INTRODUCTION
There’s something magical about the immersive worlds of fantasy tabletop gaming – the intricate miniatures, the rich backstories, and the strategic battles. If you’ve ever been interested in war-gaming or if you’re a returning player looking for a new venture, Age of Sigmar could be just the ticket. This is a beginner-friendly article that should help you understand all you need to dive into this enthralling hobby.
WHAT IS AGE OF SIGMAR?
Age of Sigmar (often abbreviated as AoS) is a tabletop war game created by Games Workshop, the same company that brought us Warhammer 40,000. Launched in 2015, AoS takes place in a high fantasy universe filled with enchanted realms and powerful beings. Players command armies of miniatures to wage war in tactical, turn-based battles.
In the lore of Age of Sigmar, the Old World was destroyed, and Sigmar, the god-king, created a new world comprising eight disparate realms, each embodying a different magical element. Think of it like chess but instead of pieces, you have armies, and instead of squares, you have a living, breathing battlefield.
HOW TO GET STARTED WITH AGE OF SIGMAR
Before we get into the heat of the battle, there are a few key things you need to understand about how the game works.
1. Choose Your Army: Firstly, you’ll need an army to command. Age of Sigmar has several factions to choose from, each with its own unique units and play-styles – like the angelic Stormcast Eternals or the beastly Orruks.
2. Assemble & Paint Your Miniatures: Your army will likely come unpainted and in pieces, which you will need to assemble and paint. This can become a hobby in itself and is a key part of the AoS experience.
3. Learn the Rules: The basic rules for Age of Sigmar are available for free online, but you’re also going to want to get a hold of the battletomes for whatever factions you’re interested in as these contain specific rules for that army.
4. Set Up the Game: Deployment involves setting up your miniatures on a battlefield according to scenario-specific rules.
5. Play the Game: A typical game of Age of Sigmar is divided into Battle Rounds, each comprising of several phases – hero, movement, shooting, charge, combat, and battle shock. Depending on your army’s abilities or your winning strategies, you might be casting spells, charging into combat, shooting arrows, or claiming objectives.
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY AGE OF SIGMAR
You’ll need a few supplies before you can start your Age of Sigmar conquest:
1. Miniatures: Choose one or two Start Collecting boxes to begin with, each offering a small force of a specific faction.
2. Rulebooks: Get the basic rules and the specific battletome for your chosen faction.
3. Tools and Paints: To assemble and paint your miniatures you’ll need some basic tools like plastic glue, a good set of paintbrushes, and a selection of paints.
4. Dice and Ruler/Tape Measure: Standard six-sided dice are used to determine outcomes, and a ruler or tape measure is needed to move your miniatures.
TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
1. Start Small: Don’t overwhelm yourself by buying too many miniatures at once. Begin with a Start Collecting box set.
2. Practice Makes Perfect: Get regular painting practice to enhance your technique. Remember, it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
3. Understand Your Army: Read your faction’s battletome thoroughly. Understanding your army’s strengths and weaknesses is crucial.
4. Casual Over Competitive: Start playing casual games first to polish your skills and understand the rules better.
5. Get Involved with the Community: Some of the best advice and strategy will come from other players, so don’t be shy in joining forums or clubs.
RESSOURCES UTILES
1. Warhammer Community: Official site for news, articles, and resources.
2. AoS Shorts: Guide to the rules and tactics.
3. Reddit Age of Sigmar Community: Join for discussion, advice, and inspiration.
4. YouTube: Channels like Tabletop Titans and Vince Venturella offer tutorials, reviews, and game analysis.
GLOSSARY: COMMON TERMS
1. Wound: The hit point of a unit. When a unit’s wounds reach zero, the unit is taken out of action.
2. Warscroll: The individual data sheet for each unit within an army.
3. Battletome: The rulebook for a specific faction in the game.
4. Battle Round: The structure of a player’s entire turn, consisting of six phases.
NEXT STEPS
Age of Sigmar is an exciting adventure just waiting for you. We recommend starting with the Age of Sigmar core book and a “Start Collecting” set for your chosen faction. Visit a local Games Workshop store or gaming club to get a taste of the community and see the game in action. Remember, the world of Age of Sigmar is vast, but with each move, each battle, and each paint stroke, you’ll see your skills and strategies develop. Enjoy the journey!
