Gaming Articles

Warcrow: The Miniatures Game – Models Review

Before diving into the models themselves, I want to make something clear: I love the hobby side of miniature gaming. There’s something genuinely satisfying about assembling tiny warriors, painting them up, and proudly showing them off to your friends like a dragon hoarding painted plastic instead of gold. It’s a core part of the tabletop experience for me.

That said, I’m not a perfectionist, and I’m certainly no artist. I don’t spend hours obsessing over paint blends or examining every tiny detail of a sculpt with a magnifying glass. I admire the craft, but I don’t approach it with a museum curator’s eye. If the miniatures look cool on the table and don’t fight me during assembly, I’m good.

In short, I’m a hobbyist of the “get it built, make it look nice, and play the game” variety. I want the journey from sprue to tabletop to be smooth, not soul-crushing. So when I talk about the models in Warcrow, it’s from that perspective—a practical hobbyist who values ease of assembly and visual appeal over technical perfection.

That said, I’m fully aware that a large part of the miniature gaming community loves customization, originality, and artistry, and though I may not count myself among them, I have no trouble looking out for their best interests. I know what this community is after.

The Sculpts

Let’s not kid ourselves; no one needs me to say this, but since this is a review, I’ll say it anyway: the sculpts are absolutely stunning. Honestly, they were one of the main reasons I was drawn to Warcrow in the first place. I might not fully grasp the arcane artistry that goes into sculpting miniatures, but I do know when a model looks jaw-droppingly cool, and these miniatures are showstoppers. Corvus Belli has poured fantasy, elegance, and dynamic energy into every pose and silhouette, and it shows.

The latest reveals from Corvus Belli show how they go beyond the call of duty here. The new Syenann miniatures are jaw-droppingly gorgeous.

That level of quality, though, comes with a certain intimidation factor. From the moment I opened the box, I felt a twinge of hobbyist anxiety, something I think many of us have experienced. You hold this gorgeous, hyper-detailed mini in your hand and think, I really don’t want to mess this up. And hovering somewhere in the back of your mind are the official paint jobs—those pristine, studio-quality masterpieces you know you’ll never replicate.

But that’s not the point, is it? For me, the goal is always progress. If my latest mini looks as good or better than my last one, then I’m doing just fine. Still, there’s that quiet moment before the first brushstroke, staring at a perfectly primed miniature, thinking: Okay… here we go. I hope I can pull this off.

And with models of this caliber, you want to do them justice. These aren’t the kind of minis you rush through. They’re the kind you linger over, pouring in time, patience, and every ounce of skill you’ve picked up along the way. Each one feels like a small piece of high fantasy art, practically begging you to bring its details to life. They’re exquisite, with no weak links, no lazy poses, no half-measures. Just captivating, characterful designs across the board. And painting them, while daunting, is an incredibly rewarding part of the Warcrow experience.

One of Warcrow’s biggest advantages—and something that really sets it apart—is that, with very few exceptions, every miniature you paint is a one-time deal. You’re not going to be painting duplicates. Each model brings its own unique sculpt, personality, and visual flair to your army.

One added bonus here is that a full Warcrow army amounts to around 15-20 miniatures, which in most other games would be like one or two units out of several dozen. You have fewer things to paint, so you can spend more time with what you have.

The Plastic

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no master builder, and I know even less about the nuanced world of miniature plastics. I couldn’t tell you the difference between polystyrene and PVC if you put them side by side. But I can tell you how the plastic feels to work with, and in Warcrow’s case, it’s… unique.

The best word I can come up with is “chippy”—and yes, I’m inventing that term for this review. What I mean is, you don’t really scrape mold lines, or clip excess plastic off these minis the way you might with traditional plastic kits. Filing doesn’t seem to do much, either. Instead, it’s all about precise cutting. When you hit the right spot with a sharp hobby knife or clippers, the excess plastic seems to just pop off cleanly, almost like there’s a natural break point baked into the model. The plastic, however, is quite brittle and easy to break, so if you apply too much pressure, it can and will snap, and the amount of pressure is less than you might expect.

This has its pros and cons. On the plus side, you can get very clean cuts with almost no residue, which is satisfying in a way that’s hard to explain unless you’ve done it. On the downside, if you’re even a little off, the knife might dig too deep, leaving behind a shiny scar where the plastic sheared. It’s not catastrophic, but it’s noticeable. You have to be deliberate and careful, being sure never to put too much pressure on the plastic.

Most of the miniatures are thick, well-constructed pieces that come together pretty easily. Building this commander was as simple as snapping two pieces together with a bit of glue.

Assembly-wise, the minis are mostly intuitive. Each piece has an obvious connection point, so even without instructions, you’ll rarely be left scratching your head. That said, the joints aren’t always as snug as you’d hope. I found myself shaving down some pegs or trimming the occasional edge just to get pieces to sit flush. It’s nothing major, but it does require a bit of attention.

I’d peg the overall assembly difficulty at a solid “light-medium.” There’s enough room for error that mistakes can happen, but nothing here is so fiddly that it’s frustrating. If you’ve put together any modern wargaming minis, you’ll feel right at home. In fact, compared to your average multipart sprue nightmare, Warcrow is practically a breeze.

In short, while the plastic might take a little getting used to, it’s ultimately a very workable material, especially for the average hobbyist who just wants to get models together and looking good without sweating every microscopic detail.

Units with elements that stick out like swords need to be handled carefully during the assembly processes. You don’t want to put too much pressure on the sword or anything that sticks out; it can snap very easily, as I discovered while putting this guy together.

