Why I’m Loving Trench Crusade

It should come as no surprise, I love Trench Crusade. I’ve been making content for the game for well over a year now, starting with my, “What Is Trench Crusade” video back in early 2024. The game really grips me and here are some basic reasons why.

First, the setting is the grimmest of dark. It’s a time of war on earth in an alternative timeline from the crusades up to the first World War. The general setting of the game, the war between good and evil and the shaping of the world really give you something worth fighting for. The stories that can be told really get my imagination going and having that background or fluff is so important.

Second, the miniatures! I love the concept and style of the miniatures. From the artist’s hand on paper they come to life in miniature form. They are gruesome but have a certain cool factor to them. From mechanized heavy infantry to bloated heralds I think the miniatures have so much character. Some miniatures combine man and beast and they are truly works of art on the table.

Third, the rules are really well done. Trench Crusade has an easy core ruleset where players are rolling on the Action Success Chart and the Injury Table. I love alternating activations, limited to no re-rolls and the blood marker system. No re-rolls is a big one. Let the dice be the dice! In addition, both players are always engaged with limited downtime.

Fourth, the campaign system is just robust enough for me. I enjoy a campaign where characters progress and tell stories. I love risk and reward, where characters you get attached to may not survive the injury they received. The campaign has just enough to give that to me without being overly complicated. You fight, figure out injuries, promote, trade and explore. To me, it strikes a good balance of post game activities with in-game play.

Last and not least, Trench Crusade is a game for gamers by gamers. What started as a few passionate individuals wanting to create a game has led to a massive following. The creators of Trench Crusade do not care about what shareholders think or what the next big thing is to drive revenue. They just want to create something fun and enjoyable to play. Right now, we’re playing a passion project.

For me, I think they have hit the nail right on the head.