Steamfront – It’s steam fantasy !

During Ludivers Paris 2026, I had the opportunity to try Steamfront, the latest skirmish game from Hydra Production. I was lucky enough to be introduced to the game by Fred, one of its two designers. This introductory game highlighted the system’s simplicity, intuitive gameplay, and fast-paced format. With such strengths, I felt it was only right to introduce Steamfront to you in turn!

Intro – The Whistle in the Mist

Henri had already spent 10 hours hiding in the abandoned industrial district of Caldrion. Equipped with a tempered steel sword and a shield, he watched the Steamwoken wander aimlessly across the old docks. The mission, explained to him the day before by the Champion, was simple: locate the Hammerers’ assembly units. For now, the assemblers seemed to activate and deactivate without any apparent reason, wandering in front of the factory. Their movements across the docks appeared completely chaotic. As if these machines were simply walking around to admire some unknown “something”…

He seriously questioned their individual intelligence, considering that the dozen units he had been observing all night had done nothing else. Yet, deep down, he wondered whether this was simply how machines guarded an important strategic location. One thing was certain: their movements were genuinely difficult to predict. Under these conditions, without patrol routes or relay points, infiltration would prove extremely dangerous.

Suddenly, in the distance, the whistle of steam echoed through the air. The assemblers froze simultaneously for a few seconds before all moving, in perfect order, toward the entrance of Factory XIII. A coordinator had appeared, wearing a black bowler hat. Walking with a cane, it imitated the foremen from before the Great Blaze.

A steam barge entered the docks of Factory XIII. Smoke from the boiler filled the air, leaving Henri with a bitter smell of burning in his throat. The Champion gave a simple order: “Come on, soldier. Let’s see what these assemblers are unloading from that ship!”

Steamfront game overview

Steamfront is a Steampunk skirmish game created by the French studio Hydra Production and released in January 2026. Designed for fast-paced 45 to 60-minute games, it pits bands of around ten miniatures against each other in the heart of the devastated city of Caldrion, where the noble Luminarch, the rebellious Steamwoken machines, and the soldiers of the Iron Dominion clash.

Combining narrative depth with competitive gameplay, the system is built around two pages of streamlined rules, a dynamic alternating activation system, and an original six-sided dice mechanic (more on that later). The heart of the game lies in its steam management system, a resource that can be overloaded on your units to unlock powerful effects.

The world of Steamfront

Steamfront features an original setting created entirely for the game, with no connection to any existing franchise. The story takes place in a steampunk fantasy world filled with sentient machines, rebellious workers, and nobles desperately trying to preserve their privileges in Caldrion, a city devastated by catastrophe.

The factions

At the moment, Steamfront features three factions:

• The Luminarch: the faction of the nobility. Their miniatures are equipped with elegant and sophisticated gear, reflecting their social status before the catastrophe.
• The Steamwoken: these are robots endowed with mechanical intelligence. The catastrophe set them free, and today, instead of wearing down their gears in massive workshops for the benefit of the Luminarch, they have turned against their former masters.
• The Iron Dominion: Descended from former military forces, they see the catastrophe as an opportunity to destroy the old order and establish a new era of domination over Caldrion. Their faction opposes the old nobility of the Luminarch and sees the machines’ rebellion as the perfect opportunity to train and eliminate this internal threat. Their equipment, featuring devastating weapons such as flamethrowers, battle axes, and steamballs, gives them a strong visual identity as well as playstyles that cannot be found in the other two factions.

The Steamfront game system

Steamfront relies on an alternating activation system that keeps the game flowing and maintains constant tension, with no downtime. Players familiar with Kill Team will not feel out of place: the real challenge lies in adapting your plans and improvising on the battlefield to counter your opponent’s moves.

The warband creation system

To build a warband, you must assemble a team worth 200 points, with each miniature profile having its own point cost. You must also follow a second restriction regarding your army structure, which limits the maximum number of each role in your force:

• Regulars are limited to a minimum of 3 models. Cost range: 5 to 20 points.
• Veterans are limited to a maximum of 3 models. Cost range: 15 to 25 points.
• Elites are limited to a maximum of 2 models. Cost range: 20 to 40 points.
• The Leader can only be taken once. Cost range: 30 to 50 points.

The combat system

Every miniature has a profile representing its level of training, abilities, equipment, characteristics, and unique skills. Their scores range from 0 to 8, representing the number of six-sided dice rolled.