These are mono-pose models, so your army is not going to look any different from anyone else’s other than the paint job, and I would argue there is not much room here for customization given the nature of the plastic. Especially since the way the pieces fit together aren’t split into natural joints. You don’t glue on arms, legs etc.. together. There are clean cuts that come together. For example, a torso piece with the head and part of the shoulder is glued onto the body.

Suffice to say, customization here is at the very least going to be difficult; for a hobbyist like me, I wouldn’t even attempt it. I worry and suspect that the wider hobby community, especially the kit-bashers and customizers, are going to find working with this plastic frustrating. It’s nature is to chip and break. It’s not something you want to drill, cut, or otherwise alter too much. I don’t want to say it’s impossible, but I would argue it’s not designed for it and probably not recommended.

Fragile Miniatures

I touched on this already, but it’s worth repeating: Warcrow miniatures are fragile. My gaming group and I found this out the hard way, and let me tell you: these minis do not pass the drop test. Not even close.

Now, to be fair, most miniatures aren’t exactly built to survive a tumble off the table. We all know the pain of watching a freshly painted model hit the floor. But here’s the difference: with most minis, a fall usually results in a joint popping loose—an arm comes off, a head rolls away- but it’s usually a clean fix. Just re-glue the part, and you’re back in business.

Not so with Warcrow.

Because of the somewhat brittle, “chippy” nature of the plastic, these minis don’t just separate at the glue points. Instead, they’re prone to snapping in unexpected places—mid-limb, across a weapon shaft, through delicate ornamentation. The break is likely to be clean, so fixing it, I suspect, won’t be too difficult, but obviously this can and will be a frustration players will have to contend with.

To me, this is one of the few real drawbacks of the material. The sculpting is beautiful, and the detail is incredible, but the cost of that elegance is durability. These are not minis you casually toss into a pile between games or let rattle around in a soft foam tray. They demand careful handling, thoughtful storage, and a little extra respect during transport.

In short, if you’re clumsy, have sausage fingers like me, or if your gaming table has a known gravitational anomaly, handle Warcrow miniatures like fragile relics, because they kind of are.

Missing Parts & Customer Service

Unfortunately, my Winds From the North set arrived with a small but noticeable issue: one of the miniatures was missing a hand. Now, I don’t consider this a deal-breaker. In any large-scale manufacturing and packing process, the occasional oversight is bound to happen. It’s not about whether problems arise; it’s how the company handles them that really counts.

And since I’m reviewing the product, it seemed like the perfect chance to see how Corvus Belli handles customer support.

They’ve got an online form specifically set up for missing or damaged parts, which I filled out on March 16th, 2025. The process was straightforward: describe the issue, attach a photo, and click submit. Within seconds, I received an automated confirmation email. So far, so good.

Missing parts in your toy box can let some of the wind out of your sails. The best feeling I know is when you have a problem and the customer service guys tell you, “Don’t worry, we are going to fix this for you right away.”

However, as of this writing, March 29th, a full 13 days later, I haven’t received any further communication. No follow-up, no confirmation of shipment, no “we’re on it” email. Just… silence.

I’m not here to make snap judgments, but I have to admit: I’m a bit disappointed. A simple acknowledgment or update would’ve gone a long way. At this point, I expected at least a “Hey, we’re sending out your replacement part” or some indication that the issue is being addressed.

It’s a small issue, but it left a dent in what was otherwise a very polished experience. Call me disappointed.

Painting The Miniatures

I’ll be upfront here: my motivation to paint these miniatures hasn’t quite kicked in yet. That’s not a knock on the game or the models themselves, it’s just the reality of hobby life. Painting miniatures is one of those deeply personal parts of the experience, and for me, it tends to come in waves. Sometimes, I’m painting every night like a man possessed, and other times… weeks go by with my brushes gathering dust. It mostly depends on what’s going on in my personal and work life.

That said, I did manage to get one miniature painted, which I think is enough to offer a few thoughts. To keep it simple: I had fun. And really, that’s the heart of it. Painting should be enjoyable, and this mini delivered on that front. There was nothing about these miniatures that hindered the experience, just nice, clean, easy-to-spot details and the excitement of seeing your miniature come alive with color.

I had hoped for this part of the review, I would have painted something new to show off, but I have been distracted a bit, and painting just hasn’t been in the cards, so here is my little orc I did a while back again. I think he came out great and illustrates how nice these mini look with some paint even in these novice hands.

The sculpts are highly detailed, and the quality is excellent, so there’s nothing to complain about. The miniature took paint beautifully, and I’m genuinely looking forward to diving into the rest of the army when the inspiration hits.

So while this part of the review is admittedly a bit surface-level, I’ll sum it up like this: These are great minis to paint, and when the mood strikes, I know I’ll be back at the painting table, happily working my way through them.

Conclusion

Warcrow miniatures are, without question, beautiful. They’re well-sculpted, easy to assemble, and practically beg to be painted. On visual design and accessibility alone, these models deserve a perfect score: a solid 5 out of 5.

I want to say this one more time for good measure. These miniatures are amazing, and if we are just talking aesthetics, to me, they are a perfect smash hit across the entire miniature line.

However, I feel it’s only fair to dock a few points due to one significant issue: the fragility of the plastic. The material used, while capable of capturing fine detail, is brittle and a bit too unforgiving. These are mono-pose miniatures with no alternate parts or customization options included, and it’s clear from handling them that they aren’t intended to be modified beyond the basic assembly.

