Halgrad: From Story to Skirmish
About the Author
Hi, I’m Mak Davis, an author and hobbyist from the North-East. My novel, the Sundering Cycle: Book One – Fire & Wrath forms the setting for my new tabletop game, Halgrad, which is due for release in a couple of months. The result of a fantastic collaborative effort.
Introducing the Eternal City
Halgrad was the jewel of the once mighty Mahzkani Empire. A city of ambition, the wealth of entire nations flowed behind its white walls. As the Empire began to collapse after generations of infighting and corruption, the city broke away, and swapped hands many times over the centuries, each time losing more and more of the vision upon which it was built. Eventually, the city became a den of corruption and conspiracy, the nobility formed hidden cults, and engaged in blood magic and strange alchemies.
Then came the Tear.
One winter’s night, Halgrad pulled itself apart. Some called it divine judgement, others blamed the lords, an ancient curse, or a dozen other causes. The earth trembled and the Bay of Glamours turned black; fires lit the sky, and the city was swallowed body and soul.
For six centuries, no one has entered the city and lived to tell the tale. Yet now, stories have begun to spread, of open gates and strange lights that dance in the highest towers in the palace, and riches beyond your wildest dreams.
Fuel for the Fire
I have loved escapism for as long as I can remember, having grown up over a period where (when it came to movies and video games) we truly were spoiled for choice! There was The Lord of the Rings, The Witcher, and Dragon Age: Origins, and historic epics like Saving Private Ryan, Kingdom of Heaven and (a personal favourite) Gladiator. When I first discovered tabletop gaming, I realised that my love was not just for escapism, but for great storytelling; a fact that turned me into a Narrative Gamer almost overnight. I also loved anything I could put my own personal stamp on, focussing on collecting armies from lesser-known factions or warzones, ones that often gave me the chance to ‘fill the gaps’ with backstory, heraldry and so forth. This of course eventually led into homebrewing my own Units especially for narrative gaming, and then into full-blown novel writing.
As I wrote The Sundering Cycle, I could not help but inject that sense of ‘gameability’ into the story. Warriors and armies were well defined by equipment and heraldry, and battles played out in a way that was simply dying to make it to the tabletop.
Despite my love for fantasy, I remain a stickler for believability, feeling that all settings, no matter how fantastic, should be grounded by some sense of physical reality and internal consistency (a tendency that I think I picked up from the Lord of the Rings movies, back in the day!).
From Design to Dice Rolling
One of the greatest things about tabletop wargaming is the sense of community you get. Every group, tournament, online forum, or even chance encounter is an opportunity to make new friends, and share genuine enthusiasm and creativity. For me, it’s the greatest thing about the hobby. (Well, right after seeing cool miniatures, of course!) I also love converting, kitbashing, and otherwise taking a normal miniature and turning it into something unique.
That being said, it’s no secret that wargames can sometimes take a long time to play, with many a games night quickly turning into a ‘game night’. It’s also no secret that wargames can sometimes be expensive to get into, with some carrying a financial barrier to entry sitting well into the hundreds of pounds!
With these points in mind, I set out to create a game that built enthusiasm, community, and actively encouraged conversion; the kind of game that lets a player’s imagination run wild. I also wanted to create a game that was accessible, both in terms of upfront cost, and playability. Enter Halgrad: The Tabletop Skirmish Game.
I won’t bore you with the gory details of cost/gain analyses’, manufacturing logistics, or production pipelines. In short, designing miniatures (or rather, getting them designed) is expensive; and with so many fantastic creators out there, it made far more sense to turn Halgrad from a one-man band operation into a collaborative effort. One that (little did I realise at the time) would eventually span the globe.
My first port of call took me all the way to Argentina, to Khurzluk Miniatures (known as KZK). He’s a designer known for his gritty and grounded fantasy miniatures, perfect for the setting of the game I wanted to create. Together we created a range of kit bashes, conversions, and even totally new bits to make the range as unique and true to source as possible.
But Halgrad was more than just miniatures, it was a city, too. A vast, almost living entity of great plazas and palaces, ruined districts and docks; not to mention the haunted, waterlogged lands that lay just beyond the city walls. What we needed was terrain, and though there are many fantastic tutorials out there (of which Eric’s Hobby Workshop is a fine example), I simply did not have the time to hand sculpt everything, nor did I want to hide the game behind another barrier to entry, modelling skill. This brought me into contact with Conquest Creations, a Youtuber and fantasy terrain designer from Melbourne, Australia. I’d already purchased their fabulous Tor Ithilas range; and knew that the sculpts and style were very close to what I had envisioned Halgrad to look like. After one slightly starstruck phone call we had reached an agreement, and with it, we found our city.
