Crypt of Blood is the new Warcry starter set, and is firmly targeted at introducing new players to the game. The box contains everything you need to start playing!
The Set
In terms of product design this is an interesting set. You get two (previously released) warbands with the only new plastic component being the terrain – which is a single sprue. There is an accompanying book that breaks down playing Warcry in very simple – and I mean simple – terms. One battleplan teaches movement, the next fighting, etc. There are seven battleplans that move you towards the full game experience. The prerequisite tokens, ruler, dice, and playmat are contained in the box as well.
The set also includes the Warcry rules, which are also available online for free. The fluff and rules section includes a section on building a terrain collection, and even has a page about collecting for display; acknowledging that a lot of people buy GW products to paint and display rather than play.
This is very clearly an introductory and learning set. That fact will likely upset some people who are not the target audience of this box. The target audience is more likely to be people new to gaming or skirmish gaming, who need gentle easing into the game. As a product doing that, it’s great. The box has enough to teach the basics, breaks down how to play the games, and given there is a range ruler on the counter sheet and the models are push fit, contains everything you need to play the game. It’s not the full game. It’s not trying to be the full game – but it occupies the same niche as the 40k Intro box.
The rulebook also has a section called Continuing Your Quest, with about how you can expand the game. As the Stormcast come in at 660 points and the Vampires are only 565, any games beyond the scenarios in this book would need to add more bodies. That section specifically mentions the Questor Soulsworn and Askurgan Trueblades as logical next purchases, as well as Vampire Fellbats, Dire Wolves and the Knight-Judicator with Gryph-hounds as ideas as well.
The Models
Included in the box are the Underworlds warbands Xandire’s Truthseekers, and the Crimson Court. There are two of my favorite warbands… but the choices here are strange. The Crimson Court is a great add – it’s been harder to find around these parts and has some nice proxy models for Soulblight Gravelords heros. Xandire’s Truthseekers have made their way into a few sku’s now – Harrowdeep, the oops-only-warbands Rivals of Harrowdeep, and the Warhammer Quest-lite Lost Relics. It would have been nice to see another rarer warband just for availability, but they are some of the coolest models in the Stormcast line.
The Terrain
The new terrain continues the vibe of the Garden of Morr / Corpsewrack museum terrain kit. These are great little bits of terrain, but beware that that are densely packed with details – it may take longer than expected to paint them up.
First, I started with a heavy zenithal prime. Then I airbrushed from below with Gold High Flow acrylic Alizerin Crimson – riffing on the Guerilla Miniature Games two-tone scheme. After that I airbrushed from above with Golden Turqoise then Teal, and drybrushed with Screaming Skull. Steel was picked out with Vallejo Metal Color, washed with Nuln Oil, and drybrushed with a bright silver. The brassy/bronzey stuff is basecoated with Army Painter Rough Iron. I washed it with Agrax Earthshade and then drybrushed with Sycorax Bronze and Canoptek Alloy. Candles got a bit of Blood Angels Red, and all the skull and skeleton bits got a splash of Skeleton Horde then a light drybrush of screaming skull again.
At this point, grime took the wheel. I am a firm believer in the power combo of Golden High Flow Acrylic Teal and Winter Streaking grime. I cleaned up excess with a makeup sponge about 30 minutes later – no thinner required!
Conclusion
This set starts you off in the game, and provides a cut down experience. Four fighters a side does play quicker, and limit the flexibility compared to 10-12 model warbands and what you can achieve. It does raise the notion of playing Warcry at 5-700 points using only an Underworlds band, as a sort of Combat Patrol version of Warcry for 30 minute games once you know the rules… and that actually interests me quite a bit. Here’s to hoping that we get another Bladeborn update! As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, drop us a line at Contact@Goonhammer.com.
