Fools Rush In is a great little story for people new to the game, and to Iron Kingdoms.

Fools Rush In is an introductory scenario for the new edition of the game. It marks the departure from the previous D20 edition and showcases their new rules and the refinement of the setting that has happened as the table top wargames - Warmachine and Hordes - have grown.

First up Iron Kingdoms is not Steampunk. Nor is it Mecha Fantasy. Think more Napoleonic/Sharpe/Pirates of the Caribbean with magic, fantasy races (Elves, Dwarves, Goblins), and of course the magic tech aka Mechanik, which allows for the creation of devices like muskets that fire off spells, magic steam-powered armour, and of course the show piece of the setting, the Steamjacks. Steamjacks are steam powered, magically crafted automatons used for labour and war.

The pdf is a full colour example of what the full rpg book will be, using the excellent art that Privateer Press has built up over the years. Also provided are battle maps to print out, character markers, and the excellent and simple character sheets.

Now the meat of the pdf. The rules themselves are a adaption of the Wamachine/Hordes rules. This means that these rules take up less than 3 or so sides of A4. Yes it's that simple. Combat is fast paced, with single rolls to hit and then to deal damage. No sequences of rolls to hit, dodge, parry, damage, soak etc. Showing how the wargame is not Warhammer, and how the rpg in many respects is just as quick for combat as the New World of Darkness.

Now of course you my think, damn, I need minis for this. But with a bit of effort and hand waving the game will run fine without minis to represent the fights. Now I would side with using minis for big set piece fights. And really that is just a nice excuse for me to buy their great value minis to paint.

This is the adventure series that sparked my love for the Iron Kingdoms. It was one of the first adventures I ever picked up for D&D 3E, and I was really excited to be able to get it again in PDF format. This is an engaging, exciting and well written adventure that will have your characters thinking, fighting and begging their way out of danger and adventure. It is also really (really) big, being the original three adventures collected together in one big (electronic) tome. You don't need to be familiar with the Iron Kingdoms or Warmachine to use and enjoy this adventure, it is pretty portable to other campaign settings (the first time I ran it nobody knew what the Iron Kingdoms were). It is just a solid fantasy adventure. If you do want to set it in the Iron Kingdom, this collection has an overview of the setting and a good description of Corvis, the city around which the adventure revolves. My only gripe is that the page backgrounds are grey, not white, which ate a fair bit of my printer ink when I was printing specific pages out. All in all, though, this is an excellent adventure (or campaign, actually) that will keep your characters busy for many, many sessions.

The PDF is very over-priced considering the book's original MSRP was only $29.99. However, the contents are absolutely fabulous and worth the money if you're into the Iron Kingdoms or just want some inspiration for a steampunk/ fantasy setting.

No Quarter #2 in PDF format is a lost opportunity. The magazine is certainly not bad, and anyone whose playing the old edition of Warmachine or is a completist, should purchase this. Anyone else...

IN terms of layout/graphic design/etc... this is a straight shot of the physical magazine. This makes it very color and design intenstive. Makes it look good, but you would not want to print it.

The nice thing? Privateer did the right thing and provided bookmarks within the file. I've seen too many PDF's that are just scans with nothing else. Not so here.

Now for those who are playing WM Mark 2, what would make this worth picking up? Unfortunately, there is no discount on the price, as the original magazine was the same price. But... On one hand, you get a 'historical' look at things. This includes Hordes, which at this point, had not been released yet. It's a fun look at the history, the recent history, of Privateer as you can see how far they've come since those days. So there is a touch of perhaps nostalgia that can get scratched here.

The Pendrake encounters, d20 rules and monsters from the Privateer Press setting, bring us a dire troll trying to eat some elves. We get some nice new feats like using a two handed sword with dexterity. I had a character take this. WoTC would later steal, I mean, have their own version of these mechanics to represent the slender design of elf work on claymores.

Of still relevant interest, are assembly instructions for the Deathjack and Behemoth. Both are large heavy models at this time, although with PP switching over to hard plastic for their new models, this may not remain the case. The instructions include photographs are are nicely done.

