Konflikt 47;
- Nicholas Smith
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Greetings one and all,
Today, I’m writing something of a love letter to a system I’ve recently begun dipping my toes into. So if you’re ready, come with me as we jump into an alternative timeline where World War 2 never ended, and things continued to get worse. Join me in Konflikt 47.
What is Konflikt 47?
Konflikt 47 takes place in an alternative timeline of history where World War 2 never actually ended. It uses the core mechanics of 3rd Edition Bolt Action, another game by Warlord Games, but due to its setting, gameplay mechanics, and more fanciful units being fielded, it really stands apart from Bolt Action. Especially with its most unique gameplay mechanic being its Rift Dice, which isn’t just some randomly designed mechanic; it's rooted in the game’s own lore.
The dropping of the first atomic bomb during World War 2 is where this game diverges from our own history to make up its alternative timeline, because in Konflikt 47’s lore, the bomb did more than just level a city; it inadvertently caused a rift in reality to open. Where these rifts lead can only be speculated on, but what is known is that they give access to amazing technologies that all world stages exploited to try and gain some kind of advantage. For example, both the U.S.A. and the Axis powers have access to one of these Rifts, which has shaped their own factions and led to them sharing some of their findings with many of their allies.
The Rift Dice themselves allow units to use incredible abilities that can shift the tide of battle in ways that are unique to each unit, but I will go into a lot more detail on this particular mechanic in a future article.
First Impressions
I’ve loosely followed the development of Konflikt 47 since its release, and I’ll be honest, I thought the models looked cool, but I didn't really get it. That is, until I got a commission to build some British Automated Infantry.
Now, when I get a commission, I tend to skim some of the factions' lore to better understand what's being asked of me, so I can know and appreciate what my clients want for their models. And it’s safe to say, this ended up with me completely diving down that rabbit hole, and I’ve still not really fully surfaced from it.
I really like how each faction is unique; the Axis have fully embraced being the mad scientists creating monsters through biological engineering, the U.S.A. have a reliance on technology to enable fast hit and run attacks, the Commonwealth are the living embodiments of endurance with their Automated Infantry, the Soviets have used their own population to create genetic monsters, and the Japanese have developed Shiboru compression rifles and have access to some amazing stealth tech. Each faction looks and feels different and plays completely differently from the others, which makes them all very different and very fun to play.
Leading on from this is the world-building. Now, I adore good world-building. Something rooted in sensible logic, nukes, open holes in reality; it makes it seem even more plausible that these rifts would result in mass technological advancement. And each faction has used these new technologies to improve upon what they were known for, so yes, for me, the world-building is top-tier and only makes me want to dive into this game even more. (Though, can I get a map?)
Another great thing is the rules; you need only the main rulebook to play the game, which is different compared to other systems, where you might need 3 or more. On the topic of the main rulebook, it comes in two versions: an A5 pocket version and an A4 hardback. As far as I can tell, these books are exactly the same. The A5 just has a smaller print to fit it all in, and of course, as I’m getting older, I got the A4 version to save my eyes. Also, because the artwork is very pretty. (More on the main rulebook in another article.)
The army lists are available online for free and are kept updated, which is a breath of fresh air. Being a mostly Games Workshop gamer myself, having to buy endless books every few months because of a sudden rules update is a pain and does make the game less accessible to people. Warlord have removed this hurdle altogether, and I really can’t express how much more accessible this has made the system, especially to new players of Konflikt 47.
Factions
Who are the factions in Konflikt 47? Well, I’m sure it will shock no one that the factions are roughly the same as they were during World War 2 (and being that Konflikt 47 is the extension to that conflict, that's not surprising). There are, however, some rather large differences in the alliance members.
The Axis - After the atomic bombing of Dresden, a new power took over the Reich: the Green Vault. This occult faction has unified all countries under its rule into a single political and military entity. For the Axis, this means the war ends in only two ways: victory, or complete and utter destruction. Using the Dresden rift, many horrors have now been created: the Undead walk the streets, Wolfmen prowl the battlefields, and things that echo the legends of the Strigoi take to the sky and haunt the shadows. Not only this, but new armoured units like the Stahltuppen take to the field, rendering small arms now useless as Schwerefeld projektors crush armoured vehicles and walkers with gravity pulses. Truly, the Axis are mad scientists and mystics, melding technology with the occult in ways nobody has ever seen.
