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I was able to pick it up this past weekend, assemble and throw a little paint on it to play 2 games.

Figure I would give my thoughts on it since I don't see much being posted (though it is very new so might be why)

Rules/Book/Reference sheets - Rulebook is a good quality. Not sure on the cover finish but really like the smoothness of it. The rulebook also flows easily though what you need to play, how each game sequence works and gives examples. The two quick reference cards are also pretty cool, giving tons of info on them. At the core of it, the game is pretty simple, which is good so its easily teachable.

Two issues I had with this is: 1. Lots of info is on the quick reference sheets, not posted in the rulebook. I guess this would save on printed paper to toss all that in the main rules, just kind of wonky when you are trying to figure it all out at first.
2. Attacking some ones side arc gives you negatives to hit them. Not sure I really get why. almost seems like a misprint but unsure. If your hunting your target and your front is in his side, your -1. If your not a hunter, your at a -2. But your side hitting their front has no penalty. Just weird to us.

Models/Terrain - No complaints on the models. I guess by now they are getting a little old, as I think they came out right after the Grey Knights got plastics (if I remember correctly) and its the first plastics of females from GW. No complaints though as its still high quality per usual for GW figures. the terrain (which seems to be a common complaint) is fairly meh. They could have made a sprue of plastic dark elder tower pieces. That's where the quality is very lacking. The box value is great, being half cost of the models but after 2 games, my terrain is already peeling on the sides of it. Some mentioned some MDF places that do terrain. I don't think id invest that much $ into this at the moment to fill that out.

Actual Game play - The best reference for an idea is Necromunda lite mixed with X Wing from FFG. Over all a good concept and plays well. The maneuvers you can do with each are fun and fit the minis well. The damage system is also great and the game is usually quick and bloody. Good amount of tactics are also involved. One thing is its almost to quick at points. In a 8 model game, after 3 models are dead you need to make a break test, running 50% of the time. This can easily be house ruled to 50% or more then 50% of models for longer games. While there are a good amount of weapons, you cant customize each guy as much as youd like to do. You will have your leader, then a bunch of level 1 or level 2 guys with standard weapon loadouts. I was able to split it all evenly so both gangs of 8 guys has all the same stuff. Im sure its over the 750 point limit, but still played in less then a hour each time.

Final thoughts - Over all, I liked it. 7/10. Silver Tower remains their best boxed game so far for our group, This does rank higher then Gorechosen for us though and all the other one off boxed games from GW. This has the most potential to be a really good boxed game if GW flushes it out a little more. I highly doubt they will actually do that, but it would be great to see. Also I guess the community could flush it out if it actually caught on.

It really needs Venoms, Scourges, maybe a Raider and more weapons, extra stuff for campaign play. Like I said though, I think this is a one and done from GW unless lots of people really get into it. A good purchase over all though all things considered. Hope I didn't ramble to much!

Thanks for writing up your early impressions!

If I understand what you are saying about negative modifiers for being in a target's side arc...it would seem it's harder to hit a crossing target than one that is coming straight on. That seems reasonable. You have to "lead" a crossing target.

 Gobbla wrote:

If I understand what you are saying about negative modifiers for being in a target's side arc...it would seem it's harder to hit a crossing target than one that is coming straight on. That seems reasonable. You have to "lead" a crossing target.

That seems reasonable, since the game emulates a breakneck speed clash. If you are trying to track someone in front of you, it is easy to get your bearing on something that is either coming towards you or moving directly away, compared to a split second "woosh" that you see when a jet bike blasts by you. Battlefleet Gothic has the same, for an example: if you shoot your weapon batteries at an incoming / moving away ship, you roll more dice than you would at an abeam target gliding by you. Very effective way of modeling such a situation, where you have no time to actually aim properly. This game seems to do something similiar.

I finally got my copy yesterday. Still assembling models, haven't been able to actually play it yest, but I'd say it looks pretty darn good, I'm liking the reviews and how-to-plays I've seen on youtube

The terrain is certainly lacking, although you can pop it up a bit with a black sharpie to the edges to take away the obvously-cardboard look and you can spread some super glue along the edges to harden them, gives a very plastic-like consistency when the glue absorbs into the paper pulp. I can't really complain about it lacking terrain when the figures themselves are so cheap vs retail price (my copy was $46 USD shipped online) especially since the tokens and rulebook is decent quality. If anything, a 3x3 poster mat of a smoggy ground/city would have been nice, but not a big deal IMHO

One of the reviews had them on a regular gaming table with pine trees instead of spires. It doesn't fit the theme as well but it looked really good and turned it into an RotJ Endor speederchase like fight. I have a 3x3 woodland/grassland mousepad mat for skirmish games and some pine trees, I may do the same.

For what it is it looks great, I think out of the box this is a better game than the X wing starter. It is not as simple and there is more numbers at work than X wing though. X wing is smooth and fast, this is more old school.

I can't complain about the models, they came out in 2010 or maybe not that far back. But they still hold up well by todays standards, the Dark Eldar range of models is one of the best in the miniature market IMO. If you wanna talk about old perhaps have a gander at the eldar guardians and dire avengers. And hell...even those look good with a proper paintjob.

Harlequins get rules for the game in next months WD by the way...curious to see what they did with them.

