Iron Kingdoms Unleashed - Bento-unboxing!

See what I did there!

So below is a nice and simple look at the contents.

Lots of decent minis, terrain tiles (oh look, perfect for Guild Ball!).

Enjoy.

[battle report] Warmachine v Hordes - Cygnar vs Gatormen - Battle for the Bloodsmeath Ruins

So another game of Warmahordes, and this time quite a special one for a few reasons.

1. First use of the Gatorman force, as Calaban's theme force.
2. Playing against Alex (a long time listener of Darker Days Radio and Midnight Express), and thus our first meetup.

Calaban's Bad Religion 25 pts

Calaban
Black Hide Wrastler
Ironback Spitter
Gatorman Posse
Farrow Bone Grinders
Croak Hunter

Stryker Combined Arms 25 pts

pStryker
Centurion
Journeyman Warcaster
Charger
Gun Mages
Storm Blades

It was a No Man's Land mission. So moving to the centre and fighting was key. With the advantage of the theme, the Gators had stealth the first turn, and simply ran to the shallow water templates. The Cygnar army swept about the ruins, as the Croak lurked at the ruins looking get some strikes on the warcaster. Calaban put Carnivore on the Posse, and Occultation on the Bone Grinders. Those Gun Mages were going to have to either get close, or try and hurt the Spitter. Next the Charger was hit with Parasite, and the Spitter got a hit with the  corrosive blast, followed by the Bone Grinders hitting with an arcane bolt. Already the warjack was worse for wear. Of course the Gun Mages and Stormblades all had extra defence and armour thanks to Stryker. So the Gators tried to finish off the Charger. Meanwhile the Croak was now facing the massive Centurion, tying it up, but eventually succumbing to the towering machine.

The Stormblades had engaged some of the Gators and hampered their eventual charge - already they had been slowed thanks to Stryker's Earthquake, and now Strkyer had also dropped his feat, and once more hit the Posse and Calaban with the Earthquake.

With Calaban and the Posse knocked down I needed to use Fury well. Calaban got up, having not upkept certain spells, and proceeded to use his fury to heal the Spitter, and then using his magic to cycle Occultation to himself. The Wrastler charged into the Stormblades, cutting through them and powering up Calaban with fury thanks to the feat. Calaban used that in turn to use the Wrastler animus to get two of the Posse up. The Posse then acted, with those up being able to charge, and those in combat just getting up and fighting. Again, killing more Stormblades and punching through the buffed armour dumped fury onto Calaban, who chose to kept it, as I realised my mistake. Calaban was wide open to the Centurion.The Farrow blasted the Charge, reducing it to a smouldering pile of  scrap.

The Gun Mages moved in and fired on the Farrow, killing them all but one. Calaban's Occultation played havoc for Stryker who instead settled for killing the last of the Farrow, while the Journeyman tried to damage the Spitter. The Centurion failed to get close enough to Calaban, and the single hit was channelled onto the Spitter.

With the Gators killing the Stormblades to a man, and locking Stryker in combat, the Wrastler was free to fight. The Spitter frenzied and waded into the Gun Mages, but failed to strike the quick footed gun fighters. The Wrastler engaged the Centurion, and snapping shut on the warjack, pinned it to the ground and continued to wrestle the machine and smash it. Calaban was free to move and fight.

And that was it. We ran out of time. So a draw, tending to a Gatorman victory.

What was great for me was getting the Gatorman army to work with both the feat and numerous other spells. Leached really helped the Gatorman Posse handle the feat and spell buffed armour of the Stormblades. Only needing a single wound meant that the Gators were able to charge up Calaban in the event of the charge against him being worse than it was.

[Actual Play] Iron Kingdoms - Adamantine Will

The Claw of Corvis

In a dingy inn, in the north of the city, the arcanist-exorcist-assassin, Ichabod Grimes, was sat making a list of alchemical reagents he needed ready for his next trip across the boarder to Khador. Ichabod though was better known in "The Snowy Rabbit" by his Khadoran cover identity, Grigor. Grigor was an alchemist trader, and so Ichabod was bald, though sported bushy muttonchops that matched his Khadorn guise.