Similiar, details on how to convert Stormblades and Winterguard, among others, is provided. This includes the art of using a saw, glue, and other fun stuff and includes a ton of photographs and is pretty much the same regardless of which paint methodology you use and still handy to have.

An article on terrain also continues to provide use. Ideas on how to make a small building, hills, and trees are included.

Guts and Gear, which I consider PP take of Osprey Men-at-Arms series, includes full color illustrations and background of varous part of the PP setting. In this instance, Cygnaran Long Gunners and The Redeemer. Game stats are at a minimum in this article and art provides a quick look at the gunners and the machine. Even better, several alternative painting designs are showcased.

The Order of Illumination provides more 'hidden' background details for one of the sects in the Iron Kingdoms with a minimum of gaming material, making it useful to anyone who wants to read more about the Order and their enemies. Cortex Smuggling provides more details on an aspect of life in the Iron Kingdoms and includes more d20 rules.

Bring down the price, update the magazine to an actual 'online' verison that's lighter on background and design elements, and update the rules for the current system, and No Quarter #2 could be more than just an issue with a few solid articles of assembly and construction, it could be relevant to players today. While I can see it being problematic to update it, if the file that was used to creat it exists, it can be made relevant to today's gamers, as well as today's collectors.

Originially published at: http://diehardgamefan.com/2011/11/16/tabletop-review-no-quarter-36/

Privateer Press has been like the Smiths, for me. I discovered the Cure first, at a young and impressionable age, and they monopolized my music budget for years and years. As a fan of the Cure, I was aware of the Smiths, but I never really listened to them. I grew to admire and appreciate the Smiths, but I could not get into them the way I did the Cure. I always figured that if I had heard the Smiths first, the relationship would have been flip-flopped. The analogy extends to Games Workshop and Privateer Press. If I had encountered Warmachine before Warhammer, I think I would have been a big fan, but I came to it a little too late.

What I know about Warmachine could fit on a business card. The models are chunky, with a steampunk and anime aesthetic, like the best possible Final Fantasy. The scale is somewhere around 28mm, though I think it creeps into 32mm territory. The scale of engagement is more akin to a skirmish game than a full-on war game. Oh, and they have a beautiful house magazine: No Quarter. I am reviewing the PDF version, but it is also available in paper form.

I’ll start in the most logical place, the cover. The painting on the cover is both striking and stereotypical of the Privateer Press aesthetic. A steam and magic powered mech, crackling with bright blue electricity, is tussling with a skeletal machine that looks to be made of bronze and green fire and malevolence. I say striking, because it is an attention getter. I saw this issue at Tabletop Games and, despite not being a Warmachine player, I picked it up and flipped through it. There is a dynamic power in the image, one that extends to the miniatures. Stereotypical because the amazing quality of the painting seems to be par for Privateer, as I have never seen an ugly product from them and the aesthetic has been consistent for years. Andrea Uderzo is a very talented painter from Italy, and I look forward to seeing more of his work.

Opening Salvo is what No Quarter calls the editorial page. Aeryn Rudel wrote a nice, concise editorial on the upcoming Unbound rules. Unbound is the large-scale engagement version of Warmachine and Hordes. A pretty amazing painting adorns the header of the page, with two ships blazing away with their cannons.

The Table of Contents follows and manages to do something I thought was undoable. The editorial staff of No Quarter have managed to make a Table of Contents visually pleasant. Each article gets a small piece of art and a blurb, along with a big page number. This is such a nice touch that it makes me wish other magazines would steal it.

News From The Front is a two-page news column. The coverage is of two conventions, so I consider it skimmable. The photographs are nice enough, it just lacks a point of interest.

The New Releases are as you would expect. The photos are impeccable, a running theme with No Quarter. It is a kindness that they include the retail price, something White Dwarf stopped doing several years ago. That each release credits the sculptor is a nice touch. It is four pages of miniatures porn, but it is well produced porn.

The most noteworthy miniature in the New Releases, at least for a non-player like me, is the Wraith. The Wraith also gets a page of rules, as does Captain Damaino, the Arcantrik Force Generator, and the Farrow Slaughterhousers. While I am not overly familiar with the Warmachine rules, the statistics pages were clear and easy to read. Each is well illustrated, particularly the full-page painting of the good Captain Damaino. The character and personality of the game is very in your face and I can definitely see the appeal.

