wahmbulance wahmbulance wahmbulance Models on the cover are not included in this set. wahmbulance wahmbulance wahmbulance emotion_facepalm
While visiting a friend I got a chance play several games (tutorials?) of the shiny new 40kay using the tiny starter set (this is a really small box, I was expecting something bigger!), which despite its small size did a good job of teaching me the basics and how to best dominate my opponent with the best nurgle unit ever: zombies. FUN! emotion_omnomnom
Did I mention that it has zombies? emotion_zombie
Best nurgle zombies EVER! They all look so happy!
I won most of the games! I am now the grand champion of 8th edition. emotion_yatta I won not because I'm super sneaky, studied Sun Tzu or am amazingly, distractingly hot, but because my opponent was a git with some really, really unlucky rolls of the die. Even when we started using re-rolls he rolled.. poorly. Grandfather Nurgle was with me that day. emotion_dowant
In all seriousness though, it's a bit unreal how they got this starter set so right (I remember Black Reach and Skull Pass.. the blood.. THE BLOOD!), with simple to understand explanations of the rules using scenarios, colourful statcards for every unit, including special rule descriptions and the set even includes a small full colour map with some terrain (inside of the box is printed to look like a building, but its the thought that counts!). They even did the minis in coloured plastic so you don't have to paint them and can just use them straight away by pushing them together. And knowing my host, these minis will never get painted. emo
Minis are a bit of a mixed bag, as imho the nurgle minis look way more detailed and interesting than the new space marines, who are just a bit bigger, have bigger guns and bigger knives... talk2hand Though seeing how cheapo the set is, its a bit silly to complain about it I suppose. I guess the minis are as sharp as ever, it is what GW is good at after all.
The equipment choices of the minis are interesting though, as the space marines only have basic bolters and pistols while the Death Guard have all the fancy stuff like a plasma gun, missile launcher and power fist, which are really good at destroying enemy armour saves. A bit weird, as usually the space marines have the best weapons to steamroll their opponents with. The bigger space marines do have an extra wound and attack, but I'm not sure if that's such a great trade off in the long run.
The contents
The Miniatures
15 easy to build push-fit (no glue required!) miniatures in blue and green coloured plastic, representing the heroic Ultramarines and putrescent Death Guard:
Ultramarines
- 3 Primaris Intercessors – clad in Mk X power armour, they are each armed with a bolt rifle and carry grenades. 1 model is a Sergeant, who leads the unit – he has a holstered pistol and is easily identified by his bare, unhelmed head;
- 3 Primaris Reivers – again clad in Mk X power armour, these Space Marines carry heavy bolt pistols and combat blades – they distinguished by the sinister skull motif on their helmets, with the Sergeant featuring a half-skull faceplate.
Death Guard
- 3 Plague Marines – each festering and bursting out of their armour due to the malign corruption of the Plague God Nurgle. 1 wields a boltgun, 1 is armed with a blight launcher and 1 – the Champion, who leads the unit – has a plasma gun, power fist and plague knife;
- 6 Poxwalkers – these are the cursed victims of the plagues, transformed into living weapons. Each is armed with an improvised close combat weapon, with hammers, chains, planks of wood and metal pipes with nails in represented.
Gaming Content
Everything you need to learn to play with your new miniatures is included in the box:
- a 24-page booklet containing the core rules for playing Warhammer 40,000, with each phase of the game explained in a clear, easy to follow manner from the initial setup to one side’s victory;
- a 56-page book that guides you through the background, history and current state of the Warhammer 40,000 galaxy, with introductions to the Primaris Space Marines and Death Guard, as well as 9 other armies. It features step-by-step guides to painting your miniatures, with guides to the paints and brushes you need, along with a showcase of beautifully-painted miniatures to inspire your hobby journey. It also includes explanations of the different ways to play Warhammer 40,000, along with training missions that gradually introduce the core concepts to the total beginner;
- a 22’ x 22’ double-sided gaming mat – one side is specially designed with icons showing you where to place miniatures in order to play the training missions, and the other has no markings, so you can play your own games. Each side is printed in full colour with an evocative design of a ruined Imperial city;
- a scenery piece! The inside tray of the box is designed to look like a set of armoured containers, meaning it can be placed on your mat as a piece of scenery for your miniatures to battle over;
- datasheets for the miniatures in the box – these are handy cards with the information on movement and weapons for each model printed on, meaning less flipping through books for information and more actual gaming;
- 6 6-sided dice, and a 6” translucent measuring ruler, each vitally important for games;
- a decal sheet for your Ultramarines, featuring army and troop iconography;
- 9 32mm and 6 40mm round plastic bases for your miniatures to stand upon.