He was sat drinking vodka and chatting with the barman, when Julian Helstrom, captain of the city watch, entered and approached him. The captain slipped across the table a note that bore the seal of the Order of Illumination. Ichabod looked at the note, and folded it back up, and together with Julian, they left the bar, making their way to the cathedral of Corvis.

In a side chapel of the grand, baroque cathedral, which only a few months past was the epicentre of the events of the Longest Night and the battle with Alexia Ciannor, was Darcy Dimiani. She was knelt praying. Julian approached, and knelt and said a little prayer. He then realised Darcey's vow of silence, and so explain the matter.

A body had been discovered in the eastern district of the city, bearing the marks of the same killer that has killed 4 others in the last 8 days. With the city watch still stretched thin after the events of the Longest Night, Julian has asked for them to investigate.

Once dressed in a more suitable attire, and with Ichabod masquerading as her valet, Darcey and Ichabod are taken by carriage to the crime scene. Down a dirty alley, with the gloomy skies of Corvis drenching the city, the body was left where it was found, in amongst the trash from the shops that used the alleyway. The guards left there by Helstrom lifted the sheet from the body to let the witch hunters to look at the victim. It was clear to both Darcy and Ichabod that the man had his throat slashed, with no sign of struggle. There were three cuts to the neck. The top of the skull had also been removed. But but not by a clawed creature. The top of the cranium had been opened up with a precision surgical tool. It then became clear to Darcy that what ever had cut open the throat was a metal tool, and not some clawed hand or paw.

The guards informed Darcy and Ichabod that the victim was a known vagrant who lived under a nearby overpass bridge. It was there that the two investigators went in order to question the other homeless. Darcy handed out alms and return the destitute and homeless who huddled under the arch explained that the dead man had recently left Asc Solvin Asylum. The man had been put there by his sister but had since been released yet had not been taken in by his family. The vagrants also asked if they would be helping to find the others who had gone missing over a week ago.

The witch hunters were driven to the lonely island upon which the city prison sat. The gloomy tower groped towards the sky, and was covered in rusting barred windows from which prisoners peered out. From the courtyard, Darcy and Ichabod were led into the prison via the quest entrance, which while perhaps cleaner, and more inviting, was still cold and ominous. The steps into the basement of the prison were damp, and the wails of the prisoners were muffled. A corroded heavy door swung open and they were led into the morgue, a chilly chamber, illuminated by gas lamps and a crackling voltaic lamp. The attending surgeon, Dr Straven, was a stern looking lady in her 40s, wearing a dark, buttoned up dress, over which she wore an apron that was stained. Aligned in the centre of the chamber were 4 tables, upon which 4 bodies were laid out, with sheets covering them. At the head of two of the tables were jars that held what remained of the brains. Dr Straven pointed to were the report was if they wished to read it, and then she left.

Darcy and Ichabod began to examine the bodies in turn, and it was clear all had been victims of the same weapons and injuries and surgical tools. In the trunks under the bodies were the possessions of the victims, but something did not make sense with one of the victims. The man had been found wearing a military uniform, a dress uniform, and it bore the family crest of the Bersque family, and that is also had medals that showed that the owner of the jacket had participated in a war some years ago. But that did not make sense from the records, as it confirmed that all the victims were from the same asylum. Furthermore, Ichabod noted that there was a common chemical stain on the jacket and the clothes of two of the other victims. The chemical was one used in the steel processing business. It could not have been run off from the factories because the bodies were found in another part of the city. Had the bodies been dumped?

With the jacket with them, the two witch hunters were driven quickly to the Bersque estate, and there they met with the lady of the estate. In a warm drawing room, attended to by the servants of the house, Darcy and Ichabod confirmed that the jacket was indeed the dress uniform of Lady Bersque's dead son, who had been buried two years ago. More disturbing, is that when she was visiting the body last week, she witnessed grave robbers, stealing the coffin from the tomb. She also mentioned that the men had spoken of a inn that they would be meeting at, called "The Laris Eye".

