Tick Tock Interactive has announced that their shortform anthology, Miniatures, is releasing on November?? 14th. It’s coming to Switch, PC, and M?obile (iOS).

Miniatures defines itself as an “arthouse experience�which is maybe why I’m having so much trouble explaining it. You can watch the release date trailer. It presents an unsettling but serene tone as things happe?n. Here, I’ll tell you what the press release says:

“Explore, interact, and watch the world shift. In this peculiar, artist-led experience, reconnect with the wonder, magic, and loneliness of childhood through four handcrafted, visually captivating stories based on the strange objects found in an old wooden box. Open the box and open your mind - who knows what curious things you’ll discover in there?�/p>

Discover where? In the box or my mind? Because I’ve seen what’s in my mind, and it’s no vacation home. The box seems to contain puzzles. The game part of Miniatures has you “build unusual objects, inspect curious items, and untangle the threads of lost memories.�/p>

While it’s not necessary, the press release also mentions that playing on a touchscreen (Switch, Steam Deck, iOS) adds “an additional tactile dimension.�Touch scree?n and I have never been on good terms, but have at it. The game itself looks interesting, though. I like loneliness, and my childhood was a safely mundane experience that, in retrospect, that’s way preferable to adulthood.

Miniatures launches on Switch, PC, and iOS November 14th.

The post Miniatures is an award-winning serene anthology that’s out in November appeared first on Destructoid.

It did not come as a surprise to fa??ns of the Star Wars tabletop miniatures games X-Wing and Armada when Atomic Mass Games (AMG) announced the end of official support for the games in June, but for many it herald??ed the end of an era �and perhaps the start of a new one.

After AMG had inherited the properties from Fantasy Flight Games (FFG), Armada had languished without any new ships for years, while X-Wing had fared better but still faced edition wars with AMG's rules changes. Still, both games had a thriving and positive community and X-??Wing even beat Warhammer 40,000 in player numbers at its Worlds tournament event at AdeptiCon 2024.

The death knell for both games was when AMG announced no new X-Wing or Armada products during a slew of release previews at the Adepticon 24 showcase for its other miniatures games. Only a few months later, it was made official: X-Wing and Armada would have no more development. In their official statement, AMG attributed their decision to "risin??g production costs, global manufacturing, and pandemic-related challenges".

A game is more than its publisher, ?though, and in the month since the announcement, the X-Wing and Armada communities have already put together a plan. Or rather, three different plans covering different sectors of the games' communities.

All wings check in

The X-Wing Alliance is a group drawing from across the X-Wing community to form an organisation who want to take "community stewardship" of the game. While all the licensing still lies with AMG, X-Wing has a thriving scene of rules hackers and content writers who are taking the opportunity to create the future they want to see for the game. They can't release new models under the banner of X-Wing but they can create scenarios for organised play, work with conventions to host tournaments and innovate new po???ints changes or whole new sets of rules.

This method of community organisation had already seen success during the pandemic when groups like the Gold Squadron Podcast put together their own international tourna??ments played entirely online. Considering many podcast and YouTube content creator??s for X-Wing already create their own custom tokens and fan items as rewards for their patrons or people who play against them in tournaments, it's only a short leap to prize pools for larger events.

The X-Wing Alliance is focusing on the official latest version of the game, the 2.5 edition from AMG, but another part of the community already has a head start in creating their own fan-made edition called X-Wing Legacy, building on the FFG second edition rules. The format has been part of the tournament scene since 2022 and this announcement is likely to fuel the creators into further development. This comes with its own risks, as splitting any community may well lead to one part of it thriving and the others dying away, but it could also bring p??eople who disliked 2.5 back into the hobby.

Armada might have a more unified outlook due to the lack of rules development over time, but the community itself is smaller as the lack of fresh ship releases over the years has led many gamers to move towards other games with a more thriving release schedule. A core of avid Armada players still come out in force at tournaments at conventions such as AdeptiCon, UK Games Expo and the London Grand Tournament. With the last hope of official releases now dead, fan content has the opportunity to release to an audience hungry for new takes on a favorite game. A YouTube channel called ION Radio is working with the organisers of AdeptiCon and the Armada? Ruleset Collective (ARC) to maintain the tournament scene and provide rules updates.

