I am the Law: Judge Dredd Game from Warlord

By Troy A. Hill

Images by Warlord Games, or as noted

Warlord has released yet another blockbuster game this year. My painting table doth overfloweth with models I’m itching to paint to get onto the gaming table.

Joining my fleet of 14 brigs attached to golf-tees, all in various stages of painting, my seven frigates awaiting rigging and sails, my Cruel Seas R-boats, more PT boats, F-lighters, as well as my Soviet Yaks, British Hurricanes, and a multitude of German fighters for Blood Red Skies (not to mention my neglected armies of British Bolt Action Tommies and their guns and vehicles)… now I have to paint up a load or two of Judges, Fatties, Block Gangs, and other Big-Meg denizens.

Yes, the Judge Dredd game has arrived, and it looks sweet enough to entice a gaming binge of Fattie proportions. (For the uninitiated, Fatties are a “gang” within the Dredd verse. Bazooka barfing is a special ability… see below for details.)

What is Dredd?

Is that the movie with Stallone, or Arnold?

Stallone, but so much more. (And another more recent movie incarnation I haven’t watched yet).

Evidently the Brits have a comic line called 2000 AD. From that post-apocalypse storyline comes the likes of , and . The 2000AD world of comics was created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra. In its post-apoc world, Earth has been severely overpopulated, and Mega-Cities are the norm. The streets are patrolled by Judges, who serve as Judge, Jury, and Executioner (if need be). The chaotic forces of gang warfare, undead, and mechanical forces all oppose the Judges in a greater or lesser degree.

The Dredd game, by Warlord, is a skirmish game, using 28mm scale miniatures set in Mega-City One. Basically the entire eastern seaboard of the United States. Players take on forces from either the Judges or Perps.

The Game

Judge Dredd builds from the Strontium Dogs game and focusses not on the “Wild-West” skirmish system of SD, but on a more focussed street fighting set up. Game designers Robert Gerrish (Bolt Action Western Desert) and Andy Chambers (Strontium Dogs, Blood Red Skies, et al) sat down with Brad to discuss the game design and ideas of translating yet another facet of the 2000AD universe onto the tabletop.

Dice and Chips

The game uses both activation chips, and a combination of regular and special six-sided dice.

Just like SD, the combat dice are special d6s with logos instead of numbers. Three sides show a “Hit” symbol (can be 1-3 on a regular d6), two sides show an Armour (can be a 4-5 on a regular d6), and one 2000AD logo. The 2000AD logo would equate to a 6 on a d6 in most games, since it’s the rarest potential result. Special ability and such checks are made by taking a number of dice equal to a model’s appropriate ability and looking for at least one of the appropriate symbols to appear amongst all the dice thrown in that roll.

Dredd also uses the Chip-Draw random activation system. Each model (including the Lawmaster transport sentient “bikes”) gets a chip. These go into a bag, cup or another randomizer, and are drawn one at a time. They are color-coded per team. The player chooses a model to activate performs their actions, then another chip is drawn to activate another model.

But Dredd and some of the other characters are notoriously hard to kill off, or heroic. How do they work?

Those with a “Cool” rating of 4 or more may be activated using a star chit. Mechs, Lawmasters, and a few other exceptions don’t get the special star chit. Characters like Dredd, do. When a star chit is drawn, a player can activate their special characters. At the end of that activation, the “Go for Broke” roll kicks in. If a player chooses, they may roll the combat die for a Cool Test (roll one die for each point of cool the character has), looking for a 2000AD logo. Success means the chip goes back into the bag, and the character may be activated again that turn.

The game runs on a two-action per activation system. Some actions take both slots. Moving, shooting, brawling, etc.

The Starter Set

Comes with what you need to get started.

• Command Dice
• Action Chips and tokens
• Models of 8 Block Gang members, and 2 Street Judges in new Warlord Resin
• Character cards, Armoury Cards, and Big Meg cards
• Rulebook (160 pages, including an index), along with scenarios, campaign rules, and ideas

Fans and enemies of Dredd will surely enjoy this new addition to Warlord’s stellar line up from 2019.

Troy is the editor of NoDiceNoGlory.com and a member of the Warlord North America Demo Team. You’ll find him running events and demos in Southern California, or searching for cookies and coffee at a nearby cafe.