Twisted; A Steampunk Skirmish Game
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It is the late 19th century, and the world is changed. This is an alternative reality; a world that might have been. One where the rules have been broken, and things that should not be possible are now reality. This world is Twisted…
If you’ve been into the shop recently you may have seen the various boxes and blisters that make up this game on display. Created by Demented Games, today I’m going to take a slightly more in depth look at it.
The Background
The world of Twisted draws upon a large array of influences, from history and media, throwing together characters from these disparate backgrounds into a vision of Victorian London, drastically altered from our own past. Few games would allow you to pit Florence Nightingale and Nikola Tesla against Mary Poppins and Albert the Chimney Sweep!
Central to the lore of Twisted is the near-omnipotent and mythical “Engine”. A quasi-dimensional fusion of machine, flesh and deity that uses its powers to draw the skeins of reality to it’s own, unguessable ends. Due to the influence of The Engine, magic in the form of Alchemancy has become prevalant.
This then, is the world of Twisted. Battles with Magic and Steampunk to control the power of reality itself.
The Factions
There are currently four factions within the Twisted range; The Dickensians, The Servants of the Engine, The Scions of the Sands and the Guild of Harmony. Each has their own unique flavour and concept, with models to match!
The Dickensians
Heavily based on the works of Charles Dickens’ work “Oliver Twist”, the Dickensians represent a band of thieves and pickpockets who happened to have stumbled upon a “node” (the physical representation that The Engine projects into reality). Activating it quite by accident, most of the group were changed in some way. Most were changed physically, such as the unfortunate Ollyver, but some changes were more insidious such as the once kind and gentle Nancy becoming a cold and ruthless sociopath.
The Dickensians are made up of Characters with incredibly varied specialisms, backed up with cheap and vicious “Urkin” (Juvenile pickpockets twisted by Nancy and her Alchemantic experiments).
The Servants of the Engine
The Engine, while immensely powerful, is not without weakness. It lies beyond the reality of the Twisted world, but should mankind find a way to it properly, destruction or subjugation will surely follow. The Engine has therefore drawn individuals from all over the world and even other realms to defend it. Some follow willingly, trusting the plan of the Engine, while others need more direct control….
The Servants are made up of powerful Human characters supported by tough and dependable “Gentlefolk”, steam and electricity powered automatons.
The Scions of the Sands
The first Faction to be introduced outside of the Dickensians and Servants, the Scions are made up of the retinue and entourage of a famed Egyptian archeologist who happened upon an ancient node deep in a forgotten tomb. Activated by the fumblings of one of the party, they found themselves able to draw upon the powers imbued within Canoptic Jars that had surrounded the node.
Accompanied by mythical Demi-Sphinx and the vile scarab mummy, the Scions are supported by Guardians of Set, religious fanatics that follow the the Avatar of their God which the Archeologist has bound.
The Guild of Harmony
Perhaps the most difficult to describe, the Guild is a faction made up of it’s own factions. Within the Guild are three creeds or philosophies that may differ in their methods, but who all work to the same end goal; the maintaining of the status quo and ensuring that the balance of power between humanity and the Engine is maintained. The three creeds are known as the Pragmatists, the Ethicists and the Anarchists. Leading the Guild is a mysterious group of three people, never seen, and known only as the Quorum. Not above working as mercenaries to achieve their aims and foil the plans of other factions, each are capable and canny fighters. Lacking cheap chaff units makes the loss of any character a serious blow.
The Miniatures
The models are incredibly detailed, as befits a small scale skirmish game where every piece deserves the utmost attention. While most pieces are metal, there are a few models only available in resin. Faction specific set boxes are available, and come with the models and cards necessary to play those characters. Individual models are also available in blisters, in both metal and resin form. Most miniatures are made up of only a few pieces, so instructions aren’t particularly necessary, but dry fitting before glueing is definitely recommended.
The Rules
Twisted is played on a terrain heavy 36″ by 36″ board, and really benefits from some elements of verticality and scatter terrain. The mechanics of the game are fairly in depth, covering many different actions including the basics of moving and combat, right up to interactions with in game objects and Alchemantic spells. Each character has a profile card showing all of their stats and abilities, with a short description of their abilities on the back of the card. The front includes their movement values, shooting and close combat skill, wounds and defence. Skill checks are usually taken opposed using a d20, but modifiers can vary from range to whether the target of an attack is running! The rules box contains the hardback rulebook, templates and dice used to play the game, but the rules and various other pieces can be downloaded directly from the Demented Games website.
Final Thoughts
Twisted is defiitely a game I’m interested in running a few games of. In some ways it reminds me of Infinity, but with a more narrative focus.
If like me you’re interested, I’ve provided some links to check out.
https://www.the-outpost.co.uk/category/miniature-games/twisted-a-steampunk-skirmish-game/
