Mantic Games will be releasing its new Kings of War fantasy skirmish game Vanguard to trade in October.

Kings of War: Vanguard creates brutal skirmish battles between small warbands of handpicked fighters.  Players select their elite squad to complete one of 12 live or death missions which will impact the greater battles that will soon take place amongst armies in Kings of War.  These battles can be played as one-off missions, or combined with the larger games of Kings of War as part of the interlinked campaign system.  Victory in the Vanguard battles could mean access to better magical artifacts, better position deployment, or new units at the beginning of a major engagement, loss could mean fewer deployment options or unites arriving late. More options and deeper stories are available to players who add Vanguard to the world of Mantica, or as Mantic puts it, ”Your Warband, Your Story."

The first releases will include a Vanguard Rulebook, Faction Starter Sets, Faction Booster Sets.

The Rulebook includes game rules, 12 scenarios, background on the world and at the Basileans and the Nightstalkers, campaign rules, and basic force lists (Elves, Dwarfs, Basileans, Ogres, Nature, Trident Realm, Nightstalkers, Orcs, Goblins, Abyssals, Abyssal Dwarfs, Undead, Northern Alliance).  MSRP is $39.99.

The Faction Starter Sets include 10 unassembled PVC models, 5 unassembled hard plastic models, and warband cards. MSRP is $39.99.  The first factions releasing in October will include Nightstalker, Basilean, Abyssal, and Northern Alliance.

The Faction Booster Sets include 3 unassembled resin models and options, and new warband cards.  MSRP is $39.99.  The first boosters releasing in October will include Nightstalker, Basilean, Abyssal, and Northern Alliance.

Mantic also will release a Power Dice Pack ($17.99) and Vanguard Battlefield Objects terrain pack ($39.99) in October.

Mantic plans to support the line with a future scenario book, mercenary booster sets, individual faction model packs, and an equipment deck.

Vanguard games last between 60 – 90 minutes, and can be played as a stand-alone game or integrated with Kings of War games.

Mantic launched Kings of War: Vanguard on Kickstarter last November and raised $272, 409 from 2,231 backers ($122.10 /backer average).