THRACK
Getting a new player into Thrackdown just got a lot simpler.
The Quickstart Pack gives new players a clear route into the game: a one-page Start Here sheet, the Quickstart Guide, six ready-to-play Quickstart Warbands and Mission 1: Loot & Scoot. To play your first game, each side needs four fighters, a Quickstart Warband, the Quickstart Guide and a handful of D6. No list building or faction-rule preparation required.
Everything in the pack is free and available on the Resources page. The three introductory games now form a clear progression from your first four-fighter battle to full Thrackdown. This update did not replace the core rules; it changed how new players are introduced to them.
What's in the pack
- Start Here. The whole introductory route on one page: choose a faction, play Loot & Scoot, then see what changes for Game 2. Download the Start Here sheet.
- The Quickstart Guide. Four pages containing the core rules you need from your first battle onwards. Download the Quickstart Guide.
- Six Quickstart Warbands. One for each faction: a Leader, two Core fighters and one Specialist, with their stats, weapons and special rules ready to use. Each is available as a web card on the first-game walkthrough and as a PDF.
- Mission 1: Loot & Scoot. The battlefield setup, objectives and victory conditions for your first four-fighter game. Download the mission sheet.
Quickstart Warbands, not Starter Rosters
The old Starter Rosters are gone from the first-game page, replaced by Quickstart Warbands that match the printed sheets exactly: every stat, weapon, Trait, Crit, Special and fighter ability is there. For Game 1, the weapon Traits printed in red stay switched off. Each faction card on the site also includes a short Trait glossary, so you do not need to look anything up elsewhere.
A few roster details were also corrected in the process. The Iron Pact Bulwark Gunner now moves 4". The Ashen Covenant Knight-Militant carries a fixed Blessed Maul in Game 1, with the Gut Ripper option reserved for the full profile. The Scavver Gearhead's Jury-Rigged Boost now grants Hazardous to the boosted attack instead of using its previous bespoke self-damage rule.
How the six play:
- Iron Pact. Disciplined and dependable. Hold ground, support nearby fighters and make the most of coordinated fire.
- Ashen Covenant. Aggressive zealots who pressure enemy Nerve, strengthen nearby allies and push forward together.
- The Splice. Fast, brutal close-range fighters. Cross the table quickly, overwhelm isolated enemies and keep the pressure on.
- Null Protocol. Precise, coordinated shooters. Concentrate fire on the same targets and reposition as the battle develops.
- Crimson Veil. Elite fighters backed by expendable thralls. Create openings for the Veil’s strongest combatants, then exploit them.
- Scavver Clades. Flexible survivors equipped with improvised gear and tricks that reward adapting to whatever goes wrong.
Nothing breaks yet...
Game 1 has one rule of its own: ignore every weapon Trait printed in red. These are the drawback Traits. Crit effects, weapon Specials, fighter special rules and every other weapon Trait still apply, so your fighters keep their character from the first activation.
Crude weapons don’t fail. Hazardous weapons don’t bite back. Catastrophic weapons don’t go off in your hands. Enjoy the reliability while it lasts.
The red Traits are also marked on the fighter cards, so it is clear which ones sit out Game 1. They all return in Game 2, at which point the Pipe Gun becomes the pipe with dreams it always was.
Three games, one story
The three walkthroughs and the Play section have been updated to form a single route into Thrackdown. Each game adds another layer, taking you from four fighters and the core rules to a full warband and campaign play.
- Quickstart Battle. Your first game: four fighters, the core rules and Loot & Scoot. Learn the fundamentals of a Thrackdown battle.
- Full Rules Battle. Your second game: keep your Quickstart Warband and add a fighter or two, or build a force of around 150 Thracks. Switch to the full fighter profiles, add the faction rules and turn on every weapon Trait, then play Hostage Grab.
- Full Thrackdown. Your third game: expand to 200 Thracks and open up the full warband-building system, including gear, upgrades, proficiencies and Juggernauts. Then take on Reactor Meltdown and follow the post-battle sequence into campaign play.
The third game also introduces the post-battle sequence: gaining XP, collecting Income and scavenging for junk, resolving Injuries, and visiting the Trader. It is the first step from standalone battles into campaign play.
Tell us how it went
Your first battle is useful playtest feedback. If something broke, confused you, dragged the game down or simply worked well, we want to hear about it. Use the feedback form for a structured report, or join the Discord to talk it through, compare warbands and discuss the Open Alpha with other players.
Running a demo or introducing someone new? Give each player a Quickstart Warband, keep the Quickstart Guide and Loot & Scoot at the table, and use the Start Here sheet to guide what comes next.
Pick a faction.
Grab four suitable miniatures.
Play Loot & Scoot.