Red Leader standing by

The challenges these groups face are hug??e, but they are far from unique. The Netrunner collectible card game has survived the end of official support through the work of passionate community members, and Blood Bowl has managed to maintain a committed play scene despite Games Workshop's inconsistent support. Proof exists that this can be done: with conventions growing larger all the time, having independent tournaments and demos at major events could breathe new life into X-Wing a??nd Armada.

As with any community efforts, the X-Wing? and Armada games are undoubtedly facing a period of turmoil. Only time will tell how the changes will affect the local and (inter)national scenes, but with the levels of organization and passion already on display and the support of major?? competitive champions as well as conventions, the future looks tentatively bright for these games.

The post Community provides a new hope for X-Wing and Armada miniatures ga??mes appeared first on Destructoid.

Board games are a fantastic way to cool off at the?? end of the day or week with a group of friends or just that one special person in your life who also just gets the feeling of s??itting down and playing one. They can even blur the lines between hobbies, with many containing miniatures for you to paint and play with.

While simple board games are great, there's a special place in my heart for the most overly complicated games that require setting up and in-depth knowledge to play. At first, these games are a pain for newcomers because they must be learned and enjoyed, but once you've mastered them, they're so much fun to pl??ay. I don't think it gets much better than starting a game with a blank board and ending it with one filled with miniatures or a giant sculpture everybody's worked to craft over the last few hours.

Below, I've highlighted the best board games with miniature?s that I've been able to find. I think I've included a decent range of titles that should please everybody in one way or another. So, whether you want an easy board game to hop in and out of or one that'll take you days to complete, you should find something here.

20. Age of Mythology: The Board Game

• Players: 2-8
• Game length: 2 hours

That's right, there's an Age of Mythology board game, and it isn't that terrible. The appeal of this game is that it has hundreds of miniatures for you to mess around with, one set for every army. Obviously, this is based on the video game, so you've got? units of varying strength that need to be created using ?buildings.

Certain tech upgrades will be required to make the most powerful units, which you'll need for combat because it's very ??much a rock, paper, scissors system. The game is wo??n when the Wonder is built, but the whole way, you'll be battling against the enemy nations, trying to secure your victory, exactly as if you were playing the video game.

19. Black Rose Wars

• Players: 2-4
• Game length: 2-3 hours

Black Rose Wars is an epic board game in which players become Magi and fight for control of the Black Rose Magic Academy. The entire academy has become a battleground, and players are fighting for control over the Black Rose relic that will give them the power to rule for the next decade. T?he game boasts a decent stack of miniatures for you to play with in each game, and the tile sets offer a unique playthrough with each new ?opponent.

Every room in the academy grants you more strength for your chosen magical art, ensuring that everyone's power grows as they explore and defeat their enemies. The final battles are always the most explosive, though they co??uld be over fairly quickly if you've mastered a particularly potent spell along your journey.

18. Darkest Dungeon: The Board Game

• Players: 1-4
• Game length: 1-2 hours

Darkest Dungeon: The Board Game adapts the gameplay of video games into a tabletop format that anyone can enjoy. Every campaign has 11 missions, and death or madness is certain for the poor adventurers players take with them as they work together to conquer the darkness. You've got to compete with monsters, the failing sanity of your crew, and your own ability to comprehend what you're seei?ng as you travel deeper into this roguelike dungeon crawler board game.

?The miniatures in this title are all inspired by the video game, and there are loads of them. Painting them? might just make you mad, but I'd say it's worth it to create a truly authentic experience for a group of fans who want to delve deeper into the unknown.

17. Monster Hunter World: The Board Game

• Players: 1-4
• Game length: hours+

There's so much to love about Monster Hunter World, and now you can bring it to tabletop in Monster Hunter World: The Board Game. As with the video game, you're hunting down massive monsters that are roaming the land and threatening your home. They dictate where you go, a?nd you've got to use the right wea?pons and strategies to take them down.

