Confrontation (Rackham)

Confrontation is a skirmish level tactical fantasy miniature wargaming in which the combatants are represented by metal or plastic figures in 28 mm scale. For comparison purposes, the system's figures are slightly larger than those of Games Workshop or The Foundry.

The game is set in Aarklash, a world of medieval fantasy where knights, wizards, priests and barbarians fight each other as well as fantastic creatures such as wolfen, elves, orcs, goblins and the undead. The entire world is at war and all are fighting for the supremacy of the continent.

The rules are intended to be versatile, and are able to represent a small fight between a handful of warriors just as well as a large skirmish between several dozen soldiers and their leaders. The last rules were in its fourth edition, a single hardback edition. The first edition was only available in French, German and Italian, while the second was available in French, German, Italian, English and Spanish. Rackham collapsed in 2010.

Playing the game
Each player in the game needs to acquire several miniatures to represent his forces. Miniatures are bought in blister packs, each containing one or more metal figures, a booklet of basic game rules, and a special reference card that describes the characteristics and special abilities of the game pieces. A photo or artist's drawing of the figures is on the reverse of the reference card, as a painting guide for the hobbyist.

Several six-sided dice and a table with scale scenery to play on are also needed.

The Miniatures
Rackham originally produced metal miniatures for Confrontation in blisters of one to four models, or boxed sets of one to eight models.

Confrontation: Age of Ragnarok
With the release of "Confrontation: Age of Ragnarok", Rackham changed the supporting miniature line from unpainted metal figures to pre-painted plastic figures. This follows the production model used in "AT-43", their science fiction miniatures game.

The models were packaged in multiple figure sets that correspond with units and auxiliaries as described in the various army lists.

As of 2011, Legacy Miniatures Miniatures owns the rights to produce Confrontation miniatures & sells them via Cool Mini or Not.

The armies
The Griffons are a fanatical army of humans that worship Merin, the God of Fire, spreading their truth through fire and sword. They have recently launched crusades throughout the land to find the body of their first ruler. Despite their extreme methods they are devoted to driving back the forces of Darkness. The Griffon army is characterized by heavily armored troops, high Discipline, strong ranged weapons, and powerful Faithful. Their Magicians focus on Fire spells. The Scorpions of Dirz were founded by a high priest of Merin who was so consumed with attaining perfection that he began dark experiments combining man and science. Fleeing the Inquisition, he and his followers fled to the desert, where they built hidden labs where they continue to create monstrous abominations and clone vat-born soldiers. Dirz soldiers tend to have better attack stats with the possibility of boosting their abilities with their Mutagen. Their Magicians focus on Darkness spells. Wolfen who have separated from the rest of their race after Vile-Tis showed them the moon goddess Yllia had only contempt for her children. Focusing on their natural ferocity, The Beast twisted the Devourers from noble hunters into depraved killers. Devourers have high Movement, Resilience, and Defense with above average Strength making very dangerous and hard to kill. Their Magicians focus on Darkness spells. A tribe of human barbarians dwell within the heart of a dark forest. They have rebelled against the gods and revel in killing and carnage. Their dark rites and cannibalism have led them to make pacts with the fearsome Formor demons and their Faithful can control dead warriors. Their Magicians focus on Elemental and Darkness spells.
 * Akkylannie Griffons (Army of Light)
 * Crusade of the Imperial Army
 * Crusade of the Inquisition
 * Crusade of the Lodge of Hod
 * Crusade of the Eastern Temple
 * Crusade of the Western Temple
 * Crusade of the Northern Temple
 * Crusade of the Southern Temple
 * Alchemists of Dirz (Army of Darkness)
 * Laboratory of Danakil
 * Laboratory of Inuka
 * Laboratory of Noctis Project
 * Laboratory of S.O.78
 * Laboratory of Shamir
 * Laboratory of Tenseth
 * Laboratory of Theben
 * Cadwallon
 * Guild of Architects
 * Guild of Blades
 * Guild of Ferrymen
 * Guild of Goldsmiths
 * Guild of Usurers
 * Guild of Thieves
 * Guild of Fortune-tellers
 * Cynwäll (Army of Light)
 * Inheritance of the Ancients
 * The Army of the Republic
 * The Blade of Truth
 * The Dragon of Light
 * The Equanimes Monastery
 * The Way of Trihedron
 * Daïkinee of Quithayran (Army of Destiny)
 * Devourers of Vile-Tis (Army of Destiny)
 * Revelation of Armageddon
 * Revelation of Blasphemy
 * Revelation of Carnage
 * Revelation of The Eclipse
 * Revelation of Ecstasy
 * Revelation of The Impure
 * Revelation of The Rebellion
 * Dwarves of Mid-Nor (Army of Darkness)
 * Colony of Vangghor
 * Colony of Azahir
 * Colony of Sabahal
 * Colony of Kthan
 * Colony of Sankunrun
 * Colony of Ibenseth
 * Colony of Ephorath
 * Dwarves of Tir-Na-Bor (Army of Light)
 * Fom-Nur
 * Kâ-In-Ar
 * Kal-Nam
 * Kar-An-Tyr
 * Lor-An-Kor
 * Naël-Tarn
 * Ogh-Hen-Kir
 * The brotherhood of bronze
 * Goblins of No-Dan-Kar (Army of Destiny)
 * Uraken Goblins
 * Black Rats Clan
 * The Burrowers Clan
 * The Chimes of Bronze Clan
 * The Damned Swamp Clan
 * Helldivers Clan
 * The Mound of Dirt Clan
 * The Thundering Bells Clan
 * The X Clan
 * Pirates a.k.a. Black Tooth
 * Kelt Drunes (Army of Darkness)
 * Scourge of Gwyrd-An-Caern
 * Scourge of The Shadowy-One
 * Scourge of The Red Scourge
 * Scourge of The Horned Evil
 * Scourge of Mount Silence
 * Scourge of The Rag’narok
 * Scourge of The Witches
 * Kelt Sessairs (Army of Light)
 * Tribe of the Other world
 * Tribe of Kel-An-Tiraidh
 * Tribe of the Clan of the Crow
 * Tribe of the Guardians of Scâth
 * Tribe of the Horde of Murgan
 * Tribe of the Wolves of Avagddu
 * Lions of Alahan (Army of Light)
 * Barony of Algerande
 * Barony of Allmoon
 * Barony of Daneran
 * Barony of Doriman
 * Barony of Icquor
 * Barony of Kalienne
 * Barony of Laverne
 * Barony of Luishana
 * Barony of Manilla
 * Living Dead of Acheron (Army of Darkness)
 * House Brisis
 * House Hestia
 * House Lazarian
 * House Mantis
 * House Sarlath
 * House Tanit
 * House Vanth
 * Ophidian Alliance (Army of Darkness)
 * Orcs of Bran-O-Kor (Army of Destiny)
 * The Thunder Riders
 * The Torches of Gerikân
 * The Long Sun
 * The Sarkaï Nomads
 * The Vulture’s Claws
 * Jackal’s Lair
 * The Army of the Two Suns
 * Wolfen of Yillia (Army of Destiny)
 * The Red Oaks
 * The Twilight Hills
 * The Wheel of Dreams
 * The Path of Opal
 * The Throne of Stars
 * Elementals, Familiars and Immortals

