One of the many great things about miniatures games is that there is more than just one way to play and enjoy them.

While we spend a lot of time and effort in our development and playtesting process to ensure WARMACHINE and HORDES have the best balance possible, the fact is that the standard, out-of-the-rulebook game is really just the baseline. It is the LEGO set pictured on the box and built following the instructions. It is sleek and cool, a fun and engaging experience. But just like that “sophisticated, interlocking brick system,” some of the most fun you can have is taking the pieces and building your own creation.

It was the fun of the standard experience that brought me into miniatures gaming, but it was the excitement and thrill of creating and exploring new ways to experience the game that really hooked me. Whether it was crafting unique scenarios drawn from historical or fictional inspiration or designing and participating in sweeping campaigns, gaming always offered a new and dynamic experience. It was with this in mind that I approached several of my fellow Privateer staffers with the idea of a map-based campaign that would run after Gen Con and through the fall.

There are a lot of ways to play a map-based campaign. Some are fairly straightforward, using the map as a catalyst for game matchups; however, I wanted to really use this as an opportunity to dive into the setting and to create an experience that was far more narrative in its approach. I wanted to empower the players to make WARMACHINE and HORDES their sandbox for the duration of the campaign and to create an experience that would be the genesis for the kind of stories we tell years later.

To this end, I designed the campaign to utilize one player (me, in this case) as the GM. As the GM, I could work with the players to craft the narrative of the campaign. After all, there is far more to waging war than just engaging in battles. A great general must be able to adapt to the unexpected—like Tharn raiding parties attacking supply lines, virulent outbreaks among their troops, or even the weather itself. In addition, a general may find himself suddenly tasked with a critical mission from high command that may drastically change his current strategy. All of this I would control as the GM, to ensure my fellow players have the most fun and immersive experience possible.

Though I had most of the rules in place when I first broached the idea, I have to give credit to Mr. Matt Wilson himself for giving me the theme of the campaign. He suggested centering it around the current chase for the athanc wagon depicted in the WARMACHINE and HORDES expansion books. Not only did this idea give me a great finale for the campaign, it also provided the perfect chase piece to throw at players in later rounds to keep the narrative element high.

So, after a couple quick tweaks to my original rules draft, the Battle for the Athanc campaign was born. Now all I needed were players.

Keep watching Privateer Insider, as I and several of my fellow staff will bring you weekly updates on the campaign’s progress, highlighting some of its best moments from it for your reading enjoyment. And toward the end of the series, I’ll post the complete rules document to hopefully inspire you to create your own cool and epic WARMACHINE and HORDES experience with your friends.

’Til then.