The miniatures here are spot on, though they won't all reflect the absolutely mad armor and weapons you'll craft using pieces of the monsters you kill. Capcom's monsters in Monster Hunter World are so vibrant and interesting that thi??s game wouldn't be worth playing if you didn't paint yours the moment you open the box.

16. BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat

• Players: 2
• Game length: 1 hour+

BattleTech is about as close to Warhammer 40K without actually playing it, and BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat is a great place to start.?? The box contains everything you need for a 2-player battle for domination in the 32nd century usin?g high-tech armored battle mech miniatures.

Each battle mech has its own strengths and weaknesses, as well as advantages o??n different terrains. Your goal is to wipe out your enemy using any means at your disposal. As you can imagine, with added flavor, painting, and set up, this game can last multiple hours if you let it, and if you've put the time in to create some??thing unique, you should.

Be warned, BattleTech is a slippery slope. If you love this game after a few rounds, there are loads of expansions to sink your teeth into, including Alpha Strike and Clan Invasion.

15. Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape

• Players: 1-6
• Game length: 1 hours

Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape is the modern version of Massive Darkness, a board game that was incredibly popular when it launched more than a decade ago. It's a fully cooperative dungeon?? crawler in which players must work together as Lightbringers to push back and defeat ??the darkness.

The game offers massive scenarios that require multiple sessions to complete them in, and every character has a different class and abilities to use in and out of battle. The miniatures are what you're here for, and they're gorge?ous. Each is brimming with character and crying out to be painted in your style, adding to and enhancing the gameplay.

14. Cthulhu Wars

• Players: 1-4
• Game length: 1-2 hours

In Cthulhu Wars, players take on the role of Great Ones, ancient and unknowable beings attempting to control Earth and humanity on a scale we ?simply can't comprehend. With more than 64 miniatures, this game is shockingly huge, but it still pales in comparison to the stakes you play for.

Depending on which being or beings you play as, you'll have to mas?ter all sorts of strategies and abilities if you want to beat your fell??ow god-like creatures. The first player of the four major factions to complete six tasks will win the planet, but nobody is going down without a fight.

13. The Witcher Old World

• Players: 1-5
• Game length: 1-3 hours

The Witcher Old World transports you into the universe of The Witcher video game series, where monsters are par for the course whenever you leave a settlem?ent, and everyone is out for them??selves, meaning nothing is what it seems.

The board game takes you on an adventure across vast lands where you'll craft a unique Witcher character and face moral choices that won't ever ha??ve a clear outco??me. In fact, you're likely to have some sort of consequence regardless of what you choose later in your game.

There's so much to this game, including card-based combat, skill trees, and stunning miniatures. Enjoy The Witcher universe like you've never quite seen it in a tactile, physical format that you can paint to c??reate a fully custom experience for you and your friends.

12. Fallout The Board Game

• Players: 1-4
• Game length: 2-3 hours

The Fallout franchise becomes so much more tactile with Fallout The Board Game, featuring high-quality miniatures and interesting mechanics that engross you in the franchise's universe. Each game begins with players on the edge of an unknown landscape that? they must explore and complete m??issions in as they travel.

There are various quests to complete and factions to side with, each of which can hugely influence how the world changes as you play. This game has tons of replay value and is great for anyone who likes a little D&D character flair in their board games with miniatures. It's not the cheapest, though, so it's worth keeping an eye out to see if you can get a good deal on it.

11. Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game

• Players: 1-4
• Game length: 2 hours

I adore the Horizon series, and Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game brings it to life like never before. It's a semi-cooperative game in which the Hunter's Lodge assigns players a dangerous mission and must pick a class and tribe before headin??g out to complete it.

Over the course of the game, players upgrade their characters through skill trees, face off against dangerous machines, and even encounter a massive boss fight. The miniatures in this game are stunningly detailed and can be painted to look exactly like they do in the games. If you want even more from the experience, there's a plethora of expansions to add onto it, including the Thunderjaw, Rockbreaker, and the Stormbird, all of? which come with huge new minis for the game.

