Games Workshop is set to release Lost Patrol, a new game in its Warhammer 40,000 universe. Its release marks another shift in the company’s approach to the gaming market. Lost Patrol is a game for two players and is slated to last only half an hour. Yes, thirty minutes. Most Games Workshop games I’ve played have taken that long to set up.
Lost Patrol continues Games Workshop’s recent trend of releasing complete boxed games, coming on the back of Betrayal at Calth and Deathwatch Overkill. It is clear that the company is hoping to appeal to a more mainstream audience. The game will not only be available in GW stores, but also through general hobby, game, and toy stores too. On top of that, Lost Patrol will retail at the competitive price of $60 (£35, €50)
The game is described as a “fast-paced two-player game of survival and death (but mostly death) in the jungle”. One player controls Space Marines and the other Games Workshop’s legendary Genestealers. The Marines are lost in a hostile jungle trying desperately to reach the safety of their drop-pod. The Genestealers are looking for lunch and have heard there’s a new buffet in town.
The board, which represents the jungle, consists of hex tiles and continually evolves throughout the game. The odds are stacked against the Space Marines. Lost Patrol is designed for multiple plays in a session, switching roles after each game, with the true mark of success being winning as the Space Marines.
The box contains five Space Marine Scouts, twelve Genestealers, six “Infestations” (Genestealer spawning pods), thirty hex tiles, dice, and a full set of rules. Figures are unpainted and require assembly. They are not recent Citadel stock, the sprues being copyrighted in 2004 and 2005. The figures are not of the same quality as those provided with the latest incarnation of Warhammer 40,000, Dark Vengeance.
I’m pretty excited about this game, not least because it looks like the easy, affordable route into the world of Games Workshop that I’ve been wanting for my boys. Additionally, (along with the news that new points values are coming for their Warhammer flagship product Age of Sigmar) it suggests the company is listening to their critics and doing the one thing everybody says they can’t do–adapt. The back of the box also has a “complexity level” graphic (set to one out of three). This type of infographic could be a one-off, but again, this is a new approach from Games Workshop and suggests that it has its sights set firmly on the mainstream market.
The game releases in June. I’m lucky enough to have an advanced review copy, so between now and then I’ll play a few games and report back whether, with Lost Patrol, Games Workshop has found its way.
Another gene-stealer vs space-marine game, this time with cheap minis they dug up from 10 years ago? Sounds like it might be perfect for new starters or gaming enthusiasts who just want a quick paint-and-play, but I don’t see any value here for someone who wants to end up with a nice looking set of minis.
But at least they’ve priced it reasonably, by GW standards.
Hopefully we’ll get to see more high quality 1v1 board games like Horus Heresy and Overkill with different 40K races down the track. An Eldar vs Necron set would personally be the one that gets me salivating 😛
It’s undeniable that the figures are ‘past their prime’ so to speak but I like that they’re breathing new life into these old molds, trying to find new customers for them. They’re going to be doing the same with the old Assault on Black Reach models, putting them in a ‘gateway’ 40k game called Battle of Vedros’ which will only be available throughout North America.
Even with 60 or 70 Genestealers [nto to mention the 14 I just got on eBay, when I say not to mention I mean not to mention to the wife!] I’d be happy to get this. Add some more gribblies to my horde and some Scouts to my Dark Angels. Luckily I already have the contents painted so when it comes out I can play the game straight out of the box with painted miniatures!
This is clearly an attempt to play catch up by GW. They need to attract new blood, and there’s a lot of competition out there. The detail and cost of their new figures, is arguably too great for youngsters/newcomers.
Nobody is going to start with Deathwatch Overkill, and find their way into the hobby (I don’t think), but somebody new might pick up Lost Patrol at its lower price point and be drawn in.