New skirmish game, Trench Crusade, raises more than $3 million in pledges

Factory Fortress INC raised more than $3.3 million from a recent Kickstarter project to launch the new tabletop skirmish game, Trench Crusade. The alternative World War I battler is a two-player game in which players can choose to battle as any of six factions including mortal and immortal troops as well as blessed beings. Having smashed all of its original targets, the game will come with all stretch goals and is slated for delivery in June 2025.

The game brings together celebrated names from gaming. The artwork is by acclaimed artist Mike Franchina, known for his work on the Diablo video games, which should give you an idea of the dark, gritty nature of the game’s world. Franchina is joined by Tuomas Pirinen who worked on Warhammer 6^th Edition, so players should expect strong war game mechanics.

Promising a simple gaming mechanic, Trench Crusade will use 2 D6s with players alternating turns to traverse the battlefield and take on the other. A roll of 2 to 6 is a fail, 7 to 11 is a success, and 12 or more is a success. It’s a simple dice-rolling mechanic but there are, of course, modifiers to add strategy and luck. Attacking from an elevated position adds another die to the roll, for example, while attempting to attack characters in cover means the removal of a die. The Blood and Blessings mechanic looks especially entertaining.

The blood element of Blood and Blessings sees blood markers given to models that are wounded but not killed. When a player fights an injured model, they can either choose to add an extra die to their roll or have the opponent roll at a disadvantage. A disadvantaged roll means the player rolls an extra die but removes the highest roll. Blessings, which can be gained by special effects, mean the blessed player rolls at an advantage, adding an extra die and removing the lowest roll, or has the opponent lose a die from their roll.

The 6 factions that make up the game are the Trench Pilgrims, Heretic Legion, New Antioch, Court of the Seven Headed Serpent, Sultanate of the Iron Wall, and The Black Grail. Warbands from each faction can be customized to include different weapons and equipment items, enabling players to create unique fighting groups.

The core rules are available for free online and playtest and quickstart rules are already available. Players can create their own battlegrounds and use virtually anything as player models to give the system a try.

For those who did participate, the game is set for a June 2025 delivery. There are both digital and physical versions of the game available, with miniatures delivered either as STLs or resin models, respectively. For an idea of the cost, a physical copy of the book, which is a 200-page hardback book with detailed visuals and illustrations, and a digital warband, costs $67. Those who want physical models and are ready for some serious mini painting would need to pay $85. The heresiarch package, which includes a physical book, all the miniatures, every dice set, and two sets of terrain, costs a hefty $888.

The good news for backers, though, is that the campaign did surpass all of its stretch goals. As such, the campaign now includes expanded armory rules, a map of the frontlines, unique illustrations, and a host of other well-themed goodies.