Armoured warfare plays big part in game

Last week it was a first look at the 'steampunk' infused miniature war game Dystopian Wars.

"Dystopian Wars is designed to be a fun game that can be played in just a couple of hours using a selection of our finely detailed models. The rules are perfect for small-scale sorties into enemy territory, border skirmishes involving thirty or so vessels a side, and huge, history-defining battles that have the potential to warp the very fabric of the World. The rules are also ideal for large multi-player games, with players constantly involved in the game, activating their groups of models or reacting to an enemy activation," explains the rule book.

One of the great strengths of Dystopian Wars is that in terms of game play it is nicely scaleable.

The game plays nicely out of the starter box, a box which has one of the best values in gaming in the sense that while in the small 1/1200th scale you still get a boatload of finally detailed models. Thirty models, even if the smallest tanks are indeed tiny with two to a stand, still means you can use a lot of realistic military formations and tactics as you move you armoured forces across the terrain covered table.

A word here on terrain. Tanks have some rather deadly ranges, but unlike a game where individual soldiers are playing through a factor, so you want lots of barrels and barricades to hide behind, tanks are battling over fields.

You will want a few hills, a river, stones fences, and tree bluffs, to create blocks to long ranger line of site and to keep manoeuvrability an important aspect of tactics.

So when you and a bud buy a couple of starter boxes you can throw down some terrain and get to it with games which have a lot of tactical depth. That is something some games lack. There are often forces in fantasy war-games which feed our sci-fi geek side, but take away from logical war tactics.

Dystopian Wars really leans toward realism in terms of armoured warfare.

Of course like all war games, there have been new models added to faction rosters, so you can enlarge a force easily for larger battles.

Several of the pieces can be modified too. Alamo Class Mobile Airfield you can replace a rocket battery with a kinetic generator, or shield generator. Yes that adds to the 'bookkeeping' aspect of the game when you delve into the game at that level, but the more you play, the more you will look for ways to add your personal touch to your units, so it is a great gaming option.

Of course there is an element of luck to any game where you roll dice, although there is luck to real battle too. A supply truck breakdown or a sleeping guard can change a battle.

Dystopian Wars adds something to its game with cards.

"The rules include the optional use of a deck of 52 Game Cards that add an exciting element to each game. The game works perfectly well without them but if used they improve overall game play by introducing more tactical options and by injecting some eccentric Victorian atmosphere," notes the rule book.

Not essential to play, they can add some added surprise in the face of an enemy attack.

I also love the dice mechanic here. The game uses a regular six-sided dice, but has a twist which helps simulate a shot which sets of a chain reaction of destruction.

"Most D6 will use the Exploding Dice game mechanic, where a natural roll of '6' always results in two successes and a chance to roll the dice again and score further successes," explains the rule book.

"With the Exploding Dice mechanic you keep going until you stop rolling any 6's and only when you have finished rolling the dice do you add up the total number of successes; so make sure that when you roll again you don't roll a dice that is already a success, or you may lose count."

Among miniature games this is in the top rank of options. Large scale it's on par with my long-time favourite Warmachine, and the smaller scale makes Dystopian Wars more affordable as well.

This is a definite winner, so check it out at www.spartangames.co.uk/games/dystopian-wars

If anyone is interested in this game, or other board games feel free to contact [email protected]