Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Warcry Review

It’s well established that Games Workshop entered into something of...

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I need my shitty Batman game to sell on eBay so I can funnel the money into this.

Great article! Could you elaborate on that last part about the terrain building and terrain cards?

Sure. There are really just a couple of larger “suggested builds” in the instructions for the highly modular wall terrain pieces, and what they show doesn’t really match up to the cards. And I don’t think you can build what you get in such a way that your set will match all of the cards. For example, if you build the statue head and the bell thing as instructed, that uses both of the step pieces. But then the cards show the step pieces being used on other ways. Pro tip- don’t glue the steps!

It kind of doesn’t matter, as the cards are best used as suggestions anyway. But I do wish there were “set” builds, like how Sector Mechanicus has those recommended pieces you can make.

I am shocked... shocked I tell you... that MB is declaring the latest GW boxed game "is in fact the best Warhammer box set to date."

As a critic, it’s annoying. I almost wish they’d plop out a stinker just to break the chain.

I would love to see a side by side comparison with Frostgrave.

I’ll take a stab at some comparisons:

- NO MORALE! This is kind of a big one to me. Because I really don’t want to see blood-soaked, Skull-crushing chaos warriors bottling out. There is no check for fleeing or courage, nothing like that. They are in it to the death, barring a victory condition that ends it before they are slaughtered.

- Warcry is much less bespoke. Frostgrave has you build a warband from scratch with lots of customization, including the spells. As of now, there’s not much that will vary one Iron Golems warband From another. I think there are a couple of weapon swaps and maybe 5 different fighter types.

- Frostgrave feels a lot like Wiz-War for me. Warcry has no sense of this crazy, spell-slinging mayhem. It’s far more martial. This makes it feel grittier and less zany.

- There is nothing like the apprentice thing in Warcry.

- Warcry is simpler processionally, but the activation mechanisms are more sophisticated and impart a different kind of depth and decision making. Frostgrave is very old timey (not a demerit), Warcry’s mechanisms feel much more modern and “informed” by current trend.

- Frostgrave is D20 based. ‘Nuff said.

- Right now, there are only two “wandering monsters” in Warcry. Frostgrave has a TON. But...you also have to actually have them.

- Of course, Warcry means GW models. Frostgrave is anything. I’d say that there is a cost differential, but that’s not really true unless you already own enough models including terrain to play Frostgrave.

- Frostgrave’s setting is pretty...meh. The snow/ice thing is great atmosphere, but the game world is negligible. Warcry has an awesome setting and a cool story.

- Objective and scenario wise, it’s kind of a wash- they both have a variety of things you can do and ways to win. But Frostgrave’s campaign is more of a traditional Mordheim/Necromunda build-your-roster thing. Warcry has unique story paths for each faction.

- There aren’t really factions in Frostgrave, just magic disciplines.

-Warcry features 1000 percent more spikes and skulls.

Sounds great, but I don't have time to paint all those minis or the 3D terrain. Maybe I can pick up a stripped (of minis) copy on eBay.

Thanks!

*covers ears* LALALALALALALALA

Michael Barnes wrote: As a critic, it’s annoying. I almost wish they’d plop out a stinker just to break the chain.

Lost Patrol didn't look great, but it seemed to quickly sink without much comment around here.

I played a demo of this yesterday after more than a decade of very far and in between miniatures gaming; all of it restricted to miniature boardgames. All this time I had been missing 3D terrain due to the cool look, but after fiddling around, accidentally moving terrain pieces, trying to get measurements, and moving minis around 3D terrain, I was surprised at how annoying 3D terrain can be. I now see that my copies of BattleLore and Earth Reborn (which incorporates destructible terrain into the gameplay) will never age for me. By the way are there other minis games out there where you can blow holes in walls with explosives / grenades / bazooka? (I’m sure there must be)

Things I loved:
1. Stupidly beautiful minis and stupidly beautiful terrain. Everything is plain gorgeous and leagues above the boardgame minis I’ve ever played with.
2. 1 Die roll resolves an attack. Like many boardgames, as it should be.
3. Alternating activations. Like many boardgames, as it should be.
4. I can see a game getting completed in 30 minutes. (Really, I mean regular people minutes, not gamer’s 30 minutes which can be 50 regular people minutes)
5. Scenario generator. All games are auto generated.

What I didn’t like:
1. Little to no ranged weapons. Not much use for so much verticality in the included terrain.
2. For being single miniatures, I thought that they should be more customizable. But I guess this is the price you pay for 30 minute games.
3. The simple mechanics and quick game time would make it a family game candidate. But the dark theme is sure to scare my wife and children away.

I would be interested in hearing MB’s reply to Guerilla Miniature’s video claiming that squads with high model counts will always have decided advantage in Warcry.

Well, Lost Patrol is an older game they reprinted. I like it a lot, but it is one of the stupidest games of all time. But I still like it a lot. My son asks for it all the time.

On the high model count thing- boy howdy, is that a premature assessment. However, I think what they are really getting at is tangential to something Raf and I discussed on Twitter. Some combinations of deployment and objectives can lead to wonky games where an outnumbered force is on the back heel.

For example, I had one game where one side had staggered deployment, starting with their Dagger on the board and their Hammer and Shield coming in on turns 2 and 3. The other side started with everything on the board. It was a three objective game, control going to whoever has the most models around a point. So for two turns, there was a serious disadvantage for the staggered side and of course the team with the most models won.

However, now that I know that can happen, I know to watch for situations like that and can “edit” the generated scenario to balance it out or just redraw it.

I find that argument a little weird too because this is a game where you may have at most 10 models on the board. Having one or two more than an opponent is going to be a material advantage in ANY miniatures game. I think that learning to use the disengaging, defensive and resting abilities to keep your fighters alive is going to prove crucial...right now, and I’ve seen this with a few players; the tendency is to just want to rush in and bash. I think that will change and it will be less of a punching match until one side is down thing.

You totally hit on the “like many board games” angle...this game is definitely influenced by board game mechanisms in a way most miniatures games are not.

The ranged thing hasn’t really bothered me, there are a few in the two factions and then some things in the abilities. Like how all the Iron Golems can throw a bola.

Thanks for all the info MB. Well I finally gave in because I found a good price due to the UK election and resulting drop in their currency.

Pre-ordered the core set for £91.59 shipped to South Carolina. The credit card statement says I was charged $112.63 so very good deal. Crossing my fingers I don't get ripped off, or that they don't change their mind before shipping. Here's the link in case anyone else is interested. But keep in mind I've never purchased from this place before and I expect to wait 2-4 weeks for the package. https://www.board-game.co.uk/product/age-of-sigmar-warcry/

So proceed at your own risk

I want the rulebook and goodies even though I'm not sure I can paint any of the plastic at the moment. I have assembled a decent force of Gloomspite Gitz I've purchased pre-painted over the internet so I plan on using that. Well I'm riding the hype train now...