Shroudfall: The New Competitive Skirmish | Essen Spiel Interview
In most wargames, you play on the terrain. In Shroudfall, the terrain is part of your strategy. This new fantasy skirmish is turning heads with a unique design philosophy: it’s built from the ground up to be a competitive experience, but one that’s easy to get into.
At Essen Spiel, our CEO Bart sat down with the developers from Gamebreakers to discuss their “break the game” balancing philosophy, their four unique factions (including panda-people), and their standout mechanic: you bring your own terrain as part of your army list.
Our Interview with the Shroudfall Team
A Competitive Game That’s Easy to Learn
Bart – Head of Studio:
This is your debut at Essen, and your game is quite new, at least to me. Could you tell me about your skirmish game and how it stands apart from other fantasy skirmishes like Warcrow or Bloodfields?
Shroudfall:
The game is called Shroudfall. I’ve played a lot of skirmish games, but not all of them, so I can’t tell you every difference. I can, however, tell you what is special about Shroudfall.
Bart:
What is the game’s primary selling point?
Shroudfall:
I’ll briefly go over how the game works and then explain what makes it complex. Shroudfall is a skirmish game with around 15 to 20 miniatures per side, played on a 36 by 36-inch mat. A typical game lasts around two hours, maximum. This timeframe was very successful even at our first tournament.
Bart:
For casual players, does the game still offer roughly two hours of playtime?
Shroudfall:
The first game will take a bit longer, but once you get into it, it’s fast. This leads to a key aspect of the game: Daniel and I both love competitive play. We’ve been to our fair share of team championships and solo masters in different systems. We wanted to make a skirmisher that is fit for competitive play but is also very easy to get into.
The basic rules are simple. We try to reduce unnecessary complexity—that mental load that doesn’t add anything: so we can focus on the complexity that is fun: different abilities, faction mechanics, interactions, and synergies. This gets you thinking about how to optimize your list, your build, and which scenarios to bring. This was a key design goal for Shroudfall. Our dream is that in a few years, there will be a World Team Championship for Shroudfall, and we want to play in it, and maybe win it.
“Break the Game, Not Your Opponent”
Bart:
Since you’re all about competitive play, how do you keep your units balanced? Are we talking about a dynamic rulebook, or more like free, updateable cards?
Shroudfall:
Yes, our rulebook and unit cards are free to download. I believe this is the only way a wargame can be accessible today. You can check the rules and units, and decide if it’s something you want to play. It also has the benefit that if there is a mistake in the rules, we can easily fix it by updating the download.
Regarding competitiveness, our company is called Gamebreakers for a reason. Our credo is “Break the game, not your opponent.” We believe that if there are interactions that go too far, then congratulations, you broke the game! Please tell us how you did it, and it’s our job to fix it. We take balance and our beta tester feedback very seriously, as this is necessary for competitive play.
Bart:
How many factions exist?
Shroudfall:
We currently have four factions. Each has a “Skirmish Pack” available, which is the perfect entry point. That’s around 90 points, or about half an army; a tournament-level list is 200 points.
We have the Silver Line, the self-proclaimed defenders of humanity, who are very reliable and durable. We have the Ambrel Veil, evil scientists who create their own monstrosities. We have the Chosen of the Spirit Tree, which consists of giant pandas and red pandas. And we have the Blot Frown, which is everything that can go wrong with nature—evil, twisted dryads and spore-corrupted beings. Each faction has multiple releases and a choice of commanders, so you can adapt the army to your playstyle.
Bart:
Is this similar to how a commander directs their army in War Machine?
Shroudfall:
Yes, basically. The commander – we call them “Essence Weavers” -favors certain troops. For example, Count Adamant for the Silver Line, who is in the starter box, has a rule called “Born to Lead from the Back,” so he doesn’t like being in the front. On the other hand, Major Barger Childer is very aggressive and favors melee, in-your-face troops. Each leader supports a different playstyle. You can take multiple Essence Weavers in your list, but only one gets to use their army-wide leadership ability.
Terrain is Part of Your Army List
Bart:
What amount of terrain is optimal for a satisfying game experience?
Shroudfall:
That’s a good question. If you have the Skirmish Packs, you don’t need any additional terrain, because terrain pieces are already in the box. In Shroudfall, terrain pieces, like scenarios, are part of your army list.
When we play a game, we agree on a points level. In addition to our models, I bring three scenarios and three terrain cards, and you do the same. First, we set up the scenarios. I can veto one of yours, and you can veto one of mine. For example, if I’m playing the Ambrel Veil, I might veto a scenario with a center-line objective because my units aren’t heavily armored, and it’s not a good scenario for me.
Bart:
Does each scenario come with a pre-designed map?
Shroudfall:
No, not maps, but scenario setups. After we each veto one scenario, we randomly pick one of the remaining from each player and put those on the table. We roll off for starting player, and one player deploys terrain. You have three terrain cards, I have three. If I play the Chosen, I can make sure there is a forest on the board because my terrain cards are forest-heavy, which benefits me. If you play the Silver Line, you can start building a shooting range with empty fields your opponents have to cross. The terrain you bring and how you place it is the first critical strategic aspect.
Future Factions and Durable 3D Prints
Bart:
Regarding game development, will you focus on expanding current armies with new units, or introduce a variety of new factions?
Shroudfall:
Both. Our initial wave for our core armies will be around 15 releases. We are at 13 now, so we are almost finished. Next year, we are releasing the Kassir, our horned fire elves. And, of course, we are planning to add more units to the existing factions to keep the game fresh.
Bart:
What production methods do you use for your models: 3D printing, resin casting, or hard plastic injection?
Shroudfall:
We work with Amera Labs resin; they are 3D printed. We had a very long decision process because we wanted a resin that is not brittle, has a nice feel, and captures details well. Our final quality check was my then-six-year-old son. We gave him a miniature and said, “Play rough, drop it,” because a miniature needs to withstand falling and being non-optimally placed in cases. We wanted a resin that is really well done.
Mission: Competitive Play
Bart:
What’s the biggest thing we can expect from you in 2026?
Shroudfall:
I already mentioned the Kassir. We also have our largest miniature yet, the Dragon, which is used for the “Dragon Domains” scenario.
Bart:
Are there any plans for a significant crowdfunding campaign, a major expansion, or perhaps a board game set in your world?
Shroudfall:
Our mission for this year was to make the game accessible, and we delivered. We have the Skirmish Packs, the new rulebook for download, and our YouTube videos. For next year, our mission is competitive play. We want to focus on getting the game out there—into clubs, into stores. We want to see, host, and visit tournaments.
Bart:
That’s a good plan. Thank you for the interview.
Shroudfall:
You’re welcome.
Give Your Strategy a Look to Match
Shroudfall is a game for thinkers. It’s for players who love optimizing lists, planning synergies, and out-thinking their opponents before the first model is even moved. When your strategy includes the actual battlefield terrain, you’re playing 4D chess.
When you’re that dedicated to strategy, you want an army that looks the part. That brilliant, terrain-controlling list just feels better when it’s represented by a warband that looks as smart and put-together as the plan you designed for it.
You’ve got the vision: your Silver Line firing squad, painted with a scheme that matches the ruined city terrain you plan on deploying with them.
That’s where we come in.
Your job is to be the general, crafting that clever list and battlefield plan. Our job is to be your skilled partners, making sure your army looks impressive and consistent. They’ll be ready for your opponent right before you trap them in your well-placed terrain.
Book a commission here.