15 easy to build push-fit (no glue required!) miniatures in blue and green coloured plastic, representing the heroic Ultramarines and putrescent Death Guard:
Ultramarines
- 3 Primaris Intercessors – clad in Mk X power armour, they are each armed with a bolt rifle and carry grenades. 1 model is a Sergeant, who leads the unit – he has a holstered pistol and is easily identified by his bare, unhelmed head;
- 3 Primaris Reivers – again clad in Mk X power armour, these Space Marines carry heavy bolt pistols and combat blades – they distinguished by the sinister skull motif on their helmets, with the Sergeant featuring a half-skull faceplate.
Death Guard
- 3 Plague Marines – each festering and bursting out of their armour due to the malign corruption of the Plague God Nurgle. 1 wields a boltgun, 1 is armed with a blight launcher and 1 – the Champion, who leads the unit – has a plasma gun, power fist and plague knife;
- 6 Poxwalkers – these are the cursed victims of the plagues, transformed into living weapons. Each is armed with an improvised close combat weapon, with hammers, chains, planks of wood and metal pipes with nails in represented.
Gaming Content
Everything you need to learn to play with your new miniatures is included in the box:
- a 24-page booklet containing the core rules for playing Warhammer 40,000, with each phase of the game explained in a clear, easy to follow manner from the initial setup to one side’s victory;
- a 56-page book that guides you through the background, history and current state of the Warhammer 40,000 galaxy, with introductions to the Primaris Space Marines and Death Guard, as well as 9 other armies. It features step-by-step guides to painting your miniatures, with guides to the paints and brushes you need, along with a showcase of beautifully-painted miniatures to inspire your hobby journey. It also includes explanations of the different ways to play Warhammer 40,000, along with training missions that gradually introduce the core concepts to the total beginner;
- a 22’ x 22’ double-sided gaming mat – one side is specially designed with icons showing you where to place miniatures in order to play the training missions, and the other has no markings, so you can play your own games. Each side is printed in full colour with an evocative design of a ruined Imperial city;
- a scenery piece! The inside tray of the box is designed to look like a set of armoured containers, meaning it can be placed on your mat as a piece of scenery for your miniatures to battle over;
- datasheets for the miniatures in the box – these are handy cards with the information on movement and weapons for each model printed on, meaning less flipping through books for information and more actual gaming;
- 6 6-sided dice, and a 6” translucent measuring ruler, each vitally important for games;
- a decal sheet for your Ultramarines, featuring army and troop iconography;
- 9 32mm and 6 40mm round plastic bases for your miniatures to stand upon.
You get quite a bit of plastic and paper for your buck, but what about the gaming content? Does it actually play as nice as it looks, or is it another box of stuff that you need to make fun with yourself?
GW does not disappoint and gives you a set of missions that are all linked together to tell a little story about how the Death Guard and Ultramarines are fighting to secure a city before a larger invasion arrives. Most missions are designed to be played at least twice, once to get you comfortable with the basics, then you have another go to use the more advanced rules, like using a special 5+ invulnerable save for nurgle minis or rapid fire for the ultras. Or you can swap sides and see what it is like to command the awesome powerhouse that is the zombie. emotion_omnomnom
The missions are broken down into four tutorials, each introducing something new to the mix:
Mission 1 - Kill the poxwalkers before the escape from the table (moving and shooting)
Mission 2 - A fight to the death between a lone assault marine and a load of zombies (overwatching and assaults)
Mission 3 - One of two assault marines must escape the table (different weapon types and save modifiers)
Mission 4 - Fight to the death (playing a real game of 40k, complete with special rerolls)
From what Ive noticed and been told, the only things not handled by the starter are the psychic phase (no witches included in the set) and the morale phase (squads are either too small for it to work or models are immune to it). But as is, it teaches you how to push models around and make pew-pew noises while wrecking enemy models, all the while playing through a mini-campaign that decides the fate of a city.
While I have only played with the basics of what the game has on offer, with a bare minimum of units per side, I found myself enjoying 40k for the first time in a long time. I must add that I haven't played anywhere near enough 40k in the last.. twelve years(?) to have a strong opinion of previous editions or the changes this edition brings to the fluff, or to be really bothered by these in all honesty. For me the rules are clear, or become clear enough when reading through a second time, making them easy to understand and they worked quite nicely, making the game run faster and less of a chore when it comes to handling disputes or questions. There is also less flipping through books, plus less need to memorise everything as the important stuff of a unit is all listed together, something my host is really bad at and no doubt grateful for!
Will this make me play 40k more often?
Well, while it was fun, I don't really see myself picking up new models any time soon.. sweatdrop
I rate this experience emotion_zombie emotion_zombie emotion_zombie emotion_zombie emotion_zombie emotion_zombie out of five poxwalkers (bonus point for the happy zombies).
I did my review, I would like my bribe monies now. ninja