They travelled to the northern graveyard, with night drawing in, and the city becoming a cluster of lantern lights out in the distance. The graveyard was unnerving, and of course with the events of the Longest Night, Darcy was ready to face any of the undead that may well be lurking in the grave yard.

Having found the tomb, Ichabod pried the lid off, and they both peered inside. The coffin was indeed gone. They then looked up and saw a lantern light drawing closer, and the caretaker of the graveyard yelled out, asked who was there. Drawing closer he recognised Darcy, both from the nights running up to the Longest Night, and from the paper. He knew of the grave robbers, but he was in no position to confront them, nor could he get the city watch to help secure the graveyard.

Given the evidence that they had, Darcy and Ichabod travelled back to the city, and to the Laris Eye, hoping to find out more about the grave robbers. Two hours passed, and it was a combination of overheard conversation and the same tell-tale chemical stain, the allowed them to spot the men they were looking for. They followed the men out of the bar, hoping to tale them back to where ever it was and to whoever it was they were working for.

There was a scream from a nearby alleyway, and a woman rushed out crying for help. Her brother was in trouble, and she needed help. In the commotion the men they were following disappeared into the city. Darcy drew her Execrator pistol, as Ichabod donned his knuckledusters, and they walked cautiously into the alleyway. There, around the corner, chewing on the body of a young man, were two decaying swamp shamblers - zombies that existed in the boggy marshes and rivers of Widowers Woods. Darcy took aim and fired her pistol, and blew the head off one of the monsters. The other hobbled over and wildly clawed at her, as three more clambered out of the nearby sewer grate.

Darcy dodged backward, making some clear distance between herself and the gang of undead, and fired again, exploding another skull, as Ichabod futilely tried to smash the zombies apart with his fists. Dodging the reaching claws, Ichabod backed away and called upon his arcane powers. Telgesh runes encircled him, and in two blinding flashes of divine energy, annihilating two more of the swamp shamblers. Darcy was had already lunged into combat, having drawn her dagger, and finished off the last of the zombies.

With the undead destroyed, Ichabod drew his sword and decapitated the dead man, in order to prevent his reanimation, and Darcy blessed the body and doused it with holy water. With that done they asked for someone to get the city guard, and they headed off in search of the grave robbers.

Ichabod had determined which of the factories was nearest and they headed there as quickly as possible, and soon they had caught up with the thugs as they entered the sewers beneath the factory. The waste from the factory gave off a strange viridian glow, and Darcy and Ichabod sneaked into the sewers. The were cautions, with Ichabod drawing upon his magic to better see traps they lay hidden before them. Both of the witch hunters passed a rusting door, and hid behind a archway. There was motion ahead of them, but could barely see who it was, as a shot was fired. Ichabod called upon his arcane powers and unleashed a holy bolt that briefly illuminated the sewer and obliterated a box behind which the thug hid. Ichabod moved forward, hoping to get a clearer line of sight. Nearby a large pipe pumped alchemical waste into the sewer. He unleashed another arcane blast as the thug charged towards him, trading blows. Darcy kicked open the door and found a stair case leading up. She proceed to ascend it, and barely found her footing as the steps gave way to a pit filled with spikes. She looked up and saw another thug hiding at the top of the staircase, who fire at her, catching her in the shoulder. Darcy leapt over the pit trap, firing her gun, killing the thug. His body cartwheeled over the railings and past Ichabod, and plunged into the sewer. The body bobbed up revealing the flesh already being dissolved.

Ichabod drew his sword and continued his fight, when he heard another man descending a metal latter. The man cried out, "Jovan, Jovan! We need support!". Darcy watched as a man in a dark green tricorn hat and long coat stepped around the corner and drew a strange, dark metal pistol. He whispered to it, whispered her name, causing the Telgesh runes along the barrel to glow a sickly green. The figure aimed at Darcy and fired. Acid green lighting crackled along the barrel and trailed the bullet that erupted from the gun. It slammed into her chest, cause her to collapse to the ground, crying out in pain.

