Second Look - Boardgame reviews in depth. Check out that cat.For a while now I’ve been posted about Wreck Age and its progress. Hyacinth Games has created an excellent world, and a rule-set that’s a little bit RPG and a little bit miniatures.

I finally had a chance to sit down with their 2 player starter set, Showdown at Burnt Tierra Gulch. The miniatures are excellent, and required very little trimming to get them up to snuff. The included terrain is also a nice touch, and gives you a nice area to play your first few games.

Now let me start off by saying I believe Wreck Age is a good game, but there were a few things that hindered my enjoyment of the scenarios I played.

My first complaint is the quick start rules themselves. They aren’t really enough to get you going with what’s in the box. The units that come with the set are hard to match up with the stat cards, and not all their equipment is listed in the quick start guide. The guide often references areas in the main rulebook, which doesn’t come with the set. Now I happen to have the full rulebook, and was able to figure a few things out, but I was also a bit confused on how the book was laid out. Like I said before, there’s rules for both playing the game as a tabletop RPG and a miniatures game. I feel like the game should be one or the other, or at least split the two rule sets apart entirely.

236033982While I did manage to sort most things out, it did take a considerable amount of time to do so, and I probably couldn’t have without having the full rulebook. In my mind this defeats the purpose of a starter set. However, once I had the rules down, the game was very enjoyable and fairly fast paced. It’s skirmish level, with only a few units on each side. Turns are quick, often deadly, and the scenarios provided in the box were a good way to stretch my legs a bit with the game.

If you’re an avid minis gamer, and the theme here appeals to you, I recommend purchasing the full rulebook and this starter set to get you on your way. I can’t, unfortunately, recommend this starter set on its own, as it really felt like there wasn’t enough information included to really get you going.

I’m debating picking up more miniatures, but maybe after creating a comprehensive reference sheet for easier rules access.

A copy of the full Wreck Age rulebook and the Showdown at Burnt Tierra Gulch were provided free for review by Hyacinth Games.