The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Reaper Miniatures, maker of the "Dark Heaven" line of fantasy figures, finally lets the rest of us in on what "Dark Heaven" is all about. And, they make sure that the wait has been worth it.

Dark Heaven: Apocalypse is set in Reaper's expansive setting of Adon, a vast place with dozens of fantastic denizens. The main rulebook/sourcebook gives some details on each, but the world is so big that only sparse details can be given. Adon is in the center of the Reaper War - where the Dire-Dead of the Plane of Death invade the world. In the Reaper War, the warring factions of Adon - the different kingdoms, races, etc - must stop their internal disputes to fight off the incredible threat of the Reapers. The Reapers - War, Famine, Plague, Pestilence and Skythe - all seek claim Adon for their demon masters.

The game has many of the familiar trappings of traditional fantasy to feel familiar, but enough differences to keep you on your toes. Dire-Dead are not traditional Undead, although Adon has those as well. Dire-Dead are more than animated husks of the dead, the Dire-Dead are thinking corpses, and may actually evolve into more powerful forms if they serve their masters well and are strong enough. Vampires, considered undead, are actually the staunch allies against the Dire-Dead; although they fight like a rancher defending his herd from wolves more than out of compassion for life…

But enough of the settings - this is a wargame, right? Right. Although the rules get less space than the World Book, they still do an excellent job of getting the rules system across to the players. The biggest concept to learn in DH:A is the stat line. Simply put, it is complete. Once you can read a model's stat line, you are effectively ready to run the game. There are not many charts that need to be consulted; the majority of it is covered by the stat line of every model. In DH:A, the D10 is basis of all rolls, whether they are D100, 2D10, etc. I personally like the mechanics of the D10 because they allow more variance in model's ability than the D6 but aren't as "random" as a D20. (Don't get me started on the D30!)

Movement is handled quite well in DH:A - figures are sorted into "movement classes" based on how heavy their armor is. Slower, more heavily armored troops are Class 4, whereas light chariots and unarmored cavalry is in Class 1. Your class determines in what part of the phase you can complete your actions. The speediest Class 1 complete all their actions, then Class 2, etc. Combat in the game works has a number of modifiers to sort out, but after a few games, is picked up pretty quickly. Again, referring to the models' stat line, you can determine their Close Combat Value, number of Strikes, and start beating up on their foes.

DH:A also allows players to create their own stats for any characters or odd models they have, with a vast construction system. Want to make special stats for your Dwarven general? Easily done. Also, this book includes one of the largest batch of army lists I have seen in some time - including a half-dozen sample armies.

What else comes in the box? There is the most interesting novella called "The 12th Journal of Johann Kruger", a 70-page fictional work which details the exploits of Johann Kruger and Dalton Krieg, two adventurers (and Knights Templar) fighting against the Dire-Dead. This novella captured my attention, and drops a number of hints about a futuristic Dark Heaven game to come…

You also get 8 excellent Reaper miniatures and quick start kit. The figures are 4 dwarves and 4 skeletons - 3 each for close combat work, 1 of each with a missile weapon. These figures let you try out the rules and get a feel for things. As usual, they are up to Reaper's high standards for their "heroic 25mm scale" figures.

The presentation is all in black-and-white, but the visuals are good. The layout of the rules and world book are only two column, but the organization is strong enough that I wasn't bothered by this. The art isn't overpowering or gratuitous. (Unlike those companies who like to fill space with it…)

Complaints? Only a minor few. The rulebook lacks an index, but the table of contents is almost strong enough to survive without one. I would like to have a seen a few more examples in the book, as the modifiers for combat took me a few tries before using all of them. If anything, the sourcebook left me wanting more - which isn't a problem, it just shows I'm interested!

