Focus Home Interactive brings us a new offering in the Warhammer universe with Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground!
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground is bringing a new war to the mortal realms thanks to Focus Home Interactive and they were generous enough to share a copy with us! Playing the tutorial you must start as the Stormcast Eternals but after that first stage you unlock the ability to play as both Nighthaunt and Maggotkin of Nurgle. Players take turns moving and attacking with their units on a hexagonal map, each unit has their own default distance they are able to move and crossing difficult terrain will slow them down.
The movement mechanics look and feel like a cross between two of the different tabletop games set in the Mortal Realms- Age of Sigmar itself and Age of Sigmar: Underworlds. Visually, in every aspect I’ve seen so far, the game is absolutely stunning. I have read numerous comments about glitches in the game and after a couple hours I have yet to experience them myself.
As a whole I found the game to be an amazingly built adventure into the realm of death that exceeded every expectation I had for the game and on images alone they were already higher than most titles.
HeroCraft has released an Xbox One version of their mobile hit Space Wolf, a turn and card based strategy game.
When I discovered Warhammer 40k Space Wolf I immediately reached out to the team at HeroCraft to see if we could receive a review copy to try it out. Little did I know at the time this was the same game I had played several years ago on my iPhone. When it first released I found it to be a good deal of fun but soon found a new title to draw my attention on my phone. Fast forward to last month when I received the download code for the game.
I had the game installed for several weeks before playing it and within the first couple turns I realized how similar this was to a game I played before. After a few minutes on google taught me that my suspicions were correct, this game was an updated version of a mobile game I’ve played previously. That isn’t a bad thing mind you, merely an observation.
Gameplay is based on an initiative system that can be manipulated by various cards to speed you up or slow you down. Each character has a set of cards that are randomized and then dealt to be used. Each card can offer movement, some sort of buff, an attack or even healing options. Under the image on each card will list the damage the weapon CAN do but you are limited on ammo or it is a single use card. Compared to most Xbox One titles the graphics are a bit dated but appear to be a significant improvement off of the original. My only complaint with this game is that movement and targeting is along a predefined X and Y axis regardless of the rotation of the camera. Compared to the original format I felt this was a huge improvement as on mobile devices the screen is just too small to really enjoy the effects.
Dominion is officially released this Saturday (at the time of writing this) and we are here to discuss if it is worth grabbing if you haven’t already preordered. One of the two biggest disadvantages to this boxset, compared to others, is that it does not contain and terrain. The second is that if you don’t wish to play Order or Destruction Grand Alliances the only advantage to this set is the Core Rulebook and that is a steep price to pay for a rulebook alone. Now if you are like myself, I play neither Order or Destruction but my son does, you may look at this box and see a treasure trove of bits that can be used in conversions, like Yndrasta’s wings for example. Without any terrain or dice with it is this really a good option for those that don’t kit bash or play these Alliances? No, it really would not be.
Now as I mentioned I don’t play Order or Destruction but I love the style of the new Stormcast models enough that I would give them a try but more importantly the Kruelboyz are an entirely new faction and species or Orruck/Ork. As such they look more menacing on the table in my opinion and in the lore are much more cunning. At the very least I will be not only building and painting these lads but also playing my first Destruction army, ever!
Having played a couple games with the new ruleset I can honestly say that this is the most streamlined version of the game I have ever played and I’ve played a handful of games under each edition. My son and I each used the new models to face each other, him with Stormcast once again and I with the Kruelboyz and he beat me both times. To be fair though he usually wins unless it’s a skirmish game and I didn’t mind taking the losses. We had a great time with the new ruleset and it kept his attention better than either edition prior.
If you fit any of my examples above then this box is worth your time and hard earned money but if not then I would just go for the rulebook when available.
Our favorite rule changes or additions:
Keep in mind that these are in no particular order. The first rule change is the use of command points and some command abilities being able to be used during your opponent’s turn. Our favorite of which is Regroup. I always hated making a mistake on my turn that left me vulnerable to a move I didn’t anticipate from my opponent. With regroup I can use a command point to adjust my line of troops to either negate their advantage or lessen its impact at the very least! Even better is Unleash Hell for your ranged units. If they are charged they can literally unleash hell on their aggressors and if the dice are in your favor may even eliminate the unit before they can hurt your weaker troops. Think of it like overwatch but in Age of Sigmar.
