These are the twilight years of the nineteenth century. The Dystopian Age has begun, and the world simmers with a hundred conflicts, great and small, a prelude to the conflagration many see as inevitable. Forever changed by alien technologies and otherworldly influences, nations across the globe have formed into eight Great Powers. From the disparate territories of Queen Victoria’s struggling Crown and the enduring Empire of the seven Immortal Emperors, to the enigmatic covenant of oligarchical scientists known as the Enlightened, each labours to shape this new Age to their will. For good… or for ill.
Greetings Admirals!
Later this year, Warcradle Studios will be releasing a brand new edition of our flagship game, Dystopian Wars! Previous blog entries written by members of the Development Team, Parker and Matt, have focused on what existing players can expect from the game they know and love.
But what about those of you who will be playing this game for the first time, or perhaps are returning to Dystopian Wars after a long hiatus? The Studio’s Edward Spence poses a key question: … What exactly is Dystopian Wars?
Starting the Game
Ed: “First of all, welcome! In addition to being one of the game’s designers, this will be my first edition as a player.
Dystopian Wars is a miniatures wargame centred on the epic naval conflicts that take place in the Dystopian Age, in which you and your opponent assume the role of Admirals, controlling fleets of models as they battle on the tabletop.
Although these engagements are colossal in nature, the ‘zoomed out’ approach of Dystopian Wars means that prospective Admirals will likely find more in common with skirmish-style games than more conventional wargames. Requiring only a handful of models to play, rather than massed units, your focus will be on the survival (and destruction) of individual vessels. For the loss of even a single ship can prove disastrous…
As for the vessels themselves, each of these has a number of Hardpoints (“slots” if you will), with which you can outfit your units with a unique mix of weapons. This customisable approach gives you tremendous freedom when building your fleet, allowing each model to feel truly individual, and gives you license to specialise your force in whichever way you see fit, to deal with any threat that might come your way.
On the tabletop, the models in your fleet are grouped into units, each of which can broadly be categorised into three “types”:
Surface units will form the bulk of most fleets, from small, manoeuvrable frigates to larger cruisers and mighty flagships. As your Scoring Models, these are the units you will be counting on to dominate the table and secure the Victory Points you need to win games.
Underwater units, in the form of submarines, huge wading colossi, and gigantic automated kaiju, fulfil an entirely different role upon the table, stalking enemy vessels from beneath the waves. Here, they are almost untouchable, coming to the surface only when needed to deliver game-changing attacks on enemy ships. However, admirals must be able to time this correctly. For once, these units are above the water; they are all vulnerable to enemy firepower.
Airborne units, naturally, dominate the skies. Unlike the more sluggish vessels that crest the waves below, these aircraft soar across the table with increased manoeuvrability, ignoring both terrain and other units on the board. Zeppelins, sky drills, and even floating cities; against such threats, Admirals must depend upon Aerial weaponry like Rocket Batteries and Vierlings to defend their fleet.
Taking turns to activate your units, you and your opponent will manoeuvre your fleet across the table, before unleashing devastating long-range salvos, swarms of combat aircraft, and vicious boarding assaults. Through opposed dice rolls you will, as the game wears on, inflict Damage, spread Disorder, and cause Critical Damage Effects, which can build up to result in a catastrophic explosion…
Of course, your models are not the only things at play. Environmental hazards such as Minefields and Wreckage Markers can be placed around the table. Stacks of Short Range Squadron Tokens, representing smaller units of fighters, hovercraft and cybernetic whales (yes, really), can be launched from carriers to support your vessels, clear obstacles, or launch attack runs against enemy ships. Additionally, Battle Platforms can secure entire quadrants of the table and repair your units.
Your ultimate aim? To dominate the battlefield, either by controlling Territories, claiming Objectives, or simply through the utter annihilation of your enemy.
Games are quick, brutal and cinematic, offering an “easy to learn, hard to master” experience, with exciting rules explicitly designed to create thrilling and explosive moments that linger long after the action is finished.
And, if you’re anything like me, will leave you itching for your next game!”
You Have Me! Where Do I Start?
If you are familiar with how accessible Armoured Clash is, you will have high hopes for this new edition of Dystopian Wars. Ed explains how everything from the rules to the contents of every box has been developed with new players in mind.
Ed: “Now, as you might have guessed, all good miniatures games require… well, miniatures! And in Dystopian Wars, you have a plethora of options to choose from. The entire Dystopian Wars range can be found on the Wayland Games Webstore, while advice on how to construct a fleet for each faction will be an article in its own right (maybe in the coming weeks…), in the meantime, I would simply recommend choosing one of the Starter Sets that speak to you.
Of course, models are all well and good. After all, we’re collectors at heart. (Glances nervously at the many unopened boxes poking out from underneath the desk) But once you have your models, how does one go about actually playing the game? Well, I’m glad you asked…
As with previous releases, all published material will also be released digitally, with both the Core Rules for the game and the rules for your chosen Faction available for free on the Warcradle website! Accessibility in our hobby is important for us, and you can expect the same easily navigable rules for Dystopian Wars as in Armoured Clash, with hyperlinked page references and more.”
In Conclusion
From what Ed is saying, it sounds like players customise their ships with individual weapon options, creating specialised fleets from Surface, Underwater, and Airborne units, each with distinct tactical advantages and offering an engaging and cinematic experience. This is exactly what Players imagine with Dystopian Wars, and with that in mind, Ed has some final words.
Ed: “Being a part of developing this new edition of Dystopian Wars has been a joy. Such care has been taken to respect the legacy of what has come before, and I have seen firsthand the excitement of pre-existing players at the changes being made to their beloved system. And I have felt that thrill myself, each and every time I have sat down to play with this new, improved, and streamlined set of rules.
I can’t wait for you to experience that thrill as well. There has never been a better moment to join the Dystopian Wars community. From its stunning miniatures range to what promises to be Warcradle’s best rules set yet, it’s a good time to step aboard.
You’re in for a (cybernetic) whale of a time.”
Ed