The Antares Initiative: The Ghar

Flat out, I am in love with this game. As a 20 year mini games veteran and I haven not been this enthusiastic about a miniatures game in a long time.


Granted I only have a couple games under my belt but let me tell you why I am so Enthusiastic. For starters the alternating activation system keeps both players engaged. If you have played Warlord's Bolt Action then you are familiar with the activation die system. Game wise, all units are represented by a die, which when plucked from a bag lets the owner activate any unit they like that hasn't already activated. Its a great way to have all players fully engaged.

My second favorite aspect of this game, that sets it apart from games I have played, is the reaction orders. Reactions, which again keeps all players engaged, gives real tactical choices as opposed to being the victim during an opponents turn. Your units when shot at or assaulted can hit the dirt, run away, or even shoot back. There are limitations on how and when reactions can be taken but that is just another layer of detail.

Community is important, and while this is a fledgling game Warlord is behind it and it shows. The online community is growing quickly and is very active. It is exciting to be part of something new and full of enthusiasm.

For these reasons, a many more I am excited to be playing Beyond the Gates of Antares.

My Force

Hail the Ghar Empire!

Our planet for the the Initiative is Exonnin, an icy planet mined bare by the Boromites over the years. For that I wanted to create a force that stood out on a icy background.

The orange color is complimentary to the blue hue of an ice planet, and I am hoping that these guys really stand out on the battlefield.

The Disruptor Cannon crew is a light point nice addition to the force. Another activation die in the bag, the Disruptor Cannon can lay down some serious fire power. But I think personally with the disruptor rule excels at putting pins on a unit.

Tectorist Scouts are a nice auxiliary unit. They are sharded, which means they don't need to stay together in the game and can move independently of each other. Game wise they allow units to re-roll a single missed shot at a target they are near. Its like a poor man's target drone. Again, low point way to add additional activation die.

Ghar Battlesuits are the unit that made me want to play Ghar. Not only do they look amazing but functionally they are a basic tactical unit disguised as an elite squad. Difficult to kill with a versatile weapon they have been rock stars in every game I have played. 

What is next?

Expanding the force 250 is the next order of business for my Ghar. To keep the theme of big bad battle robots, I am choosing Ghar Bomber Squad. One of the battlesuits is equipped with a Disruptor Bomber. This weapon Shoots up to 120 inches, is Blast D5 with the Disruptor special rule. Basically its a step up from the Battlesuits Scourer Cannons. 

What do you like about Gates if Antares?