Wargaming fans will likely remember Games Workshop for their Warhammer series of wargames. After all, it’s not all the time that players can take on the roles of commanders leading armies from various factions. Moreover, their roster of exquisitely-detailed miniatures can motivate any gamer to be a collector. As such, anyone remotely interested in wargaming and collecting minis should definitely give Warhammer a shot.
Interestingly, Games Workshop doesn’t only have Warhammer as its gaming line. In fact, Games Workshop has a variety of games perfect for almost any kind of enthusiast. For instance, sci-fi players and even fantasy lovers will enjoy some of their wargaming titles. They also have a strategy game for one of the most iconic high fantasy franchises out there! Just what are the best Games Workshop titles?
10 Blood Bowl
Players who can’t decide whether to dedicate game night to Warhammer or modern sports might not need to worry anymore. Why, Blood Bowl combines both of them!
In essence, the game plays like regular American football - only this time within the Warhammer Fantasy setting. The “Blood” in the game’s name pertains to the many aggressive actions player units can do to enemy combatants. For instance, one side can maim or injure another team’s units in order to remove them from the game. Players who want a crazy alternative to Warhammer can go for Blood Bowl, albeit it does lack the universe’s in-game gritty and dark fantasy charm.
9 Warhammer Underworlds
Fans who want an alternative take on a Warhammer experience should consider Warhammer Underworlds. In this game, players mix tactical miniature combat with deck building to form awesome skirmishes with their fellow gamers. Pegged as a hybrid arena combat game, players win Warhammer Underworlds if their faction scores the most Glory Points in a match.
This game is perfect for both card lovers and miniature enthusiasts. After all, accompanying each set of miniatures are cards that dictate everything there is to know about that unit, as well as Objective and Upgrade cards. Unfortunately, despite how exciting Underworlds can be, it’s not as intense as other Games Workshop entries.
8 Warhammer Quest: Shadows Over Hammerhal
Players who want an Age of Sigmar dungeon crawler can definitely enjoy Warhammer Quest: Shadows Over Hammerhal. This cooperative dungeon crawler lets players of four team up as a squad consisting of a Dark Aelf pirate, an Aelf mage, a Dwarf tinkerer, and a Knight Questor.
Aside from the randomly-generated dungeons, Shadows Over Hammerhal requires a Gamemaster. As such, this “typical” dungeon crawler gets a level of complexity, as another player is in charge of setting up enemies encountered throughout the adventure. Aside from this, some dungeons also offer the opportunity to go aboveground to do downtime events such as getting magical weapons and potions. Players who want a more straightforward Age of Sigmar experience should pick up this game.
7 Warhammer: Warcry
Players who want to play a lighter and more compact version of Age of Sigmar should try Warhammer: Warcry. Thanks to this Skirmish game, players can go fast and loose with Age of Sigmar with a smoother experience. Despite being two-player in nature, rules still fit alternate modes such as free-for-all and team games. Moreover, Warcry takes some familiar elements from its bigger wargame siblings and gives them a lighter twist.
For instance, players control Warbands of three to 15 miniatures, each with their own Fighter Card that contains their statistics. Moreover, each player has access to an Ability Card which lists special abilities they can use in the match. Perhaps more unique is their turn system, where each player alternates moving just one miniature across the battlefield. Thanks to these basic rulesets, and a more straightforward battle system, Warcry lets players go fast and loose with their matches.
6 Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress
Players who loved the idea of Warhammer Quest but for 40K should try Blackstone Fortress. The game plays a lot like Shadows Over Hammerhal, but this time set in the enigmatic Blackstone Fortress. Players - who take on the role of one of nine unique heroes - take on various enemies based on real units from the 40K universe, such as Chaos Space Marines. Thanks to its modular tile system and fast-paced combat, Blackstone Fortress provides a fun random dungeon crawl for 40K fans.
Moreover, the inclusion of a Legacy deck allows each playthrough to be different than the last. Additionally, the existence of both a solo mode and a team mode versus a Gamemaster allows players to get a unique experience every time they play.
5 Adeptus Titanicus
Fans of 40K will most certainly be familiar with the Adeptus Titanicus, the order within the Imperium of Man in charge of the hulking Titans. Interestingly, Adeptus Titanicus plays similar to 40K, but all units except the Titans are gone.
Thanks to this shift in focus, players now focus on tailoring their Titan specifically to their needs. Like the original Adeptus Titanicus game, cards represent the in-game Titans and their trackable statistics. Moreover, Titan miniatures for this game are much larger to make room for customization and different loadouts, all of which represented in the game. As such, games are all carefully-tailored moves of mayhem, where players have to manage their energy to move, attack, or even position their Titans. Giant robot fans will love this game, but others looking for a more complete experience might not appreciate Adeptus Titanicus.
4 Necromunda: Dark Uprising
Fans who fell in love with Warhammer: Warcry should definitely give Dark Uprising a shot. In this 40K skirmish game, players take on the role as one of the many factions eyeing control of the Underhive. The Underhive is the name for the level below Hive Cities, where almost no ordinary citizen can survive. Like Warcry, Dark Uprising makes use of fast-paced gameplay and small teams, making a lot of room for tactics as there’s no need to use multiple units.
Perhaps also interesting is the game’s inclusion of linked scenarios, forming a simple story that’s fun to play with. However, fans of Games Workshop will love the detail with Dark Uprising’s terrain. Thanks to the game’s grim sci-fi set up, almost all pieces of the terrain can be configured to maximize three-dimensional gameplay.
3 Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game
Players who want to play a wargame outside Warhammer with the same ingenuity of Games Workshop titles should try Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game. In this title, players take on the fun of collecting and painting minis, this time with all of their miniatures coming from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
Aside from boxed set such as The Battle of Pelennor Fields, players can also recreate some of the most iconic scenes and battles thanks to the minis offered by the game. Players who love The Lord of the Rings should definitely get this game.
2 Warhammer 40,000
Science fiction fans who want a darker and grittier take on space warfare and conquest should probably try Warhammer 40K. Set in the 41st Millennium, 40K pins the Imperium of Mankind against various factions eyeing control over the galaxy. As such, players can use factions such as the brutal Orks, the sleek Eldar, the suit-wearing Tau, the immortal Necron, and even the hybrid Tyranids.
Unlike the fantasy Age of Sigmar, 40K has rich lore focusing on the Milky Way’s history with the other factions. Aside from collecting and painting miniatures, 40K will motivate players to think of ways to preserve their factions’ glory or take the Galaxy for themselves.
1 Warhammer: Age Of Sigmar
Fantasy fans who want a wargame focusing on a more brutal take on humans, orcs, dwarves, and elves will love Age of Sigmar. This game, which is the successor to the discontinued Warhammer game, take full advantage of collecting and painting minis as well as bringing them to battle.
Moreover, unlike other games that focus on playing on grids, Age of Sigmar takes full fantasy combat out on a whirl with its terrain system. As such, moving and attacking all happen by measuring distance, ensuring players have full tactical control over their units. The game also has a rich lore that gives a darker alternate take on high fantasy.
NEXT: 10 Pro Tips For Warhammer 40K You Should Know
