Imagine that the year is 1870. Imagine that the mechanical dreams of Wells, Verne and Babbage became true. The Industrial Revolution occurred decades earlier than in our world. Massive land forts, bristling with guns, slowly pushes and shoves through the landscape. In the sky, airships stately glides through the clouds, ready to let a deadly rain of bullets and bombs fall on the enemy. At the sea ironclads plows through the waves.

Dystopia Wars is a steam age miniature game from Spartan Games, involving both land, sea and air units in major battles. While the various types of units moves differently, they basically function much the same. The various armies have a core of units which are similar, for example, medium tanks and frigates, but also units that are unique to the armies, like teleport orbs and giant robots.

Who is fighting?

A group of scientists, led by Lord Sturgeon, departed on an expedition to the remote Antarctic, and found there the ruins of Atlantis - and their fabulous technology. Sturgeon saw a unique opportunity to liberate humanity from an ignorant and chauvinistic era, and created the young country the Covenant of Antarctica. Their dreams of a better world were betrayed by one of their own, and soon their discoveries found their way to the old powers, that used them to create new cruel weapons. That betrayal awakened Antarctica's anger, and they have raised an army of robots and migrant machines to stop and punish those who have turned their hopes into a nightmare. Antarctica has strange experimental weapons and generators.

Britannia have created an empire where the sun never sets. They have taken on the white man's burden, and have spread their civilisation (and the monopoly of the pound) to Canada, parts of Africa and India. The power and wealth they gain from the colonies, is seen on by the other powers with envy. Britannias fleet is relatively low tech, but heavily armed with gun turrets and torpedoes. Britannia army has a rolling fortress that can be equipped with heavy weapons, or a headquarters which boost the morale of nearby land units.

One of the powers who are envious of Britannia is Prussia. Having humbled France in war in 1808, the Prussians created a German nation out of a patchwork of small kingdoms. The Prussians have equipped their units at sea, on land and in air with Tesla Coils, electrostatic guns, who fills the emperor's enemies with terror. They can also equip their largest vessels with generators. Their latest technological breakthrough is the tremendous Metzger robot, that can move both on land and at sea. A triumph for the Prussian industry.

Although America's war of independence is long over and done with, Britannia have not quite forgotten the humiliation. When civil war broke out, Britannia put their lot with the southern states - who therefore won. Federated States of America (FSA) was the result. The U.S. Navy has a penchant for impellers (which makes their ships very manoeuvrable) and rockets, and all large ships are equipped with generators. They also have some smaller robots that can fly, and hunt down other air units.

In the Far East, the Empire of the Blazing Sun have risen, in response to Britannia's aggressive expansion. The imperial fleet has a penchant for both torpedoes and rockets - the last in a special edition as fire rockets, that can put an opponent on fire. They also have massive mechanical 'octopus' that can attack enemy ships from the depths. Their largest land unit, a monster on four massive legs, has like Britannia an option to be equipped with a headquarter.

Spartan Games have promised that there will be several nations, France is imminent, later, Russia, the Ottoman Empire and Italy.

How do the rules works?

I think that the most important factor in Dystopia Wars are Firing Arcs. The units (land, air or sea) have weapons that can shoot broadsides, turrets that can rotate 180°, 270° or the entire horizon around, and rockets and torpedoes can only shoot straight forward (or backward). Together with the rule, that many sea- and air units must move a few inches before they can turn, it means that you must manoeuvre your units cleverly to get the most out of them. Typically you will turn your units against a group of enemies, while simultaneously trying to fire a broadside against another group. Since the various nations have a predilection for different fire arcs, for instance Britannia's favour broadsides, while the Antarctic like to shoot straight ahead, the nations will properly move in subtle different ways.

One of the things I like about Dystopia Wars is alternative activation. Old readers will know that it is one of my obsessions. Unlike 'You go I go' it ensures that you are constantly in play; can react and must make decisions - you don’t have to sit and look passively, while your opponent moves and shoots all his units, before you can do anything. The alternative activation also allows you (with a little luck) to activate the same unit twice in a row - if you ends and start the turn.

The lucky player start to move one of his squadrons. As already mentioned, the units are more or less mobile; especially ships must often move 1 "or 2" before they can turn and has a very large turning radius, while land units are much more mobile. It is possible that your units may collide with terrain and other units - and units that are build for it may ram an opponent. Since there are big differences in how land, water and air units move, and how big the units are, from tiny tanks that are mounted two on a base, to huge fort-like units, there are a lot of rules to keep track of - but I think that the rules are clear and unambiguous written.

Before you shoot, you must check whether you can see your opponent. Units and terrain such as buildings are divided into Large, Medium, Small and Tiny units. Large units can shoot over Medium who can shoot over Small units etc. Artillery can shoot indirect fire, but only against the biggest units and forts. Submarines can dive and air units can hide in the clouds; they get more difficult to hit, but in turn have a harder time shooting at the enemy.

