I’d never have predicted it when I first started watching them 712 years ago, but videogame YouTubers the Yogscast make some of my favorite, wacky Warhammer 40k videos these days, and their Games Night channel’s latest creation is a real doozy. Using an indie wargame ruleset called Riftway Cataclysm, they’ve played a full Tau vs. Adepta Sororitas battle report, without making a single die roll.
As with their previous battle reports for Warhammer 40k and other miniature wargames, Games Night has put out a condensed 35-minute version of the battle for free (watch it below), while the full three hour epic is available for paid subscribers. Technically, of course, they’re not playing 40k; they’re playing Riftway Cataclysm using models from the Warhammer 40k factions – but why split hairs? Whatever it is, it’s a good time for 40k lovers.
The game itself, as you’d expect, is pretty wild. Along with game master and renowned Warhammer nerd Ben Edgar, Games Night presenters Mark Hulmes and Harry Marshall bring small, sub 1000 point armies, and the mission is pure 40k: fight to capture, or demolish, an Imperial base.
But, instead of the regular 40k 10th edition rules, they play Riftway Cataclysm: a system with alternating unit activations that sees you gamble ‘strategic token’ chips to win the initiative each round, then play a simple but tense game that’s driven by prediction, positioning, and tactical priorities, rather than random dice results.
In this 40k iteration, that means some interesting things. Shooting damage doesn’t resolve until your next activation – so your opponent has time to dodge your shots, block them with tankier units, or sacrifice those opportunities to move up and attack with other troops.
Other critical mechanics, like armor/cover saves for your attacked units and triggering special abilities, are also resolved via competitive blind bets with your chips. Bet more chips than your opponent on a particular play, and it’ll go in your favor – but you’ll spend precious chips to do so; games are thus driven by how much you’re willing to risk, and on what.
It’s a very distinctive, punchy system that makes this batrep entertaining to watch. And we love to see it getting airtime from the Games Night crew, because we at Wargamer also covered Riftway Cataclysm last year, interviewing its creator David Rogers.
An experienced Age of Sigmar tournament player, Rogers “got tired of the constant overpowered new releases”, “lack of serious attention to unit balance”, and the “massive luck component” in GW’s flagship fantasy wargame, so set out to create his own, more affordable game that “consistently rewarded good generalship”.
Affordable is right; if you enjoyed Games Night’s batrep, you can download and print all the rules and materials to play Riftway Cataclysm (with any minis you like) free from the game’s website.
If you’re into this sort of thing, or just have questions, make sure you join Wargamer’s free Discord community too – we’re chatting daily on all things tabletop; host regular hobby hangouts; welcome major game designers and publishers for live AMAs; run competitions to win free box sets and games; and much more cool stuff besides. See you there!