Games Workshop have started to share some more details on the new Spearhead Gamemode that you can use to get started with Warhammer Age Of Sigmar. Based on the Spearhead (and Vanguard) boxed sets available for various factions, you'll be able to dive in and play a game over the course of lunchtime (apparently).

Spearhead // Warhammer Age Of Sigmar

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At the core of Spearhead is the idea that you can play a balanced game of Warhammer Age Of Sigmar right out of the Spearhead/Vanguard box. We heard similar rumblings with Combat Patrol when it was announced but Games Workshop have really gone hard on the idea that these Spearhead sets are balanced against each other and there's lots of playability within the range.

Played out on a smaller battlefield (30″ x 22.4″ - why can't we have nice easy measurements), you will take your two Spearhead forces and battle it out on the tabletop with the use of tweaked Warscrolls and rules for your faction and the Spearhead gamemode.

Vanguard/Spearhead Boxed Sets // Warhammer Age Of Sigmar

Because the different boxed sets for the various factions come with a myriad of different units ranging from the rank and file through to the super-elite, factions have been balanced with new special rules and new mechanics. For example, the Stormcast Eternals Spearhead set comes with the powerful Yndrasta and her Annihilators that would crush pretty much anything early in the game.

Battle Traits Example // Warhammer Age Of Sigmar

To help balance things, they now have the Battle Trait above which means that Yndrasta and the Annihilators don't get set up until the third battle round (there are four rounds in a Spearhead game). This means that you'll have to hold your own with your army before your reinforcements arrive.

Talking of reinforcements, this is a new rule that will apply to certain units in Spearhead. You can see it here in the top right corner of the Clanrats Warscroll for Spearhead.

Clanrats Spearhead Warscroll // Warhammer Age Of Sigmar

A reinforcement unit can be set up again on the battlefield during your movement phase, coming onto the battlefield in your deployment area to aid your allies. This means that those Spearhead armies that have a lot of weak infantry get to have another day in the sun. A reinforcement unit can't be reinforced again so once it has died a second time, it's gone. Make use of that respawn!

These Warscrolls also show off the way in which Games Workshop has simplified them for Spearhead.

Magister Spearhead Warscroll // Warhammer Age Of Sigmar

The core statistics of your units don't change but you will see tweaks to some of their abilities and in the case of magic, spells are instead made an innate part of your Warscroll. In the example above, Bolt Of Change is turned from one of several spells you can cast to a single spell that acts like an ability.

That will then change in the full game where the Magister will get access to a full suite of spells. The Clanrats will also lose their Reinforcements trait and instead gain an ability on their weapon.

All in all, this sounds quite good. I enjoyed Combat Patrol despite some of its failings but I am eager to give Spearhead a go as well, especially because of the amount of time they have said they have spent playtesting it. I have my Cities Of Sigmar sitting in waiting, ready to be painted up for the new edition of the game.

Games Workshop also noted that the launch box for the new edition will come with two complete Spearhead forces (for Skaven and Stormcast Eternals I assume). You'll also get terrain, a double-sided board with printed objective markers and a pack of cards to get you started. There will also be the new hardcover rulebook containing the core rules, the Spearhead battlepack and the rules for every single Spearhead in the game. These rules will then be made available later as a free download after the launch set is released.

Does this sound like good news to you? Will you be giving it a try?