Tag Archives: How to PLay

Aron Britchford, Fantasy, Malifaux, Reviews, Wyrd Games

Skirmish Games – A guide to Malifaux

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There are a wide array of games, both large battle and skirmish available on the market and while many are familiar with Games Workshops offerings, there are many other colourful games to play.

The aim of these articles is as a taster and guide to help get you into a game that interests you and where better to start than a trip through the breach to Malifaux, Where bad things happen.

What is Malifaux?

Malifaux is a small scale skirmish game played with around 7-10 themed figures. Each figure is individual and has it’s own stat card (no duplicates here!). Players alternate taking actions while trying to score off there schemes and strategies. These can be as simple as “hold this point” or make sure “model 1 is killed by model 2”

Are there any Unique Mechanics?

Rather than roll dice, Malifaux uses a fate deck (fancy name for a standard deck of cards), Players flip cards instead of rolling dice. You also have a control hand of cards which allow you to “cheat fate” for when you really need an action to happen.

Certain characters can also use Soul stones, another resource to boost actions or reduce damage.

How easy is it to get into?

There are many local Henchman (Wyrds demo players) in many countries and can usually be found via the Wyrd forums or running local events and Demo days.

The Rules are available from free from the Wyrd website (listed below) and stat cards can be found there for all factions as well as available on the free M3E app. A standard deck of cards can be used as a fate deck (provided it has a Red and Black Joker) but there are many other variants available with custom artwork.

Crew boxes give you a starting crew and you can usual pick up 1 or 2 more boxes to pad your crew out allowing you to start playing from between £50-£100. Some Masters (Crew Leaders) are classed as Dual Faction, allowing you to easily dip into other factions.

There are also regular updates to competitive play and stat cards to maintain balance.

Pro’s and Cons

Pros

  • Under £100 to get into
  • Every Model Unique
  • Great support from the Community and Wyrd

Cons

  • Helpful to have a lot of scenery
  • Lots of rules interactions which may take a while to master.
  • Some miniatures have very small parts making assemble tricky

Summary

Malifaux is a great skirmish game to get into. The factions and crews are all very different with interesting themes and no two are exactly alike. There is a healthy community, with lots of support from Wyrd. The miniatures are well sculpted and characterful with my only complaints being small parts and occasional thin parts supporting a model.

If you are able to get a demo with a friend or Henchman I highly recommend giving Malifaux a try.

Useful Links

https://www.wyrd-games.net/ Resources section for Rule books and stat cards

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wyrd.m3e Android Crew Creator

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/m3e-crew-builder/id1473771840 IOS Crew Creator

A Song of Ice and Fire, Cmon, Fantasy, Peter Holland

What is A Song of Ice and Fire?

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BOARD GAME GEEK SUMMARY

Rating8.2 (860+ Reviews)
Players2
Playing Time45-60 mins
Age14+
Complexity2.90/5.00

A Song of Ice & Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game lets players take control of their favorite Houses from the novels — represented by trays of high-quality, pre-assembled miniatures — and lead them into battle against their opponents. Players can recreate their favorite moments from the series or create their own stories. What if the Red Wedding never happened, and Robb Stark assaulted King’s Landing? Now fans can find out!

Battles can range from large-scale wars with hundreds of miniatures to simple skirmishes between a few units without complicating the elegantly designed rules. The game features several unique systems, including alternating activations that keep the players engaged; a Rank System that changes a unit’s capabilities as the battle rages on; a Tactics System that provides strategic powers fueled by a finite resource each round; and, most importantly, the iconic Heroes, such as Robb Stark and Jaime Lannister, that can change the course of war both on and off the battlefield.

Three Sails Gaming have produced a great getting started video on A Song of Ice and Fire.

How to Play A Song of Ice and Fire

Rules & Miniatures

All the rules and miniatures can be purchased from Cmon website, though I’m sure some FLGS will offer discounts on these prices.

They have numerous starter armies for the game with one for each faction, and the miniatures look great!

