Category Board Games

Games Workshop has released a new version of Kill Team with Nachmund and Moroch, plus they sent us copies for the purpose of reviewing them.

Kill Team is essentially the skirmish version of Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000. Players take small squads of fighters, or even a smaller and more elite force and battle for objectives or simply to eliminate the other team (this is my preferred way to play any tabletop game). Officially this is the fourth edition of the Kill Team game type but the third as a standalone title. The points systems are vastly different than your standard game of 40k but very similar in nature to that of Warcry in relation to Age of Sigmar. Now the first three editions also differed in points values when compared but Nachmund and Moroch are the third and fourth installments of this edition and are much more in line with Warcry.

Teams are comprised of roughly 1000 points and depending on the faction will determine how many models you will be using, for example, Adaptus Mechanicus will typically have more troops on the map than Astartes. Another big difference between this version and previous iterations is that the list building is much more limited this time around. For Kill Team I suspect this is to better control balancing for the game, possibly to minimize some of the min/maxing that some players do to give their play style an advantage. With the new limitations on list building I think this is a huge improvement because I like having a variety on the field of battle and like to fight a variety.

Overall I found this to be a great introduction game to the world of Warhammer 40k and in the smaller scale makes trying new armies much easier and way cheaper. The new models for Chaos Cultists, Astartes, Chaos Space Marines and Aeldari are some of my favorites for each of the factions. Kill Team: Nachmund features new Aeldari Voidscarred Corsairs and Chaos Space Marine models along with some familiar looking terrain and continues the precedent that every three months or so we will see a new Kill Team release, each centered around a different kill zone. Kill Team: Moroch features new Chaos Cultists (plus two classics from Black Stone Fortress) as well as 10 Phobos Primaris Marines. Additionally both releases of this edition have also had exclusive models. I can’t wait to see what other exclusive models and terrain will be coming with each new kill zone! This is a fantastic starting point for anyone looking for a new army or to add to an existing army.

The Arena of Shades puts the Nighthaunt against the Daughters of Khaine and introduces a new hero model for each side.

It should come as no surprise that Nagash believes that all souls belong to him and after Morathi’s recent ascension to godhood he has a big reason to hate the Daughters of Khaine. The Arena of Shades puts these two forces against each other in the city formerly known of Anvilgard as Nagash looks to settle the score after the events of Broken Realms. Typically with these boxed starters we see only one or two new models, usually one per faction but in this box we see a five model unit of Craventhrone Guard in addition to a hero for each faction.

While this box is no longer available through Games Workshop directly there are still a few third party sellers with it available. At release the box was $195 USD and considering the fact that you get over forty models, seven of them previously unreleased, this box is a steal. If you price out the individual components these items would easily cost $250 or more. Additionally White Dwarf subscribers will have already received cards to use the new units in Warcry, add these to the already huge lists for both groups in Warcry and you have even more options to help you dominate the field of battle.

It wasn’t long ago that Chaos Knights first came to Warhammer 40k but with this boxset they join the new edition and add psychic powers!

The new Chaos Knights Army Box features the new Chaos Knight kit, allowing you to make the Knight Abominant, Desecrator or a Rampager. The latter two are options from the previous version of the Knights and are exactly as they were in this kit but adding the pieces to upgrade to the Abominant. Of the three options the Abominant is the most stunning and I love the massive bone tusks coming from the helmet, not to mention the psychic abilities. The box comes with two other models- War Dogs that offer both melee and ranged capabilities.

Besides the amazing models this box also has transfer sheets, datacards and the collector’s edition of the Codex. Sadly this box as it was is no longer available for purchase but there have been some third party sellers offering it recently. The value on this box, assuming you can still find one, is fantastic. I only wish that we continue to see boxed releases like this going forward!

Thondian Strongpoint is the first Realmscape box for the current edition of Age of Sigmar but will it be the last?

It’s not unusual for Games Workshop to release or even release a set of terrain following a current theme. Realmscape: Thondian Strongpoint is no different. What makes this box standout is not the fact that it brings back some of the recent Realmscape Expansion pieces but it adds some brilliant terrain you can’t get anywhere else, at least for now. Beyond these terrain pieces we also get a single model, an Endless Spell that EATS other Endless Spells- the Krondspine Incarnate. In a recent event where Alarielle completed her Rite of Life the Incarnates were created, further proving the realms themselves are alive. The Krondspine Incarnate itself is the spirit of Ghur and the Realm of Beasts is hungry.