There is a lot packed into this box. Dark Heaven: Apocalypse is one of the most ambitious fantasy wargames I have seen in some time, and I think that the system will be able to fulfil that ambition. This is a rich world, ready to be fought over. That's perhaps the best thing to be said for a game like this.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Dark Heaven: Apocalypse
Author: Al Pare, Ed Pugh Category: Boxed Wargame Set Company/Publisher: Reaper Miniatures Cost: $29.95 Page count: n/a Capsule Review by Robert E. Allen III on 10/18/98. Genre tags: Fantasy Horror	Reaper Miniatures, maker of the "Dark Heaven" line of fantasy figures, finally lets the rest of us in on what "Dark Heaven" is all about. And, they make sure that the wait has been worth it. Dark Heaven: Apocalypse is set in Reaper's expansive setting of Adon, a vast place with dozens of fantastic denizens. The main rulebook/sourcebook gives some details on each, but the world is so big that only sparse details can be given. Adon is in the center of the Reaper War - where the Dire-Dead of the Plane of Death invade the world. In the Reaper War, the warring factions of Adon - the different kingdoms, races, etc - must stop their internal disputes to fight off the incredible threat of the Reapers. The Reapers - War, Famine, Plague, Pestilence and Skythe - all seek claim Adon for their demon masters. The game has many of the familiar trappings of traditional fantasy to feel familiar, but enough differences to keep you on your toes. Dire-Dead are not traditional Undead, although Adon has those as well. Dire-Dead are more than animated husks of the dead, the Dire-Dead are thinking corpses, and may actually evolve into more powerful forms if they serve their masters well and are strong enough. Vampires, considered undead, are actually the staunch allies against the Dire-Dead; although they fight like a rancher defending his herd from wolves more than out of compassion for life… But enough of the settings - this is a wargame, right? Right. Although the rules get less space than the World Book, they still do an excellent job of getting the rules system across to the players. The biggest concept to learn in DH:A is the stat line. Simply put, it is complete. Once you can read a model's stat line, you are effectively ready to run the game. There are not many charts that need to be consulted; the majority of it is covered by the stat line of every model. In DH:A, the D10 is basis of all rolls, whether they are D100, 2D10, etc. I personally like the mechanics of the D10 because they allow more variance in model's ability than the D6 but aren't as "random" as a D20. (Don't get me started on the D30!) Movement is handled quite well in DH:A - figures are sorted into "movement classes" based on how heavy their armor is. Slower, more heavily armored troops are Class 4, whereas light chariots and unarmored cavalry is in Class 1. Your class determines in what part of the phase you can complete your actions. The speediest Class 1 complete all their actions, then Class 2, etc. Combat in the game works has a number of modifiers to sort out, but after a few games, is picked up pretty quickly. Again, referring to the models' stat line, you can determine their Close Combat Value, number of Strikes, and start beating up on their foes. DH:A also allows players to create their own stats for any characters or odd models they have, with a vast construction system. Want to make special stats for your Dwarven general? Easily done. Also, this book includes one of the largest batch of army lists I have seen in some time - including a half-dozen sample armies. What else comes in the box? There is the most interesting novella called "The 12th Journal of Johann Kruger", a 70-page fictional work which details the exploits of Johann Kruger and Dalton Krieg, two adventurers (and Knights Templar) fighting against the Dire-Dead. This novella captured my attention, and drops a number of hints about a futuristic Dark Heaven game to come… You also get 8 excellent Reaper miniatures and quick start kit. The figures are 4 dwarves and 4 skeletons - 3 each for close combat work, 1 of each with a missile weapon. These figures let you try out the rules and get a feel for things. As usual, they are up to Reaper's high standards for their "heroic 25mm scale" figures. The presentation is all in black-and-white, but the visuals are good. The layout of the rules and world book are only two column, but the organization is strong enough that I wasn't bothered by this. The art isn't overpowering or gratuitous. (Unlike those companies who like to fill space with it…) Complaints? Only a minor few. The rulebook lacks an index, but the table of contents is almost strong enough to survive without one. I would like to have a seen a few more examples in the book, as the modifiers for combat took me a few tries before using all of them. If anything, the sourcebook left me wanting more - which isn't a problem, it just shows I'm interested! There is a lot packed into this box. Dark Heaven: Apocalypse is one of the most ambitious fantasy wargames I have seen in some time, and I think that the system will be able to fulfil that ambition. This is a rich world, ready to be fought over. That's perhaps the best thing to be said for a game like this. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 4 (Meaty)