Bloodfields: The “Print & Play” Fantasy Skirmish | Essen Spiel Interview
The 3D printing revolution has completely changed the wargaming hobby. It’s given players the power to print entire armies from the comfort of their own homes. Bloodfields, a fast-paced fantasy skirmish from Titan Forge, leans directly into this, creating a game system designed from the ground up for the “print and play” community.
At Essen Spiel, our CEO Bart spoke with the team to learn about its fast, combo-driven gameplay, how it bridges the gap between board games and wargames, and what’s coming in the new 3rd Edition.
Our Interview with the Bloodfields Team
A Fast Skirmish for 3D Printers
Bart – Head of Studio:
Tell me about your game. What makes it stand out from other fantasy skirmishes currently available?
Bloodfields:
Bloodfields is a skirmish game based on dice modification and playing combos. The game is fast, easy to understand, and you can get into it very quickly.
Bart:
Does “quite quickly” refer to a period of less than one or two hours?
Bloodfields:
Yes, definitely. Once you’ve mastered the rules, you can easily fit a standard 150-200 point battle into under an hour. We were aiming for that one-hour-and-15-minute maximum playtime that X-Wing once had. We know that while it’s nice to play five or six battles, even three is a lot for a tournament. The game is geared toward people entering the wargaming market, so there aren’t many overcomplicated rules or keywords that require constantly checking the rulebook.
Bart:
You mentioned tournament organization; does this imply a focus on competitive players? What is the game’s primary aim?
Bloodfields:
The main emphasis is actually on the 3D printing market. The first edition was entirely directed at people who “print and play.” All the rules and cards are constantly editable and available on our website, along with army builders. There are no physical rulebooks.
That will change slightly in the third edition, which I’ll discuss in a moment. We were focused on creating a bridge between board games and wargames. However, as we delved deeper, we found it works well for competitive play. Not relying on printed cards allows us to balance and edit the game easily. We ran a few tournaments, mainly at conventions. The main goal was to give wargamers something simple and quick to explain to their friends, something that is fun from the very start, not only after you’ve mastered the rulebook.
The New 3rd Edition & Hard Plastic
Bart:
Could you tell us more about the third edition you mentioned?
Bloodfields:
The third edition will be released around February or March. We are finalizing the rules and production. The main difference is that we will release a core box with all the paper components, but it will have standees instead of miniatures. We want to offer a low-cost box with everything you need to play – terrain, dice, tokens, and cards – so you can try it. We are aiming for a price point of $35-$40.
Then, there will be “upgrade packs.” If you like the game, you can buy a box for a specific faction which will contain the actual models. You’ll use the cards from the main box. In the third edition, we also focused on streamlining and simplifying certain rules that caused confusion, making it even easier to introduce new players.
Bart:
Okay, so for the miniatures, are you continuing with 3D printing, or are you transitioning to a different technology?
Bloodfields:
We will be releasing plastic boxes with the core factions, produced in China. We will try to have the entire box, with all components like bases, assembled on sprues. We just received a few samples like that.
Bart:
So, to confirm: these will be hard plastic, made in China, and require assembly?
Bloodfields:
Actually, no gluing will be required; you can just take them out of the box and play. They will be easy to paint. Additionally, STL files will still be available for home printing. We will also release separate products as we develop the factions, but those will likely be resin models we produce ourselves. The “core” set will feature six factions, with seven models each, in hard plastic. They will be released in three “faction versus faction” boxes, so you can easily get a two-player set.
Future Plans & Other Projects
Bart:
I understand. Is a science-fiction version of Bloodfields in your future plans?
Bloodfields:
We created a game called Grid Wars some time ago, which was very similar but used a hex grid. It eventually died out because it required too much work. We decided to focus all our energy on developing and pushing Bloodfields. I don’t suspect we’ll revisit sci-fi in the near future, but the foundation is there if we choose to.
Bart:
It’s clear you’re currently focused on promoting the EVE board game and Bloodfields. Beyond the third edition of Bloodfields, what are your plans for 2026?
Bloodfields:
We are supporting a few other campaigns, like Void Sea. We’re also moving more into the RPG market and collaborating there, for example, by releasing miniatures for systems like Dragonbane. Let’s be honest, Titan Forge is known more for the models it produces than the games it releases. That’s what we focus on, we believe we do it well, and that’s what we try to deliver. We are also in discussions with CCP. The EVE game was very well received by the community, and they are satisfied with our work, so we will definitely be doing more projects with them.
Bart:
Understood. Will this be set in the board game or wargame universe?
Bloodfields:
I’ll have to leave that unanswered. That is still part of a conversation between us and CCP, so I can’t give any more information yet.
Bart:
Thank you for your time.
Bloodfields:
You’re welcome.
From Grey Resin to Painted Warband
With a “print and play” game like Bloodfields, you have total control! You can check out STLs, discover great proxies, and print a warband of 7 models that’s all your own.
But that’s often where the excitement hits a wall. You’ve got a tray of cured grey resin, but a fully painted warband feels hours and hours away.
This is where we can help.
You pick the models, and we paint ’em up! We’ll turn your creative vision into a great-looking warband. We’ll get it painted so you can jump straight into the game.
Book a commission here.