The second is monstrous abilities. Roar, Stomp, Titanic Duel and Smash to Rubble. Some will likely get more use after the charge phase than others like Roar or Stomp but the other two are our favorites by far. Titanic Duel will allow you to lock your opponent’s monster in a duel with yours and Smash to Rubble will allow you to not only obliterate terrain but also negate any effects it had if it was a army specific piece that carried abilities with it- like Skaven Gnaw Holes.
Now it’s time for some Dominion assembly tips:
For anyone planning on picking up the Dominion starter I have a word of advice- DO NOT clip the posts at all for J4 on Yndrasta The Celstial Spear. The posts as they are are barely long enough to connect. I also suggest leaving her wings off for painting.
Here is our version of Yndrasta:
And lastly, here is our unboxing video of the release:
Warhammer Quest and Perchang team up again with The Silver Tower!
Perchang is not one of those developers everyone knows but those that do seem to love them, I happen to be one of these people. They have taken a beloved tabletop experience and brought it to mobile phones. The latest iteration of the Warhammer Quest line being The Silver Tower.
New players start with two characters and quickly get the opportunity to get a third. To unlock additional characters you can collect or purchase blue crystals. 100 will get you a random character and 250 will get you a guaranteed 3* or higher character. That’s not bad at all considering the fact that you will average about ten per day by completing minor challenges. This challenges vary from collecting gold to gaining experience or killing certain enemies. Either way you can easily get a new character pretty regularly. Recently though they added a third option where every week for about 5 or 6 hours you can get a special choice. Some weeks this choice is from all of the Death faction characters or like this week’s a 4* magic user. For those impatient enough you can purchase additional gems.
Gameplay is similar to previous versions in that during the player’s turn you move your characters across the map and then perform your actions. However, one slight difference to previous versions is that you could move your maximum distance and still perform an action but with Silver Tower you can only move short distance and then attack, attack twice or move a long distance. Visually the game is simply gorgeous and the animations of your characters are rendered just as crisply. The game is fast paced and a ton of fun. I sincerely hope the team is allowed to do a hybrid of these mechanics but include a story mode with the newer Warhammer Quest- Blackstone Fortress.
Warhammer Underworlds returns with Direchasm! Will the Realmlords survive the return of Hedonites of Slaanesh?
The Hedonites have returned with their own warband for Warhammer Underworlds and face off in Direchasm against the Lumineth Realmlords. This pairing of forces is a huge plus by itself for me. Back in the Old World of Warhammer Fantasy many elves, now called Aelves, followed the Chaos god Slaanesh, known as the God of Excess and it’s followers were some of the most perverse. Eventually it splintered the elven people into two primary factions High Elves and Dark Elves. The Dark Elves were the group that followed Slaanesh and eventually stopped and moved to follow Khaine, the god of murder. Now the two forces are facing each other once again and have brought along some of the finest sculpts the franchise has released to date.
One of the biggest changes between versions of this game is models that now have a 6+ Wound characteristic and are defeated you will earn 2 Victory Points instead of the customary 1. Another change is that the Support mechanic is slightly modified. Basically before any models adjacent to the one attacking would support but you would subtract your support from the opponent’s support. Whomever had more support remaining receives the bonus. Now you simply take the support regardless and each support roll counts as a success instead.
As a starting box is concerned this iteration of Underworlds can be a bit overwhelming with some of the cards specifically. Previous versions a majority of the cards were more simplistic but allowed a bit of room for interpretation. The cards in this box give much longer descriptions but there is little room for interpretation. Everything is laid out exactly how they will work but the amount of wording can overwhelm newer players. For seasoned gamers though this will provide a dynamic experience in the realms of Warhammer Underworlds with some amazing models that would be fantastic starters for a Slaanesh or Realmlord based army. If you are a fan of Chaos armies or the Underworlds franchise then you will love this box.
Will you have what it takes to take down the undead threatening Glymmsforge? Join the hunt with Crypt Hunters from Games Workshop!
Our friends at Games Workshop shared their latest self contained game found at bookstores– Crypt Hunters! Players choose to take control of either the Stormcast Eternals or the Nighthaunt Chainrasps. Perhaps one of the most unique features to come out of a boxed game is the map. Each turn the player in charge of the Chainrasps adds pieces to the map while during the same sequence of actions the Stormcast player removes any tiles that are not in Line of Sight. This means there is a virtually endless combination of map variations that can be played from game to game.