Now, that’s fine for hobbyists like me—I tend to build miniatures as-is, straight from the box. But the wider miniature community thrives on creativity. Customization, kitbashing, and personal flair are not fringe aspects of the hobby; they’re central to it. And when a line of miniatures doesn’t leave room for that kind of expression, it excludes a part of the hobby that many people love.

To be clear, Warcrow is not alone in this approach; more and more companies are embracing mono-pose design and simplified builds, even giants like Games Workshop. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk about it and call it out for what it is: a reduction in options for customization. If we let customization quietly fade from the hobby space, we risk losing something valuable.

There was a time, not long ago, when you would buy a model kit and end up with a whole bunch of extra pieces. This is because optional construction was once a standard in miniature sets. More than that, kit-bashing and customization were just assumed to be part of the normal process of building miniatures.

That said, for those of us who just want to build our armies, get them painted, and get them on the table for a great game, Warcrow miniatures hit the mark. They look fantastic, they’re mostly easy to work with, and they bring a lot of character to the battlefield. They might not be for every type of hobbyist, but for many of us, they’re more than enough.

The Verdict

Final Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars!

Pros: Gorgeous miniature with fantastic dynamic poses, simple assembly, and amazing attention to detail all combine to make Warcrow the miniature game a stand-out product.

Cons: Brittle plastic makes these miniatures very fragile, no customization options, not well suited for kit-bashing and custom work.

Best of List, Hidden Gems

D&D Theory: How The OSR is Re-Writing D&D History

I count myself lucky to have lived through the golden age of tabletop role-playing—the glorious trifecta of the ‘80s, ‘90s, and 2000s. It was a time of wild imagination and fearless design. From the old-school grit of 1st Edition Dungeons & Dragons to the brooding elegance of White Wolf’s World of Darkness, from the sleek reinvention of the d20 system to the rebellious birth of the OSR—those years were, in a word, glorious.

But I was there for the hard times, too. The day TSR gasped its final breath. The strange, gamey detour of 4th Edition. And the day we lost Gary Gygax, the original Dungeon Master, the man who kicked off this beautiful madness in the first place.

It’s been a hell of a ride—but today isn’t about D&D’s past.

Today, we’re talking about the future. Specifically, the way this community—scrappy, brilliant, and unrelenting—is seizing the reins and dragging Dungeons & Dragons forward, not with bloated corporate rulebooks, but with raw creativity. Today we are talking OSR games!

Because while Wizards of the Coast seems hellbent on tarnishing the game’s legacy with one corporate faceplant after another, the real torchbearers are out here in the trenches, putting out some of the most exciting, innovative, and downright fun material the hobby’s seen in years.

So yes, we’ll throw a little well-earned shade at Wizards of the Coast. That’s dessert. But the real feast? It’s the creators. The OSR authors, artists, and designers who are resurrecting the heart of D&D with zines, hacks, modules, and games that feel like they’re alive. This is a love letter to them—and a look at the bold, weird, and wonderful future they’re building for all of us.

Let’s get into it!

What Is The OSR Really?

Let’s get some discourse out of the way for those less informed. Once upon a time, this was a pretty straightforward question. The OSR—Old School Renaissance (or Revival, depending on who you ask)—was a movement of grognards and die-hards who loved the old-school D&D systems so much, they used the Open Game License (spawned in the 3rd Edition era) to breathe new life into them. They published retro-clones, retooled classics, and sprinkled in house rules like spice on a well-worn stew.

But that was just the beginning.

Today, the OSR has evolved into something bigger, weirder, and far more powerful. It’s still about preserving the spirit of the old ways—sure. But more than that, it’s become a sandbox for unfiltered creativity. It’s where designers and dungeon masters throw off the shackles of corporate oversight, social media discourse, and sanitized storytelling. No HR departments, no focus groups, no trend-chasing. Just pure, undiluted game design.

Think of it like the indie film scene: raw, passionate, and often a little rough around the edges—but in the best possible way. The OSR is where the Tarantinos and Lynches of tabletop design hang their weird little hats, crafting games that are as bold and bloody as they are beautiful.

In a word? It’s a movement.

But more than that—it’s the movement that’s shaping the future of tabletop gaming. And, oddly enough, because of Wizards of the Coast’s seemingly inescapable inability to get out of their own way, it’s also very much the future of Dungeons & Dragons itself.

The True Catalyst – Relevance

You might look at the endless headlines—Wizards of the Coast tripping over its own feet, again and again—and think, “Ah, there it is. That’s why the community is turning away”. Sure, their shameless blunders haven’t exactly earned them any goodwill, but that’s not really the whole story.

The truth is, fans are oddly loyal. Painfully loyal. People love Dungeons & Dragons—even when they don’t love the people making it. Even when they can’t stand the current edition. There’s this almost irrational tolerance in the community. As long as Wizards of the Coasts keeps evolving their game, their first love, people are willing to grit their teeth and smile through the nonsense.

So no, the shift we’re seeing isn’t just a reaction to Wizards screwing up—though they’ve done plenty of that.

Dungeons and Dragons 2024 edition is now fully released. To quote Padme, “so this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause”. Yes, I’m being a bit dramatic!

The real problem…. the one that haunts Hasbro boardrooms like a slow, creeping death… is relevance.

You see, for all its drama and divisiveness, every edition of D&D up until now brought something new. Something big. Each version was both an evolution and a revolution. First and Second Edition laid the foundation for the OSR and that gritty old-school feel. Third Edition gave us tactical depth and rules mastery not to mention the OGL, spawning entire empires like Pathfinder and Castle & Crusades. Even Fourth Edition, the black sheep, gave rise to bold designs like 13th Age and, more recently, MCDM’s Draw Steel. Fifth Edition opened the floodgates to mainstream success and spin-offs as well, but it also gave birth to Critical Role, which opened up millions of creative minds to the world of storytelling possibilities.

