When Privateer Press announced that they would be launching a Kickstarter for Warcaster, they never knew it would be this popular.
Privateer Press recently announced a new game they’ve been working on called Warcaster. After a quick look at some models and game design, they made a call for interested players to back them on Kickstarter. However, they may not have expected things to blow up as quickly as they did.
Check out the details on the game and the record-breaking speed at which they’re gaining support from fans!
What is Warcaster?
In Warcaster, this is you.
To lay the foundation of the game, Warcaster is most definitely a wargame and uses 35mm scale models. However, what adds something unique about the game is that you, the player, are technically a Warcaster sitting in what’s called a “rack”. This is basically a control center that’s allowing you to see the battlefield and control your units. You even have some cards that add the aspect of swaying the battle in your favor from your control node.
Find out More About Warcaster
While the Warcaster is not physically present on the battlefield, their presence is always felt. A Warcaster coordinates and supports their forces from a sophisticated command and control center called a rack, located aboard a massive battle carrier that transports the Warcaster’s troops and warjacks. In the game, the rack is represented by a deck of cards—the spell-like cyphers—that players customize prior to the game based on the powers and abilities they wish to wield as a Warcaster.
A Step Into Game Specs
Warcaster: Neo-Mechanika is a high-speed hobby miniatures game for two players who each take on the role of a powerful Warcaster in command of a formidable battle force. Players assemble and customize a force of 20–30 models and fight a scenario-driven battle using dice and cards to control their mighty units and to cast epic cyphers. The game is played using an alternating-activation turn sequence with a round tracker that governs scoring opportunities and the duration of ongoing effects. Players take turns activating units one at a time and using their rack of cyphers, reality-warping spells that can be used to enhance their troops and warjacks or to devastate their opponent’s forces.
The big things to note for the game is the size as well as how turns are played out. At only being 20-30 models, the games will look relatively small compared to 40k. However, that should make for a more tactical setting as each loss counts as more. On top of that, the game is run with alternate activations. Anyone who has played a bunch of GW’s skirmish games (i.e Necromunda, Warcry, etc.) know that rapidly swapping back and forth with your opponent keeps the game constantly interactive.
The maps are 48″X”48 and games take anywhere from an hour and up. The game space isn’t the biggest we’ve seen, but at 20-30 models, that should be about perfect!
Another note to make: When your units die, they warp back into your reserves and can come in later in the game. That way, there’s no crazy attrition rate of your forces and your opponent can’t necessarily alpha-strike you out of winning.
Factions In-Game & Their Models
Of the models previewed first, it looks like we’re getting two factions to start with. Each of these has a big Dreadnought-type model as well as some appointed leader holding a staff. (He’s probably your HQ-equivalent). And as for the other guys, they’ve all got similar wargear to one another and are probably the basic footsoldiers of the faction. On that note, it looks like they’ve got a special weapon with the top group getting a shield and sword while the tan boys on the bottom have some kind of rail/sniper rifle.
Why Are They Fighting?
After seeing all of this you might be wondering why they’re fighting. The answer is Arcanessence. It’s a rapidly-depleting resource that can power travel and entire communities. Obviously, everybody needs it and it’s becoming harder to find.
Arcanessence is the essential energy that permeates the galaxy of Cyriss, the lifeblood of her planets, and the spirit upon which the galaxy thrives. But Arc is a limited resource, coveted for its ability to energize mechanika and power the ancient void gates that connect a thousand worlds. It is greedily harvested every day, and as a result, the galaxy is slowing dying.
Privateer Press’ Warcaster Kickstarter Is Breaking Records
From Privateer Press’ Facebook:
The original goal was $100,000 to get the game off the ground. But once the Kickstarter officially launched, they met the minimum of what they were looking for in just 30 minutes! At the time of writing this, they’ve over doubled the amount Privateer Press was looking for with a whopping $231,000+.
This should give you a decent idea of how hyped people are for this game. In case you were thinking about donating, we’ve also got some of the stretch goals of releases supporters will get as the donations continue to climb.
Find out More About Warcaster
Some of the coolest stretch goals met, we’ve seen heroes and alternate Heavy Warjacks already unlocked. No official model sculpts on these guys yet, but they do have some sweet artwork.
As for one of the more recent unlocks at the time of writing this, fans are also getting a playmat as well as what looks like some terrain pieces- void gate minis. Keep in mind that some of these unlocks are universal and others are ones you have to donate more money toward.
There Are Still More Goals to Reach
Support is continuing to roll in for Privateer Press and we’ve still got Stretch Goals to shoot for. As the overall support amount goes up, the cooler releases we get to see. Right down to alternate sculpts and Bounty Hunters for the game.
This Kickstarter is funding four months of content creation and delivery for Warcaster: Neo-Mechanika. It will ship in four waves, each approximately one month apart. If at any time we are able to combine wave shipments, we will do so, and save on your shipping costs accordingly.
When we originally announced the Kickstarter a couple weeks ago, we had stated a target of our first wave delivering by June.
Find out More About Warcaster
We’ve all still got a few months to sit back and wait for these waves of releases to start hitting our doorstep. But with everything you’ve seen so far, what are your thoughts on the game?
Could this explode to be a contender with some other popular games out there? Have you already donated to the Warcaster cause?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials:@RealmbrushPainting
About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
