Warmachine 101 - Introduction

What is Warmachine?

Warmachine is a 30mm "steampunk fantasy" miniatures game created by Privateer Press. In it you control a warcaster, a powerful leader in combat capable of linking their minds with hulkinig steam-powered robots called warjacks. Wielding magic, metal, and an army of troops these warcasters will try to outwit or overpower their opponent in an intense, non-stop battle to the death.

What is Hordes? Is it a different game?

This confused me more than anything when I first started. While Warmachine is usually the umbrella term for both games, Warmachine and Hordes are actually two different terms.

Warmachine's flavor is built around varying degrees of technology, the progress of civilizations, and anything else your typical steampunk fiction might include. Warcasters gain a replenishing resource called focus at the start of each turn, and they use this to run their warjacks (and themselves) at their highest performance as well as use it as a resource for spells. Warcasters require a careful management of their resources, planning out how they want each turn to go.

Hordes is the wild, primitive cousin to Warmachine. In place of giant robot, warlocks take command of giant, varied creatures called warbeasts. Tapping in to the mind of the beasts under their control, warlocks are able to command these otherwise feral and violent creatures to fight for them, and can even force the beasts to suffer wounds in their stead. Warlocks use a resource called fury, which they can only gain by forcing their beasts to push themselves beyond their normal abilities. But while warcasters have a guaranteed source of focus, warlocks can have more fury on the table than they can manage. they risk sending their beasts in to an uncontrollable frenzy. Warbeasts can be pushed beyond the limits of a warjack, but doing so risks a heavy price.

Although Warmachine and Hordes have a few different rules regarding focus and fury, armies from each game can be played against one another with no problems, although two new players are usually encouraged to play armies from one or the other while they learn the same rules together. However, I'm a huge believer in "play what you want," so do so and make sure you each learn the differences between focus and fury.

How Does It Play?

Like most tabletop skirmish games, players take turns moving and attacking with their models across a 4x4 gaming area. Although games can be won through scenario, protecting your warcaster is of utmost importance. If your warcaster dies your army is without a leader and you immediately lose. This is even more difficult because warcasters can only affect models within a certain area of themselves, making them choose between risking assassination by supporting their army, or hiding in the back lines and limiting the effect they have on their army.

For Gaming Veterans...

Warmachine will feel familiar to players of all backgrounds. If you've played TCGs it could be described as Magic in tabletop form. If you're a fan of RPGs, my wife has described it as two Dungeon Masters sending creatures against one another. If you've played other tabletop games... well, you'll feel right at home.

What's the Basic Story?

Immoren, the world of Warmachine, is embroiled in constant war. In addition to the civilized nations of Warmachine fighting over territory and religion, the forces of Hordes engage in a constant struggle against the civilized nations as well as the other tribal races. No one is innocent in Warmachine - everyone is fighting for survival, and no one is willing to compromise.

Some fight to protect the world, some fight to conquer it, and many fight because they must. The story of Warmachine is wrought with intrigue and interesting stories, and it's almost too big to tell in a short blurb. Unlike many fictional worlds that features a main story that mixes with many smaller ones, Warmachine gives equal credit to all stories. While this does much to make everyone proud to play their faction, it also makes for a very intricate story!

My Personal Take

Warmachine was my first miniatures game, and it ruined me for any other game. The rules were made with competition in mind, and the motto of the game is "Play Like You've Got a Pair." The Warmachine community is passionate about the game, the tournament scene is active, and Privateer Press loves their game and their players. The game punishes mistakes in the best way possible, making every move on the table matter and constantly pushing you to be a better player.

The Armies

Greater detail will be given to each army, but here is a very brief breakdown of each army.

Warmachine

• Cryx. Mixing science and necromancy, the dragon Toruk sends his undead legions across Immoren in a quest of power and destruction. If zombies are your thing, Cryx is for you.
• Khador. With strong Russian influences, Khador is an army of tough soldiers. Supported by the hardiest warjacks, their troops march against the enemy with a mix of melee and ranged units, relying on strength and numbers over tricks and magic.
• Cygnar. The technological geniuses (or madmen) of Immoren, Cygnar is a nation of soldiers and science. Whether they're shooting lightning across the battlefield or riddling their enemies with bullets, Cygnar excels at decimating the enemy before they've even struck swords.
• Protectorate of Menoth. This nation of zealots believes in the purity of fire. Many of their warcasters wield fire to some degree, while the rest of the army is bolstered to extreme heights by their powerful spells and support pieces.
• Retribution of Scyrah. Mixing magic with their very unique elvish technology, Retribution of Scyrah is bent on ridding the world of spellcasters because they believe the careless use of magic is killing their deity. The army doesn't necessarily excel at one thing, but instead use a mixture of synergistic pieces that require careful use.
• Mercenaries. Mercenaries aren't a nation per se, but are instead a full faction with pieces that can also be used in other factions. They run the gamut from dwarves to pirates, Mercenaries shines in its variety. 
• Convergence of Cyriss. Unlike the main armies of Warmachine, Cyriss was a bit of a one-time release with smaller releases in time. Following the Clockwork Goddess, this cult believes that perfection can only be gained by doing away with our mortal bodies and embracing the machine. This army functions as a set of gears, with all pieces working together to demonstrate absolute synergy.

Hordes

• Circle Orboros. Believing that the world is a slumbering god, the Circle believes that the spread of civilization threatens to awaken him and destroy all life. Warlocks command wolves and other mythological creatures, as well as their animated stone wolds. Forgoing the brute strength of other armies, the Circle uses a mixture of magic, teleportation, and conjuring terrain to outwit their opponent, or deliver a snarling warbeast right to the throat of an enemy warlock.
• Skorne. With obvious Persian influences, this ancient desert nation embraces the power of pain and death. Along with using the brute force of giant bipedal creatures like elephants, rhinos, and cyclopes, Skorne warlocks aren't afraid to damage or kill their own troops for the sake of victory.
• Trollbloods. With a Scottish look and Native American story, the Trollbloods are a unique race. Their warbeasts can be absolutely vicious, ripping apart an enemy with their bare hands or throwing explosive kegs from afar. Like Menoth, Trollbloods make use support models to take their troops from "good" to "amazing." Trolls also have a mechanic called tough that means an enemy may need to kill a warrior two or three times before he's really dead.
• Legion of Everblight. Led by one of Toruk's children, Legion is a dragon-lovers dream. Using deadly ranged attacks and incredibly powerful beasts that ignore a lot of rules, Legion is a difficult army to deal with. How do you fight something that kills you at range, kills you up close, and makes it impossible for you to hide?
• Minions. Think mercenaries with pigs and gators. Unlike mercenaries, however, the two different sub-factions of Minions can't be used together. Siding with gators gives you access to some very vicious models that can be hard to take down. Pigs, however, enjoy a field full of vicious warbeasts that try to mow over the enemy.

Whatever you choose, be prepared for a grueling fight for victory. Make sure you check out my (upcoming) Warmachine 101 index for more information about the game!