Stats:
No. of players: 2
Amount of time to play: 60-90 min
Age requirements: 13+
Set-up time: 10-20 minutes

Hordes is a fantasy-based miniatures war game. You have a warlock that channels power from their army to cast spells. The Two-Player Battle Box comes with everything you need to play the game.

Hordes Two-Player Battle Box Description:
The Hordes Two-Player Battle Box comes with quick-start rules, 20 miniatures, an introduction to the world and even a full mini-rule book. The box also has four six-sided dice, a flexible ruler, and an issue of the publication No Quarter.

The game play is similar to Warmachine and so are most of the rules. The major difference is the way your spellcaster gains power. In Hordes when your monsters act they generate Fury. Your warlock can channel the Fury and use it to cast spells. If monsters have too much Fury they may frenzy, attacking the closest unit, even their allies. Warmachine warcasters just gain a certain amount of Focus they can use to help their warjacks. A great summary I read about the difference said, “Focus is resource management. Fury is risk management.”

A Quick Review of Hordes Two-Player Battle Box:
Even with the comparison of Hordes and Warmachine, the above description is short. Hordes is a pretty complex war game. So if you are interested in trying it out I’d download the quick-start rules and go to a local store or game group and see it in action.

The components in the Hordes Battle Box are awesome. Everything is top-notch from the art work to the miniatures and the rulebook. The included miniatures look great but must be built and painted.

Thank goodness for the quick-start rules as the full rules can be a lot to take in at first. You should spend less time looking at rules after several plays though. If you know if anyone who plays or frequent a local board game store you should be able to find someone there to help guide you through things.

I had not tried Hordes before and only played Warmachine a bit. Like I said the quick-start rules help a lot as does playing with someone who already knows the system. Having played both I like Hordes a little better. This is partially because of the theme. I like fantasy more than steam punk. I also like the risk taking that happens in Hordes and how sometimes you are pressing your luck that your warbeast won’t eat his friends.

The Hordes Two-Player Battle Box is an excellent way to get into the game. The value of the items in the box exceeds the price. If you already play Hordes you may like the included units and the travel-sized rulebook. If you like the fantasy theme and are looking to just pick-up a skirmish war game, everything you need is in this box.

Score and synopsis: (Click here for an explanation of these review categories.)
Strategy 5 out of 6
Luck 5 out of 6
Player Interaction 6 out of 6
Replay Value 4 out of 6
Complexity 5 out of 6
Fun 5 out of 6
Overall 5 out of 6