U.S.A. - The U.S.A. has become a deeply religious state, believing that the miracles of the Los Alamos Rift are nothing short of the word of God himself. This was only strengthened by the ailing President Roosevelt's miraculous restoration at the Los Alamos Rift, returning him to better than full health, which was brought about by, in his own words, “the divine intervention of the almighty through the rift”. The US now fights the evils of the Axis, the treacherous Empire of Japan, and the godless communists of the Soviet Bloc. Their firefly infantry leap from the skies to strike with their Thompson M1X1/2s, while walkers such as the M2A5 linebacker bring electrifying Tesla cannons to bear. Even normal men are being improved with American genetic technologies as the Paragon program starts to create true super soldiers. Overall, the U.S.A. brings the wrath of the almighty down on anyone who opposes them.
The British Commonwealth - Having fought from the very beginning, the Commonwealth has grappled with a truly global war. From the fields of northern France to desserts of Africa, all the way to the jungles of Burma and the seas of the Pacific, the Empire upon which the sun never sets has been tested again and again, and has not been found wanting. The opening of the rifts unleashed new horrors and wonders into the world. The information given by the US accelerated the computational power of Commonwealth computers to undreamt of levels, and quickly allowed for the creation of automated factories, labourers and infantry. Britons Automated Infantry are incredibly resilient to damage, unfazed by the horrors of the rift wars, and bring tremendous levels of firepower to bear. And although they’re slow, they march forward with an implacable pace. But man hasn't lost his place on the battlefields; Grenadiers and Galahad Armoured Infantry provide human flexibility to the ponderous Automated Infantry. The resources and strength of the British Empire are galvanised like never before, and it will not go quietly into the night.
The Soviet Bloc - Standing alone after President Roosevelt's speech declaring war on the godless communist, the Soviet Bloc was the first to suffer the horrors of a resurgent rift-infused Axis, only holding them back with enormous casualties in men and material. However, they were not unaware of the rifts at Los Alamos or Dresden and, in fact, had used their spy network to smuggle technologies out from both sites. With this knowledge, the science cities of the Soviet Bloc produced their own miracles: the feared Moroz Gul Seiberian Terror Troops that do not feel the cold and are immune to flame, and the man-bear hybrid Giant Ursus Infantry that tears into their foes with tooth and claw. The Bloc even has its own version of the Paragon Program, dubbed the Daughters of the Motherland. Stalin and the Soviet Bloc will gain the rift at Dresden, and with it, spread the communist dream to all corners of the world.
The Empire of Japan - Before the opening of the rifts, the defeat of the Empire looked almost certain as the industrial might and manpower advantages of both the US and the Commonwealth together sought to crush them completely. And then, as in Europe, the rifts opened. The Axis were quick to give its allies access to the discoveries it had made in rift science, and coupled with the fanaticism in the Japanese belief in their Emperor, they have now fought back both the US and Commonwealth to a near standstill. The Japanese army field units of Ghost Attack Squads that are armed with rift-powered Shiboru 10 Rifles, and they can phase silently across the battlefield, appear, attack, and then disappear again before the enemy can even respond. Then there is the Type 7 Sasori Light Walker, which scuttles through the jungles, cutting through undergrowth and enemies alike with its massive claws. The US and the Commonwealth are rallying their resources for further conflict in the Pacific theatre, but the Empire of Japan stands ready to push them back, for the Emperor!
Final Thoughts
Needless to say, I’m really enjoying my dive into this game. I’m looking forward to building my Axis army of monsters, and it seems now is the best time to start as well, what with the new roadmap Warlord Games has released for the coming year! New and exciting things are on the horizen and I can’t express how excited I am to get even more stuck into this game, and its fantastic setting.
This is the start of what I’m hoping to be a regular series of articles covering Konflikt 47. The goal is to release articles fortnightly on Wednesdays (cause then I can name it Warlord Wednesday), so please join me while I build an army of monsters and learn to play this amazing game.
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