Fast and engaging: quick set up time and easy to learn gameplay with an average play-time of 40 minutes
Deep: customizable starting formations and carefully balanced cards allow players to define their own strategy and offset the randomness of the draw
Tactical: plays out on a board like chess with combat reminiscent of classic tabletop RPGs
Limitless: Contextual tactics mean every card is important in the right circumstance and every deck can take multiple roads to victory
War Haven is a fast-paced card game that plays like a tactical board game. By combining deckbuilding strategy with the tactical positioning of a battlefield environment, it creates a unique gameplay experience with the quick set up time and play of a combat card game.
Each deck features 6 character cards which the player moves around on a board, playing support cards from their hand in concert with their characters' movements and attacks in a race to destroy the other player's commander.
Players are able to set their characters’ starting battle formation and build a unique deck to suit their battle plan. War Haven is designed to give the player unlimited strategic opportunities while remaining fast and easy to pick up. It's simple enough that most players have the gameplay figured out in their first couple turns, but complex enough to support a nearly infinite range of strategic expression and reward players for thinking a turn ahead of their opponent.
War Haven is set at a time of interstellar upheaval in the distant future. Desperate to escape the fallout of a galactic collapse, humanity fled to the only life-sustaining planet they could reach which was shielded from the oncoming waves of cosmic radiation. Unfortunately for them, the mystical Gharrana and the technologically advanced Delylia were also swept up in the cataclysm, and like the humans they exhausted every resource to find a new home.
Crumbling from the migration effort and cut off from support on the surface, these powerful civilizations soon collapse, giving way to territorial alliances forged between races. Soon, enigmatic individuals rise to the head of brutal refugee armies, scouring the surface of the last livable planet for resources and bringing as much of it as they can under their own control.
We chose the game setting because it allows for a mix Sci-Fi and fantasy elements in a way that is grim without being macabre, and can still occasionally be a little silly. It also provides a convenient explanation for mixed race decks which allows greater strategic flexibility in gameplay.
For more on the world of War Haven, you can check out the game story here.
A game of War Haven begins with a blinder in the middle of the board while each player sets their six character cards up in a battle formation of their choosing. When the battle starts the divider is removed and each player has three actions per turn that they can use to move a character, attack with a character, or play a support card. Support cards can be used to cast spells, upgrade characters or reinforce a specific attack or defense instance.
There is no resource system in War Haven, instead a card's strength and cost to play depend on the context in which it is played, the position of the character that is playing it, and its potential effect compared to the player's other options.
What makes War Haven unique is the way you develop your characters through deckbuilding and gameplay. Since each deck only has six character cards, it is vital to think through the roles each of them will be playing in your strategy. This role is determined by the character's stats and the support cards you load in the deck for them as well as their initial placement on the board. However, a flexible deckbuilder can leave options open, and a character's role on the board may change as battle is waged.
Character Cards in War Haven have been carefully balanced against one another using their stats, special abilities and especially their access to support cards. Every character has tactical roles they are more suited to, every card has a use. A good rule of thumb is the lower a character's initial stats, the dirtier the tricks they may have in their support deck. By considering each card's strengths, position and access to (or reliance on) support, you can set your army up for a variety of different strategies and play-styles.
For more on how the game plays, you can check out the instruction booklet online or download our print and play and give it a try!
Fringe Games is a small group of people who have devoted our lives to making a very large game for the last several years. The idea for War Haven was originally born out of several friends in the early days of the app biz talking about their ideal game design. Our founder, Raymond Hayes, had an idea for a seemingly simple deckbuilder that would focus on quick gameplay and spatial tactics. The idea was to make a card game for iOS where online play would not be defined by the interminable wait of the enemy's turn. Starting with nothing but a quality game concept and a die-hard attitude, Ray put together a talented team of people who, after playing a crude version of the game he put together with index cards, were willing to invest their time and experience into making War Haven a reality.
Our art director is Shaun Mitchell, whose past credits include work for studios like Bethesda and Acclaim. He is leading a team of 16 contributing artists including experienced hands like Keith Thompson (Irongrip Series) and Venn Locklear (Borderlands 2) as well as exciting young up-and-comers like Austen Mengler and Carly Sorge. We understand that great art is a cornerstone of the genre, so each artist is credited on the cards they illustrated and they also own a share of the profits of the game. You can find more about our artists on our website.
When we started development on War Haven it was always planned as a digital game, aimed primarily at handheld devices. When we started bringing a printed prototype around to conventions, many people were excited at the prospect of a card game where they would never have to worry about losing or damaging their cards, but still our most consistent feedback was that they would also prefer a physical release of the game to play at home.
Being tabletop gamers ourselves, we understood the desire to play the game with real cards, real dice and a real person across the table to talk smack to. We jumped in two feet first, immediately did some research on what it takes to get a physical game published and (a little too immediately) threw the game on Kickstarter.