So now that the march WD is out, any word on the rules for the harlequins? I watched a flipthrough of the WD on youtube but didn't see the rules inside. I saw rules for Blood Bowl balls, and WHQ Slambo....did they misprint the cover or something?

str00dles1 wrote:
I was able to pick it up this past weekend, assemble and throw a little paint on it to play 2 games.

Figure I would give my thoughts on it since I don't see much being posted (though it is very new so might be why)

Rules/Book/Reference sheets - Rulebook is a good quality. Not sure on the cover finish but really like the smoothness of it. The rulebook also flows easily though what you need to play, how each game sequence works and gives examples. The two quick reference cards are also pretty cool, giving tons of info on them. At the core of it, the game is pretty simple, which is good so its easily teachable.

Two issues I had with this is: 1. Lots of info is on the quick reference sheets, not posted in the rulebook. I guess this would save on printed paper to toss all that in the main rules, just kind of wonky when you are trying to figure it all out at first.
2. Attacking some ones side arc gives you negatives to hit them. Not sure I really get why. almost seems like a misprint but unsure. If your hunting your target and your front is in his side, your -1. If your not a hunter, your at a -2. But your side hitting their front has no penalty. Just weird to us.

Models/Terrain - No complaints on the models. I guess by now they are getting a little old, as I think they came out right after the Grey Knights got plastics (if I remember correctly) and its the first plastics of females from GW. No complaints though as its still high quality per usual for GW figures. the terrain (which seems to be a common complaint) is fairly meh. They could have made a sprue of plastic dark elder tower pieces. That's where the quality is very lacking. The box value is great, being half cost of the models but after 2 games, my terrain is already peeling on the sides of it. Some mentioned some MDF places that do terrain. I don't think id invest that much $ into this at the moment to fill that out.

Actual Game play - The best reference for an idea is Necromunda lite mixed with X Wing from FFG. Over all a good concept and plays well. The maneuvers you can do with each are fun and fit the minis well. The damage system is also great and the game is usually quick and bloody. Good amount of tactics are also involved. One thing is its almost to quick at points. In a 8 model game, after 3 models are dead you need to make a break test, running 50% of the time. This can easily be house ruled to 50% or more then 50% of models for longer games. While there are a good amount of weapons, you cant customize each guy as much as youd like to do. You will have your leader, then a bunch of level 1 or level 2 guys with standard weapon loadouts. I was able to split it all evenly so both gangs of 8 guys has all the same stuff. Im sure its over the 750 point limit, but still played in less then a hour each time.

Final thoughts - Over all, I liked it. 7/10. Silver Tower remains their best boxed game so far for our group, This does rank higher then Gorechosen for us though and all the other one off boxed games from GW. This has the most potential to be a really good boxed game if GW flushes it out a little more. I highly doubt they will actually do that, but it would be great to see. Also I guess the community could flush it out if it actually caught on.

It really needs Venoms, Scourges, maybe a Raider and more weapons, extra stuff for campaign play. Like I said though, I think this is a one and done from GW unless lots of people really get into it. A good purchase over all though all things considered. Hope I didn't ramble to much!

Thanks for the write up. After exactly ONE game, I would offer some counter-points:

1) I agree the rules are easy to assimilate. In fact, the rulebook has a number of fluff pages, the rules are short and easy to reference. I disagree that the Quick Reference have too much info. They are busy, but well laid out, with a lot of important info. I think them very well done. Yes, they do have info the rulebooks don't. After a few turns, it's all good.

2) Already talked about side arcs. Another interesting aspect is All-Aspect weapons (Splinter Pistols and "Close-Combat" weapons). These can cover for some of the difficulties in keeping a Target in front of the Attacker. Especially for Hunters, which can ONLY attack their singular Quarry.

3) The models are great! Especially the Hellions, which make idiotic flying skateboards look realistic. The jetbikes look good, but putting the riders together is a nightmare. DO NOT paint them first. That will make the vague "notches" that are guides to positioning of their limbs impossible to discern. The damned arms and legs can be positioned any which way, but MUST be positioned exactly ONE way. Total pain!

4) Use a black marker on the edges of the cardboard spires. Makes all the difference. And, know that terrain is damn deadly. So, more is more deadly.

5) GoC's campaign is to Necromunda's campaign as my Shih Tzu is to your Rottweiler. The basics are there, but Necromunda's is MUCH more developed, MUCH more involved. It's the difference between Goc's few pages of campaign rules, and Necromunda's dedicated campaign rule book. Bottom line is comparison to Necromunda has to have a caveat. Personally, I'm not sure the pretty simple and quick underlying game is gonna inspire full on campaigns, anyway.

6) Your summary of game play is spot on! Our one game only used 5 models total, with level 2 experience riders with no skills. And, basic weapons. Bottom line, the game was almost bloodless. I assume more stuff would make for more carnage.

7) Adding more vehicles would be cool. I have a notional scenario in mind with an escorted Raider. And, a few Death Masque box Harlequin vehicles in the painting que. We'll see if I can even rustle up an opponent or two.

Again, nice write up!

I see your view that more target is seen from the side especially on the reaver, thus making it easier to hit, but take into consideration that all that models are moving rapidly. With this in mind targets that are moving towards or away from the shooter are, in the shooter perspective, not moving. Where as a target moving perpendicular to the shooter will appear to be moving laterally from the shooter's perspective. Thus the shooter would have to lead the target which requires more skill and practice to do accurately.