Necroing as this game is nearing release and I know quite a few WM fans here.
Current version on steam includes:
-Single player tutorial that's three short missions long, ironman (if you quit you start over from the beginning, can't skip cut scenes). It's supposed to eventually teach you the game as well as the Cygnar faction.
-Cut scenes are awful. They're just the 3d models frozen, mouths don't move or anything.
-Multiplayer; can play as Cygnar, Menoth, Cryxx, Khador.
-Current units in the regular steam version:
Cygnar: Stryker, Siege Brisbane, Ironclad WJ, Defender WJ, Lancer WJ, Charger WJ, Trenchers, Grenadiers, Stormblades, Stormguard, Gunmages, and Stormsmiths.
Khador: Sorscha, Strakhov, Juggernaut WJ, Destroyer WJ, Maurader WJ, Decimator WJ, Winter Guard, Rocketeers, Man-O-Wars, Iron Fang, Greylords, Kommandos, Flame Throwers, and Man o war kovniks. Lotta love for Khador.
Menoth: Kreos, Severius, Crusader WJ, Vanquisher WJ, Repenter WJ, Revenger WJ, Flameguard, Cleansers, Cinerators, Vassals, and Errants.
Cryxx: Deneghra, Asphyxious, Slayer WJ, Deathripper WJ, Defiler WJ, Nightwretch WJ, Reaper WJ, Mechanithralls, Brute Thralls, Skarlock, Oversears, and Bile Thralls.
-Three maps for multiplayer: Trenches, Forest, and Snow. Feels a lot like playing chess.
Coming on release:
-Full single Player campaign.
-Ability to save and load campaign.
-Improved AI for AI skirmish games.
-Alternate Multiplayer game modes.
-Ability to dye/paint/customize your army.
-Mercenaries for those people that bought the Digital Deluxe edition.
Coming in the future as DLC:
-Mercenary faction, as well as Mercenary units which can be taken by the other factions. Included with the Digital Deluxe addition.
-Retribution of Skyrah. Kickstarter backers get this for free?
My review:
-Definitely a must buy if you're into turned based strategy games (Bloodbowl, Divinity: OS, Wasteland 2, etcetera).
-So far the Early Access is limited, but it gives a good feel for the game. I like where it's headed and as long as they follow through and finish things, this could be a game I could play for a while.
-Main campaign is not co-op or anything fancy like that (unlike Divinity). It's really a glorified tutorial, supposedly 21 missions long. It takes me less than 10 minutes to finish a mission. Odds are you'll be done with the SP campaign in less than an hour. Multiplayer is where the meat of the game is at.
-Although the game has similar mechanics to the Table Top, it took a lot of liberties in how it does that.
No Warjack location damage. Warjacks have the same amount of HP as the TT which is a bit strange given that all warrior models now have 8 or more hp.
No detrimental effects for Warjack damage (loss arms, mobility, etcetera). Warjacks just have hp across the board and behave the same whether at 1hp remaining or at full hp.
All warrior models are solos with 6 or more hp. This nerfs Warjacks significantly since their damage output wasn't increased. I haven't played enough to see if they made up for it in increased ARM or something.
Assigning focus to Warjacks can be strange or buggy. For example, using a focus to do one ability automatically used up another focus to boost its damage even though I didn't want/need to. That means I lost that focus point to make an additional attack.
Warcasters can't boost arm or gain hp using focus, now I may have missed how to do this. I don't know if the system includes any non-spent focus when calculating total ARM before actual damage. I hit Sorscha for 10 with my ironclad and all of it went through, even though she didn't have any Jacks to allocate focus to.
-MP Maps are very small, smaller than traditional 4' x 4' and closer to 3' by 3'. You'll be in the mix by turn two, and although this leads to quicker games, it can be a problem later on. There really is no room for multi-caster armies, cavalry, or any of the specialist units. After testing with a buddy of mine that's really into WM, we were done with games in less than 30 minutes. It felt a lot like chess and not like a roaming battlefield with some room for error.
-Your opening and warband composition will really win or lose you the game. Not sure some folks will like that. Personally I prefer a bit more room for error, the ability to maneuver, move into different spots on the map, and so on.
