The Vision Behind Warhost

Warhost is a narrative-driven 28mm fantasy skirmish game powered by The Barons’ War rules.

It is built on decades of experience in tabletop design, miniature sculpting, and world building, but at its heart it is very simple. Warhost is about small, grounded fantasy battles where commanders matter, courage counts, and the story comes from the decisions made on the table.

This is not a mass-battle game, and it is not a tournament-first ruleset. It is a game about leadership, momentum, and the moment when steel, magic, and nerve meet.

The Vision

The idea behind Warhost began with a desire to build a fantasy world that feels believable, dangerous, and alive.

As Andy Hobday explains:

I made Warhost because I think fantasy wargaming is at its best when it feels grounded. By that I mean it feels believable by being rooted in the kind of warfare people recognise from history, even though it is fantasy.

For me, the most interesting part of medieval warfare is the tension. Good leadership, courage, timing, and a bit of luck can decide a fight just as much as numbers. I wanted to bring that feeling into a fantasy game without losing what makes it fantasy.

That does not mean there is no magic or wonder, only that magic should feel rare and powerful, commanders should count, and every battle should feel personal.

I did not want a game buried under too many rules, or armies so large that the choices of individual warriors disappear. I wanted small warbands, clear decisions, important command actions, and games that feel tense from the first activation to the last.

Warhost is designed to be straightforward to play, but every decision still counts. The story of the battle should come from what happens on the table: who you move, when you commit, when you hold back, and what goes wrong when the dice turn against you.

This is the kind of game I want to play. So I built it.

At its heart, Warhost is about atmosphere and tension. It is about that moment when a leader steps forward, gives the order, and the battle changes because of it.

The aim has always been to build something that feels deliberate and complete. A game with a world worth exploring, rules worth learning, and a setting that can grow without losing what made it work in the first place.

 

The World

Warhost is set in an original fantasy realm shaped by fractured crowns, proud elven houses, rising human kingdoms, disciplined orc warhosts, and dwarven strongholds bound to craft and trade.

It draws on familiar fantasy ideas, but uses them to create a world built for the tabletop. Its cultures, magic, and conflicts exist to give every battle a reason to happen and make the result feel important.

This is not lore for its own sake. Every faction has a reason to fight, every warband has a place in the world, and every clash on the table should feel like part of something larger.

The Creators

Behind Warhost are Andy Hobday and Paul Hicks.

Andy Hobday is a tabletop game designer best known for The Barons’ War, as well as his work on Test of Honour, Gangs of Rome and Mortal Gods. His design philosophy centres on narrative tension and meaningful decision-making on the tabletop.

Paul Hicks is one of the most respected traditional sculptors in the historical and fantasy miniature industry. His work with companies such as Empress Miniatures, Footsore Miniatures, and Brigade Games is recognised for its storytelling detail and grounded realism. His sculpting style defines the visual identity of Warhost.

Together, they bring over 60 years of combined experience in game design and miniature sculpting to Warhost.

The Miniatures

A growing range of 28mm fantasy miniatures supports the game, each sculpt designed to reflect its grounded tone.

These are not exaggerated spectacle pieces. They are warriors, commanders, and creatures built to feel believable and cohesive on the tabletop. Every sculpt serves the identity of the world.

Warhost also embraces hobby freedom. Players are encouraged to use miniatures they love. The system is flexible in spirit, even as the official range continues to expand.

Terrain and the Table

Compact battlefields and meaningful terrain are central to the Warhost experience.

Ruins, villages, forests, and fortified positions are not decorative afterthoughts. They define movement, risk, and opportunity. The terrain STL files offered through Warhost are built to support this style of play: practical, immersive, and grounded.

The battlefield is never just scenery. It is a key part of the story being told.

The Direction

This is not a one-off release. It is an evolving game system and world with a deliberate direction.

Future expansions will deepen the setting, bring in new factions and conflicts, expand the miniature range, and provide new battle scenarios for players to explore. Growth will be measured and consistent with the identity established from the beginning.

Through the Warhost blog, the world continues to develop with design insights, new lore, and evolving ideas for play. It is a living record of the setting as it grows, and a place where players can engage with Warhost beyond the rulebook.

Warhost is here to stay.