Lannister Starter Set $99.99

Thanks for reading! – Peter

Fantasy, Olmec Games, Peter Holland, The Drowned Earth

What is The Drowned Earth?

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BOARD GAME GEEK SUMMARY

Rating8.9 (4 Reviews)
Players2
Playing Time45 mins
Age14+
Complexity-.–/5.00

The Drowned Earth is a tabletop miniatures game where brave heroes and villains risk the dangers of the wilds for glorious riches and ancient technology!

Played on a 3ftx3ft table with 5-15 models a side, TDE is a game of dynamic movement, cinematic action and narrative gameplay, where risk vs reward must be weighed every turn.

At the heart of the game is the Dynamic Movement system, where models can leap, climb, jump off buildings and shoot while doing so!

A combination of cinematic action and an emphasis on named characters means that TDE has a very narrative feel: each game tells a story.

On Table Top have produced a great getting started video on Drowned Earth. I recommend these chaps if you ever want a decent introduction of a wargame.

Getting Started with Drowned Earth

Rules & Miniatures

All the rules and miniatures can be purchased from The Drowned Earth website, though I’m sure some FLGS will offer discounts on these prices.

They have numerous starter armies for the game with one for each faction, and the miniatures look great!

Artefacters Boxed Start set for £44.95

Thanks for reading! – Peter

Fantasy, Peter Holland, Privateer Press, Warmachine

What is Warmachine?

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BOARD GAME GEEK SUMMARY

Rating7.9 (23 Reviews)
Players2-8
Playing Time60-240 mins
Age10+
Complexity4.50/5.00

The aggressive, metal-on-metal WARMACHINE game is set in the Iron Kingdoms, an environment that combines the richness of traditional fantasy with the excitement of steam power and gunpowder. Across the realm, ancient rivalries among nations are exploding into all-out conflict, setting the stage for WARMACHINE and other Iron Kingdom products.

In this 30 mm tabletop miniatures battle game, each player controls an elite soldier-sorcerer who leads an army into battle to fight for king, country, or simply coin. These warcasters are formidable and experienced combatants, and the warjacks they control represent the pinnacle of military might in the Iron Kingdoms.

WARMACHINE puts players directly onto the battlefield as warcasters and their armies clash. A game is fought with the thundering cannons, ripping iron claws, and crushing hammer blows of the giant steam-powered warjacks as well as the devastating spells wrought by the warcasters themselves and the lethal weapons of their warriors. When the dust settles, one side is victorious—and the other is nothing but smoking scrap metal!

Privateer Press have done a great introductory video to Warmachine, after which I’ve also included a Battle Report from Ash at Guerilla Miniatures because I find these very enjoyable to watch.

Warmachine – Gameplay Tutorial

Battle Report

Rules & Miniatures

All the rules and miniatures can be purchased from Privateer Press, though I’m sure some FLGS will offer discounts on these prices.

They have two starter armies from the six factions available. Both of these are reasonably priced at $39.99.

Cygnar Battlegroup Box for $39.99

Thanks for reading! – Peter

Fantasy, Kings of War, Mantic Games, Peter Holland

What is Kings of War?

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BOARD GAME GEEK SUMMARY

Rating7.9 (250+ Reviews)
Players2
Playing Time60mins
Age12+
Complexity2.52/5.00

Kings of War is the miniatures wargame from Mantic Games. Designed to go along with the accompanying 28mm Fantasy Ranges the game features players maneuvering large blocks of miniature soldiers around the battlefield in search of victory.

Kings of War is a new concept for mass battle miniature wargaming — a game that is both easy to learn and fast to play! With few and simple rules, there is little to get in the way of the fun and slaughter. Kings of War is a challenging game of strategy, where you can pit your wits against your opponent without devoting half of your brain power to remember a plethora of convoluted rules.