10. Ankh Gods of Egypt

• Players: 2-5
• Game length: 1.5-2 hours

Ankh Gods of Egypt is a divine competition between rival gods who want to win the favor of their worshippers, a??mass more followers, and build the greatest monuments known to man. The game is steeped in Egyptian mythology and will have you learning more and more about it as you play. It's also got an intriguing turn system that sees you pick two actions? for every turn, then watch as your opponent attempts to undo everything you've just achieved.

The game has dozens of miniatures to use, but all of them are unpainted and come in varying plastic colors. They look so much better ??once painted, and the game feels way more interesting when it looks like you're throwing actual deities around the board.

9. Descent: Legends of the Dark

• Players: 1-4
• Game length: 3-4 hours

In Descent: Legends of the Dark, players embark on a dungeon crawling campaign that's going to last them 14 quests and the better part of a day if you really want to enjoy it. You choose from six distinct heroes before heading out on your adventure and can work with the game's companion app to take care of the legwork so you can roleplay and react to what monsters are? doing instead of reading everything off of a sheet.

The game has a ton of replayability thanks to its quest set, environments, and the amazing miniatures you get to pla?y with. Some of these models are massive and deserve being fleshed out with your imaginat?ion and all the colors you can dream up for their designs.

8. Bloodborne: The Board Game

• Players: 1-4
• Game length: 1.5-2 hours

It's difficult to choose between the Dark Souls and Bloodborne board games, but Bloodborne's is ever so slightly lower on overall ratings from fans. Still, this game offers you another chance to walk the streets of Yharnam as a Hunter and tackle the beasts emerging from hidden corners. The game's card-based combat system means every encounter is interesting and keeps you on your toes, pushing you to break through and uncover the mysteries of this region before encounte??ring the horrific boss monsters it has in store.

I love the characters of this universe, and the board game has some incredible miniatures for you to admire every?? time you open the box. These are truly breathtaking, though a lot of that has to be attributed to FromSoftware for designing them in the first place. Painting these will be tricky but so worth the end result when a boss fight becomes all the more terrifying for all the blood and gore you add.

7. Dark Souls: The Board Game

• Players: 1-4
• Game length: 2 hours

As if Dark Souls wasn't punishing enough, there's now a board game to throw yourself into and get completely destroyed by. The miniatures in Dark Souls: The Board Game's core se??t and every expansion are amazing, with a lot of detail on each enemy to make them look just as gross and imposing as they are in the video games.

This is a dungeon crawl board game in which player spick a character class and venture forth to tackle the enemies blocking their path. At the end of it all, as you might expect, is a big?? old boss to take down. You've got to learn how to manage your stamina and health before hitting the boss so you c?an face it without getting completely annihilated. There are a lot of systems at play in this board game, so it isn't for the faint of heart.

6. Cyberpunk 2077: Gangs of Night City

• Players: 2-4
• Game length: 2 hours

Cyberpunk 2077: Gangs of Night City is a board game heavily inspired by the video game. It's a competitive game in which players take on the roles of gang leaders in Night City. You'll recruit members and use them to complete quests. Choices really matter here and will impact the story as you play, but it's your overall Street Cred t??hat determines whether you win or not.

There are quite a few miniatures in this game, and the only thin?g that sets the??m apart is the plastic color. They could definitely do with a lick of paint to make them unique and give each gang a distinct visual style on the board.

5. HeroQuest

• Players: 2-5
• Game length: 1-2 hours

In HeroQuest, you'll tackle epic adventures as you explore monster-filled dungeon??s with four heroes who have answered the call to push back against ??evil. It's a cooperative dungeon crawler with more than 65 detailed miniatures for you to analyze while you play, if you can put them down that is.

As a group, you'll work through 14 quests in the? core game and must make tactical decisions to, hopefully, emerge victorious when all is said and done. Death can come swiftly in a dungeon, though, so you need to keep your wits about you as y??ou fight each foe and try to avoid every trap that awaits you.

