Wondering about WARMACHINE?
Well, here's the deal. WARMACHINE is a table top miniatures war game made by Privateer Press. (Yes, WARMACHINE is supposed to be in all caps). 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. The game centers around a powerful leader called a Warcaster who can empower and manipulate the hulking Warjack steam-punk mecha. This core battlegroup gets help from a widely diverse bunch of troops, including anything from undead pirates to fire bomb chucking zealots to disciplined riflemen.
The Rules for WARMACHINE
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 hasn't put out one edition after the other. When you aren’t forced to buy and re-buy a half-dozen rulebooks every few years, it makes it a very friendly game on the pocketbook. New books are released annually with a little something for every faction,so 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. That fact makes the game much more interesting as you don’t wind up with two sides facing off too scared to make a move all game. You can execute a myriad display of nasty combos due the sequential unit activation setup of the game which also allows you to bring ULTIMATE PAIN to your unfortunate foes. It's okay, because they can do the same to you, keeping 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.
The game focus is also a lot less on list-building and more on mid-battle tactics. With each model’s abilities are set in stone, leaving list construction to be simply putting the building blocks together. It's not simplistic however, since 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 if the only thing you change is the single warcaster model you have leading the army, that will change its entire dynamics. That makes 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, with a lot of pro tips in the various source books. As with any table top miniatures war game, terrain building is part of the hobby.
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. But watch out, when you least expect it he can do the same to you, keeping the game fresh and fun to the climactic end.
How to Play Warmachine MKII