Shooting works in special way. Weapons are divided into Primary weapons, typical cannons and Secondary weapons like rockets and torpedoes. Both types of weapons gives you a number of 6-sided dice you can roll against the enemy. A roll of 4 or 5 gives a hit, while an 6 gives you two hits and a re-roll which are added to the score. All units have some Hull Points [HP] and two values for respectively Normal and Critical Damage. It could, for example be 5 and 8. If you score equal or more then Normal Damage (5 hits) the enemy gets 1 in damage (a medium tank has 3 HP), while if you score more then 8 hits, the enemy gets 2 in damage and some vital function, for example engines or weapons breaks. Some of these damages can you try to repair at the end of your turn.
You can link or split your fire from the same squadron, but only one of those. It depends on the amount of dices you need to reach the desirable critical damage. If, for example, three tanks, with 5 damage dice each, seek to put a land fort out of action you get the full value for the first tank, and half value for subsequent tanks; 5 + 2 + 2 = 9 dice. Conversely, you can split your fire among several targets; if you have a massive cannon that gives 15 dice in damage, you can split the fire in 7 and 8 dice against two different targets.

The last type of attack is the assault. There is no infantry in Dystopia Wars, the scale is simply too small (1:1200). Instead, most units have a Assault value that represents rocket troops that can storm the enemy. You must be within 4"of the enemy before you can attempt a assault. The defender can use its air defences against your rocket troops before the attack, but with reduced efficiency. The attacker and the defender both roll their Assault Points; if the attacker get more hits then the defender, the attacker can roll on a Critical Hit table. Some units are specialised in assaults, and has special rules that reflect this.

Purchase of units are similar to most other games. There is a system for distribution between larger and smaller units, that becomes more strict as the game becomes more tournament like. There are no scenarios in the rulebook, and only a somehow cumbersome system to determine who wins. Who wins depends on the value of the units lost, so you have to count your losses through the game. That could be done more elegantly. I also think that the absence of scenarios is Dystopia War’s greatest weakness.

Spartan Games have made some game cards, which you can use in their games. The card gives the game an element of chaos and 'weird science'. There are four types of cards. Squadron cards can you play on one of your own groups of units when it is activated. They can eg. give extra movement or fewer losses after an assault. Turn cards are played in the beginning of a turn, and can be used eg. to repair damage or mess the opponents hand of cards. Action cards are played on a single model. They can eg. give extra dice in shooting or in assault. Reaction Cards are used when the opponent plays a card. They can eg. protect your unit against rocket or air attacks. It's a very fun addition. If you do not like the element of randomness, you can just play without the cards.

How about the models?

Computer aided design has also crept into our hobby, along with new methods for casting of resin models. I find the result very exciting. My first taste was the Nova-Rus "Bear" jeep from Antenocitis Workshop. Models from Spartan Games is an even better example. I really think they have hit Victorian Steam Age rather well, and given each nation each their own style. There are plenty of steel, wood and copper. The models have a wealth of detail and Spartan Games have not ‘cheated’ with the models; they are just as nice and detailed underneath as on the top. You can choose to paint your models relatively quickly by using a dry-brush technique, but you can also go down to the smallest details that there are plenty of.
The masters that Spartan Games has cast after, it seems have been built in a 3D printer. On some of the surfaces I have seen faint signs of a dividing in layers, which in some cases can give a little 'spongy' surface, but it's a minor problem. I've seen a few plank edges, but there have been little need for cleaning before I could begin to paint. For the flying models, you get some glassy stands that make the painted models present themselves at their best.

Each nation have a starter box for land and naval forces, while air units is purchased in blisterpacks. A starter box costs approx. £ 32. For this price (for a ground force), you get a capital model, 9 medium models and 10 tiny models. Also some plastic bases for the large models, a stat card for each type of model, and 4 token and template sheets. It is much value for the money. A complete fleet / land force could consist of two starter boxes, and a few air units, etc.. All in all, it could be done for around £ 100,-. Dystopia is not an expensive game, in comparison with eg. Warhammer or Flames of War.

There are also packages with terrain; nice little houses, factories, forts and an airport. Spartan Games have promised that there will also be terrain for sea battles.

Conclusion

I bought the rules and the first packets of miniatures, because I was a fan of Steam Punk, but my first impressions were so positive that I have been out and invest in more. The rosen is not without a few thorns, tough.

Regarding the rules, is seems that Dystopia Wars are a reasonable cumbersome rule system. This is because the game operates with units both for air, land and water battle, because that planes can hide in the clouds and submarines can dive, but also because that there are four sizes of units and terrain. There is also a lot of special rules, called MAR’s, 75 in all. That is many rules to keep track of, especially for someone who is a tad rule challenged like myself. On the other hand, the rules is written clear, and it is clearly stated what you can and cannot do, and there are many examples. Dystopia’s biggest weakness, however, is the lack of scenarios. There will be an updated edition of the rules in early 2012, and I hope Spartan Games will rectify this deficiency.

The models are really nice, well cast and very detailed. I have seen very few designs that I did not immediately liked.

Where can I learn more?