Publisher: Games Workshop Ltd.
Release Date: July 11, 2015
MSRP: $125.00
# of Players: 2
Playing Time: 40-180 minutes
UPC #: 5011921059430
Age Rating: 12+
ICv2 Rating: 3 Stars out of 5
It seems that reboots are all the rage these days. From comic books to movies, it seems that every long-running story is starting over. So, it doesn’t really come as any surprise that one of the longest running stories in gaming is getting something of a reboot itself. Since 1983, the world of Warhammer has grown and evolved. Then, last year Games Workshop announced "The End Times" and the "end" of the World of Warhammer. But like all such tales of swords and sorcery, the "end" was really just a new "beginning," and from the ashes of the old world rose a new one: Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
The Starter Set is a convenient launching point for players new to Age of Sigmar. It includes 47 highly-detailed plastic models, a rules pamphlet, a full-color glossy book of "fluff" with lots of exquisite photos of excellently-painted models, as well as game stats for all the models in the box, two rulers, and a dozen dice. In short, everything you need to get started in tabletop miniatures… except for tools, glue, and paint, of course.
Originality: Games Workshop has long been a leader in the hobby, at least in large part due to the depth and detail of their game settings. Thus, it was a bold choice to annihilate their long-running backstory to start something new. It’s too early to tell if the depth and breadth of this new world is going to reach the level of detail of the old, but judging by the 96-page book included in the Starter Set, the writers at GW have built a pretty solid foundation.
Mechanically, the game system is very different from the old Warhammer, and utilizes a lot of gameplay systems that already exist in the game’s science-fiction cousin, Warhammer 40,000. These are tried-and-true tabletop gaming mechanics, which work just as well for fantasy battles as any other, and are consistent with the more freeform style of miniatures games that are popular today. One particularly nice touch is the series of six teaching scenarios included in the game book. Each scenario can be played in less than an hour, and a few new game mechanics are added each time. So, even players with little or no tabletop experience are brought up to speed through playing the game, a far more effective method in my experience than simply reading a tome of rules.
Presentation: As can be expected from one of the premier manufacturers of fantasy miniatures, the presentation of the Age of Sigmar Starter Set is fabulous. The box front offers a huge panoramic painting of an epic battle between Sigmar’s Stormcast Eternals and the ever-present hordes of Chaos. The box back shows a huge battle using professionally-painted figures and a brief description of the game setting and the box contents. The box has a satisfying “heft” to it. Altogether, the packaging is produced with the level of artistry we have come to expect from GW.
The other components are a mixed bag. The dice are fine, of course. The game book is excellent, with great photography and easy-to-read text. The rules themselves are very short and easy to learn, but there are a few mechanics that were left far too vague for my taste (I still couldn’t tell you how to build an army, for example). The two rulers are made of rigid plastic and mine were a bit warped in shipping.
The box itself is, quite frankly, poor. It is made of thin and flimsy material that does little more than hold the pieces together. No attempt was made to cushion the components, so two of the models in my set arrived broken and the glossy cover of the game book was gouged and scratched by the plastic sprues rubbing across it in the mail. My biggest disappointment with the product by far.
Marketability: Warhammer has never really achieved the same level of popularity in the US that 40k has, and it seems to me that Age of Sigmar is a worthy attempt at correcting that by taking what should be the most appealing elements of 40k and translating them to a fantasy setting. But it’s hard for me to imagine that players who are attracted to the big guns and alien battlegrounds of a science fiction game will be eager to jump genres. On the other hand, by lowering the bar to entry for new and casual players, for those who might have been put off by the complexity of the old Warhammer but who tend more towards fantasy than science fiction, this might be just what they are looking for.
Price-wise, the Age of Sigmar Starter Set really is a good deal. With the average price of a single figure for most games now pushing upwards of $10, it would be tempting to pick up the Starter Set just for the four dozen models inside. Even if the models in the box are not quite as good as they will be when sold separately, it’s still a great deal for a new player that wants to get a good solid core army for a new game, or an experienced player that wants to grab a new faction.
Overall: I’ll start by saying it one last time: the models are brilliant. They’re beautiful, they’re fun to put together, they look great on the table, and I’m going to love painting them. If that is the side of the tabletop miniatures hobby that attracts you the most, like it does me, The Age of Sigmar Starter Set is a great buy.
The game itself is also fun to play, and moves fast. I definitely enjoyed playing it, but I think that your mileage may vary depending on the kind of games you enjoy. Also, while the introductory scenarios in the book are very good and well-balanced, it is worth noting that, as far as I can tell, no effort was made to balance gameplay once players move beyond the Starter Set. Units have no "build costs." The rules state that you can field as many units as you feel like, of whatever kind appeal to you. It seems obvious to me that a player with a larger collection (or just a collection of "better" models) will have an unfair advantage. Maybe this is something that GW glossed over in the Starter Set that will be addressed better as the game moves along, but at this point, I find that oversight worrisome.
There can be no doubt that some fans of the old Warhammer are upset about the changes. Dramatic videos of disgruntled players setting their armies on fire have appeared on the internet, along with complaints that the new Stormcast Eternals are a little bit too similar to 40k’s Space Marines. But from where I’m sitting, the new Age of Sigmar works plenty well enough. I give the Starter Set 3 out of 5.
--William Niebling