First edition
Confrontation can be played with the basic rules alone, but there are several supplements available. These describe optional rules and multiply the tactical options allowed. All are packed free in the appropriate blisters, just like the basic rules.

Incantation introduces powerful Wizards to the game. In this supplement a new characteristic appears: Mental Strength. Mental Strength is the essential element used to call upon the power of Magic. Wizards can use that power to change the course of battle: project fire balls, raise the dead and even invoke powerful spirits. Every blister that contains a Wizard includes a free Incantation Rules Booklet as well as cards that describe magic items and special spells particular to each. A small plate of counters representing 'Mana', the very essence of Magic, is also included. 'Grimoires,' packs of 15 additional spell cards, are available separately.

Incarnation allows players to individualize their game characters. Special 'Adventurer' figures are furnished with the Incarnation Rules Booklet which details how they progress in experience. The character acquires power, fame, new abilities and magic objects as he accomplishes quests. Two new types of cards are packed in the Adventurer blisters: Scenarios and Experience Cards. Each Adventurer is furnished with a scenario specially written for him. Scenarios card packs are also available separately. Many scenarios based on the official characters of the range are available free on the Confrontation web site (in French). 'Travel Journals,' packs of cards for treasures, rare objects or magic artifacts, are available to further customize scenarios.

Second edition
Divination addresses the gods themselves and their servants, the faithful Priests that represent them on the battlefields. The magic of the Priests is powerful but variable, for it depends on the vagaries of the fickle gods. It also tends to be more defensive in nature than Wizards' magic. The blisters of the Priests figures are packaged with the Divination Rules Booklet and several 'Miracle' cards to call upon the aid of the divine powers. The 'Litanies' card packs group together additional miracle cards.

Fortification adds in war machines such as cannon, ballista, and chariots. Some of the existing figures, such as the Dwarf Steam Cannon are reclassified to war machines.

