by Ed Fortune
Games Workshop’s Combat Arena series of quick-to-play action board games has consistently been a lot of fun. The premise is pretty simple; it’s a straight-up fighting game in which heroes with unusual powers face off against each other.
Combat Arena: Lair of the Beast mixes things up a little bit by adding a whole new threat to the affair. Rather than simply being a battle royale like previous games, our space gladiators have to face a dreaded Ambull, one of the alien monsters that has been part of Warhammer 40,000 since the start back in 1987.
Inside the box, we get a total of 13 models, which you’ll need to assemble yourself (and paint if you want to). This includes the giant insect-like Ambull, as well as its little friends, horrible things called Borewyrms. We also get 11 ‘heroes’. These include the adventurers previously only available in the long-out-of-print Blackstone Fortress game. These are a selection of character models from the world of Warhammer 40,000 and include an Aeldari ranger, a Navigator, a Rogue Trader and so on. In addition, we get a lone Space Marine, Sergeant Vennaro, who is unique to this box.
The rest of the game is also good quality; it’s a well-put-together board, nice dice, the cards are well thought out and so on. We even get some decent counters. The rule book drips with atmosphere. The game is set on a remote and alien space station, and we get a nice little backstory as to why all these interesting folk are fighting this weird alien thing.
The default version of the game is the Ambull vs the heroes in this two to four-player game. Select your hero and set up the board. Combat uses dice and cards, with your choices each round being to fight, move or do something special. Figuring out what to do and when is part of the fun, and it still all boils down to chance as you roll dice. This is a fun tactical game, with rules broken down into a simpler format. Much like the Space Marine The Board Game or the Introductory Set, this is a game designed to get you into miniature wargaming in a gentle sort of way.
If you already play wargames, though, this is a blast. It’s short and fun, the models look amazing, and the games are designed in such a way that even if your hero gets killed early on, there’s stuff for you to do. This is a great addition to any Warhammer fans’ collection.