Ichabod heard her scream and looked up, seeing the men on the gantry way above. He bolted away from the thug he was fighting, and leapt up the pile of boxes and jumped upwards. He pulled the garrotte wire from his pocket watch and wrapped it about the neck of the thug, pulling the man down from the gantry, and into the canal.

The gunman turned his back on Darcy and headed to confront Ichabod, thinking Darcy was dead. But Darcy was barely live. She spat out blood, her lung perforated. She aimed the Execrator pistol at the back of the gunman and pulled the trigger. The holy bullet hit the man, and in a fit of pain she watch as a ephemeral mist erupt from his mouth and nose and eyes. He dropped the strange pistol, and it clattered into the canal, and the mist like form disappeared. Ichabod slew the last thug, carving the man apart with his blessed sword.

Darcy, in dire need of medical attention, dropped off the gantry, providing cover to Ichabod. She fired again and caught the gunman, or now the gunman free of the spirit, between the eyes. Ichabod used a few vial of alchemical salves and sealed Darcy's wounds. Together they headed up to the chamber above, and peering in, they could see a mechanika armed surgeon, and a room filled with cadavers and tanks of chemicals. The man was quick, dodging the daggers that Ichabod threw. Darcy instead too aim at the vats of chemical behind him, causing a spray of caustic acid to spray out. Ichabod saw his opening and charged in, but failed to land a blow against the surgeon, who in return sliced at Ichabod, the three metal claws cutting deep and causing Ichabod to pass out from shock. Darcy knew she had to act quick, and took aim with her pistol, killing the surgeon.

Darcy rushed over and attended to Ichabod's wounds, and together they stumbled out of the lab, and back into the streets of Corvis.

In the days to follow it emerged that the killer was known Gavriel di Maro, who had served in the Cygnaran military, and more recently at the asylum. As for the gunman, he was known as Jovan, but as the head of the Order of Illumination chantry explained, the pistol was more sinister. it was the Imprecator, and the anchor for a vile ghost, that of Errigan.

[review] Skorne Empire

So if you have ever caught Mike and myself ever talking about the Iron Kingdoms, and Warmachine and Hordes, you will get the hint that we are massive fans of the Skorne. There is something out them that is somewhat unique, or at least, refreshing when compared to traditional, Tolkien, fantasy races.

What do we know about the Skorne already?

This strange race of humanoids comes from the far east of Immorean, past the Storm Lands and deserts, and past the Abyss. They are an ancient race, with an equally age old enmity with the Elves. They are a warrior race, with a society that focuses on slavery, torment, pain and torture. Their design and look is clearly inspired by aspects of Japanese Samurai culture, and ancient Persia. And as for their physical form, they are pale, with bony rigged foreheads, and pointed ears.

On face value alone they could be considered the equivalent of Dark Elves from that other wargaming company, but then you would be wrong.

The Skorne Empire book really lifts the lid off this ancient empire. We learn of their rise from a nomadic culture around the time the ancient Elven empire was destroyed, and their warring between city states, and the eventual formation of a unified empire, first under the exiled king, Vinter Raelthorne of Cygnar, and then under the Supreme Archdomina Makeda.

The Skorne, unlike all other races in the Iron Kingdoms, have no religion that focuses on a creator god. That is not to say that a god did not create them, but that the Skorne neither know, nor care, if this is the case. Death does not lead to the after life, and instead Skorne souls are left to be consume by the Void. However, the Skorne culture survives despite these metaphysical hindrances. They are a race that is focused inwardly on self ascension and exaltation. Pain, torment, war and suffering are all things that allow Skorne to grow and become stronger and more powerful. They are also a culture that is focused on ancestor worship, especially having learnt how to save those important Skorne souls from the Void, trapping essences in gems, which in turn can speak, teach, an even animate stone statues.

