by Alessandro Vittori
War Chant is an innovative miniature wargame system designed for hobbyists seeking ultimate creative freedom. Set in an agnostic fantasy world, it allows you to build and play the faction you’ve always dreamed of. The rules are designed to adapt to your choices and bring strategic, immersive, and simulation-based battles to life.
Tell new and thrilling war stories or bring that long-delayed modeling project to life, War Chant puts you at the center of the action, creating a unique gaming experience in which you are in charge!
War Chant is a strategic skirmish game for 28/32 mm scale miniatures, for two or more players. You can use any miniature you want, whether it comes from another game line, an original 3D printed creation, or a unique handcrafted collection! The system supports both narrative and competitive play, and even map-based campaigns.
These three aspects have guided us throughout the entire development process of War Chant. The core idea stems from a simple yet powerful question: “What would we want in our ideal wargame?” The answers shaped the pillars on which the entire project is built.
I- A Space for Imagination
First and foremost, we wanted a place where we could unleash our imagination and bring our ideas to life, a space where every player could create extraordinary worlds, tell unique stories, and experience epic battles.
II- Total Freedom in the Creative Process
Next, we wanted to realize our imagined worlds without any limits. As hobbyists, we know there is no greater satisfaction than completing a project that reflects our creative vision. Whether building an army or crafting immersive scenarios, we wanted every idea to find its place.
III- Strategic, Fun, and Realistic Gameplay
Lastly, we sought a gaming experience that is both strategic and engaging. For us, the “ideal wargame” should be fun, with streamlined and intuitive rules, offering tactical challenges that satisfy even the most experienced and dedicated players. We aimed for an asymmetrical game system that also provides a realistic simulation of battlefield dynamics, accessible enough for quick and easy gameplay, but with deep mechanics and synergies that take more than one match to fully master.
In War Chant, every player has complete creative freedom: the rules do not impose a predefined setting with predetermined factions. On the contrary, it provides the tools necessary to build your own game world. This is made possible by an innovative system we call the “archetypal system.”
What is an archetype?
An archetype represents the heart of a faction and, together with the backstory written by the player, defines its identity and nature. Archetypes are typical models of the fantasy genre, each with specific characteristics and rules that bring unique playstyles to life. But how does this translate into gameplay?
Choosing an archetype means giving your faction distinct traits and specific abilities. For example, a band of undead might draw strength from the souls of enemies reaped in battle, while a crew of corsairs will use hit-and-run combat tactics. Each archetype not only defines the faction’s identity but also directly influences how the game is played.
A wide range of choices and unlimited possibilities
The War Chant rulebook offers no less than 7 archetypes to choose from, each with a completely different playstyle! And if that’s not enough, inside you will find detailed guidelines, advice, and suggestions to create brand new, customized archetypes, expanding the game world according to your imagination.
The real challenge? Let your imagination run wild and build a faction like no other, ready to conquer the battlefield!
A central goal in the development of War Chant was to create a game system capable of faithfully representing the clash between Warbands. I didn’t want a simple brawl where warriors blindly throw themselves into the fray, but an organized battle between opposing forces, where the decisions of commanders could have a real impact on the battlefield.
At the same time, I wanted a modern system designed to minimize downtime and keep the pace of the game consistently high. I also wanted to preserve the advantages of the skirmish format, which allows for greater customization of individual models, without reducing the size of Warbands too much.
The result is a rather unconventional game system: alternating activation, a staple of skirmish games, combined with the ability to activate multiple models through special figures known as Officers.
This mechanic is designed to represent the organized nature of the battle: not simply individual warriors fighting on their own, but commanders issuing orders and leading their men across the battlefield.
Within the pages of War Chant (over 250!), you will find everything you need to play. Specifically:
- Core Rules — Everything you need to play exciting and strategic battles.
- Model Customization Rules — Give your miniatures a unique identity and truly make them your own.
- 3 Game Modes — Choose between Narrative, Balanced, and Campaign games, depending on how you want to play.
- 7 Archetypes — Build your forces around powerful archetypal concepts, each offering a distinct playstyle.
- 12 Ready-to-Play Scenarios — Jump straight into battle with a variety of tactical challenges.
- And much more! — Tools, options, and rules designed to let you personalize your experience and bring your ideas to life.
To celebrate the official launch of War Chant, we’ve prepared the Lords of the Lands campaign: a whole region ready for you to explore and conquer! This module supports 2 to 5 players and lets you jump straight into campaign mode without the need for extensive preparation upfront. Plus, you can draw inspiration from this first experience to craft your own adventures!
You can find the Lords of the Lands campaign module among the available pledges on Kickstarter.
