This weekend saw one of the first outings for Armoured Clash, the new game from Warcradle Studios set in the Dystopian Age. Wargamers were able to get their hands on the game and learn a bit more about it ahead of its release later this year as well as seeing the gorgeous new miniatures Warcradle have been working on.

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If you missed out on our UK Games Expo coverage, make sure to check out the video HERE where Gerry got to talk with the design team and Parker about bringing the game to life.

What Is Armoured Clash?

Armoured Clash, at its core, is a 10mm scale miniature wargame set in the Dystopian Age. The aim is to allow players to dive into epic battles where ranks and ranks of brave infantry are supported by squadrons of rumbling tanks, all in the shadow of huge landships. The game makes use of an alternating activation system which means you're always going to be involved and a neat dice system which allows for multiple variables at once. This makes games quick to play whilst still retaining a lot of the tactical decision-making that people love about their tabletop games.

What's quite nice about the game and something that Parker talked about in the video link above is that weapons and therefore units have guns that work particularly well against specific targets. An infantryman isn't going to be able to bring down a hulking great tank for example with just their standard firearm! This then ties into the combat rating system where the team have tried to make things "less spikey". This allows you to get rerolls to your attacks rather than simply drowning an opponent in a handful of dice.

There is also an element of command and control in Armoured Clash. If you're familiar with the mechanics of Wild West Exodus or Dystopian Wars, you can make use of the Command & Conquest Deck which allows you to issue commands with bonuses OR score victory points. This offers some nice flexibility options for tactical gameplay.

As it stands though, whilst Armoured Clash takes place in the same setting as Dystopian Wars with the same themes and tone, it is its own, unique game with a whole new ruleset. At its heart, it is a great way to play out huge battles in a post-steam-powered world, aiming to create a smooth play experience with an epic feel.

There is a lot more to come about the specifics of Armoured Clash and gameplay that we're going to be exploring over the coming months ahead of release.

Which Factions Are Included In Armoured Clash?

Armoured Clash will eventually feature the same factions as currently available in Dystopian Wars. This means that if you're a loyal follower of the British Crown or the Celestian Empire then you'll be able to represent your faction on the field of battle. This also provides you with an opportunity to try out something different and explore an alternative playstyle or aesthetic since we're leaving the sea behind and heading inland.

The Crown // Armoured Clash

The Empire // Armoured Clash

To start with, you'll be able to take on the role of The Crown or The Empire on the tabletop with one of two faction starter sets. They have been designed as a good starting point for one player to get a hefty army for playing out your epic-scale games. The artwork is looking very impressive indeed and as you'll have seen here, the early shots of the miniatures look like they're going to be really fun to paint as well!

Where Does Armoured Clash Fit Into The Narrative?

In Dystopian Wars, naval warfare represents conflict happening away from the populous of various nations. This could mean conflict over trader routes and faraway colonies that are dominated by the Great Powers. In Armoured Clash, all of this comes a lot closer to home and the battlefields might quite literally be the homes and workplaces that the people used to spend their days in. This means more people have become aware of the struggle across the world and recruitment is on the rise.

Whilst this doesn't represent a world war as we'd know it, it does mean that more and more people are signing up to protect their national assets and a sense of state pride is being encouraged, whichever power you're deciding to play as.

The schism at the heart of the Enlightened is involving more of their Peers as the Custodians try to tighten their grip on their engineering uniqueness and the Egalitarians try to claim it for the people. Colonies of the Great Powers are finding themselves attacked by those with larger forces in the area as borders are being tightened and expanded. Tension is in the air of the Dystopian Age.

Things are starting to get to boiling point and this provides you with a fascinating space to play our big battles on the tabletop.

Are you going to be keeping a close eye on Armoured Clash?

Disclosure: OnTableTop and its companies are part of the group of companies owned and operated by Wayland Games Ltd since 12/10/2020