4. Nemesis

• Players: 1-5
• Game length: 1-2 hours

Imagine the Alien franchise as a board game, and you're pretty close to what Nemesis feels like to play. The crew awakens from their cryo-slumber to realize one among them has been ripped? form their habitation pod, and there are disturbing noises in the vents.

You've got to choose your characters wisely because each one has a distinct set of skills that will be crucial for th?e game ah??ead. The idea is to work together as you face the alien threat and attempt to escape, but one among you has a different agenda.

Nemesis has some amazing miniatures for you to paint or leave as they are. They're incredibly detailed and keep you going wh??en mastering the comple?x mechanics and dealing with being backstabbed by that one player who always tries to screw everyone over.

3. Blood Rage

• Players: 2-4
• Game length: 1.5-2 hours

Prepare for the ultimate battle in Norse mythology with the Viking board game with miniatures Blood Rage. The goal of the game is t??o fight through ages, drawing new car??ds each time and then summon mythological beasts to help fight for control over various territories.

Spilling blood is part of the game, and the miniatures will certainly help you do that with their sharp designs. This is a board game ??with miniatures that are crying out for a good paint job, so do yourself a favor and give them some blood and warpa??int while you're customizing them for your fist game.

2. Rising Sun

• Players: 3-5
• Game length: 2 hours

Rising Sun sees players arrange their armies and fight for c?ontrol of the provinces of Japan. However, it's not all about winning the war through sheer force. The game's unique combat involves bluffing, forming alliances, and talking your way into victory just as much as having your soldiers use a sword to take it.

The miniatures in this game are absolut?ely stunning and incredibly detailed. Anyone can have hours of fun just from painting them, but getting to use them multiple times as you rope more people into playing is probably the most satisfying thing about it. Expansions are available for those who want to make more of the experience, but the core set is more than enough to get started with.

1. Star Wars Legion

• Players: 2
• Game length: 2 hours

Star Wars Legion is one of the best board games with miniatures out there. It allows you to fully immerse yourself in the Star Wars universe and control an army in some of the ultimate battles between good and evil. You can assemble your forces and drop into whatever conflict you fancy simulating, be it Hoth, Endor, or a lesser-known battle you want to ??bring into the light.

Each miniature in the box comes unpainted, ready for you to make your mark on it. The core set has everything you need to learn how to play and get hours of enjoyment from the game, but this is just the beginning you can expand the game with additional core sets and so m??uch more when you're ready to paint them up and send them out to the front lines.

The post 20 Best board games with miniatures (2024) appeared first on Destructoid.

I have always maintained that one of the most detrimental factors for modern wargame design has been the comparatively cheap rent for houses with large sitting rooms in Nottingham, England, during the late 1980s a?nd early 1990s.

With all that space available to Games Workshops�designers, it made sense to think big. This thinking would then infest the rest of the industry, and the idea that wargaming had to be done on at least a six-foot by four-foot table became way too common. Granted, this is an oversimplification of things, but it has also always been a theory I hav??e liked, and it’s ??not like I will get to say it anywhere other than at the start of this particular article, so here we are.

As a younger man, I loved? these bi??g-scale games, but these days, I prefer my wargaming to be more respectful of modern real estate costs and my time. If I can find something with a small model count and a restricted play area, then I am all in. The good news is that skirmish wargaming has never been in a better place, and there are plenty of different games and systems to choose from. This list contains some of the very best small-count miniature games on the market today.

Infinity by Corvus Belli

Infinity might just be the best skirmish game in the world right now. This is because it is, in essence, split into two games. Infinity Code One is a simpler, cut-down version of the more complex Infinity N4 rules. You could even argue that there are three versions, as buying an Operation starter kit contains two full forces, a bunch of tokens, and all the rules you need to play with them. As far as model design goes, Infinity leans hard into science fiction with magnificent arm?or?, strange creatures, lots of robots, and interesting factions that are based on plenty of?? real-world inspirations. As for the mechanics, a fantastic reaction system means you don’t just have to sit there and let enemies shoot you. Moving and taking action means exposing yourself to a potential reaction from your opponent; everything involves calculation and risk. 