At $220 USD this box got a lot of negative attention from the community because most that wanted it only wanted the Incarnate and for a single model Endless Spell that price is quite excessive. Kitbashing is always an option for those players but this is a bad ass model as it is. Despite how awesome the model looks this brings me to my real complaint with the box- the Incarnate. For an Endless Spell it looks fantastic but other than the head of it, nothing really screams “Realm of Beasts” about it. I feel like the spirit of Ghur should be some sort of massive beast, like a Mawcrusha or even the Hell Pit Abomination. Both of which would be a better fit as the spirit of Ghur. What I would have preferred would have been a living version of the giant skeleton that came with this box, a massive serpent monster would have been the perfect Krondspine Incarnate. This model itself looks like it would be a better fit as the spirit of Shyish.

Time will tell if we see other Realmscape boxes and I sincerely hope we see more as we expand into the other realms but I doubt we will see it happen at least until next year at the earliest. The reason is because of all of the Ghur themed terrain coming for Warcry over the next year. When we see them expand into other realms I hope we see more awoken Incarnates.

Games Workshop delivers a new edition of The Horus Heresy with Age of Darkness and the box is absolutely massive!

Fans of The Horus Heresy rejoice as the latest edition has not only arrived but it is by far one of the largest boxed releases WE have ever seen. Age of Darkness includes 54 total miniatures including a Dreadnought and a Spartan Assault Tank. Even better is that you can use the entire box for a single army or divide it among factions for smaller games. 40 Marines make for a considerable value especially when paired with the heavy ordinance. When adding the two army books as well players can choose from any of the Space Marine Chapters and here’s my favorite part, when playing one of the heretical armies you can choose to play them as a loyalist chapter from before their fall OR as purely heretical after their fall. The choice is yours.

I have never seen so much versatility in a single box before. Considering all the lore already released for this period of time having so many options is amazing. I honestly was expecting very different stats and rules between the Chapters but there really isn’t much difference other than which characters or special rules you can take with your army. If you are planning to play within the 30K timeline this is an amazing value for your money and the perfect jumping on point. Over the rest of this year we should see further releases to go along with this box. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for The Horus Hesesy!

Warcry returns with a new starter, two new warbands and a new setting- outside the Eight Points in the Realm of Ghur with The Heart of Ghur!

With the official preorder of the Heart of Ghur starting on July 30th and the official release on August 13th we have a new edition and a very different roadmap for Warcry than we have experienced previously. Officially this is the fourth starter box for Warcry itself, but if you are anything like me all Age of Sigmar starter boxes are secretly Warcry boxes as well. This is the third box to feature only Chaos warbands, this time with the Nurgle themed Rotmire Creed and the industrialist Horns of Hashut. So why are warbands venturing further and further away from the Eight Points?

To really answer the above question we have to first look the changes to the region and then the reasons for THESE two warbands. The location itself underwent a massive change after a Seraphon Templeship crashed and to protect itself and it’s contents it reshaped the area around it, turning it even more inhospitable. The Rotmire Creed has been promised by Grandfather Nurgle that he will gift them with an elixir of immortality if they retrieve the ingredients from the area. The Horns of Hashut are looking to make room for their forge fires to further expand their industry, this means leveling it all to the ground. Now if they worked together they would be able to achieve both goals but when has the forces of Chaos ever really worked smarter? I can say this with certainty as a Slaves to Darkness player, they don’t unless it is the most direct path to their goals.

To go with the new locale we have the start of a themed collection of terrain. I say a start because it is exactly that. You receive enough to play the game but to truly capture the wilds of this forest it is a bit lacking and that’s where the roadmap comes in. Every three months we will be new box similar to this in scope with new warbands and new terrain. If you collect all of the boxes you will have an impressive table with a single terrain theme. I am predicting (I have received no information that this is true or not and is purely my own guess) that the final box will have a either a related Age of Sigmar release that will incorporate this themed terrain OR a campaign book like what we have that followed the recent Thondia boxset- I’d place my money on the book direction.

What are the biggest changes between both editions of Warcry?

To start with we have something that I have personally thought should have been included for years in nearly all tabletop games- Reactions. If these two forces were to face each other in the real world (abilities, gods and magic aside) when one unit attacks the other there is a brief period with the other can react, whether it is turning and running, throwing a rock, stabbing the attacker or something else, they would still react in some way and most games don’t account for this. Warcry finally fills this need and makes planning your actions even more strategic as you have to be aware of which units still have the option to react. Like Counter for example could potentially be more deadly than that fighter’s normal attacks would have been.

Final thoughts on the new edition:

The models alone make The Heart of Ghur worth picking up but the promise of a huge thematic table if you collect each starter over the next year has me beyond excited. Reactionary rules added to the game took Warcry from my favorite title to whatever you would call something ranked above it especially since the overall mechanics are relatively unchanged meaning most players won’t have difficulty transition between play styles. Venturing outside the Eightpoints is HUGE. This opens up the possibilities between ALL of the other realms. #WarcryHoG

The next small boxed Warhammer 40k game is here with Fireteam, putting Space Marines against Necrons.