On reading the Skorne book you can be forgiven if you think that playing a game where you are all Skorne is one about being evil slavers, foul torturers, and nothing more than Saw the rpg. But a game playing as the Skorne is more about a certain point of view. For them, life a fleeting thing, that also contains much power, and which must be dominated in order to obtain a form of immortality. The Skorne do not conduct torture or inflict pain for fun, or for pleasure. These are all tools, as part of their philosophy, for controlling the world. For the Skorne willingly inflict pain and torture upon themselves in order to become stronger. For the Skorne are all capable of magic (they all have a ARC stat!), and thus can all learn Morthitheurgy - a form of magic powered by blood, flesh and pain. In many aspects the Skorne a mix of Eastern philosophies. They a have a warriors code, they have a understanding that life is short and they must create things of meaning for the after life offers no redemption, they worship their ancestors, and they practice magic that focuses on the flow of life essence and relies on asceticism.

They are simply evil, from a human perspective. In some respects that's a bit like playing a Vampire the Masquerade chronicle......

Of course the book provides ample information on their empire in the east and how to run various campaigns for different mixes of characters. Of course the Skorne make excellent enemies in existing games (hint hint - the Witchfire Trilogy).

The real show stoppers are the slew of new careers, such as Beast Handlers, Extollers, Bloodrunner, Cataphract, Chirurgeon, Chymist (Skorne have their own Alchemy!), and more.

And of course there are all the Skorne warbeasts, and more from the eastern deserts. We also get a nice look at the upcoming gargantuan beast for Hordes, the Desert Hydra.

Overall this is an excellent book, filled with content and art to the level we expect from Privateer Press.

[review] Bad Moon Rising - An Iron Kingdoms RPG adventure

Bad Moon Rising is the latest pre-written adventure for Iron Kingdoms RPG from Privateer Press.

The adventure, like many of those produced by Privateer Press, consist of a number of scenes, mixing social and combat encounters. And while many think IKRPG is a combat heavy game, Bad Moon Rising has a lot of roleplaying chances as the player characters get to interact with many NPCs.

Bad Moon Rising takes the form of a horror murder mystery. So expect some spoilers coming up and if you are players in a campaign, perhaps totally stop reading this review now.

The adventure centres around the attacks in a Khadoran outpost by the Circle of Orboros, and in particular the increasing number of vicious attacks by a monster - a Warpwolf. Over a number of nights, the convergence of the 3 moons of Caen progresses, and the ferocity of the Warpwolf attacks increase. The Circle mount more and more attacks from outside of the fort, and all the while a harsh snow storm blows.

The characters are of course suspects, and are expected to take it upon themselves to investigate the attacks, to determine the nature of the creature and put a stop to them. As the story continues it will become apparent that there is a dark history to the fort that relates to the current events. Furthermore, a conspiracy will make itself known and lead to a final, bloody combat.

As a murder mystery and investigative story, the main third of the adventure is fairly non-linear, with many small side scenes and chances for the players to learn more about the events surrounding the scenario. So while on the face of it the story may seem a bit of a rail road, there are plenty of optional scenes and potential plot shortcuts or even derailments, that would lead the story toward roughly the same conclusion.

As a story, it is overall fairly obvious, more so, because it mirrors the adventure I ran for my first game way back when IKRPG was first released. A warpwolf attacking, a mystery surrounding the targets of the attacks, the warpwolf being in fact someone important within the settlement being attacked. This means that with a little work, and the adventure does have suggestions, the location and many of the details of the adventure, can be altered to fit the needs of your own campaign.

Finally, as a adventure for IKRPG, it is a nice window into the creatures and people that feature in IKRPG: Unleashed, perhaps presenting the opportunity to even include characters from that book too.

[Battle Report] Skorne vs Everblight - Back into Action

So it has been quite a few months since I have played Warmahordes, and so I organised a friendly game to ease back into things. Both I and my opponent Neil are either learning the rules, or refreshing on the rules.

Of course, our venue was the excellent flgs in Sheffield, The Outpost, and that shop has plenty of gaming space.

With the mission selected from the Steamroller missions, and we were playing Destruction.