The Game
So, what kind of a game is Halgrad? In short, it’s a tabletop skirmish game in which highly customisable Warbands (led by equally customisable Characters) battle it out in a city that sits on the brink of total annihilation. Some Warbands seek fame and fortune, while others hunt for forgotten knowledge and ancient relics, a few have simply gone mad.
In Halgrad, it is not just the enemy you need to consider, but the city as well. There’s burning buildings, blinding fog, soaking rain, and supernatural phenomenon that all present tactical challenges to be overcome. Then there are the Denizens.
Though Halgrad has officially been unoccupied for hundreds of years, life does remain. The Foresaken are one such example, the devil-worshipping descendants of the city residents who could not escape the night of fire and bloodshed that brought Halgrad to its knees. They are mad, cannibalistic, and will attack any Warband Units on sight, adding an almost dungeon-crawler element to the game.
A Quick Guide
Warbands
Each player controls their own Warband, led by a Character of their own devising. Each Character is fully customisable, with their own Equipment, and Classes that range from the grounded and realistic Soldier, Tyrant and Ranger; right through to the more fantastical Wizard, Priest, and Shaman.
Each Warband is drawn from one of what is set to be an expansive range of Factions; ranging from the Men of Marocia or Verdant Vale, to the Northmen or Imperial Hu. There are several none-human Factions, as well; such as the Gold Elves of Vohldramar and the goblinoid tribals known as the Deep Dwellers.
Each Faction starts with between 80 and 120 Gold Pieces, from which they can buy Units and Equipment.
How Does it Play?
Halgrad is designed to be fast-paced and action packed. It is a system that rewards risk taking, creativity, and exploration. Each game features a degree of randomisation, with deployment and objectives being rolled for before each game begins. Each battlefield will also feature a number of hazards, such as the Denizens, NPC Units that will attack your Warband on sight, and various other horrors or environmental hazards.
After deploying as per the scenario, the Players roll off for priority. The winner may choose to go first or second. From there, the game turn is broken down into alternating phases where players move, shoot, fight, and then resolve each turn. Objectives vary wildly depending on the scenario chosen. Sometimes, it’s as simple as slaying the foe or securing Loot, while other games are more complex, requiring smart, tactical thinking to win the day.
Movement
Movement is the most dynamic phase of any turn. I’m sure you’ll be familiar with all the basic components present, with Units moving, charging, climbing and swimming. What’s really interesting however is Actions. Each Movement Phase, any Unit is allowed to sacrifice a portion of their Move to complete an eligible Action. This could be melting into the shadows, locking or unlocking a door, digging, or even helping an ally scale a building by providing a boost. Searching is a particularly risky action, and one that’s essential to winning most games. Each Search can be completed while standing within 2” of a Point of Interest, and (depending on your rolls) can lead to stumbling upon a den of hostile creatures, or finding artefacts with power beyond belief.
Finally, the Movement Phase is where Units may charge at the foe, improving the Unit’s movement +2”, representing the rush to get to the enemy.
Shooting
Once Movement is Completed, the Shooting Phase follows. Shooting will be very familiar to most players, utilising movement limits, line of sight and so on. This is also the phase in which most offensive Spells and Prayers are cast.
Fighting
The Fight Phase is a little different, in that both Players Fight at the same time. Each Fight starts with a Battle Roll, which determines who can then make Strikes. Strikes Rolls are how wounds are inflicted, measuring the Attacker’s Strength against the Defender’s Resistance. For example, a S+1 Unit would need a 6+ to wound a R7+ Unit.
Resolution
Once all Fights are resolved, the Players take a moment to determine the state of their Warband. If any Player has lost 50% or more of their Units, then they might flee the field. The Controlling Player’s Leader must pass a Nerve Check. If it is passed, all is well; if it is failed, then the Warband is at risk of routing. When a Warband is Routed, the Controlling Player must roll a Nerve Check for each Unit; those that fail flee the field, dropping all of their valuable Loot in the process!
After Action
Once the battle is complete, the Players calculate their Loot and Experience gained, levelling up their Warriors and Characters where Necessary. Loot can be used to buy Equipment or Warriors, and Characters who level up gain Skill Points, which can be used to purchase special talents and enhancements that improve their combat effectiveness