Third edition
The third edition of Confrontation was issued as both basic rules, included in miniature blisters, and as a hardback bound advanced rules. The basic rules described combat and movement, but did not explain abilities or magic. The advanced rules included all rules from the second edition with some refinements in play.

One notable aspect of the third edition was its obsolescence of the adventure, spell, and miracle card packs. The reworked magic rules in the third edition significantly reduced the number of available spells by eliminating the previously released spell books. The book also includes an extensive section covering the changes to the existing model line and associated cards.

The unbalancing army cards were removed in this edition. Also removed was the declarable target number while making attack die rolls. Separate shooting and magic phases were also done away with. Now the round is based on only 4 phases with shooting taking place in the activation and magic being used throughout the round dictated by card text.

An on-line only revision was published within a year of the publication of the third edition. Called "Confrontation 3.5", this revision changed some abilities, reworked the line of sight rules, and changed the way spells and miracles were added to a force by removing points costs from them. This update also significantly changed the balance of ranged units by giving them the abilities "Bull's eye" and "Assault fire" and giving units that already had those abilities "cookies" to improve them.

Dogs of War was the only supplement for Confrontation, third edition.

Fourth edition
The fourth edition of Confrontation was named "Confrontation: Age of Ragnarok". This edition made major changes to the rules, including changing the game scope from single-model skirmish to small unit battle. As with second edition, Confrontation: Age of Ragnarok has re-issued the game cards to reflect the new rules and statistics.

Dogs of War
"Dogs of War" was the supplement to Confrontation, third edition. It provides campaign rules that allow players to create small warbands that gain experience and improve as they are fielded in the games. These personalized warbands can be played in games of Confrontation or Rag'Narok, though they are not sanctioned for official tournaments.

In addition, Dogs of War includes expanded terrain rules, rules for Nexi, scenario rules, and rules for very large models, called Titans. Dogs of War is not suitable for earlier editions of the game.

Cry Havoc!
"Cry Havoc!", originally offered as a quarterly magazine, is available six times a year and is published by Rackham that includes information about its different games. The publication includes two magazines and new reference cards. The larger magazine has general articles on painting and modeling, as well as features on the games, tactics articles, battle reports, and background information on the world of Aarklash. The second magazine consists of play aids, variant rules, and scenarios. The reference cards supplement and augment the articles in the two magazines. These cards are not available separately.

Rag'Narok
"Rag'Narok" is at once an evolution of the basic game and an entirely new one. Where the basic game represents small confrontations and skirmishes, in Rag'Narok entire armies are involved in battles.

Rag'Narok uses exactly the same basic resources as Confrontation (figures, cards and game characteristics), but the rules differ somewhat to accommodate the change in scope and keep the game manageable.

"Confrontation: Age of Ragnarok" is a melding of the earlier versions of Confrontation with Rag'narok.

Hybrid
"Hybrid" and its expansion "Nemesis" is a board game set in the world of Aarklash. The game is played on illustrated tiles arranged to form the floor plan of the underground laboratories of the Alchemists of Dirz. Players take the role of either the denizens of these laboratories or the outside forces invading them to either steal their secrets or shut them down. The rules of this subgame resemble Space Hulk somewhat.

The game uses a subset of the figures but with different reference cards.

Cadwallon
"Cadwallon" is a role-playing game dubbed a "Tactical role-playing game" set in Aarklash. It uses the same miniatures as other games in the Rackham line and illustrated tiles could be purchased on which to play. The game was given its tactical prefix because of the in depth model centric combat.

Arcana
A card game set in the city of Cadwallon.

Cadwallon:City of Thieves
A fast paper board game developed by Rackham and released by Fantasy Flight Games. Each player plays a gang of thieves and try to score highest thievery at the end of 'night'. An expansion named 'Cadwallon: City of Thieves - The King of Ashes' released for the game as well as some DLC by Fantasy Flight Games. A video game adaptation of the board game released by the same name for iPad and iPhone.

Guilds of Cadwallon
A tactical card and miniature game set in the city of Cadwallon, published by CoolMiniOrNot in 2013. The playing area consists of a 3x3 (or larger, depending on the number of players) grid of randomized cards, each representing a city district. Players compete for control of these districts with careful placement of their figures, and scoring is based on both the number of assets a player controls as well as how specialized those assets are in any given guild.

The Confederations
The Confederations are a non-profit corporations set up in various countries to help expand the player base for Rackham's games. They work together as sister organizations, coordinating global tournaments and leagues. They also run tournaments, leagues, and demonstrations of the games in their own countries.

Membership in the confederations is open to anyone in their region. For an annual fee, a member has access to purchase exclusive Confederation miniatures as well as the ability to be ranked both nationally and internationally.

Reviews

 * Backstab #9