I was running my 35 pt pHexeris theme army,

pHexeris
Aptimus Marketh
Titan Gladiator
2 Cyclops Savages
6 Arcuarii
6 Paingiver Beast Handlers
2 6 man units of Praetorian Swordsmen.

My opponent was running with,

Saeryn, Omen of Everblight
Scythean
Neraph
Angelius
Nephilim Bloodseer
Strider Rangers
Strider Deathstalker
2 Blighted Nyss Shepherds

Essentially the game played out with the Angelius and Neraph surging forward into the control zone, perhaps a bit too far forward, while my army march forward, with upkeep spells letting the army surge forward ready to smash into the Everblight who were comparatively out numbered. Early losses were to the Swordsmen, who really just powered up Aptimus (just as you want). With the Angelius engaging the Arcuarii, my counter charge had that beast cut down swiftly by the Arcuarii and one of the Savages. The second savage and full unit of Swordsmen engaged the Neraph and almost cut it down. Aptimus happily fired off Soulfire, while Hexeris used Obliteration to hammer the Nephilim. The death of the Angelius denied Saeryn fury, as Hexeris stole it.

The Titan charged and pummelled the Nephilim in the first hit, but even with these dramatic losses and injuries, the Neraph was able to fly out of combat and pound Hexeris into the dirt.

Looking back there were some mistakes on the rules here and there, but hey, first game in 6 months or so, so not bad really, and great fun.

[review] Let loose the Argus' of War - Iron Kingdoms Unleashed Review

Buy it here now!!! On DTRPG

Delicious, tasty, filling, meaty, something to dig your teeth into, but also a familiar flavour throughout.

Oh yeah, we’re talking about the new IKRPG Unleashed book. Not some meaty dish!

So previously I have reviewed the IKRPG Unleashed Abridged rulebook that comes in the new starter adventures kit. That basically covered what we are familiar with - primarily the core rules, and magic for Willweavers. But, we also got a taste of the new things. Harnessers, Warbeasts, and Blood Magic.

The main core book builds on that familiarity. It assumes that the reader is essentially new to the world of Caern and the Iron Kingdoms, or of course is a Hordes player. Thus we get the entire history of the setting all over again, but with certain events and characters and myths explored in more depth that they were in the IKRPG core book. These of course bring life in the wilderness into focus over life in the cities. Also, where IKRPG assumes the in game date is 605 AR as Llael has fallen to Khador, Unleashed assumes the in game date is 608 AR, and thus assumes that the events surrounding the war in the Thornwood between Cryx, Khador and Cygnar and others, have passed.

While IKRPG explored the nuances between the different ethnic groups that make up the Iron Kingdoms, Unleashed looks at the each of the main wilderness factions (Orboros, Trollkin Kriels, Farrow, Gatormen), plus the various other human tribes, and explores where their territories lie, what life is like in these societies, and their relationships with the other factions of Western Immoren. The amount of detail is excellent, and really allows you to delve into just one of these groups and use that as a basis for an adventuring party.

What is really excellent is that we get a healthy dollop of information about the Nyss, and their life that borders the wilds and the cities, and so builds upon the little information we had in the IKRPG core book.

Let’s not forget we have information on the Tharn and their tribes. They are presented then as a separate group, while also being allies to the Orboros. Perhaps not to a similar level of detail, we also get information on the Bog Trogs, who again are allies to the Gatormen, but are their own race.

What is important with all these sections, is that we are presented these groups so that while we get a sense of their communities and lives, but also these groups are not presented as monolithic entities. We get a sense of how diverse even Gatormen societies can be depending on the bayous they hail from.

Following the section on the different societies we get a section that explains the differences between different geographical regions, the way of life in those places, the hazards that they present, and the animals and plants that exist there. Each major forest, desert, mountain region etc are detail individually. This is all important for a GM who then has a reference text to help them paint an evocative picture of the landscapes that the adventuring party is travelling through.

