WARCRY – STARTER SET / PUBLISHER: GAMES WORKSHOP / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
One of the more striking features of Games Workshop’s Warhammer settings is the idea of Chaos-infested wastelands controlled by gangs of violent warriors in constant conflict with each other. In the new Age of Sigmar fantasy setting, these scantily-clad murderers fight for control of Eightpoints, a once prosperous magical gateway to adventure that has now become a portal to hell. So not only is it a desolate place, but a really interesting one. All of this forms the background for Games Workshop’s latest fantasy miniatures war game, Warcry.
As many of you have noticed, GW has been producing more and more accessible games over the years and this appears to be the pinnacle of that goal so far. Once assembled, Warcry is a fairly easy to play, quick to set-up game that can be enjoyed by anyone on a tight schedule. That doesn’t mean it’s small, though. The starter box is massive, as it comes with 29 models, a lot of plastic scenery, a double-sided board and all the rules, cards, dice, etc. you need to play. The board defines the playing area (much like Kill Team), making it playable on a coffee table. The scenery itself is gorgeous. We have bridges, altars, ruined bell towers, shattered churches. Heck, we’ve even got a giant stone head to hide behind. The warriors are equally pretty and we have two factions, heavily armoured Iron Golems and the swift and deadly Untamed Beasts.
We also get two types of Chaos beasts who aren’t aligned to any side. The idea is that as this game is set in the Chaos wastelands, random horrors can just leap out at you and take your face off. Rules-wise, this is an ‘I go, you go’ system. Each team is between 3 to 15 models. The actual scenario is randomly generated, you draw four cards from different decks. This controls everything from terrain to victory conditions, and makes for a surprisingly varied game.
As far as the mechanics go, you roll a pool of dice and use identical to activate special powers. You also have wild dice that can be ‘kept’ to use at critical points. Combat is primarily melee, and is brutal. Though each unit can take a lot of damage, the game doesn’t mess around with ‘death saves’ or anything like that. Get hit, take damage, hit back, and try not to die. Special abilities add nuance, so you’re constantly assessing risk and cost whilst trying to out think your opponent. It’s different yet fast and familiar.
There’s also a campaign mode, which feels like a spiritual successor to the old Mordheim game. Warcry is highly addictive, easy to get into and the starter box is a bit of a bargain. Check it out.