Forces of Distinction III is, obviously, the 3rd installment in a series of articles that explore theme forces for Warmachine and Hordes. I am big fan of theme forces in every game I play, so I was really looking forward to this piece. The two forces presented are quite interesting. Both are shaped by personality and have a place in the history and setting of the Privateer Press games. I may be a stranger to the universe these games are set in, but I was able to slide right into it with this article. I have to say, if I was going to start playing Warmachine, I would take a hard look at what these armies have to offer.

Guts and Gears is a deconstruction of a specific character or warmachine, something I can definitely get behind. I enjoy detailed articles covering one particular aspect of a miniature. That this edition covers an armored steampunk pig man, the War Hog, has me chomping at the bit. I love pig people, particularly Bebop from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The history of the War Hog in the Warmachine world gets several pages. There is also a piece on in-game tactics for using the fantastic War Hog miniature. There is a painting piece which is my introduction to the Privateer Press painting technique. Their miniatures look very good and the high-contrast paint schemes the house painters favor does wonders for the sculpts. While this is not a beginner’s model, the article does a great job of showing the process for painting a good-looking War Hog. I would buy the blow-up picture of the War Hog as a poster in a heartbeat.

Shattered Grounds: Rotterhorn is the organized Warmachine league and several pages of printable cards for it are included. Since I know neither the rules nor the league, there is not much I can add about these.

If there is one article that justifies the $7.50 cover price, it is Studio Secrets with Matt DiPietro. Covering the techniques for painting a coherent large army, this is one of the best hobby articles I have seen in a long time. Using only 15 paints, three of which are spray primers, Matt does a great job demonstrating the techniques necessary to make a large army look good on the table. Just the trick of using rust colored spray paint over black primer to create highlighting is an amazing trick, one that I will be stealing. The results are both beautiful and attainable, inspiring me to pick my brush back up after a rough day of painting.

The bulk of the issue is consumed by the Unbound article. As a non-player, I was still able to decode the gist of the rules, though I cannot comment on the quality of them. What I can comment on is the accompanying photography of huge battles. If there is a better advertisement for the Warmachine line and playing a game with the Unbound rules, I cannot imagine it. There is something entrancing about large scale engagements and the photos do a great job capturing that energy.

Power Progression: Circle Orboros covers the Celtic inspired force. I cannot think of a similar army in any other game and I am entranced by the models. They have a stony, earthy aesthetic that looks good on the table and makes me want to see some in person. While I could not make heads nor tails of the article, because of my ignorance of the rules, it was inspiring and gave me a hint what is going on with Warmachine.

Strategic Academy: Cygnar is a dense, illuminating piece on the Cygnar army. Going character by character and unit by unit, the forces of Cygnar are analyzed and explained with great care. The artwork is, as always, lush and characterful. As with the Power Progression article, it is a great read even if the rules are not crystal clear. I am anticipating a chance to read the rulebook and perhaps play a few games. The world is even more expansive and interesting than I had guessed.

The Modeling and Painting article covers a subject every fantasy miniatures painter has struggled with: gems. Going step by step on a white undercoated red gem and a black undercoated green gem, the technique is familiar, but better expressed than I have seen elsewhere. I would enjoy seeing more articles from this series, as it is well done.

Terrain Building: Top of the Heap covers a subject I am keenly interested in. Building hills for tabletop scenery is a seemingly simple subject, but one that can use refinement. The stone face and junk heap hills that are made in the article are quite nice and far different from the lumpy green hills I am used to making. I look forward to trying out the foam sculpting technique they illustrate so well.

The Player Gallery finishes this issue with a couple examples of fan made miniatures. There are some well painted examples, which differ from the house style.

In the end, No Quarter is an interesting look into another world of gaming for me. I had not considered playing Warmachine before reading this issue, but I am not so sure now. While the content is very dependent on being a Warmachine player, it is an attractive and well-written magazine that does a very good job selling me on the Privateer Press product. I would definitely read another issue, for sure.

