At first glance there are some slight changes that will have a pretty big affect on the game.
First, the map bonuses:
Battlements - Opponents' deployment zones are reduced by 2"
WANT. Makes scenario play, which with the 2011 change to the Shattered Grounds rules is going to be a given, interesting.
Searforge Chapter House - Reduce the point cost of one Rhulic Mercenary/Minion model/unit by 2 point or the point cost of one Mercenary/Minion model/unit my 1 point.
Everyone will be gunning for this one, especially Dwarves (duh). Watch out for Nardo if he gets a hold of this.
The rest are pretty standard hat from leagues past. I would like to note that the territory, Horgenhold, has both Battlements and Searforge Chapter House.
Next we have weather conditions. Only two are listed this time around: Snow Drifts, everyone's favorite rough terrain hills, and Rockslide, a hill feature which knocks down Small and Medium based models that end their activation on it.
I'm excited.
Strategems received a major upgrade in that they now read:
orOnce during each of your Control Phases
Veteran players will note that this is a change from past leagues when you had to declare it at the start of your Control Phase. I like this technical change a lot for its elegance. I can remember many games where either myself or my opponenant would cry out "I forgot my stratagem!" thus fouling an entire turn.Once per game during your Control Phase
They all seem to be good with none being completely lackluster, except perhaps for Defensive Maneuver, which grants Set Defense to a model/unit for one round once per game only. I can see it being too powerful for multiple uses, but just once when you're enemy may not even charge seems light when compared to +2 MAT/-2 DEF once per game or auto rally all fleeing units out of activation. It's worth mentioning that several Stratagems are limited to the command range of your caster/lock
Side note before I close, Weatherproofing Maneuver is missing this league. I cannot begin to express how happy that makes me.
All in all, I'm looking forward to the open of Thundercliff Peaks on the 18th. The hardest decision will be choosing between Pigs and PoM.
