by Martydom
Martyrdom is a 28mm heroic scale rank and flank wargame set during the First Crusade, from Spearhead Studios. This campaign launches the Battle of Dorylaeum starter set: the Crusaders against the Seljuk Turks of the Sultanate of Rûm, recreating the battle of 1 July 1097 with two complete armies and 86 miniatures.
What is Martyrdom?
Martyrdom puts history first. Every unit is researched with our historical consultants, so the arms, armour and dress on your table match the men who fought at Dorylaeum. The miniatures are sculpted to the standard players expect from the best fantasy and sci-fi ranges, and the rules are quick to learn with real tactical depth.
Our goals for Martyrdom
We are wargamers who love history, and we wanted a historical game that looks and plays as well as the best fantasy and sci-fi games on the market. That means miniatures true to the men who fought, sculpted with real character, and rules that are easy to pick up while leaving plenty of room for your own tactics.
This campaign is how we get there, and plastic starts at the funding goal. Reaching it means every model in the starter set comes with hard plastic weapons, so the spears and blades that take the most knocks on the table are as durable as they can be. Each stretch goal then moves an entire unit into hard plastic.
The Battle of Dorylaeum is only the beginning. Martyrdom is built to grow, following the crusades through their defining battles and bringing new armies to the table as the story moves on, well beyond the Holy Land. The core rules are free, Army Builder grows with every release, and we will keep you up to date at every step.
Every miniature starts as an illustration. Our sculptors work from that art and our historians’ research, and our studio painter brings each one to the table. Here are the horn blowers of both armies, from the first concept painting to the finished miniature.
What scale are the models?
Martyrdom miniatures are 28mm heroic scale, so they sit comfortably alongside the other 28mm historical and fantasy models in your collection. We measure from the feet to the eyes: an infantryman stands 28.5mm to the eye, and a mounted rider’s eyes sit 47.3mm above the table.
What’s in the box
The Battle of Dorylaeum starter set holds both armies in full: every launch unit and both commanders, 86 miniatures in all. You also get bases for every model, gameplay coins, playing and fatigue dice, a measuring ruler, a transfer sheet, a quickstart guide with history, painting tips and Dorylaeum scenarios, and lifetime access to Army Builder.
