With Gears of War 3 fewer than two months from splashing locust gore all over Xbox 360s, Fantasy Flight Games and Epic Games are almost ready to launch the Gears of War Board Game announced in May. No release date has been set, but with the figures complete and the rules already available, it’s hard to say what’s left to complete before the game is available to buy at your friendly local gaming shop (retailing for $69.95 US, which is pretty standard for a game of this sort). Maybe they’re waiting to launch the board game right alongside Gears of War 3?

Today, we're one step closer - as Fantasy Flight Games has released a video trailer for the board game.

The nearly five-minute-long “trailer” outlines everything from individual characters in the COG forces (Fenix, Dom, Cole, and Baird) to the dynamic enemy action system and weapon drops.

Many fun, and somewhat familiar, game features are covered in the trailer: Fresh berzerkers zero-in on players firing their weapons but can only be wounded by the Hammer of Dawn or misled by tossing grenades. Boomers and tickers deal splash damage (with the latter ignoring COG defenses), and kantus call in reinforcements at a set rate - making them priority targets. Combat works on a simple six-sided die system, modified by the weapons players are are using - as well as other factors (like cover). The weapons themselves have special qualities - mortars ignore cover, sniper rifles offer headshots, and shotguns can dismember targets.

Check out the Gears of War Board Game Trailer below:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T11RWBUht70

Unfortunately, there is no sign, so far, of some of our favorite features from Gears of War 3, like the silverback mechs and the ability to build fortifications. With unboxed pictures of the board game already released, it’s unlikely those toys will make it into the game, but maybe the inclusion of the new features help explain the lack of a release date. If not, those fan-favorites would make natural additions though the expansion packs we are sure to see if the Gears of War Board Game sells well.

Why would you want to sit down to play a board game - when the e-version is available for roughly the same money? Well, the Gears of War board game allows you to bring the violent action, characters, and enemies of the Gears universe to an entirely new medium - that some gamers will be unfamiliar with. Best of all, the board game is different every time you play it - locust critters reportedly spawn in different locations and different numbers depending on the randomized map layouts, multiplied by the seven different mission scenarios, and the randomized cards mentioned earlier.

In short, you’ll have different weapons to deal with different challenges, potentially with radically different teammates each time you play. Our beloved Gears videogames can’t really make the same boasts, and (to date) we can only play the Gears campaign with one other brother-in-arms - while the board game offers simultaneous action for up to four-players. Plus, face-to-face play offers all kinds of interactions you don’t get online.

Regardless, this Gears of War fan, and board game veteran, can’t wait to play both upcoming versions of GoW.

The Gears of War Board Game should be released very soon, and Gears of War 3 is due out on September 20, 2011.

Source: Fantasy Flight Games