We weren't successful in our first attempt, in large part because not many people had seen or heard of them game and also because we had no experience with Kickstarter as a platform.
Though we weren't successful, we experienced a big spike in awareness of the game, and became quite enamored of Kickstarter as a platform (and a source for great games!)
We've spent the last year polishing the game's design and building experience and connections in the board game world, and now we're ready to take another whack at getting this funded!
Below is a detailed breakdown of each of our pledge tiers. If you have any questions, please ask us in the comments section or shoot an email to ray@fringegames.net. All art is based on current prototypes and may differ slightly from the final version of the game. Objects shown may not be to exact scale.
For shipping outside the US, add the amount indicated at the end of the reward description to your pledge.
All backer rewards from the War Haven boxed set on up will include having your name on a special thank you page in the instruction booklet of the game's first edition. If you'd like to opt out of this, please leave a note in your pledge comments.
The Digital Download Pack comes with two PC games from our friends at Evil Brain – Floppy Fish and Spectrum Spectre. Both games are original and highly challenging with a charming retro aesthetic.
The Play at Home Pack comes with the limited edition Shields of Gharra card which will only be available for the game's first print run, along with access to the Final Release Print & Play. Also includes access to the digital download pack. (The Shields of Gharra card is also available individually as an add-on, see below for more details)
The War Haven Boxed Set comes with the game board, instruction booklet and divider, along with eight twelve-sided dice and two six-sided dice. Includes two sets of the entire first edition of cards as well as two starter decks constructed of some the game's most versatile cards. Also includes access to the final release print & play and the digital download pack.
The Boxed Set and Then Some comes with all the contents of the War Haven boxed set, along with two extra sets of the first edition of cards. This means that you will have four of every card, and six of each of the cards in the starter decks. Also includes access to the final release print & play and the digital download pack. (Extra card sets are also available individually as an add-on, see below for more details)
The Double the Fun Pack comes with two complete War Haven Boxed Sets including all the content that entails – game boards, dividers, cards, etc. Also includes access to the final release print & play and the digital download pack.
The Deluxe Boxed Set comes with all the contents of the War Haven Boxed Set as well as one of our Deluxe Game Mats from ________. These ultra-portable mats are made from the same material as a normal mousepad, and can easily be rolled up and brought anywhere. Also includes access to the final release print & play and the digital download pack. (Deluxe game mats are also available individually as an add-on, see below for more details)
The Super Deluxe Boxed Set comes with all the content of the deluxe boxed set, along with a custom laser-cut board divider and dice from our friends at Daft Concepts. Available in wood and acrylic designs. Also includes access to the final release print & play and the digital download pack. (Daft dice and dividers are also available individually as add-ons, see below for more details)
The Playtester Set comes with all the contents of the super deluxe boxed set, as well as one set of our prototype War Haven cards and an instruction manual signed by every member of the Fringe Games team. You also get the opportunity to join our playtesting team. As a member you will receive prototypes of new cards ahead of each new edition's release and help shape the direction of game's future through your feedback. Includes access to the final release print & play and the digital download pack.
The Creator Set includes all the contents of the playtester set along with the opportunity to create a card of your own for the next edition of War Haven. Work with our team of designers and professional artists to develop the unique mechanics, illustration and lore of your addition to the series. Includes access to the final release print & play and the digital download pack.
These add-ons can be included with any pledge reward by simply adding the cost to your pledge amount and noting in your pledge comments which add-on(s) you expect to receive.
If you have any questions, please ask us in the comments section or shoot an email to ray@fringegames.net. All art is based on current prototypes and may differ slightly from the final version of the game. Objects shown may not be to exact scale.
For shipping outside the US, add the amount indicated at the end of the reward description to your pledge.
The Limited Edition Shields of Gharra Card will be discontinued after the first print run of the game, making it a collectible for people who got into the game at the very beginning. Offers unique advantages as a defensive upgrade.
The War Haven First Edition comes complete with one of every card in the edition, including our limited edition Shields of Gharra card.
The War Haven Wallets are the work of _____, who we met while promoting War Haven at conventions. A talented artist in her own right, _____ spends a lot of her time showcasing the art of others through crafty projects like these. For more of her awesome, artsy projects (including awesome comic-book stuffs) visit her estsy page.
The Deluxe Game Mat has a 1/16" polyester fabric top with a rubber backing almost identical to any standard mouse pad. The mat measures ___x___ inches but can be easily folded up and brought anywhere.
The Daft Dice are beautiful, laser-cut dice with a custom War Haven design from our friends at Daft Concepts. The dice will arrive in a sheet, and can be easily popped out and fitted together for light, high-quality dice with a unique feel and look. Available in wood or acrylic designs.
The Daft Divider is a custom, laser-cut version of our board divider from our friends at Daft Concepts. Available in wood or acrylic designs.