Fireteam is meant to be a way to introduce Warhammer 40k to new players, giving them essentially a small kill team that can easily be a starting force towards a solid 1000 point army when they graduate to a true tabletop experience. Being a skirmish type game it is meant to be quick paced and the designers have more than achieved it. As tabletop gamers we have have those friends or family members we want to bring into our hobby and box is a perfect way to do that with 40k.

One of the best things about this release is the value. It sells for about $50 at book stores and if you were to take the same models from Games Workshop directly would easily cost at least $100! Gameplay is easy to learn and the campaign mechanic is a great way to bring experienced gamers and newer players together for a story where the war is not decided by a single battle. Essentially you mix and match key elements of a campaign to tell the tale of this fight you are waging while unlocking special gear that will benefit you later. Overall this is a great value to players starting out with either Space Marines or Necrons and will make for an engaging way to introduce other players to this wonderful world of 40k.

It feels like ages ago that Games Workshop announced Bladeborn, a game that appeared to mix Underworlds with Warcry but did they deliver the goods?

Games Workshop shared a copy of Bladeborn with us and almost immediately asked us to hold onto any recordings we made for a while due to the misprinting of some of the cards. At the time we were lucky enough to have been behind on our recording schedule and hadn’t recorded anything yet on this game. Once the replacement cards had arrived we finally got down to recording and shortly after playing. The link to that video is at the bottom of the article.

Before we get into gameplay I must admit that in the video below I made some mistakes. Specifically I felt that the quality of the minis were of a lower quality than their counterparts from Warhammer Underworlds. I was so wrong on this. About a month later I revisited the models along with their counterparts and the quality was exactly the same so I apologize my words that were so wrong. I hope this didn’t affect anyone and their decision in picking this game up.

If you have ever played Warcry and Underworlds will love this game because it truly is the daemonic love-child of them both. Combat is very much like Warcry (of the two games this is the better system so a huge win) and movement feels more akin to Underworlds. Even better it gives you cards for ALL of the Chaos Warbands from Underworlds released so far. Best yet is that these cards can also be used in Warcry! If you are a fan of Warcry or Underworlds this game will be a great addition to your library and is easier to learn. This means it is a great starting point for new players as well.

Without further adieu here is our official unboxing video of Bladeborn :

Space Marine Adventures is back for another round of murder fun with Doomsday Countdown courtesy of Games Workshop and local bookstores like Barnes and Noble.

With the first volume of Space Marine Adventures players took turns facing down the Necron threat, however this time, in Doomsday countdown, it’s time for hunting Chaos cultists. Players take on the roles of three Space Marines and move about the map trying to defuse a bomb before it detonates. All three Marines are members of the illustrious Ultramarines Chapter and facing off against seven cultists, these particular models were previously featured alongside Warhammer Quest Blackstone Fortress.

These Adventure boxes are intended to be an introduction into the world of Warhammer 40,000. The models for both the Space Marines and Cultists are push to fit and easy to assemble, making that part of the hobby much less difficult to ease in to. Even in this game there will be lots of dice rolling to be had so it feels like a Warhammer game in that respect while using common model types.

The previous release had used tokens instead of models for the enemies so the fact they return to models, especially these cultist models, is a huge improvement. The mechanics are very much the same to the previous version so if you’ve played before this is very much a continuation. Even though this is the third volume you don’t need to have played the previous iterations to get into this one. Beyond getting additional Chaos cultists (which I always need) you also get some great tiles that can easily work along with tiles for Blackstone Fortress. This is another great way to introduce your friends and family to the world that is Warhammer 40,000!

Warzone Octarius has come to give us new rules for Orks and Tyranids as well as for using Rogue Traders and even Kill Teams.

Warhammer 40k is constantly evolving and over this year 9th edition is no different. The Warzone supplements expand on rules for existing factions and share the story of a particular warzone. The second round of this is Warzone Octarius with books 1 and 2. The previous books were based on Charadon but I suspect Octarius was chosen due to the recent release of Kill Team: Octarius which featured exclusive models and terrain.

Book 1 brings us rules Cadia, Tyranids and the Armies of Renown: Kill Team. Now with the branding of Kill Team I originally assumed this would be the squads from Kill Team: Octarius but instead these Kill Teams are part of the Deathwatch and are comprised of Space Marines. Book 2 however brings the Kill Team flavor with rules for the Blood Axes, the Ork team from the Octarius box, along with Rogue Traders (Astra Cartographica) and the Speed Freeks Speed Mob as this book’s Army of Renown.

These books are less for casual or competitive players but more for those that like to follow an official campaign. Charadon did not see a Kill Team release but with Octarius receiving it’s own warzone books so soon after it’s Kill Team release I am fully expecting that the next warzone will be centered around Chalnath.