Love them or hate them, every edition mattered.

Until now.

Enter the 2024 Edition. D&D’s big 50-year celebration. A chance to show the world that the game still has teeth and that Wizards of the Coast still leads the most prolific franchise in gaming.

And what do we get? A rebrand. A soft reboot. A product that feels neither evolutionary nor revolutionary—just… there. Polished, sure. But also sanitized, safe, and stifled by corporate oversight and performative politics. It’s a game trying to be all things to all people, and in doing so, has managed to feel like nothing at all.

It landed with a whimper. A shrug. A yawn and we are all left holding this hefty, overpriced book wondering… is this it?

Unlike during the Fourth Edition era, when choices were limited and OSR was still in its scrappy youth, the landscape has changed. The OSR has exploded into a kaleidoscope of systems, zines, hacks, and heart-pounding one-shots. What was once a trickle is now a flood. If anything, we’ve gone from too few options to so many that you’ll need a torchbearer just to navigate the shelves.

But, enough prelude. You’re caught up. That’s what’s happening in D&D, a whole lot of nothing and the OSR is here to save the day.

I have made a list like the following before. see this article back in 2021, but here are five more awesome OSR games paving the way for the future of tabletop RPG’s.

Shadowdark

I knew, without a flicker of doubt, that when I reached this point in the article, Shadowdark had to take the lead. From the wildly imaginative mind of Kelsey Dionne, founder of The Arcane Library, Shadowdark isn’t just an OSR game, it’s the answer to the question: What if classic Dungeons & Dragons were designed today, with modern sensibilities but old-school soul?

This game doesn’t merely pay homage to the golden age of RPGs; it resurrects it, reforged in the fires of streamlined design and accessible play. It’s a masterclass in how to respect the past without being shackled by it. Everything about Shadowdark screams purpose- it’s a true dungeon crawler, built from the torchlight up to emphasize danger, tension, and immersive play.

And yet, it’s more than that.

It’s intuitive to run, brilliantly supported by Kelsey and her team, and evolving fast. The game’s Kickstarter success is the stuff of legends, raising over a million dollars in a single day for its upcoming expansion. That’s not just popularity; that’s momentum. And with that momentum comes growth. The system that began as a love letter to torchlit corridors and lurking horrors is now expanding into a full-fledged, grimdark world rich with lore, cultures, monsters, and mystery.

I’m super psyched for this one, it’s very high on my must play list, and I’m certain I’m not the only one if that Kickstarter is any indication.

Mörk Borg

Designed by Pelle Nilsson & Johan Nohr, two guys from my neck of the woods (Sweden), this one falls into the category of a little bit creepy, a little bit gonzo style RPG. While the game is rules light, it has a considerable amount of crunch to it’s combat with a rather viceral doom metal approach to its world design.

In essence, you’re playing in a world that is ending, living out your last days in a brutal and nihilistic setting that forgives your sins but shows you no quarter. It’s full of amazing art and takes a very direct, pick-up-and-play approach that doesn’t feel “one-shotty” thanks to having meat on the bones where it counts and an awesome, addictive grimdark world. Read all about it HERE.

Castles and Crusades

Imagine what would happen if Gary Gygax made a 3rd edition of Dungeons and Dragons using modern game design techniques, that in a word is Castles & Crusades. A game that takes all of the modern mechanics and streamlining of 3rd edition but with 1st and 2nd edition AD&D sensibilities. That is what the work of Stephen Chenault and his brother Davis Chenault from Troll Lord Games gave us. A true and pure gift.

Castles & Crusades is a reasonably crunchy, yet distinctively Dungeons and Dragons in what I think is probably one of the truest and most honest attempts to re-write Dungeons and Dragons edition history. In so many ways, this is the real 3rd edition of Dungeons and Dragons. Everything you think D&D is, is in here but without all the nonsense Wizards of the Coast put us through in the last few editions of the game. Pure, unfiltered Dungeons and Dragons!

The amazing thing is that it’s a free game, you can get it here and check it out yourself.

Dolmenwood

I have talked a lot in the past about Old School Essentials, having run the game for the better part of 3 years in a single campaign. It is an awesome system that is essentially a Dungeons and Dragons construction kit, but also, when you get right down to it, it is effectively classic B/X 1st edition D&D.

Dolmenwood takes that base and builds upon it an entire setting with a very focused playstyle geared towards exploration of the world but also of an underlining history and story of the setting. Gavin Norman, the creator of both Old School Essentials and Dolmenwood, is probably one of my favorite OSR designers because he has an uncanny sense of order and organization, understanding the base principle of creating content and systems for the practical exercise that is playing a tabletop game.

Bringing that same approach that made Old School Essentials such a pure joy to run and applying it to a setting is exactly what I hoped to find when my Kickstarter PDF’s arrived. This is an excessively easy game to prepare, a vast setting with tremendous attention to detail that is easy to access thanks to this amazing organization and, most of all, absolutely inspiring writing.

I can’t wait to run this game for my friends because I know that this sort of attention to story and detail is exactly what my players crave. They love stories that break expectations, that are based on the characterization of a unique world, and most of all, they love long campaigns that they can lose themselves to.

Hyperborea

Of all the games on this list, Hyperborea is perhaps the most likely to have had an affair with old school 1st edition Dungeons and Dragons. There is clear Dungeons and Dragons DNA burned deeply into this game, and perhaps not surprising given it comes from the creative mind of Jeff Talanian, a known Gygax collaborator.