In Steamfront, there is no target number to reach when rolling dice. You simply need to roll doubles, triples, or more identical results to generate successes by rolling the number of skill dice available. Likewise, armour rolls are used to counter attack rolls. If the armour roll generates more successes (meaning more doubles, triples, and so on), the attack is blocked. This original system makes it possible to quickly assess the likelihood of an action succeeding.

Some weapons, currently flamethrowers, provide a number of automatic successes. In this case, there is no need to roll dice. This mechanic guarantees a minimum level of effectiveness, but it also makes the outcome very predictable for your opponent. As a result, they can anticipate which units to place in front of your troops equipped with these weapons.

Movement

Movement distances are measured in inches, but if you prefer to play using centimetres, that is also possible. This flexibility simply requires you and your opponent to agree on the measurement unit before the game begins.

The four actions

Each time a unit is activated, it can move and perform one action:

• Do nothing
• Shoot
• Perform a combat action
• Overcharge steam to gain a bonus for a future action

A resource management system allows you to activate your miniatures beyond their normal limits and make them more powerful. However, these enhanced activations are limited, meaning that once this resource runs out, your warband becomes less effective. This resource management aspect is interesting and adds several layers of decision-making throughout the game. The key to success is therefore managing these resources properly: building them up first, then spending them at the right moment.

This system demonstrates that several simple mechanics working together can create a game that is complex to master, while remaining accessible and enjoyable from the very first match.

What about the game components?

The quality of Steamfront miniatures

The miniatures are 3D-printed in resin. Whether painted or unpainted, I did not notice the typical layer lines often associated with some 3D prints. The painting potential is also impressive: with around ten miniatures per warband, players who enjoy pushing their skills further can take the time to create true works of art. The quality of the sculpts is a great incentive to give them the attention they deserve.

The rulebook and unit profiles

In the “Resources” section of the website, you can freely access the game rules, unit profiles, scenarios, printable 2D terrain elements, as well as their 3D versions (STL files).

Steamfront terrain and gaming tables

Imagine a ruined city, the remains of a place consumed by a great fire. This setting is the perfect opportunity to recycle your existing terrain pieces or create your own unique scenery. Thanks to the game’s strong Steampunk aesthetic, industrial structures can easily be converted into original and thematic gaming tables. You can imagine devastated Renaissance-style residential districts, or the remains of ancient churches, sometimes reduced to ruins, sometimes partially rebuilt.

In the rulebook, terrain interactions are clearly defined to keep gameplay simple and fluid. The most important element is communication: before the game begins, simply agree with your opponent on the role of each terrain piece, whether it is a wall, barricade, crater, or cloud of choking steam.

The entry cost to play Steamfront

Expect to spend around one hundred euros for the starter set, which includes the Luminarch and the Steamwoken. These two warbands are therefore natural opponents and provide the foundation for many narrative scenarios.

You can also simply buy a single warband for around fifty euros, such as the Iron Dominion for example. This makes Steamfront a very affordable game. As for terrain, there are currently no official sets available.

Is Steamfront the right game for you?

In short, Steamfront is the ideal alternative for players looking for the intensity of skirmish gaming without the complexity of a rules-heavy system like Kill Team. More streamlined and straightforward than many of its competitors, it moves the challenge away from the rulebook and onto the battlefield: here, your sense of timing and your resource management skills will make the difference.

Affordable, fast-paced, and offering strong replayability, Steamfront is a game that respects both your time and your budget. Whether you are a strategy enthusiast or a hobbyist eager to transform industrial ruins into a battlefield, the ruins of Caldrion are waiting for you!

What does the future hold for Steamfront?

The game, which already features its first three factions, is currently expanding. First, an English version is expected to be released by September 2026. In addition, Fred and Martial are currently working on two new factions to expand their steampunk fantasy universe, increase the number of narrative possibilities, and establish a stronger presence in the competitive scene.

With these foundations in place, it is easy to imagine campaign systems where your miniatures gain experience, climbing the ranks from Regular to Veteran, eventually becoming Elite fighters or even the Champion of your warband. According to the designers, this narrative dimension should arrive very soon. While the setting is already promising, there is still much more to discover. The website offers a few hints, but we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of named characters and heroic figures who can truly embody the conflicts and stakes of Caldrion.

Since Hydra Production has created an entire storyline around its universe, the company has a long-term ambition: to expand it far beyond the miniature game itself. The designers are already considering, in the more distant future, developing additional lore to open the door to a Steamfront role-playing game. This approach has also been explored in the opposite direction, with games such as Olomoc for example. However, the first priority remains expanding the universe with new factions and further developing the setting.

A video presentation of the game