It’s hard to believe it’s been so long already, but the first No Quarter theme force was released all the way back in No Quarter #30. To put that into perspective, the new releases in that issue included the Exemplar Errant Officer & Standard and the Warpwolf Stalker, models that feel like they’ve been marching the tabletop battlefields just about forever! Over the years, No Quarter’s pages have provided a home for dozens of new theme forces, and No Quarter Presents: Forces of Distinction brings every one of those theme forces together at last.

Theme forces are an interesting aspect of WARMACHINE and HORDES due to the way they represent so many things to so many people. This holds true not only within the community but also within the creation of the theme forces. While many theme forces are born from a game development perspective, others have arisen from key story elements or from someone’s vision of a beautiful army, fully realized on the tabletop. This leads to a broad range of theme forces for a broad range of players. From tournament staple theme force armies to armies representing famous historical forces to gorgeous, cohesive showpiece armies, theme forces provide players with a vast array of opportunities.

The core essence of a theme force from a game development standpoint is to achieve a balance between what the army is forced to give up versus what it stands to gain. Often times, the most restrictive theme forces are also the most rewarding. This provides players with a choice between versatile model selection and focused army direction. Because every new model or theme force release shifts the entire game slightly, the best choice today might not remain the best choice tomorrow, so theme forces rise and fall in popularity, just as models do.

In addition to collecting all No Quarter theme forces in one place, No Quarter Presents: Forces of Distinction—due in stores in June—also introduces two new theme forces, complete with their background stories and game rules, for Feora, Protector of the Flame and Lord Assassin Morghoul. Feora’s World Aflame is sure to appeal to all the firebug Protectorate players out there. Virtually everything in the list can cause fire in one or more ways, and the theme force’s benefits serve to more effectively deliver an inferno to the opponent’s army. Morghoul’s Hit Squad takes the shadow tricks of Skorne’s Paingivers and cranks them up substantially. With added movement tricks, denial elements, and cheaper heavy warbeasts, players can pull off Morghoul’s assassination run more effectively than ever.

Though No Quarter Presents: Forces of Distinction is not the end for theme forces, it sure packs a lot of them into one place, as you’ll see this June. We hope you will enjoy this compilation and that it sparks some new ideas for your army construction. Step outside the box, and try out a theme force you previously overlooked. Who knows? It may surprise you as you bring that theme force’s models/units together at last.

Thematically,

-DC