This game is heavily influenced by Appendix N, the famed list of pulp fiction upon which Dungeons and Dragons was based, but it’s clear from the setting design that Robert E. Howard’s Conan was among the author’s favorite.

You live in a decaying civilization where magic has gone terribly wrong in what I can only describe as a savage mix between Mad Max and High Fantasy. Grim, moody, and overflowing with danger, in Hyperborea, life is cheap, and your characters are less heroes and more survivors as you navigate your way through the primeval denizens that populate this setting. It’s a fantastic game with a big focus on the creation of unique fantasy characters that will undoubtedly break the expectations of even the most veteran tabletop groups.

Conclusion

Ok that’s it for today, hopefully, you found something on this list to explore. There is no question that there are far more games that deserve mention here; trimming this list down to five took considerable restraint. Perhaps I will do another one of these in the near future.

Gaming Articles, On The Table

Warcrow Wednesday: March Madness Continues

It was Wednesday…on Wednesday, which means it was Warcrow night once again as Warcrow March Madness continues!

I originally considered writing another detailed after-action report, much like my last article. But as I continue working on parts 2 (Miniatures) and 3 (Gameplay) of this review, I found myself less fixated on the play-by-play of my latest match and more enthralled by the bigger picture that is the miniature game Warcrow. Instead of diving into the nitty-gritty tactical breakdowns, I want to step back and reflect on what’s hitting for me in Warcrow—and what is not based on this last session.

The Miniatures

The deeper I go into Warcrow, the more admiration I gain for the miniatures. With each session, my appreciation for their craftsmanship and artistry grows. These aren’t just game pieces (obviously); they’re stunning, dynamic sculptures brimming with character and detail. To be expected from a miniature game, but not all miniature games make such a grand effort.

As my gaming group steadily brings their miniatures to life with paint, the battlefield is transforming before my eyes. Gone are the stark, gray figures of an unpainted army—now, vibrant colors and intricate details are emerging, adding a whole new dimension to the experience. It’s inspiring, to say the least. In fact, seeing the work of my fellow gamers has sparked an itch in me to finally dive into painting my own force.

I have to admit, I have been hesitant to start, partially intimidated by the level of detail of these miniatures, but perhaps also a bit undecided about the paint schemes and approach I want to take. It’s part of the process for me personally, but I find that the best way to get excited about painting is to play and Wednesday’s session I think was the push I needed.

I’ll be showcasing my personal painting progress in the next part of this review (which, fingers crossed, should be out next week). But before that, I have to take a moment to highlight the incredible work my friends have already done.

For a miniature gamer, setting up some beautifully painted miniatures like this for a photo-op is one of the joys in life. To see an army coming together is very satisfying. These guys look amazing on the table.
Here is another one from a different angle.

The First Chink In The Armor

For any miniatures game, the figures are tiny works of art that we meticulously build, paint, and cherish. Naturally, protecting them is a top priority. We treat these plastic warriors like priceless relics, handling them with care and storing them with caution. But no matter how careful you are, one universal truth remains: at some point, you’re going to drop one.

And that’s exactly what happened tonight. Almost as if fate had scripted it, this accidental drop led me straight to a crucial question I would have had to address in my review anyway: How durable are Warcrow miniatures? Unfortunately, the answer—spoiler alert—is not very durable at all.

I’ve handled my fair share of miniatures over the years so I have a basis for comparison, and I’ve dropped plenty in the process (curse these sausage fingers). But what I witnessed tonight was something else entirely. One of our orc miniatures took a minor tumble—barely a foot and some change of the ground, a distance that would unlikely result in damage in most plastics—and the results were rather distressing. The model didn’t just chip or crack; it nearly shattered. The sword flew in one direction, and the arm quite literally broke and flew off in another, leaving us scouring the floor for ten minutes to recover the pieces. These weren’t just connection point breaks, these were actual cracks in the plastic.

Now, I get it—miniatures are delicate. We’re used to gluing the occasional broken limb back on. But Warcrow minis seem to take fragility to a whole new level. In a word, Warcrow miniatures are about as fragile as glass. If you drop it, it’s going to break.

This lack of durability is a disappointing flaw in an otherwise gorgeous product. Miniatures in a wargame need to withstand at least the occasional mishap, and Warcrow’s plastic seems to have little room for error. If you plan on playing with these figures, consider extra precautions such as avoiding adding extra weight to the bases in hopes of slowing the acceleration towards terminal velocity and oblivion.

The War Of Tricks In Warcrow

With disaster averted (thanks to a well-timed intervention from the holy elixir of miniature wargaming—super glue), it was finally time to hit the table. I stuck with my tried-and-true list from last Wednesday: The Hegemony of Embersig, led by the indomitable Drago The Anvil. Why? Because familiarity breeds confidence—and let’s be real, Drago is an absolute badass and so far as Warcrow is concerned I am not.

Commanders in Warcrow aren’t just decorative centerpieces; they’re the backbone of your army, influencing both mechanics and morale. Drago is no exception. His global willpower boost keeps my forces steady, and he’s no slouch in combat either.

This time, I faced off against the Scions of Yaldabaoth again, but with a vastly different list than my previous encounter. Gone were the regeneration-heavy swarms; instead, my opponent brought a more aggressive, tricksy force—one loaded with unpredictable mechanics. And that’s precisely what I want to talk about today.

“Trickiness” might not be an official term in wargaming, but it fits Warcrow like a glove. This isn’t a game where success boils down to raw numbers—where my unit’s attack power simply contends with yours. No, Warcrow is about clever positioning, debilitating effects, and outmaneuvering your opponent at every turn.

