Shadespire

[Goblin-King]

Anyone here jumped on Warhammer Underworld: Shadespire?
I bought it on release day and I gotta say with just 4 games under my belt, I'm pretty impressed.
Sure it's ameritrash with cards and dice and the randomness that comes with that territory, but there's enough strategy and tactics to make up for it.
Playtime is also extremely short at only 15-20 minutes.

Rumor has it that this is gonna be a fully supported main game on par with AoS and 40k with organised play and everything.

I'm pretty excited. Even got some of my non-tabletop friends interested.

I really dig the models as well, though I find the sigmarites and orcs to be a little on the bland side. But that undead leader! He is what got me interested in the game in the first place.

<Pictures incoming>

[Anderas]

It's what? Is it a skirmish, or is it the next variant of Warhammer Quest?

[Goblin-King]

Neither really...

It's more of a traditional board game. I guess in some ways it comes closest to Space Hulk... The ultra short rule summary:

Your gang is 100% static. If you play Sigmarites, you always play the exact same 3 characters with the exact same stats and abilities each time. Only your card decks allows for some customization.
Then you take turns making an activation. 8 (4 each) activations constitutes a round. After 3 rounds the game is over!
An activation can be: Move, attack, defense stance or charge (move AND attack) - or draw a card.
After each activation both players can play any amount of cards for immediate effects, effects that count during the next activation or permanent upgrades to your dudes.
If you move you can't move that model again this round. If you charge you can't activate him at ALL again until next round.
If successfully attacking you can push the target one hex. If successfully defending you may drive back the attacker. This is super important for tactical positioning.
Some of your cards are objectives which grants you victory points if you satisfy the conditions on the card.

The game is ALL about victory points! It's not a battle game. Most points wins. Even if everyone on your team is dead!
Of course killing dudes grants points as well, but it's not enough.

[cornixt]

My son has this and we've only had one proper game so far.

I managed to win by moving my guy out of range of his attacks so he couldn't get enough victory points to beat me, even though he vastly outnumbered me on the last turn. Definitely an interesting game, a shame GW has already dropped it from their stores.

[Anderas]

I was recently buying a box of skaven. Not really to play it but because the models are quite amazing.

[knightkrawler]

I was recently buying a box of skaven. Not really to play it but because the models are quite amazing.

I bought those, too. And the Sepulchral Guard (like elite Skeletons).
Amazing models and really quite affordable with a lot of cards inside that if you don't play Shadespire are nevertheless still inspiring to a story or skills for the models.
In some regards, GW are on a good path, I have to admit.

[Goblin-King]

My son has this and we've only had one proper game so far.

I managed to win by moving my guy out of range of his attacks so he couldn't get enough victory points to beat me, even though he vastly outnumbered me on the last turn. Definitely an interesting game, a shame GW has already dropped it from their stores.

This doesn't mean it's dead though. It's an intentional strategy to promote a bigger community. The idea is that all the FLGS stock and play it.
Go to any non-GW miniature hobby store and you'll most likely see it stocked.
The game is thriving and doing very well. Season 2 is coming soon (3 months or a year? Who knows? But it IS coming!)

So no worries

I was recently buying a box of skaven. Not really to play it but because the models are quite amazing.

Absolutely! Ironically enough the greatest Shadespire minis are the ones that doesn't really match with any Age of Sigmar counterparts.

But judging from Warhammer Fest I'll say GW are at the top of their game these days