Forbidden Stars

The Warp Storm has finally receded and the Herakon Cluster is exposed — time to invade. You command one of four galactic powerhouses: the Ultramarines, Craftworld Iyanden, Evil Sunz Ork, or the World Eaters of Chaos. Each faction has its own army and playstyle, but the goal is the same: grab your faction's key objectives scattered across the cluster before your opponents stop you.

Each round plays out in three phases. First, you place order tokens face down on the board's systems — this is where bluffing comes in. Then, during the operations phase, everything is flipped: drain resources from your planets, purchase upgrade and combat cards, build cities and factories, or advance your armies to attack. Finally, the refresh phase lets you profit from controlled planets, shifts the impassable Warp Storms via event cards, and heals wounded units.

Even setup is strategic: players assemble the cluster together, choosing where each system goes, where their starting forces are placed, and where enemy objectives sit — creating a very different starting position every game. With four distinct factions, each with unique domination abilities, Forbidden Stars demands you exploit your opponents' weaknesses while maximizing your own strengths.

The result is a brutal, bloody war of long duration, with plenty of table space, bluffing, and tension. If you enjoy heavy war games with deep tactical play and don't mind a big table, this is one of the best Warhammer titles out there.