Publisher: Games Workshop
Release Date (US): June 17, 2016
MSRP: $60.00
Players: 2
Ages: 12 and up
Playing Time: 30 minutes or less
Product #: LP-60
ICv2 Rating: 2 Stars out of 5
Over the last couple of years, Games Workshop has made great use of its unique Warhammer 40,000 IP, spawning numerous electronic and non-electronic games set in the grim darkness of the far future. With the release of Lost Patrol, the company has dredged through its archives, unearthing an almost-forgotten chapter in the history of Warhammer 40,000 gaming.
Note: I have to confess that I never experienced the original game--it flew way below my radar at the time--so I cannot provide a meaningful comparison between the two editions. I can only share my thoughts on the current edition.
Summary: Lost Patrol is aptly subtitled "Death in the Jungle," because that’s exactly what you get. One player controls a tiny squad of five Space Marine scouts, tasked with finding a downed ship and recovering its valuable cargo. But they are hopelessly outnumbered, and it quickly becomes clear that they are on a suicide mission. Arrayed against them is an unlimited horde of alien Genestealers, intent on turning the scouts into a snack. Even the jungle itself works against them, twisting its paths into dead ends and traps to catch the marines. The only question that remains is if one of the scouts will survive long enough to reach the objective.
Originality: When the original game was released in 2000, it offered up some interesting concepts that would have felt new at the time. But while GW has reportedly made some updates to the game rules, the result feels somewhat dated. There is nothing new here in terms of theme, obviously as this is a new edition of an earlier game, and nothing particularly new in terms of mechanics either.
Presentation: The best news is that GW has updated the artwork from the original version. And as we have come to expect from their artists, the game is very attractive in appearance. The box cover depicts what can only be described as the heroic last stand of our doomed scouts against a massive attack by hideous Genestealers, illuminated by the flare of gunfire and a vague green jungle glow. The description on the back is clear and descriptive, and an excellent photo of the game "in play" captures the feel of the game nicely.
The board tiles are nicely illustrated with twisting, claustrophobic jungle paths, complete with (somewhat cheesy) man-eating flora in mid-meal, vicious looking fauna, and other alien-looking inhabitants. And, of course, there are the models. Like other recent releases by GW, this game is packed with their exquisitely detailed and crafted miniatures. In total, 23 high quality pieces. The bad news is that you have to assemble them yourself, and these are not what I would call "beginners" models. Expect to commit a few evenings in front of the TV putting your pieces together with snips and glue.
Quality: Overall, the quality of the game components is quite good. As mentioned, the miniatures are excellent. The rulebook is full color and glossy, and packed with well-devised illustrations and examples. The rules are simple, and could have been packed in a much smaller booklet, but the addition of the illustrations makes it that much easier to pick up. The tiles are nice and sturdy.
Marketability: Compared to other Games Workshop titles, Lost Patrol seems like an absolute bargain at only $60. Then again, it doesn’t have an army worth of models inside, but only a couple dozen. The real problem, though, seems to be a disconnect between what the models promise and what the game delivers. The game itself is a simple, fast-paced, luck-heavy filler, and it’s hard to convince gamers that a filler game is worth $60.
One could argue that the models in the box are worth more than the $60 price tag, which is true. But unlike GW’s recent forays into board games, there aren’t enough models here to really appeal to the typical hardcore miniatures gamer; these are not models depicting characters or troops we’ve never seen before; and the two forces included in the box can’t realistically be used together. So, it’s hard to see somebody buying this game as a "bargain" for the models inside, as they have with some of the other GW board games.
Overall: I really wanted to like Lost Patrol. As a long-time fan of Warhammer 40,000, I always look forward to new ways to explore the setting. And I’ll admit: I’m a sucker for the hopelessly outnumbered good guys. But unfortunately, for me this game fell flat. The marines are so badly outmatched that only a string of improbable luck can give them a reasonable hope of success, and as a result everything they do has a feeling of futility to it. On the Genestealer side, what at first looks like some very engaging and interesting decision-making quickly reveals itself as completely unnecessary: simply reacting to the marines gives a pretty high chance of success, and no long-term planning is needed at all. As a result, playing the aliens is almost boring, and the monotony isn’t even broken up by some exciting dice rolling, because only the marine player ever touches the dice.
Lost Patrol promises exciting, fast-paced action and tense tactical play. But what it delivers is a box full of pretty miniatures to put together and an unpolished and uninspired filler game. I’m very disappointed to say that this patrol probably should have stayed lost. I can only give this game 2 out of 5.
--William Niebling