This is one for fans of science fiction who don’t want to sit around and wait for their opponent to play their entire turn before they can get back into the action. Be warned; it is highly addictive and extremely well supported by Corvus Belli, who maintain a constant flow of miniature releases, along with strong support for their competitive scene. The downside is that finding other players can be tough compared to some systems, so check with your Friendly Local Gaming Store to see if they host nights or try to find local groups. Overall, Infinity can be dense, but it’s incredibly rewarding, ?and there is a reason why fans of this game are al?so extremely loyal to it. 

Arena Rex by Red Republic Games

Do you love gladiators but fear the blade? Then Arena Rex is for you. Set in a somewhat mythical place where burly men, slightly less burly women, and all manner of beasts and creatures ??can duke it out on the bl??oody sands of an arena, this fun and addictive battle system is fantastic for quick games. It walks a fine line between accessible and inviting while being very tactically deep for those who want something competitive. 

As you only need three models per side to start, and the usual team size is five miniatures each, it’s a great option for beginners or those who are shy about painting models. The rules are also available for free from the Arena Rex website. The gam??e uses a very interesting damage tree model in the attack phase, allowing players to pick a path down a tree that combines damage values and different effects. As for the miniatures them??selves, the sculpts are just beautiful. All the dynamic poses convey a real sense of violent intent that you definitely want from a game like this.

Kill Team by Games Workshop

It’s impossible to write this list for 2024 and not put Games Workshop's Kill Team on it. While there was a lot of trepidation in the Kill Team community when the new version was announced in 2021, I feel that those concerns have been alleviated over time. Kill Team is currently the best game set in the Warhammer 40K universe as the new main Warhammer game struggles to find a firm footing with a lot of players, and Necromunda is slowly falling apart under the weight of it?s own bloat. (Just one man's opinion, no need to send Kal Jericho after me!)

Kill Team is managing to stay reasonably sleek, tactically engaging, great fun to play o?r watch, and reasonably priced, for the most part. The seasonal model leaves a lot to be desired, and Games Workshop's inbuilt FOMO is all over this game, but picking up some rules and a Kill Team or two and keeping it casual results is one of the best science fiction themed tabletop experiences you can get from GW at this point in time. It can take a while to really get the flow down. There is little reason you can’t wrap up a game in under 60 minutes when you get the system memorized, but there is certainly a learning curve to get there.

Cyberpunk Red: Combat Zone by Monster Fight Club

A surprising new game that makes an entry onto our list, this licensed game from Monster Fight Club takes everything you like about Cyberpunk (the world created by Mike Pondsmith, not the overall genre) and makes it into a slick little skirmish game. A fantastically intuitive system means this one is straightforward to pick up and very rewarding for new players. Everything is?? based on colors, and your skills, dice, and measuring tools all use a Red/Yellow/Green color system to make it very obvious as to what you need to do and when.

The starter box comes with two gangs, the metal-infused Maelstrom and the slick Tyger Claws, some very solid cardboard terrain, a plastic cargo container, and everything else you need to play the game. The rounds are quick and brutal, and the rules avoid succumbing to the bloat that some designers feel gives depth, but players can find off-putting. This is highly likely to grow in popularity over the coming years, and it definitely deserves it. To make things more interesting and emotional, there is also Edgerunner's version of this game on the way, so if you want to get David and the gang back together for one last shot at becoming Night Ci????ty legends, this is your chance.

Judgement Eternal Champions by Creature Caster

Ever felt like scrapping it out to represent the interests of uncaring gods? This two-player game ??pits small bands of warriors against each other in exciting and dynamic hex-based fights that last about an hour. What makes this one really fun is that your heroes can level up while you fight, getting acce?ss to new abilities. 

Originally developed by Gunmeister Games, Creature Casture stepped in to revamp the game and rescale it to 32mm. You can also bet your last dollar that the miniature quality is through the roof, thanks to the involvement of Creature Caster, who are known for their high-quality sculpts and production techniques. This is a lot of fun, plays?? quickly, is quite tactically? deep, and you only need to drop the cash for one box if that is all you are in the mood for. That said, that starter box still has some premium pricing involved.

