Hour of the Wolf – a free online Warhammer multi-player campaign.
The Basics.
• This is a free strategy game (think Risk, or the ‘Strategy Maps’ of games like the Total War/Civilization series), designed and operated by warhammer nerds in their free time.
• Registration to the website hosting it is also free -
http://www.asur.org.uk
• 1 Day, 1 Turn – takes as little as 5 minutes or so a day to play, or as many hours discussing strategy with allies and badmouthing the opposition as you please! Game will last c. 60 turns, 2 months, and begins at the end of January – players _can_ join up in the middle of the campaign, however
• The game is completely online, so no need to search for opponents, but nothing in the game requires downloading.
The Game Details.
• Join one of 8 factions – Dwarves, Sarthailor High Elf Remnants, Wood Elves, Men of the Reik; Chaos, Dark Elves, Skaven, Nehekharans.
• Customise your general; concentrate on magic or martial skill, choose equipment, decide which unit s/he’ll lead.
• Choose your troops, set individual unit tactics, and choose an overall battleplan.
• As your general gains experience, more options for him/her and your army become available.
The Site & You.
• Latest in an annual tradition of large online campaigns.
• Ongoing rewrite of Warhammer ‘history’ – effects and actions of _your_ army can change what happens!
• 100s of players from over a dozen websites currently signed up to participate. New players always joining and always welcomed
• Background knowledge of the Warhammer world _not_ required; this is an alternate timeline with its own constantly evolving stories!
In an alternate universe…
The High Elves of Ulthuan fell to their dark kin in the Sundering Wars, and were forced back to their colonies on the Old World. In his rage at their escape, Malekith, king of the Dark Elves of Ulthuan, brought mighty armies across the sea to ensure the final destruction of the rebel High Elves.
Bewildered by the concept of a civil war, the dwarven High King attempted to secretly aid both sides – to the great displeasure and furious anger of the Dark Elves, who slew him under banner of truce as a warning to the dwarves. And so began the War of the Beard.
Thousands of dwarven and elven lives were lost, but when the war was over, the Dwarven Empire commanded almost the entire Old World, the Dark Elf armies in full retreat from their grim vengeance; but the High Elves commanded great swathes of land to the west, and a race of primitives – the humans – there became their allies…
And now, 2000 years later, the unnaturally preserved Malekith has again built up his forces and leads his armies to the Old World to eliminate his hated cousins and take revenge on the dwarves who thwarted him. But new powers have come into play – a nation of free men in the north, beholden to none, while from the Southlands, Nagash the Priest-King whips his followers into a frenzy at the domination of the world by the tainted Elder Races, elves and dwarves, and dreams of a world for pure-blooded Men, free from the wood ghosts and ratmen raiders. And against it all, the Wastes of Chaos spit out a new warleader from among the wild tribes of halfmen and daemons, cruel and devil-ridden; the Everchosen.
Fight for the preservation of the Old World, or its final ruin!