With the setting out of the way, we get the familiar again. Character creation and stats. We have a number of races to choose in this book. Bog Trogs, Farrow (whose Warbeasts I learnt are just malformed Farrow births!), Gatormen (I really need to play one!), Humans Nyss, Pygmy Trolls, Tharn, and Trollkin. We have 4 archetypes are normal, but for the wilds, Intelligence is replaced by Cunning. Of course we then have the list and details on careers. Of course how these are used in character creation is the same as for IKRPG, but the options is quite interesting. Highlights are the Bokor, the Bone Grinder, the Bloodweaver (basically a close combat Gun Mage), a variety of mounted careers. Ugh… guess I will be getting some mounted troops for my armies!

The familiar continues, as we wade through abilities and skills, and the combat rules. Of course there are new entries that are more befitting the wilderness based games. Perhaps something that has a lot more options is the section on environmental hazards. 

Magic. That most mysterious of arts. Is again… familiar. Character can be will weavers (just as in IKRPG) or harnessers, who are able to control beasts and channel fury, and thus be Warlocks. Much like Gun Mages, Blood Mages can be willweavers or harnessers, depending on career combinations.

Harnessers, as I explained in the previous review, are exactly what you expect. They use rules identical to how warlocks work in Hordes, and are able to rile beasts, force them, and channel fury from them.

Wolds, the construct monsters of the Orboros get their own section in the chapter on magic. We get details on their construction of Wolds, the golems made of wood and carved stones. While these creatures do generate Fury and so act as warbeasts, they differ in that they must be repaired rather than healed, and do not frenzy. This makes Wolds in the rpg rather like a cross between a warbeast and a warjack.

That all of course brings us to the next major chapter, Warbeasts.

Essentially as we already know from the abridged rulebook, that the rules for them are the same as they are in Hordes. Of course we do get some more information on the nature of the warbeast/warlock relationship, the dangers of an ill fed beast, the way such creatures frenzy when their warlock dies, and more. For every beast within the book, we get information on the rules for training, arming, and animi, that beasts can learn and be equipped with. The actual stats for the beasts are given later in the book, and so this saves space by separating the Warbeast specific rules from the Warbeast stats.

The chapter on gear is as expected, featuring the tools of the trade for many of these races. But we also get a whole load of items and ingredients for wilderness alchemy, which are great additions for even regular IKRPG alchemist characters. But Bone Grinders (who are not just farrow, but any race) are more like specialist cooks, who know the brews and broths to create. Bone Grinders can also fabricate magical fetishes from the body parts they harvest from creatures and fallen foes.

The penultimate chapter, preceding the GM section, is the bestiary, which serves both as a list of opponents for characters, and the selection of creatures for warlocks to control. Many of these will be familiar both from the wargame, or from the pages of No Quarter and the Monsternomicon. Creatures get the standard style of information we have become used to, plus the templates (given in the appendix and in No Quarter and the Monsternomicon) than allow us to present variations on the same creature (so a juvenile Argus, or a Argus Alpha, or a trained Argus etc). There are some new beasts in the pages here, like the different types of Drakes, and the Feral Geist.

So, how do I feel about this book?

If you are new to Iron Kingdoms, and start here rather than the IKRPG book, then it is an excellent, massive, and well presented book, filled with the art and lore that we have come to expect from Privateer Press.

However, if you are like me, and already play the war games, or play the IKRPG, then there is a lot that is familiar, or duplicated wholesale. Is that a bad thing? Perhaps. But then Privateer Press has two core books for two player bases for two different settings, which are bound together by a greater setting. In that respect, it is similar to the scenario FFG has with the Warhammer 40k rpgs. So if you really want the content of Unleashed, but don’t want to buy a book you already have half of, then go get the pdf is my suggestion.

Lastly, right at the back of the book are two pages of conversions done by the Privateer Press studio. Lots of cool ideas here and I hope PP will make models available in some manner to make getting bits easier for such things.

Oh and the hard copy version of this book is excellent. I guess with the IKRPG core book, I now have two core books for my group when basic rules need referencing. But then the abridged rulebook is great for that too.