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Warhammer Age of Sigmar is a great wargame, but it's admittedly a little dense - and publisher Games Workshop seems to recognize that, because it's launching a more accessible match type this Summer.
Called 'Spearhead,' this is a shorter, beginner-friendly version of Warhammer Age of Sigmar that should last hour or less. In addition, you don't need to worry about balancing armies or fussing with points costs beforehand; Spearhead boxsets come with smaller, pre-balanced armies that are ready to go, meaning you have all the models you need for one of the best board games right away. (Well, more or less - you still need to build and paint those minis.)
While some of these Spearhead sets already exist (you can pre-order ones for Stormcast Eternals, Flesh-eater Courts, and Cities of Sigmar) every faction will apparently get a Spearhead box before too long.
Announced at AdeptiCon alongside the reveal that Skaven will be kicking off the next edition of Age of Sigmar, this new game type is basically the fantasy version of Combat Patrol for Warhammer 40K. Introduced last year, Combat Patrol is a bitesize entry point to the game that aims to make things as easy for newcomers and time-strapped players as possible. Like Spearhead, it also features pre-balanced army boxes that, while not being 'pick up and go,' don't require worrying about army compositions or buying extra models before you can start playing 'full' matches.
It makes sense that Age of Sigmar would get this too - it's a great idea, and not just for beginners who are intimidated by the full game. Those who can't spare an afternoon to play (or don't have the capacity to make and paint up a full army, which is wonderful but can be very time-consuming) have the perfect entry-point with Spearhead. Additionally, it allows veterans to get more games in or try something new without committing to a full-on army. According to Games Workshop, "Spearhead is a deep and robust game system with enough depth and twists to provide endless replayability."
No matter what, it's good that we finally have an answer to what purpose those previously-announced Spearhead boxsets served - they didn't offer enough troops for a full army, and we already had Vanguard 'start collecting' packs, so we suspected something like this might be on the way. Case closed on that one, I guess!
If you want to get into the sci-fi equivalent, check out which Warhammer 40K starter sets we recommend. For ideas on what to play next, meanwhile, check out the top board games for adults.
