Trench Crusade in 2026, wargame messiah or false prophet?

Wargamer has published a one-year retrospective on Trench Crusade, looking at how the game has evolved since its explosive 2024 Kickstarter. The piece argues that the project has mostly delivered on its early promise, growing from a niche art-driven concept into a major miniatures brand with serious momentum.

The article praises several core strengths:

• The setting's distinctive dieselpunk religious horror identity
• Tuomas Pirinen's flavorful and highly regarded rules design
• The continued availability of the free living rulebook
• Strong community support, including third-party models and expansions
• Factory Fortress expanding into plastic miniatures through partnerships like Archon Studios

At the same time, the retrospective notes the strain of scaling after a Kickstarter that raised far beyond expectations. Fulfillment delays, shifting production plans, and the challenge of transforming an artist-led project into a larger operation remain ongoing tensions. Even so, the overall tone is positive, framing Trench Crusade as a game that has converted its early hype into real staying power.

Source: Wargamer - Trench Crusade in 2026, wargame messiah or false prophet?