Every unit is unique, bringing more to the table than just stats and weaponry. Sure, there are more “standard” units like Bucklermen, but that’s not the norm. Most units come with distinct mechanics that demand strategic deployment. This means you’re not just lining up soldiers and rolling dice to see who wins—Warcrow is about using each unit’s quirks to maximum effect.

One of the things that attracts me to Star Wars Shatter Point besides my love for Star Wars, is that it too has that tricksiness aspect to it. I find that the more I play modern miniature games like Shatterpoint and Warcrow, the more I see the flaws of more traditional war games which can and often do boil down to your ability to roll dice well.

Holding objectives is a core element of Warcrow, but don’t expect a simple game of “park a unit and claim the point.” Objectives are hard to reach, harder to hold, and require some serious tactical footwork. I found in my match that I considered myself lucky when I scored points at all. When I outscored my opponent in a round, I knew I had truly outplayed them. It was not dice gods, but my brain working overtime that made it happen and I appreciate the game making this high-functioning idiot feel smart

I found that in our match the game naturally built toward a breaking point, which I think is going to turn out to be true about most games of Warcrow. At some stage towards the end of the match, one side inevitably wears down and outmaneuvers the other, with flanks collapsing, and the score diverging. Until then, the matches in Warcrow are tense, grinding battles of attrition—almost reminiscent of trench warfare, where every inch of the battlefield is fiercely contested. But again, less so because of actual melee’s and more like Jedi’s showing off their force powers in a display of fancy tricks on the field of battle.

This is something crucial to understand about Warcrow I think. Many of us dive into wargaming for the thrill of chucking handfuls of dice, unleashing devastation, and watching miniatures explode in a glorious spectacle of destruction (myself included). But Warcrow isn’t that kind of game. It’s deliberate, methodical, and deeply tactical—closer to chess than a war. I think it’s the general approach of modern game design.

Warhammer 40k is an example of a true war game. There are important individuals on the field and sure, plenty of units have special abilities too, but primarily this is a game of killing as much as you can. It’s a war and its resolved with dice!

In fact, rolling dice in Warcrow is often not about damage at all. Instead, dice rolls tend to more frequently be made to activate unique abilities, spells, or tactical effects that influence the battlefield in far more meaningful ways than simply punching an enemy model. Sure, charging into a fight and throwing hands is satisfying and certainly a part of Warcrow, but the true power of your army lies in leveraging debuffs, control effects, and positional advantages. The goal isn’t to kill so much as it is to position and score on objectives

In many miniature games, every unit is essentially an instrument of destruction. Warcrow flips that on its head. Here, your army is a finely tuned machine of unique and interesting effects, where victory isn’t dictated by who has the bigger gun, but by who makes the smarter play. I know I’m going to sound like the Monopoly guy, but it’s a more sophisticated miniature game for gentlemen and scholars.

Conclusion

This week’s game further opened my eyes to the possibilities within the design space of Warcrow. There is quite a bit to explore and I can see even now as I assess and think about the game, I still feel like a complete newbie. There are a lot of layers yet to peel back, but Warcrow Madness is not over yet. In fact, I fully suspect that Warcrow April Madness is going to be a thing.

Gaming Articles, On The Table

Warcrow Wednesday: After Action Report

Last night, our gaming group dove headfirst into our new Warcrow routine, which is lovingly called Warcrow Wednesday. I took my first crack at an actual game of Warcrow taking a break from my extended deep dive into the lore the last couple of weeks. As one might expect with the novelty of a new game I was super excited to play and now to write about it afterwards. While it was well past my bedtime, I thought a quick after-action report and a first impressions article were in order while everything was relatively fresh in my mind.

Our battlefield was a mix of ruins with one raised platform smack in the center of the table and a river flowing off to the left. Most of the important fighting took place over the central objective at least until the final moments of the battle.

I’m not going to mince words here, from a sheer fun factor and gaming experience perspective Warcrow blew the bloody doors off the hinges. Don’t get me wrong, I have no idea if it’s a good game from an objective standpoint or whether it’s balanced or any of that. That sort of more detailed assessment is going to take a lot of games and some serious deep diving into the gameplay to figure out which will be the focus of my final article and review for the game. That said, just from a, did I enjoy myself perspective, my reflex reaction is… it was awesome!

There are a number of reasons that shape this first impression, but on a high-overview level, the game was intuitive, highly tactical, tight as nails, and awesomely cinematic.

Diving In

We didn’t ease in with a simplified tutorial or starter game and we probably should have just to get a feel for the game, but my gaming crew is made up of seasoned gamers and even though it was my first go at Warcrow, we just jumped straight into building full warbands and playing a full game.

I took command of the Hegemony of Embersig, while my opponent unleashed the Scions of Yaldabaoth, a twisted horde of undead monstrosities.

My warband was a wild mix of units. I had the Bucklermen, a sort of mainline unit that I realized would have the primary mission of holding objectives and holding the battle line with their exceptional defense capabilities. Aggressors powered by a War Surgeon were geared towards a more assertive direct assault though they would end up playing a much smaller role in the fighting than I initially planned for them.

My Aggressors were clearly destined for great things, they are a powerful unit capable of dishing out serious damage, but in my first game, I found them to be completely out of position pretty much always, a mistake I won’t make again.

I had twin elves (whose names escape me), that are designed to work together, one mage and the other a sort of protector. I’m fairly sure I did not leverage these characters to their fullest potential, but they would turn out to play a major role in the battle just the same thanks largely to the mage’s battlefield control magic and his twin brother’s very impressive battle stats.

