Umbra Turris is a fantasy skirmish game in which you create a team of several heroes and use them to fight skirmishes against your friends. The game uses miniatures in 28/32 mm scale, which you can purchase individually or in sets of 3 models.
The first element is the ability to create teams – parties – made up of different races. This option allows you to have heroes with different abilities and characteristics in the same party. Agile and fast Halflings can fight alongside Half-Giants or Orcs, but in order to combine different races, you have to take their Alignment into account. This element also affects the party rules, as a particular party Alignment provides specific benefits.
Activations in the game are alternating. Here, just as in our other game, Argatoria, Action Dice are also used. At the beginning of the cycle, players place a die next to each model. When they want to activate a model, they remove the die. This makes it easy to see which model has already been activated and which has not. Mages’ spells and Leaders’ orders can greatly change the course of hero activations, sometimes providing Action Dice and sometimes taking them away from enemies.
Umbra Turris is a fast and dynamic game. This is not only due to alternating activations, but also to cards that have a huge impact on the game. Terrain Cards affect not only the amount of scenery used on the table, but may also provide bonuses to parties. For example, the Evil gain advantages when fighting in the Haunted Graveyard, but suffer penalties on the sacred grounds of the Ruined Temple.
Item Cards featuring magic items, which can be played at any moment or in a situation specified on the card, can turn the tide of battle, but their number is limited.
Each player has their own secret quests, which are drawn before the battle. There is not just one objective, but several, so there are many different ways to win. Deliver a message, obtain a treasure, or perhaps eliminate the enemy Leader? The game features more than a dozen Quest Cards, over 18 Item Cards, and 10 Terrain Cards. Rarely will one game of Umbra Turris resemble another.
The combat system is one of the most unique and unusual elements of the game. It allows for bluffing and is one of the most exciting mechanics, where the decision of the attacker and defender, rather than a dice roll, is crucial. It is one of the most liked elements of Umbra Turris. It is worth mentioning that the first rules of the game were created around 2011, and since then, the combat rules have not changed! All additional rules have been developed since that time.
How long does a game of Umbra Turris last?
In Umbra Turris, a skirmish can sometimes last 15 minutes, but it can also extend to 2 hours or more. Longer games often result from the experience of the players, whose matches can resemble games of chess. The game keeps players on their toes throughout, as during the battle they can gain magic items that influence their strategy and objectives.
Is Umbra Turris a difficult game?
Umbra Turris is not an easy game. The rules in their basic form are simple, but the additional abilities and equipment choices create combinations. Over the years, the system has been developed so that as players delve deeper into the rules, they discover new combinations and possibilities. So, while it is easy to learn how the shooting mechanics work, discovering which race, profession and equipment work best together can take some time. The rules of Umbra Turris can be explored for a long time, and even after years of playing, there will always be something that can surprise you.
The best solution is to purchase the main rulebook – hardback or PDF. It is not particularly thick, but it contains the essence of the game.
To make your first games easier, it is worth purchasing a Starter Set with models of one race along with the cards. Starting with a party consisting, for example, entirely of Goblins allows you to understand how everything works.
Over time, you can add other races to your party to make it more versatile. In Umbra Turris, each race has its own unique abilities, and remembering how the abilities of each race work can take some time at first. That is why a single-race party makes it much easier to get started.
You can order the game directly from our store or from selected hobby stores, which you can find in the Stockists section of the top menu.