A Look Inside No Quarter Prime Issue 01

I was pleasantly surprised when I found a copy of No Quarter Prime Issue 01 in my mailbox the other day. The magazine is a reinvention of the No Quarter magazine that Privateer Press published for twelve years, and the first issue of this re-branding shipped with an included, incredibly detailed exclusive miniature that can be used with Warmachine and Hordes.

There wasn't actually any interruption in the publishing schedule with the switch to this new name and number scheme, although the magazine did grow in size a touch, and sports a price tag that is $0.50 higher than before, but simply based on the quality of the miniature that comes with the first issue, the $9 tag is justified, especially considering that there isn't a single ad to be found in the 112 pages of the magazine.

This issue of No Quarter Prime is all about Warmachine. The magazine kicks off with an 18 page feature called "The Fire & The Forge" that is pure lore. This segment brings the reader up to speed on what caused the conflict at the center of the Warmachine universe. Accompanying the text are full color maps, some detailed side-bars flesh out certain important happenings, and some incredible illustrations. If you're the type of player who likes to explore the lore of a game, this section is for you.

The majority of the rest of the magazine is dedicated to the gameplay and hobby aspects of Warmachine and Hordes with a specific emphasis on the Cygnar Trenchers. There is quite a bit of Trencher lore included, but there are also painting tips and three Trencher specific gameplay scenarios. The magazine also includes an outline for creating your own "Gravediggers" Trencher theme force if you have ever been interested in building a Cygnar force, or if you are already a Cygnar player looking to use your models in a different way.

For hobby specifics, the magazine includes instructions for creating a Spiked Barricade terrain piece, and it also includes both the rules for play and the instructions on how to build a Mantlet for use specifically in the "No Man's Siege" Hostile Territory scenario included in this issue. Additionally, the magazine includes 5 step painting instructions/tips for 10 separate models: the Cygnar Stormclad, the Protectorate Indictor, the Khador Mad Dog, the Cryx Seether, the Retribution Hemera, the Cyriss Conservator, the TrollBloods Dire Troll Mauler, the Circle Shadowhorn Satyr, the Legion Carnivean and the Skorne Aradus Sentinel.

There are even two sections dedicated to other Privateer Press products. The first of these is a 12 page spread dedicated to Privateer Press' newest game Company of Iron.

On top of three scenarios for use with the game, there is a full page spread for both the Storm Knights and the Farrow Tribes, the two armies included in the core box, that outlines the various companies/tribes, gives some backstory for each, and shows an illustration of each to provide some painting inspiration. There is also a tactics section that gives you some idea of how each of the armies operates, and can give you a better idea of how the game will play out if you haven't had the chance to see it in action yet or play it for yourself.

Finally, for the Iron Kingdoms RPG players out there this issue of No Quarter Prime includes a standalone adventure for new characters called The Haunting of Blackwell Hall. This adventure puts the players in the shoes of a new team of Strangelight Workshop field agents who are tasked with a seemingly menial task in the titular Blackwell Hall ... until things go horribly awry of course.

If you've never played the Iron Kingdoms RPG before, Privateer Press is offering a free download of the rules/character sheets etc, so you could easily use this scenario as a one-off to see how your group takes to the game.

All told, this issue of No Quarter Prime #01 is a solid offering, especially if you are a Cygnar player or you are deeply invested in the lore of the Warmachine and Hordes universe. Issues are going to release every other month, and the last page of issue #1 is a full page picture of Protectorate of Menoth models, so it's a safe bet that the next issue will probably heavily feature that faction, so if you are a Protectorate player you'll probably want to jump all over than one when it comes out in November.

All of the other issues will retail for the same $9 price-tag, but the miniature is exclusive to the first issue of the magazine. With that being said, this magazine is essentially a mini-splat book, so picking up a subscription, or even just dipping in from time to time when they focus on your preferred army looks like it could be a cost effective way to really increase the amount of mileage you get out of your Warmachine and Hordes models.

An issue of No Quarter Prime was provided by Privateer Press.