WARMACHINE Explained

WARMACHINE - and yes, the name is supposed to be all in caps - is a table top miniatures war game made by Privateer Press. With anywhere from half a dozen to maybe 40 models in a typical game, this is primarily a skirmish-level game. You can also have more models in a game if you wish. At the center of the game is the Warcaster, a powerful leader who can empower and manipulate the hulking Warjack steam-punk mecha. Helping out the core battlegroup is a hugely diverse group of troops. These include anything from disciplined riflemen to undead pirates and even fire bomb chucking zealots.

The Rules

Game rules are well-written to be very clear and concise. Most of the rules you need are in the main rulebook, called Prime: Remix. Models also come with stat cards that give a rundown on all of their special rules and how they work. That makes it easy to keep tabs on all your (and your opponent’s) cool tricks mid-battle. Privateer Press also has avoided putting out one edition after another. It’s makes the game easy on the wallet since you aren’t forced to buy and re-buy a half-dozen rulebooks every few years. New books are released annually, and since they have a little something for every faction, you’ll also never be left in the cold for years waiting and hoping for an army update.

Gameplay

Gameplay itself is very fast-paced and in-your-face, and definitely favors the aggressor. Since you don’t wind up with two sides facing off too scared to make a move all game, this fact makes the game much more interesting. Due to the sequential unit activation setup of the game, this allows you to execute a myriad display of nasty combos to bring ULTIMATE PAIN to your unfortunate foes. It’s okay though, because your opponent came do the same to you. That keeps each battle fresh and exciting. Victory can be, and often is, snatched from the jaws of defeat should the apparent victor leave an opening for the beleaguered underdog.

Also, the focus on the game is a lot less on list-building and more on mid-battle tactics. Each model’s abilities are set in stone, leaving list construction to be simply putting the building blocks together. Don’t take that to mean it’s simplistic though, as you need to account for each unit’s special abilities and how they’ll work with the rest of the army on the field. Even changing nothing more then the single warcaster model you have leading the army can change it’s entire dynamic, making it a simple matter to liven up your game with something new.

WARMACHINE As A Hobby

Hobby-wise you don’t see as much model conversion as in a lot of other games, mostly because anything you might need a model for either already has one, or will have one released within the year. Painting is big. There are lots of pro tips in the various source books. And of course, terrain building is ever present as it is in any table top miniatures war game.

WARMACHINE In A Nutshell

WARMACHINE is a fast-paced, in-your-face style game with a quirky steam punk / magical setting where you can pull off insanely broken moves of ULTIMATE PAIN on your opponent. Watch out though, cause he can do the same to you when you least expect it, keeping the game fresh and fun to the climactic end.