Like any other game from GW this box includes miniatures for each faction, allowing you to add models to your warbands/armies. As can be expected you will find assembly instructions contained within the box. The Stormcasts have limited wounds so the odds will be against this player as the Chainrasps constantly regenerate.
The game is enjoyable for the first couple of games but beyond that gets a bit repetitive. Even though the maps stay fresh it is the same foes to fight and the lack of variety makes it less engaging between playthroughs.
Grand Alliances have joined Warcry in a big way with faction books and we are discussing Bringers of Death!
As many players of Warhammer Age of Sigmar are already aware there are four Grand Alliances- Death, Chaos, Order and Destruction. As such you can combine units from different factions due to those keywords allowing for a much more dynamic and varied army. Doing this however loses some cohesion as some armies work better with faction specific abilities and similar visual aesthetics. Bringers of Death strives to do the same thing for Warcry with the Death Grand Alliance but due to the small force size the decreased cohesion is less noticeable.
This book features updated versions of all the cards previously released in both card packs and the various faction boxes. Additionally it features heroes and allies you can include in your warband. Your warband as a whole cannot mix and match across all the factions but the heroes and allies are the real feature of this book. Previously in the Monsters and Mercenaries book each faction added a couple mercenaries that could be taken alongside your warband.
For anyone interested in expanding their game with a few choice models to outfit your warband or to try something new these books are a must for your collection.
Grand Alliances have joined Warcry in a big way with faction books and we are discussing Agents of Chaos!
As many players of Warhammer Age of Sigmar are already aware there are four Grand Alliances- Death, Chaos, Order and Destruction. As such you can combine units from different factions due to those keywords allowing for a much more dynamic and varied army. Doing this however loses some cohesion as some armies work better with faction specific abilities and similar visual aesthetics. Agents of Chaos strives to do the same thing for Warcry with the Chaos Grand Alliance but due to the small force size the decreased cohesion is less noticeable.
This book features updated versions of all the cards previously released in both card packs and the various faction boxes. Additionally it features heroes and allies you can include in your warband. Your warband as a whole cannot mix and match across all the factions but the heroes and allies are the real feature of this book. Previously in the Monsters and Mercenaries book each faction added a couple mercenaries that could be taken alongside your warband.
For anyone interested in expanding their game with a few choice models to outfit your warband or to try something new these books are a must for your collection.
Grand Alliances have joined Warcry in a big way with faction books and we are discussing Harbingers of Destruction!
As many players of Warhammer Age of Sigmar are already aware there are four Grand Alliances- Death, Chaos, Order and Destruction. As such you can combine units from different factions due to those keywords allowing for a much more dynamic and varied army. Doing this however loses some cohesion as some armies work better with faction specific abilities and similar visual aesthetics. Harbingers of Destruction strives to do the same thing for Warcry with the Destruction Grand Alliance but due to the small force size the decreased cohesion is less noticeable.
This book features updated versions of all the cards previously released in both card packs and the various faction boxes. Additionally it features heroes and allies you can include in your warband. Your warband as a whole cannot mix and match across all the factions but the heroes and allies are the real feature of this book. Previously in the Monsters and Mercenaries book each faction added a couple mercenaries that could be taken alongside your warband.
For anyone interested in expanding their game with a few choice models to outfit your warband or to try something new these books are a must for your collection.
Grand Alliances have joined Warcry in a big way with faction books and we are discussing Sentinels of Order!
As many players of Warhammer Age of Sigmar are already aware there are four Grand Alliances- Death, Chaos, Order and Destruction. As such you can combine units from different factions due to those keywords allowing for a much more dynamic and varied army. Doing this however loses some cohesion as some armies work better with faction specific abilities and similar visual aesthetics. Sentinels of Order strives to do the same thing for Warcry with the Order Grand Alliance but due to the small force size the decreased cohesion is less noticeable.
This book features updated versions of all the cards previously released in both card packs and the various faction boxes. Additionally it features heroes and allies you can include in your warband. Your warband as a whole cannot mix and match across all the factions but the heroes and allies are the real feature of this book. Previously in the Monsters and Mercenaries book each faction added a couple mercenaries that could be taken alongside your warband.
For anyone interested in expanding their game with a few choice models to outfit your warband or to try something new these books are a must for your collection.