Relicblade by Metal King Studio

Metal King Studio is a somewhat unassuming yet accurate name for the work of Sean Sutter. A one-man band, Sutter designs his games, does all the illustrations??, and all the sculpting. This leads to a fantastically unified vision and style, and everything abou?t Sutter’s work oozes character and charm. 

Relicblade uses an interesting Action Dice system to perform actions and is yet another game on this list that is easy to ??learn yet dee?ply tactically engaging. It’s also designed to be played in a small area, on boards of just two feet by two feet, and with small miniature counts of around four, if you wish. This is another coffee table special. If you have ever wanted to finish playing out a skirmish battle between a bunch of fishermen and a wizard and his pig-men friends on your lunch break, this is likely the game for you.

Warhammer Underworlds by Games Workshop

Warhammer Underworlds is one of the best Games Workshop games out there right now, blending their traditional miniature combat with some deck-building flair. You can go ha?lves on a box with a friend and have everything you need to have exciting, character-focused battles. Assorted groups of heroes and?? villains have headed into the Wyrdhollow (although the setting changes a lot due to a seasonal-type system) to find knowledge and power and, of course, to knock lumps out of each other. 

Unlike most of Games Workshop's systems, this one is hex-based, so if you dislike open-table systems, this might be more to your liking. A recent addition called Rivals means you can just dive right in without thinking too much about the deck-building if you don’t want to. The best part is that everything is?? backward compatible. If you decide you are in love, you can grab old warbands, boxset??s, and anything else and just enjoy them without worrying too much about things, as all those warbands and maps can be used whenever you like.  

Rumors abound that Warhammer Underworlds might be reaching the end of its time as a Games Workshop offering, so if you plan on buying in, the time is now. As someone who still plays Second Edition Warhammer 40,000, and the original Necromunda, there is no reason to put down a good ruleset.

Marvel Crisis Protocol by Atomic Mass Games

While it’s usually easy to dismiss a tie-in game as being a bad idea, that’s not quite how it works in the realm of the tabletop. There are lots of fantastic games out there based on movies, comics, and books, and Marvel Crisis Protocol is a highlight of all those efforts. In Marvel Crisis Protocol, you pit differing teams of superpowered ?folks against each other. Spider-Man, Captain America, and Tony Stark can team up to take on Mr. Sinister, Magneto, and Mystique, should you wish.

The game has a massive array of different characters available, and figuring out team compositions is easy due to an affiliation system. If you get enough members from a certain affiliation into your team, you’ll even get a little bonus. Marvel Crisis Protocol is a fantastic game, but it has to be said that outside of the main core set, it is also costly. You are paying for the license on this one, with individual miniatures costing way more than you might be used to paying. Still, if you have the cash to spend and the wi??ll to win, this is a superb option.

Carnevale by TT Combat

Carnevale has?? one of the best-value two-player starter sets on the market right now. This small-scale skirmish game takes place in an alternate version of Venice. You can jump through the windows and over the waterways of some stunning Venetian architecture as deadly assassins, terrifying monsters, fabulous aristocrats, and all manner of weird and wonderful creatures. The two-player starter set comes with two gangs, along with all the cards, dice, tokens, and templates you might need. You also get some decent-quality cardboard buildings and a nice set of cardboard gaming titles that you can move around to make different maps.

Carnevale is a fun ruleset, but what the designers have really tried to do is give you a fantastic storytelling sandbox to have a lot of fun with. This is, in my opinion, one of the most slept-on skirmish games on the ??market today, and the miniatures contain incredible cha?racter for people who prefer a slight glint of the 1990s style in their minis.

Godtear by Steamforged Games

Godtear is another hex-based game in which players compete over a small map. You build teams out of preset groups of champions and their followers and can have up to three c?hampions on each team. It’s a solid game with engaging rules, and I’d consid?er it Steamforge's best game to date—yes, even better than the recently returned Guildball. 

