Warhammer Underworlds: Embergard Board Game Review

In a week there will be another review dedicated to board games that will catch your attention. Last time I introduced you to the Valley of Eternity card set here. Today we will look at the tactical part of Warhammer Underworlds: Embergard, which is a new edition of the popular strategy Warhammer Underworlds. The following paragraphs of this text will tell you what’s new, how it’s played, and what sets you can currently use to expand the base set.

• Number of players: 2-4
• Playing time: 30 – 60 minutes
• Price: 1899 CZK (Xzone)
• Courtesy: Xzone
• Age: 12+

Warhammer Underworlds: Embergard strategy will leave you bleeding in ruins

Imagine a city shrouded in darkness, its once magnificent walls now serving only as a backdrop to merciless clashes. Such is the world of Warhammer Underworlds: Embergard, a board game that takes you into the conflict between two factions seeking to dominate this wasteland. Here, players not only use their tactical skills, but also the courage to make quick and strategic decisions as their characters battle for supremacy.

In this game, players choose one of two separate groups. Emberwatch are human heroes driven by justice and courage. This small but deadly squad of three fighters features a balance of abilities, each with unique skills. The commander is a master of tactical control, the gunner covers the rear positions, and the close combat fighter can hit the enemy exactly where it hurts the most.

On the other side are Zikkit’s Tunnel Force, a pack of rat warriors who rely on sheer numbers, unpredictable technology and, above all, cunning. With five squads on the battlefield, they are fast and dangerous, but their low durability requires careful planning of each turn, as they have significantly less health than the opposing group.

The preparation for the game is short but intense. Players choose a deck of cards that determines their strategy. The base deck includes 12 objectives and 20 abilities, each deck is carefully designed to offer players different approaches to victory. Unique warscrolls contain detailed information about each faction, its members and abilities. Based on this information, players decide how to make the most of their abilities. The playing field, consisting of hexagonal fields, offers various tactical possibilities. Players gradually deploy their fighters on it and prepare for the first move.

The entire game is divided into three rounds, during which players alternately activate their characters. Each turn is divided into an action phase and a power phase. For example, the player can move a fighter to a strategic position, attack an enemy, or use a defensive ability. Actions must be carefully planned, since movements and attacks are limited by the character’s characteristics. The combat system is based on dice and works with symbols instead of numbers, which adds an element of randomness and the need to be good at guessing the risks.

Ability cards, available during the Power phase, allow players to change the course of battle, strengthen units or weaken the enemy at the right time. After each activation, players have the opportunity to work with their cards or their faction board. This replaced the traditional format of unique packs for each faction, resulting in some simplification. But there is no shortage of bags of different designs. In the current version, you will find four preset elements, giving you different strategy options. I welcome this transformation for myself. As you play, you earn fame points, the number of which determines the winner at the end of the game, which is usually the one who managed to work with the task cards and eliminate the enemies.

Legends Returns: Heroes and Hunters brings long-forgotten heroes to the worlds of Warhammer Underworlds

Warhammer Underworlds is one of those games that has gained a large number of fans over time. However, with increased popularity comes a certain nostalgia – many of the original factions are no longer available. Luckily, thanks to recently released packs like Heroes and Hunters, players can revive old familiar factions, including dwarves, elves, witch hunters, and mystical protectors of the forest.

Heroes and Hunters doesn’t work the same way as the full deck expansions released to date, but it does offer a different way to bring your favorite factions to life. Instead of classic faction packs, players receive individual character cards and warscrolls that reflect specific unit abilities and rules. This approach emphasizes flexibility and strategy as players have more control over how they use their units.

Each faction has its own specific characteristics that affect the course of the game. Known for their ruthlessness, Witch Hunters, for example, can block an opponent’s weapon ability once per game. Additionally, this group reacts quickly to the loss of their own units, making them an ideal choice for players who want to make life difficult for their opponents.

On the other hand, there are gnomes whose obsession with treasure is not only thematic, but also playful. These rugged warriors benefit from the richness of the battlefield, making them ideal for players who favor long-term strategy and map control. For those looking to reminisce about their favorite factions from the past, Heroes and Hunters is an obvious choice.

The return of elves, dwarves and other iconic units is a welcome reminder of why players love Warhammer Underworlds so much. The expansion not only offers new mechanics and strategy, but also a way to combine nostalgia with a modern approach to the game. If you’re not a big fan of these areas, you can also find Undead, Chaos and Destruction on the menu.

Warhammer Underworlds: Embergard lets you pit saurs and demons against each other

With the release of the new edition of Warhammer Underworlds: Embergard, two factions enter the scene, offering completely different playstyles and capabilities. Grandfather’s Gardeners and The Jaws Of Itzl represent unique teams that not only enrich the game with new mechanics, but also allow players to explore hitherto untapped tactical approaches.

Grandfather’s Gardeners are devoted servants of the disease god Nurgle, who come into battle to spread his unique “blessings”. Their mechanics are built around a life cycle that reflects the constant improvement or sacrifice of their abilities. On the other side are the Jaws of Itzl, a savage band of lizard warriors fighting in the name of the Great Plan. This faction exhibits an aggressive playstyle based on fast attacks and brutal counterattacks.

A team of Daemons true to Nurgle’s legacy uses a Cycle of Life mechanic that gradually improves with each turn or in response to the situation on the battlefield. This token not only affects their units’ attacks, but can also be used to heal their units. Each of the monsters represents a deadly weapon, a bet on time and damage taken. On the opposite side you will find Saurian warriors supported by Sotek’s snake minions. This faction focuses on devastating attacks that actually hurt the enemy. Lizards are excellent at responding to enemy failures – if the enemy fails to attack, they respond with a quick counterattack that takes the lives of their attackers.

Both factions are designed to offer very different experiences, with their mechanics and abilities directly reflecting the specific story background. While the Grandfather’s Gardeners are methodical and spread the blessings of Nurgle with unrelenting persistence, the Jaws of Itzl rely on the ferocity of the saurs and their ability to turn the mistakes of their opponents to their advantage. Both Grandfather’s Gardeners and The Jaws Of Itzl prove that Warhammer Underworlds: Embergard has something to offer not only for veterans, but also for newcomers. Both factions are not only thematically thoughtful, but also introduce mechanics that enliven the gameplay and expand the strategy options. For Warhammer fans, these two factions are practically essential. If you’re a fan of Nurgle’s infections or are drawn to the brutality of lizard warriors, these teams definitely won’t disappoint.

Warhammer Underworlds: Embergard shows that fun strategies can be achieved

This release features a combination of accessibility and depth. Players learn the rules quickly, but the real challenge comes in advanced strategy games where every decision can have far-reaching consequences. The game’s strength lies in the freedom it gives players in terms of deck building and approach to their factions. The overall replayability is greatly facilitated by the available expansions, which are impressive both in the elaboration of individual models and in the design of given groupings. Personally, I really like the overall redesign compared to the original version of this game.

Warhammer Underworlds: Embergard is a great example of how action figure games don’t always have to be low-quality productions that focus only on pretty figures. Hours of fun await you here with well-designed tactical battles that harness the power of cards and dice. If you are one of the fans of moves in which teams clash, then from my point of view this is an almost clear choice.

We would like to thank Czech distributor Xzone for providing us with a copy of Warhammer Underworlds: Embergard and its expansion packs.