Thank you to Modiphius Entertainment for a copy of Fallout Factions: Battle for Nuka World Starter Set in exchange for an honest review.
Fallout Factions: Battle for Nuka-World Starter Set
Fallout Factions: Battle for Nuka-World Starter Set is a 1v1 skirmish wargame from Modiphius Entertainment. Play as cutthroat factions from the Fallout universe and battle it out for control of Nuka-World. Recreate the world of the Fallout video game series, particularly the Nuka-World expansion for Fallout 4. This starter set box is filled to the brim with everything you need to jump into a game, including miniatures, custom dice, terrain and more.
I am an experienced TTRPG player and board gamer, but I have never played a wargame (a physical one, anyway). Mostly because I can never find time to play and do not need another expensive hobby. Luckily, the Battle for Nuka-World Starter Set includes everything you need to play inside the box.
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Cool Custom Components
Speaking of everything in the box, the Battle for Nuka-World Starter Set includes heaps of exclusive components. For example, on the other side of the map is a stunning poster of Nuka Girl. Additionally, small details like the dice featuring Cappy and Nuka Cola bottles or the Fallout tape measure make this set so much fun to unbox.
Lastly, the terrain included in the box is beautifully done and easy enough to build. It will inspire you to play and even add your own in future games. A note to the dice goblins: you can buy additional dice sets on the Modiphius website.
Getting Started
The most important thing to know when starting Fallout Factions is to read the manual thoroughly before doing anything else. Don’t you dare take out those minis or scan the building tutorial guide until you have fully read the manual. How you build your miniatures will be determined by class, traits and stats gathered during the game setup and character creation.
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Read the manual in order because almost every time I had a question come to mind as I was reading, it was immediately answered in the next section. It is also important to play the starter skirmish before moving on to advanced rules, which add things like chems.
Short or Long Game
Play short skirmish games that can become part of a bigger story. I love that this game allows for short-term or long-term gameplay. Carry your crew through a legacy-style campaign to complete your crew’s long-term goals.
As a crew plays more games, its members gain experience, become increasingly proficient and pick up new abilities. They can also sustain wounds that may impact future games or even die. Will your crew become legends of Nuka-World or end up a smudge on the map?
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So Many Minis
The starter set includes enough miniatures to create a Pack crew and an Operator crew. The most daunting part of this game for me was creating the crews and building the minis. While I have painted miniatures for Dungeons & Dragons, I have never gotten around to building any. However, the guidebook has plenty of helpful resources to get you started. I scanned the QR code in the book and was quickly on my way to building my first crew.
Once you get going, it is easy enough to construct your crew. If you use the guide (which I highly recommend), customization options are still available. While the available weapons are chosen according to your crew, things like the heads and accessories are up to you. You are even given two weapon set options for each character. Honestly, I simply went with the ones I thought looked coolest, and, in no time, I had the raddest crew in town. For the above image, I grabbed a few of my favorite minis from each crew.
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The Rad Pack Versus the Smooth Operators
After building our crews, The Rad Pack and the Smooth Operators, my husband and I played through the first skirmish. The initial skirmish is a straight-up battle introducing you to combat and basic gameplay. Both of us are complete novices at advanced wargames like this, so things got a little crunchy. However, the gameplay allows you to move things along without getting hung up on every little technicality. After playing for a short while, we had the rules down enough that the game became more about the story and what was happening on the board rather than the rules.
Overall, it was a pretty even back-and-forth, but in the end, the Rad Pack was victorious. However, that is just the beginning because as you progress through the scenarios, each team will have objectives and stories that affect their gameplay. After each scenario, models can gain lasting wounds, level skills, determine objectives and collect loot. Consequently, these outcomes will affect the way your next scenario plays out. I look forward to making the Rad Pack the overlords of Nuka-World or die trying.
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To Play or Not to Play
The Fallout Factions: Battle for Nuka-World Starter Set is obviously a great choice for wargamers who are also Fallout fans. But it is also ideal for anyone wanting to dip their toes in the wargaming pool. As a complete wargaming novice, I enjoyed learning and putting this game together. At first, I was intimidated, but the step-by-step guides found throughout the rule book for building the minis, crews and buildings made the process a lot less daunting.
Additionally, I look forward to taking the Rad Pack and the Smooth Operators to the next level. I have also never played a legacy-style game, but Fallout Factions made me see how much fun it could be to invest in a tabletop game for the long haul. It is the best of roleplaying and tabletop games mashed together.
So, grab this starter set and a friend and create your own memories in Nuka-World. Be careful, though; things tend to get heated in the Wasteland — your constitution and friendship will be tested.
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Fallout Factions: Battle for Nuka-World Starter Set is now available and retails for $109.22. Try your local game shop or get it here on the Modiphius website.
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