I caught up with Richard from Warsurge, who, along with his brother Nic, has been carving out something pretty special in the tabletop space: a miniature-agnostic, open-style wargame that feels less like a rigid ruleset and more like a sandbox for creativity.
What stood out straight away was how intentional their approach has been. Warsurge isn’t trying to compete with the big systems by copying them. Instead, it leans into flexibility, giving players the tools to build exactly the kind of battles they want. Whether that’s sci-fi, fantasy, post-apocalyptic mashups, or something completely left-field, the system doesn’t care what miniatures you use. If you’ve got models you love, Warsurge wants them on the table.
Richard spoke a lot about ownership. Not just owning your miniatures, but owning your game. The system is built around customisable units, letting players tweak stats, abilities, and points to create something balanced but still uniquely theirs. It’s a very different mindset compared to traditional wargaming, where balance is controlled top-down. Here, it feels more collaborative, more experimental, and more personal.
There’s also a strong “by gamers, for gamers” energy behind it. You can tell this isn’t just a product; it’s something they actively play, test, and evolve. Community feedback has shaped the rules, and that openness carries through the whole design philosophy. It’s less about locking players into a system and more about giving them a framework they can push and expand.
That’s what stuck with me most. Warsurge doesn’t feel like a game you just buy; it feels like something you grow into. In a hobby often defined by strict rulebooks and official model lines, it’s doing something refreshingly different.
Ben: Okay, I’m here with Richard from WarSurge. Nice to meet you, Richard.
Richard: Nice to meet you too.
B: This looks great, it’s like an agnostic basic skirmish war game. You can bring any miniatures you want to it?
R: Yes. You can bring anything you own, whether it’s from major game systems or whether you 3D print or anything or a kit bash, you can bring it into this game and give it a custom profile.
B: So you basically build your army. Is this based on an app, or do you have a book as well?
R: Well, we’ve actually got both. The app’s free, and you can customise anything, but we also have a book of presets because not everyone wants to build from scratch. That book is called the Compendium, and you can scan that into the app as well and then customise it.
It’s like a springboard to jump into it.
B: That is excellent. I noticed here on the board we’ve got some miniatures from Star Wars, Stormtroopers, and Darth Vader. We’ve got a Diablo devil and the good old Space Marines. So obviously, you could basically pitch anything against anything. Is that the idea here?
R: Yes, any universe. It allows for full crossovers. Everything’s compatible. It’s the scale that matters; you can go as small as a skirmish, or you can go like a fully fledged army. You could go as big as you want. The point limit is what defines how big it is. So each miniature, each change you make, adjusts the points so that you could have a similar pointed army or skirmishers battling each other.
B: So if someone only owned one model, for example, they could scale it to any size they want.
R: They could take it into an apocalypse-sized game. Or they could happen in a game that’s only 100 points. Yeah, it’s very flexible like that.
B: That’s awesome. I see you got the Doom Guy there; you were telling me before that he’s got some special abilities.
R: He’s been decked out to be similar to the digital games. He has like a rip and tear attack that, if an enemy unit is nearly dead, the weapon can be used on them to finish them off, and he gets health back. He’s got all these guns as well. You could give him everything if you wanted.
B: Or the shield from the new Doom one.
R: Yep, you could do that too. We’ve got the one from Doom Eternal here. But sure, you could do Doom the Dark Ages easily.
B: That is so good, offering so much variation. Where can we find you? You said you got the app, but is there also a website?
R: We’ve got a website. https://www.warsurge.com/ We’ve got casual rules up there. We’ve got double-sided one page sheet. That’s like a full game system on the one sheet of paper there.
We also have expanded free rules and we sell hardcopy books as well.
B: Thanks again for your time. Cheers. All the best with ArcFest.
Does Warsurge sound interesting? Well, we’ve got you covered
Play Anything: How Warsurge is Redefining the Universal Wargame
For many tabletop enthusiasts, the shelf of shame isn’t just full of unpainted plastic, it’s often full of models from defunct systems, various 3D prints, or niche skirmish games that rarely see the light of day. Entering this space is Warsurge, a universal tabletop miniature war-game that aims to break down the walled gardens of the hobby by letting players use any model from any collection in a single, balanced system.
Here is a look at how Warsurge works and why its open style approach is gaining traction.
The Model-Agnostic Revolution
The core philosophy of Warsurge is total freedom. Whether you have high-fantasy elves, historical Napoleonic infantry, or grim-dark sci-fi mechs, the game provides a framework to play them all. Removing the link between specific rules and specific miniatures allows for dream matches where magic and science fiction clash on the same table.
This is framed within the Omniverse lore, a setting where portals connect every reality, providing a narrative excuse for why your collection of medieval knights might be defending a futuristic bunker from alien invaders.
Driven by the App
The secret sauce of Warsurge is its dedicated Army Design App. In traditional wargames, players are restricted to pre-written codexes or army lists. Warsurge flips this:
- Custom Stat Creation: You define the units. If your model looks like a heavy-armoured tank, you give it the Heavy Armour and Vehicle traits in the app.
- The Balancing Algorithm: To prevent the wild west of overpowered custom units, the app uses a complex algorithm to assign point values. Every stat increase or special ability has a mathematical cost, ensuring that even the most creative builds remain competitively viable against an opponent’s army.
- WYSIWYG Integration: The app makes it easy to ensure that What You See Is What You Get. You can tailor a digital profile to perfectly match the physical weapons and gear on your specific miniature.
Scalable Gameplay: From Skirmish to Grand Battle
Warsurge doesn’t force players into one specific way of playing. The ruleset is designed to be elastic:
- Skirmish Mode: Ideal for small, tactical encounters with a handful of models.
- Grand Battle: Optimised for massive engagements involving dozens of units and vehicles.
- Solo & Co-op: For those who prefer a PVE experience, the game includes Artificial Opponent rules and narrative missions, allowing for cooperative dungeon crawls or solo base defence.
How to Get Started
The barrier to entry for Warsurge is remarkably low because most hobbyists already own the components, their miniatures and some dice.
- Download the Rules: The basic rules are available for free, providing the mechanical foundation for movement, combat, and morale.
- Build in the App: Use the software to digitise your physical collection, assigning points and perks to create a balanced roster.
- Choose Your Mission: From standard competitive objectives to story-driven Bounties, the game offers various ways to win.
Final Thoughts
Warsurge is a powerful tool for the model collector who feels restricted by the rigid rules of major publishers. By focusing on a mathematical balancing act rather than a specific product line, it offers a sustainable way to keep your entire miniature library relevant, regardless of which way the hobby’s winds are blowing.
If you have a box of miscellaneous miniatures and a desire for deep customisation, Warsurge is a system that finally says yes to every model you own.
Recent Comments