Deadzone: Getting Started

What is Deadzone?

Deadzone is a tabletop miniature skirmish game. Set on a futuristic world under quarantine, you control opposing teams of elite soldiers as they fight for power, resources, intelligence or survival inside a ‘Deadzone’.

Using three-dimensional scenery, fantastic minitaures and an innovative cube-based movement system, your strike team will fight in close ranged, fast paced skirmishes, where one wrong move can spell certain death.

Getting Started

If you are brand new to Deadzone, then the boxed game is the perfect place to start. It contains two small Strike Teams – Enforcers and Forge Fathers – a range of scenery, a gaming mat, a full rulebook and all of the dice and counters you will need to play.

Before you start building your models and terrain, it is a good idea to read through the rulebook. This will set up the world of Deadzone and talk you through the rules. In the front of the book there is a Getting Started scenario, using the models from the box game in pre-set lists to introduce you to the game. Once you’ve built these strike teams, you’ll have a number of miniatures leftover than you can build any way you want. Think that the Forge Fathers need more firepower? Add a Stormrage Veteran with a Hailstorm Autocannon. Fancy some more punch in close combat for your Enforcers? Try an extra Assault Enforcer.

Miniatures and Terrain

When you are familiar enough with the rules, it’s time to build your strike team. You can either start with the models in the box game or, if you find yourself drawn to a particular faction, you can go for either a faction starter or faction booster for them. These sets include a wide variety of different models which you can use to customise your strike team. You can find a lot of helpful tips for building your models online, including on our Warpath Universe Website. You should also consider painting your miniatures. This can provide hours of enjoyment and really allows you to make your Strike Team your own. Again, there is no right or wrong way to do this and there is a wealth of information online or in gaming groups as to how you can get started.

You should also take some time to clip together some terrain. Cover is crucial in games of Deadzone, so make use of the modular tiles to make sure that drawing clear lines of sight is difficult. This will make your games more exciting as your Strike Teams dive for cover and try to score damage with precise shots. You can use more scenery from the Battlezones range to enhance your board and add narrative.

Is this the last functioning spaceport or the remains of a factory? Are you fighting within the city limits or aboard a spaceship trying to break orbit? Build whatever you can think of!

Going Further

When you are ready you can start to play different scenarios or try setting up a campaign with a group of friends. A campaign is a series of games linked by a narrative and experience. Your strike teams will get better over time, although casualties will occur – a Deadzone is a dangerous place. The new Faction Starters are built for this, containing a good size campaign army for you to draw multiple strike teams from.

So what are you waiting for? Recruit your strike team, build your models, challenge your friends and enter the Deadzone!

The Deadzone Starter Set, Deadzone 2nd Edition Rulebook, Enforcer Faction Starter and Booster and the Forge Father Faction Starter and Booster are all available to pre-order from all good hobby stores and the Mantic webstore. These will be shipping in May.