for this 50mm base Henchman’s devastating charge!

Knights Hospitaller

Standing firm against the Rashaar invasion are the Knights Hospitaller. Allied with the Vatican, if left on their own to survive, they are brave beyond measure. Lead to battle by the Knight Commander, he will not go down without a fight! A Paladin of St Lazarus has fought and died countless times, but God keeps bringing him back for more. Two Knights of Malta fight back to back with their fellow bretheren, and a young Maltese Squire provides some much needed long range support from the battlements.

Sleepless Undead

The Doctors of San Servolo have been busy behind the scenes, constructing golems of flesh and metal. The Master of Necromantic Studies has somehow found a way to reanimate the dead with her syringe of Elixir of Death. The result are two Husks – corpses reanimated, although they’re more like boxes of spare parts. A hulking Monstrosity is what happens when the box of spares is overflowing, and a Doctor of Venesection is a being altogether more twisted: a Strigoi with the mind of a Doctor. They’re brilliant but cannot be trusted – best to take their arms, just in case.

Airborne Cannibals

Vlad Dracula is not letting the Doctors get away with their experiements, and is sending out a whole host of new Strigoi – this time by the air. The Stryha Crone leads the way, blending into her surroundings and attacking at the opportune moment. She commands a Strige: a Strigoi who has been forced to eat only other Strigoi. Fall too far down that path, and they devolve into the hideous Strzyga, whose torn wings barely keep their bulging muscles in the air. Vlad is not above any perverse behaviour, and turning children into Strigoi yields the vicious Harpies. What they lack in raw power is met with a complete lack of empathy.

Unhinged Understudies

What’s this? New Commedia dell’Arte?? What a day! The curtains are drawn on this new complete gang for Gifted players, expanding on the Commedia with several archetypes. Drawn to Venice for various reasons, this motley crew has a bit of everything.

La Signora leads the way in a dress large enough that no one can ignore her. She tries to take centre stage in front of the Innamorati: star-crossed lovers whose love and sanity were torn apart by the Rent in the Sky. Mezzetino is bitter that his supposed brother Brighella left him to die. He’s after revenge on anyone that looks at him and his rapier wrong. Coviello is rather more relaxed, trying to make new friends through playing his lute (although he’s doing rather the opposite in practice). Finally Scapino always seems to be in the wrong place at the right time… at least he’s an expert in running away!

Carnevale Item Cards

That’s not all!

This new deck of cards provides you with a wealth of options for upgrading your gang. The 33 cards are split into three categories:

• Equipment cards offer upgrades for a gang at an affordable price. From Gondolas to Parachutes to full Boats! These are reworked and easier to use than ever.
• Artifact cards give players the option to take a single unique, powerful Artifact in their gang. From weighted dice to a death mask to a suit of plate armour, there’s something for everyone.
• Ill Tides are a brand new addition to your games, offering negative items! If you’re over your Ducat limit, your opponent can draw one or more of these cards to even the scales. Be wary: they usually happen at the most inopportune moment!

BOATS BOATS BOATS!

Did we just mention boats? Oh yeah we did!

Available this week, the boats are sailing in!

There are six new MDF boats coming your way on Friday, and all are styled after the six main factions in Carnevale (although the Patricians Brig would suit the Duke very well, thank you).

Boats are a new Equipment option in Carnevale, but many of these boats would look perfectly at home in many historical settings. Made almost entirely out of MDF, these boats are true marvels of flat-pack scenery. Using laminated layers of wood, you build up the hull piece by piece.

There are plenty of options available on the kits for advanced modellers as well. These kits are affordable, and designed to be made beautiful; a hobbyist’s dream. They have the option to string up your own rigging and even make your own sails, or you can use the included MDF sails, paint them up, and get some games in!

Wow, that’s a lot of new stuff this week!

We’ve even got the webstore exclusives going up on Friday to celebrate Adepticon (perfect timing for Blood on the Water, what a coincidence!). They’ll be up for a week, so you’ll be able to pick up Zovena Vela, the Queens of the Adriatic, or any others you might want.

All of these goodies will be hitting the TTCombat webstore this Friday. All week we’re going to be talking about the epic new book and new rules for every faction. Make sure to stop by every day to get all the information about the most exciting Carnevale release… ever!