The PDF version of No Quarter magazine has some issues which makes me not recommend bothering with the PDF version. The most obvious reason is that the price is identical to the cover price for the PRINT magazine - that's pretty ridiculous considering there's an obvious difference between a print and electronic product in terms of production cost and end-user usability. In addition, while the PDF views fine on my computer, it does not render well at all on my iPad. The colors are oversaturated and off which makes me wonder if the PDF is set for CMYK. This is one of the few PDFs I've had problems with on the iPad and the only one I've ever seen with this type of graphics issue. The result is that the magazine is not convenient nor comfortable to read, detracting even further from its value.

What I'd like to see? A reasonably priced PDF version of a magazine which is largely a marketing tool for Privateer Press - A high number of pages are dedicated to "previews" and actual ads for PP products and it seems ridiculous that they're charging so much for a version of a print product which has very little overhead cost and which is several months out of date (you can't buy the current issues electronically).

Your reaction to 'No Quarter' is solely dependent on why you think it could be useful. If you are a miniatures player foremost, you'll find the standard array of new miniatures releases, new rules, scenarios and discussion on tactics and army composition to be informative and useful.

Whilst there is a decent amount of tacit information that you glean and extrapolate if you play the 'Iron Kingdoms' RPG, the role-playing line is under supported in the magazine. Whilst you can rely on one article per month, the quality of said article varies wildly. If you are purchasing this to fill the complete void of current product support for the RPG, then be very choosy about which issue you pick up.

If you play both sides of the coin, you'll find something useful every month.

Your reaction to 'No Quarter' is solely dependent on why you think it could be useful. If you are a miniatures player foremost, you'll find the standard array of new miniatures releases, new rules, scenarios and discussion on tactics and army composition to be informative and useful.

Whilst there is a decent amount of tacit information that you glean and extrapolate if you play the 'Iron Kingdoms' RPG, the role-playing line is under supported in the magazine. Whilst you can rely on one article per month, the quality of said article varies wildly. If you are purchasing this to fill the complete void of current product support for the RPG, then be very choosy about which issue you pick up.

If you play both sides of the coin, you'll find something useful every month.

The fun thing about Privateer Press is that just about everything they do - be it miniatures, skirmish games or role-playing ones - is all based around the same fantasy realm... so even if you are only interested (like me) in role-playing, you'll find stuff of interest in articles about games you'll never play, because they widen the background understanding that you have of the Iron Kingdoms. And this isn't mere chance, it's editorial policy for No Quarter!

When all's said and done, though, it is a house journal; and the first article is a spectacular photospread of planned releases for September and October 2005. If you like miniatures, there's a feast of eye-candy here. The letters page is rather dreary, but with only one magazine before this one, it is unsurprising. The next article is about fine-tuning the construction of Warmachine armies ready for battle, and due to the common setting and the personalisation of what could otherwise just be tabletop miniatures to skirmish with, even a die-hard role-player can scavange snippets here. Good battle tactics too, whether you play skirmish games as an end in themselves or use them to play out medium to large scale conflict as a backdrop to your role-playing.

Next is a detailed article on a single character, the troubled daughter of a witch who has deliberately sought out the very blade that executed her mother and now wields it herself... along with its necromantic powers! The small mercenary unit she leads is also described. While the stat blocks suggest these are for Warmachine play, she could prove an interesting ally or adversary for role-playing too. Other units are here as well. This is followed by a short piece of fiction, set of course in the Iron Kingdoms and with a few feats that feature being written out for those who'd like their role-playing characters to have them.

Then there is a piece - Foundary, Forge and Crucible - a regular column about artifacts you may come across in the Iron Kingdoms, full of background not only of the items but of the craftsmen who created them as well. Here the life and work of one Chaplain Bowden Langworth is discussed. He combined the skills of wizard, cleric and arcane mechanic to craft a range of items such as a pistol that fires not just bullets but baleful energy as well: fascinating fusions of spellcraft and technology. His inventions have other uses as well as combat - the Bowden's Censer serves as a durable portable light source (although you can generate a blinding flash if the need arises!).

