Underworlds

Warhammer Underworlds — Competitive Miniature Card Game

Warhammer Underworlds is Games Workshop's unique hybrid of miniature skirmish game and card game — a fiercely competitive experience where tactical positioning on the board and strategic deck construction off it are equally important. Set in the cursed shadeglass mirrors of the Warhammer Age of Sigmar universe, small warbands of 3–6 unique fighters clash in ancient, trap-ridden arenas for glory, power and survival. It is one of the most replayable and strategically deep games in the Games Workshop range, with a thriving competitive scene and regular new releases.

At Colours of Warriors, we stock the full Warhammer Underworlds range — the Embergard starter set, warband boxes and Rivals decks. Visit our store in Pilsen, Czech Republic, or order online with delivery across the EU.

What Is Warhammer Underworlds?

Warhammer Underworlds combines two distinct competitive layers into a single game. On the board, players manoeuvre their fighters across a hex-based arena, attacking, defending objectives and trying to outmanoeuvre their opponent. Off the board, each player builds a personal deck of power and objective cards — drawing cards during play to unlock special abilities, score points and react to the opponent's moves.

The result is a game with layers of depth that reveal themselves over many games: board positioning, card timing, deck construction and reading your opponent all matter simultaneously. No two games play out the same way, and the skill ceiling is genuinely high — Underworlds has one of the most developed competitive scenes of any Games Workshop game.

Games typically take 30–45 minutes — among the fastest of all Warhammer games — making it ideal for multiple games in a single evening.

Warbands — The Fighters of the Underworlds

Each Underworlds warband is a small group of 3–6 fighters with unique sculpts, abilities and card pools. The current season — set in the cursed realm of Embergard — introduces new warbands and mechanics. Our current range includes:

Embergard starter set — the complete entry point to the current season, containing two full warbands, two complete decks, the full ruleset, game boards and all accessories. The fastest way to start playing Underworlds for two players.

Borgit's Beastgrabbaz — a warband of Orruk beast-hunters, aggressive and physical fighters who excel at closing in on targets and dealing devastating close-combat damage.

The Jawz of Itzl — Seraphon lizardmen, ancient warriors of the Old Ones who combine disciplined positioning with powerful attacks driven by celestial power.

Grandfather's Gardeners — servants of Nurgle, slow but extraordinarily resilient fighters who corrupt the board around them and punish opponents for every attack.

Revenants of the Realms — undead warriors returning from beyond death, uniquely able to reform and continue fighting even after being taken out of action.

Despoilers and Daemons — Chaos warriors and their daemonic allies, bringing raw aggression and unpredictable daemonic power to the arena.

Brutes and Bandits — a mixed warband combining brute strength with cunning opportunism, rewarding flexible tactical approaches.

Rivals Mode — Play Without Deckbuilding

Warhammer Underworlds offers two distinct ways to play. In Rivals mode, players use the pre-constructed decks that come with each warband — no deckbuilding required. This is the recommended way to start, allowing new players to focus on the board game elements without needing to understand the card pool.

In Championship mode, players build custom decks from across the card pool — selecting power cards and objective cards from any warband to construct optimised competitive decks. This is the format used in tournaments and represents the full strategic depth of the game.

Rivals decks — standalone card decks that can be used with any warband — provide additional competitive options and are ideal for players who want to expand their tactical choices without purchasing a full warband. We stock the Wrack and Ruin Rivals Deck and Reckless Fury Rivals Deck.

Underworlds vs Other Warhammer Games

Warhammer Underworlds occupies a unique space in the Games Workshop range. Unlike Warhammer 40,000 or Age of Sigmar, there are no armies to build — just a small warband of unique fighters and a deck of cards. Unlike Kill Team, the card element adds a second layer of strategic depth beyond miniature positioning.

If you enjoy competitive card games like Magic: The Gathering and also want a miniature hobby element, Underworlds is the closest thing in the Games Workshop range to that experience. If you want pure miniature skirmish without card mechanics, Kill Team is the better choice.

Are Underworlds Miniatures Compatible with Age of Sigmar?

Yes — all Warhammer Underworlds miniatures are official Age of Sigmar models usable with their appropriate warscrolls in AoS games. Underworlds warbands are often among the most unique and characterful sculpts for their respective factions — Orruk, Seraphon, Nighthaunt and Nurgle collectors frequently purchase Underworlds warbands specifically for use in their AoS armies.

This dual-use value makes Underworlds warband purchases particularly attractive for players who already collect AoS — you get both a competitive game and genuinely useful AoS models in the same box.

The Hobby Side — Painting Underworlds Warbands

With only 3–6 models per warband, Underworlds offers one of the most manageable painting projects in the hobby. The small number of models means you can lavish attention on each individual fighter — dramatic freehand, OSL (object source lighting), blending and other advanced techniques that would be impractical on a full army become achievable on an Underworlds warband.

Many hobbyists who collect Age of Sigmar armies use their Underworlds warbands as a creative outlet — painting them to a higher standard than their regular army models. The result is a small collection of showcase pieces that also function as a complete competitive game.

We stock a full range of paints, brushes and modelling tools suited to Underworlds painting projects.

Warhammer Underworlds at Colours of Warriors

We're a specialist hobby shop based in Pilsen, Czech Republic, stocking the full Warhammer Underworlds range — Embergard starter set, all current warband boxes and Rivals decks. Our store at Zbrojnická 116/2 is open Monday to Friday 13:00–18:00 and features a dedicated gaming area and Paint Zone where you can try painting before you buy. We ship across the Czech Republic and the EU.

Questions? Contact us at obchod@coloursofwarriors.com or +420 737 281 727.

Frequently Asked Questions — Warhammer Underworlds

What is Warhammer Underworlds and how is it different from other Warhammer games?
Warhammer Underworlds combines miniature skirmish combat with card game strategy — players manoeuvre fighters on a hex board while also managing a hand of power and objective cards. Unlike Warhammer 40,000 or Age of Sigmar, there are no armies — just 3–6 unique fighters and a deck of cards. It is the most competitive and strategically dense game in the Games Workshop range.

Do I need to build a deck to play Warhammer Underworlds?
No — Rivals mode lets you play with the pre-constructed decks included in each warband box. Deckbuilding is optional for Championship mode, which is designed for competitive play and tournaments. New players are strongly recommended to start with Rivals mode to learn the game before exploring custom deck construction.

How many miniatures are in a Warhammer Underworlds warband?
Most warbands contain 3–6 miniatures. This small count makes Underworlds one of the most approachable painting projects in the hobby — and one of the most affordable entry points into competitive Warhammer gaming. Individual warband boxes cost approximately €33.

Are Warhammer Underworlds miniatures compatible with Age of Sigmar?
Yes — all Underworlds miniatures are official Age of Sigmar models with warscrolls for use in AoS games. Collectors frequently purchase Underworlds warbands specifically for their unique sculpts and use them in Age of Sigmar armies. The dual-use value makes warband purchases particularly attractive.

How long does a game of Warhammer Underworlds take?
A standard game takes 30–45 minutes — among the fastest of all Warhammer games. This makes Underworlds ideal for multiple games in a single evening and well-suited to competitive event formats where several rounds are played in a day.

What is the best starter set for Warhammer Underworlds?
The Embergard starter set is the ideal entry point for the current season — it contains two complete warbands with their decks, the full rulebook, game boards and all necessary components. Everything two players need to start in one box.