And that’s not all, the innovative turn structure allows you to play Kings of War using a time-keeping tool (like a stopwatch or a chess clock) to time your moves. As the seconds tick away, the pressure and excitement this adds makes ‘Kings of War’ unlike any other large-scale wargame you’ve ever played before.

Death by Dragons on YouTube has a number of videos explaining how to play Kings of War.

Part 1 – What you need to play

Part 2 – The Movement Phase

Part 3 – The Shooting Phase

Part 4 – The Combat Phase

Miniatures

You can pretty much use any fantasy miniatures for this game as most on the market make good proxies in the game. You can even use your old Warhammer fantasy armies. However for official Miniatures Mantic Games have the a fantastic range of products.

They have a number of armies sets all listed at £110. Or alternatively you could purchase the two player A Storm in the Shires set for £80. This is currently on pre-order only but contains 87 miniatures of Orcs and Halflings as well as a copy of the rules.

Thanks for reading! – Peter

Battletech, Catalyst Games, Historics, Peter Holland

What is Battletech?

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BOARD GAME GEEK SUMMARY

Rating7.6 (900+ Reviews)
Players2-6
Playing Time120mins
Age14+
Complexity3.53/5.00

Since its beginnings as the BattleTech boardgame, the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe has captivated millions of fans worldwide. For almost three decades, the collision of interstellar politics and war has rewarded fans with amazingly detailed fiction, captivating characters and fantastic adventure. These dynamics have spawned a host games, novels, toys and more.

Choose your pill and spiral down through the links above to endless action!

Credit: https://battlegaming1.blogspot.com/

Snalespune on Youtube has a great introductory video to Battletech, which explains the basics of the game.

If you’re interested in getting into Battletech, then I recommend you look at Battletech for more information. They have all the models and rules you need.

Thanks for reading! – Peter

Black Seas, Historics, Peter Holland, Warlord Games

What is Black Seas?

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BOARD GAME GEEK SUMMARY

Rating8.1 (50+ Reviews)
Players2-12
Playing Time30-500mins
Age10+
Complexity3.43/5.00

Black Seas is naval wargame set in the age of sail fought using a range of specially designed 1/700 miniature ships from Warlord Games.

Using Black Seas you can fight battles from the american war of independence through the Napoleonic wars and beyond.

One of my favourite YouTube channels OnTableTop (Formerly Beasts of War) has a fantastic guide to playing Back Seas.

If you’re interested in getting into Black Seas, then I recommend you look at Warlord Games for more information. They have all the models and rules you need.

Miniatures & Rules

Warlord Games

Thanks for reading! – Peter

Fantasy Flight Games, Peter Holland, Sci-Fi, Star Wars: Legion

What is Star Wars: Legion?

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BOARD GAME GEEK SUMMARY

It has been given a rating of 8.0 on BoardGameGeek from 1,400+ ratings.

Warfare is an inescapable part of the Star Wars universe, from the Rebel Alliance’s defeat in the Battle of Hoth to a few elite Rebel strike teams taking on a legion of stormtroopers on the Forest Moon of Endor. You can seize your chance to get your boots on the ground and lead your troops to victory with Star Wars: Legion, a miniatures game of thrilling infantry battles in the Star Wars universe!

Star Wars: Legion invites you to enter the ground battles of the Galactic Civil War as the commander of a unique army of miniatures filled with troopers, powerful ground or repulsor vehicles, and iconic characters like Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker. While innovative mechanics for command and control simulate the fog of war and the chaos of battle, the game’s unpainted, easily assembled minis give you a canvas to create the Star Wars army you’ve always wanted to lead into battle — whether you fight for the monolithic, oppressive Galactic Empire or the ragtag Rebel Alliance.

The Fifth Trooper YouTube channel has produced an excellent video explaining Star Wars: Legion.

If you’re interested in getting into Star Wars: Legion, then I recommend you look at the Fifth Trooper Network on Youtube for lots of guides and podcasts all based on Star Wars: Legion.

Miniatures & Rules

Fantasy Flight Games

Peter