First Look: Warhammer Spearhead’s City of Ash – Is This Your Next Tabletop Obsession?
Hey PakGamersHub community! If you’re into tabletop gaming, or even just seen those awesome Games Workshop stores popping up, you’re probably familiar with Warhammer: Age of Sigmar. It’s their epic fantasy battle game, known for massive armies clashing in a magical realm. But what if you want all that cool action without needing to dedicate your life to a single game? Enter Spearhead – a brilliant, streamlined version of Age of Sigmar designed for quicker, more intense skirmishes and, crucially, a much friendlier entry point for newcomers.
And now, there’s a brand-new way to jump into this exciting format: the Spearhead: City of Ash starter set. Does it deliver the goods? Let’s break it down!
What’s Inside the Box?
First things first, like most Games Workshop kits, popping open the lid reveals a glorious (or daunting, depending on your mood) sea of grey plastic sprues. But don’t let that initial monochrome view fool you! Once you get those sprue cutters, hobby knife, and plastic glue working their magic, you’ll be treated to battalions of incredibly detailed and dynamically posed miniatures. Games Workshop really knows how to bring a fantasy battlefield to life, and City of Ash is no exception.
What’s even cooler is that almost all the models in this set are brand spanking new! So, whether you’re a fan of the valiant human warriors of the Cities of Sigmar or fancy the sneaky, rat-like assassins of the Skaven’s Clan Eshin, you might want to grab this box just for the fresh additions to your collection. Plus, you get some fantastic ruined building scenery that will look epic on any fantasy battlefield.
A quick heads-up for new hobbyists: while the models are stunning, some of the figures, especially the Skaven, can be a bit tricky to assemble. They’re often flexibly posed and can be fragile, so take your time cutting them from the sprue and figuring out how the pieces fit. It’s part of the hobby, but definitely something to be aware of!
Beyond the plastic, you’ll find the game’s essentials: two glossy rule handbooks packed with inspiring photos, several decks of cards, and a double-sided base board to wage your wars on. The books are fantastic, though it’s a bit odd that the model assembly guide is tucked inside one – making it hard to keep flat while you’re building. The board looks great, but being unmounted, you might need to coax it flat a bit before playing.
One important note: this box won’t give you the full, exhaustive Age of Sigmar rulebook. While it has everything you need to get started with Spearhead, if you want to dive deep, you’ll need to download the complete rules.
How Does It Play?
If you’ve ever played a Games Workshop core game, the basics will feel familiar. You take turns moving, shooting, charging, and fighting in melee. Each model has stats for movement, attacks, and target values for hitting, wounding, and armor saves. You’ll be rolling a lot of dice – trying to hit, then wound, then hoping your opponent fails their save. It’s incredibly satisfying to throw buckets of dice, and it creates a ton of exciting, critical moments, even if it can be a bit random and “swingy” at times.
But Spearhead isn’t just about smashing your opponent’s army. The game board, which is about a quarter the size of a full Age of Sigmar battlefield, features objectives. You win by controlling more objectives than your opponent over the game’s four rounds. This system forces you to think strategically. Do you rush every objective? Do you focus on one while defending another? Generals have special abilities, and there’s a definite rock-paper-scissors element to unit matchups, making every decision count.
The game keeps you on your toes with “curveballs.” Relics scattered across the battlefield offer unique abilities to nearby units, like protective barricades or risky caltrops. Each turn also brings a new “twist” card, changing the game’s parameters – maybe increasing the value of certain objectives or letting units charge further on roads. You also get a hand of three cards each turn, offering “tactics” for extra points or “command” effects for one-off special moves. It’s a constant dance of adapting your plans and spotting opportunities.
Between the dice rolls, card play, and tactical movement within a tight four-turn limit, Spearhead: City of Ash feels like a cinematic knife-fight. The unexpected is always lurking, forcing you to think on your feet and make the most of your special powers and cards. It’s a fantastic storytelling medium, full of memorable moments, all brought to life by those stunning miniatures and terrain.
Is It For You?
While Spearhead is definitely more accessible than the full Age of Sigmar experience, don’t mistake it for a casual pick-up-and-play game. There’s still a good amount of complexity to master. You’ll need to understand the rules for both your units and your opponent’s, along with all the special rules for relics and cards. It requires a bit of dedication, both for building those intricate figures and learning the strategic nuances.
Now, for the one significant flaw we noticed. In Spearhead, you don’t build your own army; you pick from a selection of pre-made forces. While these are designed to be balanced, the forces included in City of Ash – the Sentinels of Embergard (Cities of Sigmar) and Crixxit’s Kill-Pack (Skaven) – aren’t quite evenly matched. The Sentinels are currently a bit weaker compared to the powerful Kill-Pack, which can make for an unfair fight right out of the box. Games Workshop might tweak these stats with updates down the line, but it’s something to consider if you’re looking for perfectly balanced competitive play from day one.
The Verdict
Despite the slight imbalance in the included forces, Spearhead: City of Ash is a fantastic entry point into the Warhammer hobby, or a great addition for existing fans. The new miniatures are gorgeous, the terrain is excellent, and the streamlined, objective-focused gameplay with its twists and turns is genuinely engaging. If you’re looking for a dynamic, strategic tabletop experience that’s quicker to play than full Age of Sigmar but still offers immense depth, this set is definitely worth checking out.
Mark your calendars! Spearhead: City of Ash is set to release on July 4th, 2026. Get ready to dive into the action!