I had a dwarf with deployable robots that didn’t do much most of the battle but became fairly significant towards the end game as my opponent and I fought to control and score on objectives in the final round.

I had a mage named Frostfire Herald who I intended to be sort of my “sneak into the backline and steal enemy objectives guy”, as he was quite fast but he ended up spending the entire fight just watching the fight from the bleachers. I just had too many priorities in the main battle, this mage’s secondary mission was a luxury I just couldn’t afford.

The army was led by Drago the Anvil, whose passive abilities were critical to my success though he managed to pitch in considerably in the fighting in all three rounds.

I had a couple of other characters in there as well, honestly, it’s hard to remember them all, but all and all, compared to my component I think I had almost twice as many units as he did.

Which brings me to one of my first great discoveries in Warcrow. There are no initiative “issues” in the game and weird advantages because you have more units than your opponent. Each player gets 5 activations per round regardless of how many units you have and while there are benefits and drawbacks to having more or less units, it didn’t unbalance the gameplay either way. I can tell you from tons of experience that initiative and army size balance are major problems in almost every miniature game I have ever played, it was nice to have that complaint eliminated in Warcrow.

Both my opponent and I took a pretty straightforward, “go up the middle” strategy, partially because the center objective was the only objective reachable by either of us in the first round, but also because the terrain sort of created a funnel towards the middle. It was a setup for what would become a major fight over the center.

The game’s character/unit design made everything excessively intuitive, despite the depth of abilities and mechanics of each unit and character. Warcrow presents information clearly and efficiently—iconography, abilities, and unit roles all feel transparent. The only issue I had was that the font on the cards was so bloody tiny that even with my brand-new super glasses I had to strain pretty hard to read the cards.

You know when a modern iPhone can’t take a clear picture, it’s too bloody small. Unless you have perfect 20/20 vision, reading these cards is going to be a pain.

Sure, I missed tactical opportunities and I’m certain I did not use my units to their full potential just by the fact that I was so new to the game, but I had no trouble understanding what each unit did, what their role in the game was and/or how to use them.

The only exception in our deployment was this guy who decided to go on the right flank and threaten my home objectives. It would prove to be a critical decision for my opponent as it worked as a major distraction for me. I had to deal with this threat, there was no ignoring it.

I think the game is very well organized and the structure of the turns flowed smoothly. It only took me a couple of activations to get a sense of the mechanics and my units, all of which drove the game forward. I immediately found myself looking for combos and making key tactical decisions without a lot of questions or confusion. The game went from setup and rules explanations to legitimately good gameplay in a matter of about an hour.

High Octane

What struck me most wasn’t just the clarity—it was the intensity of the gameplay. From the very first activation, every decision felt critical. Warcrow doesn’t have downtime; there’s no point where the game drags or loses momentum. Every action, every move, every ability used matters.

When we finished the deployment and it was time to make the first moves, one thing you realize right away is that the entire game has this tense time pressure. 15 moves, that’s all you get and the game is over! You gotta make it count.

Mathematically, each player gets 15 activations across three scoring rounds regardless of how many units you field—which means there’s zero room for wasted moves. This is a game about efficiency and optimization, where every decision carries weight. It never felt like I was just “going through the motions” or had spare time—each round felt like the final act of a high-stakes battle and there was never an activation in which the decision of what I must do was easy. There were drawbacks and benefits, risks and rewards for every action.

In a word the entire game was rather stressful and tense, it never let up.

Cinematic Feel

When we first started playing I had the sense that the game was very tactical, very regimented, and that it would not have that cinematic flavor of games like Warhammer 40k or Battletech. I was expecting a larger focus on mechanical execution, something you might see in games like Star Wars Shatterpoint or Star Wars Armada. What I didn’t expect is for the game to unfold in a cinematic way. Despite the game’s mechanically tight gameplay, it created a lot of great moments that felt like they were right out of an action movie.

At one point, my commander charged a grotesque, multi-mouthed abomination—only to get slapped across the battlefield and dumped into a river. It was a disaster. It was awesome and just felt great. It not only instantly changed my priorities and altered the face of the battle, but I felt a sense of urgency to get payback. I know there were objectives to control and points to score but my commander had just gotten knocked down on his ass and I needed payback! Win or lose as long as I got the chance to choke the life out of that multi-mouthed bastard, I was satisfied, and taking him down with a massive counterattack a couple of activations later felt so satisfying!

Warhammer 40k has a lot of flaws as a game, but no one will ever convince me that it’s not epic and cinematic game, driven by narrative and lore. That foundation is key to the success of the game and while I know people play it competitively, I’ve never understood why as it makes a very poor competitive game. 40k is a narrative and cinematic game first and foremost. GW, the makers of Warhammer 40k have never been able to convince their own audience of that despite decades of trying.

Feel-good moments like that weren’t rare. The dice told their own story despite any tactical shenanigans and it was very clear to me that while there are very tight competitive mechanics here, the experience was going to be shaped by events and twists that weren’t fully in my control. Last-minute heroics, epic successes and failures, clever moves, and sneaky tactics, are all part of this game.

It’s not just a well-crafted game—it’s a battlefield alive with tension, strategy, and moments you’ll remember long after the dice have settled which is exactly what I’m looking for in a game. There is a good reason why games like 40k are so popular. We spend so much time preparing and painting our mini’s, lovingly giving them personalities in our minds and what we want is for them to do something awesome on the battlefield rather than just being part of a cold mechanic. Warcrow achieves this in much the same way as some of my favorite miniature games, but it does it with well-governed and structured mechanics. You get the best of both worlds, a strong competitive mechanic and a great cinematic feel.