It is both quick to prep and quick ?to play, and by the time you get to grips with the rules, it becomes a very smooth system. The ease of loaning a champion to your friends and trying out new combinations for your team is a joy. I also think the overall designs that the sculptors have gone with are interesting and result in fun to paint miniatures. Also, for folks who just don’t like having to build your miniatures, these are all single-cast characters. Starter sets come with two teams, and you can happily play the game with one team a side, making it pretty affordable to dive in and see if you even like it.

The Drowned Earth by Olmec Games

If you want to check out The Drowned Earth, you can head to the website right now, download the rules, proxy the models, and then order your faction after you finish your first game. The Drowned Earth is an incredibly fun universe ?where humanity is desperately trying to cling on in a world where they are no longer the apex p??redator.

Played on a three-foot by three-foot table, you can have a team of just five miniatures as you cavort around waterlogged levels, engaging with a rule system that has a heavy emphasis on movement and dynamic action. The Drowned Earth leans pretty heavily into risk and reward in its system, and players who are willing? to lose it all for the sake of an exciting fight and good story will find a lot to love here.

BattleTech: Alpha Strike by Catalyst Game Labs

While we all know that BattleTech is one of the premiere tabletop systems of all time, I will not wax lyrical about the hex-based system today. Instead, I will implore those of you who have yet to try this wonderful game to try the Alpha Strike box. This box will give you everything you need to play a game of BattleTech that drops the hex grids and a lot of the complexit?y, turning it into a more traditional skirmish game.

If you have been put off by it in the past, then Alpha Strike is such a reinvention of the formula that I’d argue it’s a whole different game, but it still gives you a way to engage with the amazing BattleTech universe and the wonderful sculpts. The starter set is reasonably priced and comes with everything you need for a two-player game, so there is no reason not to dive i??n with a friend.

Moonstone by Goblin King Games

Moonstone has, arguably, the best sculpts on the market right now. If you never actually play games and only ever paint, I don’t think you can find str??onger examples of charm and character than the?? incredible work that comes from Goblin King Games.

Don’t get me wrong, the game system itself is wonderful, but it’s hard to get past just how amazing the miniatures look. If you have been longing for a mix of classic fairytales and Terry Pratchett's classic Josh Kirby-era book covers, you are going to be in heaven. As for the rules, this is a really fun system that focuses more on cards and shared decks than dice, so it offers something unique to players who are looking for something interesting.  Like some other games on this list, you can download the rules for free to see what they are like.

Batman Miniature Game by Knight Models

Bat-fans who are in the mood for a fun tabletop game can jump into this effort from Knight Models and play as The World’s Greatest Detective or any of his allies as they take on the ultimate Rogues G??allery. The miniatures are ??fantastic, and even some of the more unfortunate and close to meme-worthy criminals, like Clock King and Calendar Man, have fantastic models. 

Best of all, the rule ??set works to keep things feeling rooted in the world of Batman. Bats and Boy Wonder won’t be t?anking shotgun rounds or anything like that. You’ll want to strike from the shadows and engage in tense tactical moves if you plan on bringing justice to the streets of Gotham.

Warcry by Games Workshop

A lot of folks out there would say that Warcry is Games Workshops' best game right now, and they wouldn’t be wrong. With a rule set that doesn’t get bogged down in pointless complexity, just enough control to take advantage of good luck and save you from bad, and drawing from some of the very best miniatures on the market right now, Warcry has everything going for it.

Despite recently becoming another victim of Games Workshop’s seasonal pricing model, you can still get some great starter sets. Because of the nature of the game, it is also home to some of the company's very best sculpts. Warcry blends simplicity and dynamic action to give players a fantastic experience? that w??ill keep them on their toes.

Remember, as substantial as I have tried to make this list, it is limited by my own experience as a player. I can't really speak to the quality and attracti??veness of games that I have not played, but there are hundreds more skirmish-level games out there? to spend time with. There is also a huge volume of model-agnostic games to sink your teeth into that I didn't even explore here.

The post The Best Tabletop Miniature Skirmish Gam??es To Play in 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.