by minksling
1 and 2: Yes indeed, it's pretty much a small scale skirmish tabletop war-game set on a refined battlefield, with 2 sides; one, the beasts of the Overlord, the second, The Heroes: a combined troop of coop players.Each map ("Encounter") (of a "Quest") has differing win conditions for both sides, frequently not solely focussed on all out slaughter of the opposition.
On top of that there is a campaign of (varying) quests through which both sides may progress, each growing in power as they (the Heroes) gain skills and items and (the Overlord) OL cards and more powerful monsters.
The dice have as much bearing as you'd find in the dice of most tabletop war-games in general; a percentage chance at success (and failure). The results of these dice also reveal varying "degrees" of that success; The rest of it is down to good strategies and tactics and praying (to the god of your choice) for an advantageous outcome ;)
I for one am happy with my purchase :)