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The battle for table space just got brutal! Mantic Games third edition of their popular skirmish game Deadzone is here, with rival Games Workshop firmly locked in their sights.
Small scale, squad based combat is one of the staples of table-top gaming, acting as a gateway into a wider world of games and a huge market in itself. This refined edition of Deadzone is the most accomplished version yet, and between the component quality and fluid rules system, Mantic might just have the firepower to take on the industry leader.
Within The Box…
The box is bursting at the seams with plastic. Enough to make seasoned veterans weep and turn your kitchen table into a warzone in the space of an afternoon. Two full fire-teams await, the humans of the GCPS brimming with firepower and the giant space rats of the Veer-Myn bristling with malice, giving you enough options to play a full sized game straight out of the box.
The miniatures are multipart plastic giving modellers scope to kit out their squads as they see fit, and the quality of Mantic’s sprues has improved with each version of the game. Both leader figures are rendered in resin, which gives them a premium feel and allows for an incredible level of detail on such a small scale.
Even more impressive is Mantic’s modular terrain which clips together to form a range of battlegrounds as limitless as your imagination. There are tons of panels, walls, gangways and ruins, to fight over then dismantled and built fresh with every game.
This is possible thanks to a simple connector system rugged enough to withstand an explosion but flexible enough to stand up to being made over again. The terrain alone is reason enough to make Deadzone a worthy purchase, as it is great value and suitable for almost any game set in 28-32mm scale. It’s as good as any other terrain on the market and more adaptable than most.
Deadzone Plays As Well As It Looks
The real star of the show is Deadzone’s rules. Piles of plastic are like a treasure trove to gamers, but if the game plays badly beneath the gloss we quickly lose interest and move on.
Mantic have designed a game that is fast, frantic and fun. They avoided the urge to focus on detail, overwhelming the player with reams of stats and rules spread across multiple books, instead of making the game quick and easy to learn. As a result, Deadzone is unforgettable.
The two books included are all you’ll ever need, one covering the rules and the second detailing stats and options for every faction in the game. No costly codexes, no annual updates. Players can get to grips with the mechanics in minutes, thanks to a handy introductory scenario printed on the reverse of the game mat.
This teaches you the basics and puts the answer to every question you might have, right at your fingertips. Within minutes you’re rolling a fistful of dice and roaring in triumph as your opponent falls before you!
The Deadzone game mat is gridded in 3x3 squares, meaning there is no need for tape measures. Gone are the days of arguing over a few millimetres for range or movement. The plastic terrain completes the mat, turning a 2D space into one making the most of three dimensions. Players are encouraged to build upwards as well as ground level and the game comes alive as a result. Movement is fast and fluid and the game is incredibly immersive right out of the box.
The Movement
This approach to movement is an excellent introduction to new players and those unfamiliar with tabletop combat. It gives them the feel of a traditional board game while offering the tactical flexibility and complexity of a wargame. New players are grabbed and hooked before they know what’s hit them.
If you break down the components to their individual prices, the RRP of £90 is incredible value for a game that is ready to go right out of the box. When you consider Zatu’s generous discount, it is practically a steal!
Deadzone really does have a lot to offer. It’s a great introduction to those tempted by skirmish games but overwhelmed by the choice. The best games are simple to learn and difficult to master, and Deadzone has that in spades. Light enough to learn in an hour and tactical enough to challenge the very best, it deserves a shot at your table.