Next comes a modelling and painting article based around two miniatures: the deathjack and behemoth. Plenty of tips and techniques to make yours look as ferocious on the table as their stats make them in a Warmachine game! As both miniatures require assembly, there are useful stage-by-stage photographs to show you how to put them together. This is followed by a selection of alternate scenarios for the Battle in the Thornwood Theatre of War for Warmachine: Apopheosis, plenty to keep tabletop generals busy for a while; and more Warmachine units described in loving detail... which can be appropriated by role-players who want a military slant to their game or have a character who has seen service on the battlefield in the past. Then back to figure-painting: tricks to ensure that your troops show natural variations rather than apearing too uniform!

The Order of Illumination, which appeared earlier (Chaplain Bowden Langworth is a member), is next given some in-depth analysis. Members tend to be pious wizards who use their talents to combat evil - and there's no short of that in the Iron Kingdoms. History, operating practices, premises, personalities: every you need to make this a pivotal force in your games, especially if you role-play. There are even resources for those who'd like to run a campaign based around members of the Order and their exploits.

Blatant advertising, the next bit: but with Privateer's new game Hordes in its final stages of development, a behind-the-scenes look at what's coming is to be expected and proves fascinating when read after the fact. (Don't ever throw old gaming mags away... they are excellent insights into hobby history!) It's followed by a piece on elite cadres in Warmachine, including painting guides to make yours stand out on the tabletop and another modelling article, this one on building terrain.

The final couple of articles are a rather breathless account of that year's Origins convention from a staff member (one needs to remember that for these poor dears, it's work) and a fascinating piece for role-players on the dangers, excitement and sheer profitability of smuggling warjack cortexes... especially in times of war. Adventure ideas spawn as you scan it, even without the suggestions aimed at GMs given throughout the article.

Overall, it's a fascinating insight into the interlocking gears of Iron Kingdoms games, be they miniatures skirmish or full-blown role-play; if you want to find out the flavour of the Kingdoms or already play there and want more you will find plenty of interest here.

Sweet book! They really went in and worked the core class over to where it feels like it can stand on it's own merit. Plus all the new toys and gizmos in the book are always a welcome addition.

Privateer Press is an amazing company. Their products are some of the best in the business and the Iron Kingdoms Character Guide proves this through and through. If you're looking for a great setting with awesome npcs and amazing lore - then look no further.

I've been running an Iron Kingdoms game for a little over 6 or so months now and it has been an amazing adventure. I'm pleased to see P-Press offering this in PDF forms however there is one beef that I have with this product and its not in the actual writing itself. The PDF you purchase from here is secured, rightfully so, but in the PDF permissions that do not allow you to modify or create your own bookmarks. What's the deal here? If the book marks were half way decent, I wouldn't be so inclined to complain but they're horrible. It's just chapter 1, 2, 3, etc and a book mark for each of the front and back. Part of the reason I purchase PDF's is so I can have searchable text and book mark things that I can quick reference as a player and a GM.

Other than this minor speed bump, the product is great and I got the product for 10 dollars which is a -lot- less than what I purchase the actual OOP book for, haha.

So for final thoughts. If you like to RP and you're looking for the best setting you'll ever encounter. Throw down some money and purchase this fine product or stop by the P-Press website to get a taste of the wonderful writing and lore from the staff who created the lush and imaginative world of Western Immoren.

This is a really good product. Its well put together. It promises to be lots of fun and most of all, it is a city based adventure that reminded me so much of numerous cinematic action films. I could easily see this providing players with hours of entertainment.

With the advent of the new Iron Kingdoms materials, this is really something every GM should have who has any interest in running a campaign in that setting.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Great writing. Great detail.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: I wished it had been longer! I wish it could have gone on forever! I wish they would put out more adventures of this calibre!<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

This is a truly excellent product that's applicable not only to the Iron Kingdoms setting but to any steampunk campaign. It wouldn't even be difficult to make the object to be fetched purely magical and incorporate this adventure in a fantasy setting. There's enough information on the NPCs to make them recurring characters if you choose to do so.

Good Module. Can not wait to see more about the Iron Kingdoms!

It was just great! My players enjoyed it, and it fit seamlessly into my campaign.