Deadzone is coming this winter – in highly limited volumes!
Mantic stopped by and left this article about their brand new miniatures game. It’s the first foray into skirmish gaming for the Nottingham-based company, already well-known for Kings of War and DreadBall, and after it took Kickstarter by storm there’s no doubt that Deadzone’s going to be popular.
The game is set in Mantic’s Warpath sci-fi universe and pits two crack team of elite soldiers against each other. Players can pick from a choice of four factions: the Enforcers, the Plague, the Marauders and the Rebs.
Each of these has its own distinctive play style, unit types and weaponry – and its own set of secret missions, which will change from game to game. Coupled with rules for campaign play and unit advancement, players have the opportunity to very quickly create a unique band of hardened fighters.
One of the most intriguing parts of Deadzone is the gritty sci-fi setting. The game takes place on a planet in the grip of an alien virus, a deadly Plague that turns men into hulking monsters. Amid the chaos, small groups of fighters battle to recover precious technology and claim valuable resources – or just wipe out their enemies! The setting is brought to life through a collection of easy-to-assemble modular plastic terrain which can be put together in countless ways, meaning that no two battlefields need look the same.
Holding it all together is the Deadzone gaming mat – a durable, non-slip rubber playing surface divided into a grid of 3” squares. This grid system is integral to the quick and simple rules, which are quick to learn while still allowing for a great deal of tactical flexibility and rewarding careful planning.
As the game takes place in a 2’x2’ area littered with buildings, there’s a real sense of claustrophobia – but you’ll soon learn to appreciate all that cover when the bullets start flying! Being caught in the open is a death sentence, and you’ll find yourself holding your breath as your troops dash from building to building. Furthermore, the action in Deadzone doesn’t just happen on ground level! The rules have been written with the terrain system in mind, meaning that units can fight across rooftops while their team-mates dash along suspended walkways and snipers provide covering fire from lofty watchtowers.
Deadzone will get a full launch in early 2014, but this winter you’ll be able to get your hands on a limited edition of this awesome game, featuring an exclusive miniature: the Survivor! This is an alternative pose of the model which was a Kickstarter exclusive, and will only be available in the limited edition Deadzone boxed game. Don’t miss out!
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