The Relief

I have to say that I’m super relieved. My biggest fear of taking on a big game review like this aside from the potential of being disappointed by the lore is playing a new miniature game for the first time and discovering that I hate it. I know it’s weird, but I hate reviewing games I don’t like and I’m always preparing myself for disappointment so to find out after the first play that the game is good and fun, is like a big pressure release.

As a huge fan of the Masters of the Universe franchise, when I sat down to play the miniature game for the first time I was super nervous because I wanted it to be good desperatetly. Discovering that it was a great game was such a relief!

Now I can relax and sort of enjoy the experience, write my articles and know that while I’m sure I’ll find a few flaws here and there, overall, it’s going to be a positive experience and I don’t have to worry.

Conclusion

While the lore is great and the first impression was exceptional, it still remains to be seen whether this game has the legs for a long-term experience. It’s very difficult to see it through a lens of novelty and games can be exceptionally deceptive. There have been plenty of games I was super excited for after the first play that would come to disappoint me, so while I’m relieved that the initial experience was great, its time now to start deep diving into this game to see if it has that lasting appeal and long term replayability.

Ultimately our game was a 6-6 draw. We fought bitterly to the end with lots of movement shenanigans in the final moments. I mostly blame the wizard lurking in the shadows, he was supposed to be my secret weapon but managed to achieve a grand total of zero. I wish I was more aggressive with him, I think it would have put me over the edge.

To me while lore is a major precursor, the truth is that I can enjoy the lore of a game and not play it that much, case in point, Warhammer 40k. I play it a few times a year, but most of my time with 40k is spent reading books, painting miniatures and just enjoying the atmosphere. Whether I play the game or not is not that big of a deal.

To really nail “it” a game has to have that ineffable addictive quality that makes you obsess about list building and coming up with new strategies and all that fun stuff.

Next, I plan to build some minis and do some painting to see how that side of the game works, but from this point forward I will be simultaneously trying to get as many games in as I can in preparation for that all-important gameplay review. We are just about in the middle of March so there is still plenty of Warcrow March Madness to go!

Gaming Articles, On The Table

Warcrow: In Action!

This month, my local gaming club has fully embraced Warcrow, not just because I’ve been covering it here, but because the excitement is genuinely electric. Everyone is diving in—discussing strategies, assembling miniatures, painting their forces, and, of course, battling it out on the tabletop. The buzz is undeniable!

Since we’re in full Warcrow March Madness mode, I thought it would be the perfect time to share some snapshots of all the action—games in progress, beautifully painted minis, and the passion fueling this new adventure. Enjoy the collage!

Every club, no matter where you go has that one guy who has all the terrain! This is a pre-battle setup and a small taste of the sort of battlefield setups we are seeing for Warcrow.
Collections are growing rapidly and there is a lot of high quality painting taking place. Much of these collections are subsidized by Warcrow the Adventure game which our group is also into.
We already have one player fully committed to The Northern Tribes, but Warcrow is kind of unique in that players aren’t really “picking an army and sticking to it”. I suspect we are going to have players that have warbands more than one different faction per player.
While the factions are still being released, if you have bought into the Wascrow Adventure game you have out of the box a pretty large Scions of Yaldabaoth force.
The Scions come with some gorgeous models with tons of big scary monsters. It’s going to be exciting to see a full painted force on the table of these monstrosities.
Even grey and unpainted these miniatures look amazing and it’s not hard to imagine what they will look like once everyone is fielding painted armies!
It is common in our little gaming club to post your work in progress to both inspire and impress, if this is any indication of the sort of painting we are going to see for Warcrow, it’s going to look amazing when it all comes together.

Warcrow fever has officially gripped my gaming group—we’ve even declared Wednesdays as Warcrow Game Day! The excitement is palpable, the dice are rolling!

As I dive into the second part of my review—The Miniatures—I’m also taking every opportunity to get some games in for the final segment: The Gameplay. And I have to say, right now, we’re in that golden honeymoon phase—where everything feels fresh, exciting, and full of potential.

But as a veteran gamer with four decades under my belt, I know this feeling well. That initial surge of enthusiasm is intoxicating, but it can rapidly fade. The real test is what comes after the novelty wears off. Will Warcrow settle into our gaming routine and become a permanent fixture, or will it be just another passing storm?

Some games stick, some games don’t—and the reasons are often unpredictable. A Song of Ice and Fire was a mainstay for quite a while, but CMON’s lackluster support slowly eroded our interest. We loved Star Wars: Armada, but its rigid design meant that list-building often determined the winner before the first maneuver dial was set. Even Warhammer 40k, with all its clunky mechanics, endures—not because it’s a flawless game, far from it, but because its deep lore and immersive hobby elements keep players coming back for more.

Star Wars Armada is one of the games I miss the most. It wasn’t perfect, but it was Star Wars Capital Ship combat and frankly, that just speaks to me. It’s just unfortunate that the game is so static, that list building is such a make it or break component of gameplay.

So where does Warcrow fit into all this? It’s too soon to say. Games live and die by their long-term appeal, the community, and the support they receive as well as the ineffable x-factor that some games just have. But one thing’s for sure—our group is giving Warcrow a real chance to prove itself. And if I had to bet, I’d say its stunning miniatures and intriguing lore will be the key to keeping the fire burning.

Time will tell, but for now, Warcrow Game Day is in full swing, and we’re loving every moment of it.

Dedicated To All Things Gaming