StarCraft Wave 2: Reinforcements Are Coming to the Koprulu Sector
The first wave of StarCraft®: Tabletop Miniatures Game has finally arrived, and now that we have had a chance to actually get the game in hand, it is time to start looking toward what comes next.
Unlike some, we wanted to hold off on getting too far ahead of ourselves with Wave 2 until Wave 1 was physically here.
We know the delays surrounding the initial release from Archon Studio were frustrating. We felt that frustration too, and we know plenty of players did as well. But now that the first boxes are arriving on tabletops, we can finally start looking past the delays and toward the game itself.
And from everything we have seen and heard so far, Wave 2 looks like it is going to be well worth the wait.
The next wave brings some seriously iconic StarCraft units to the tabletop, including the Terran Siege Tank, Protoss Immortal, Zeratul, and the Zerg Ravager, alongside a new terrain set inspired by one of the most recognizable battlefields in StarCraft history.
The Battle for the Koprulu Sector Expands
Wave 1 established the foundations of the game with the core forces of the Terran, Protoss, and Zerg.
Wave 2 looks like it is where those armies really begin to develop.
Rather than simply adding alternative sculpts or more of the same basic battlefield roles, these new units introduce capabilities that can fundamentally change how each faction approaches a game.
Long-range artillery enters the battlefield.
Protoss gain an incredibly durable frontline anchor.
Zerg commanders gain new tools for controlling where their opponents can safely stand.
And one of the most legendary Dark Templar in StarCraft history finally becomes a fully playable hero.
These are exactly the kinds of additions we wanted to see as the game begins expanding beyond its initial launch.
Terran Siege Tank
There probably was not much question about whether the Siege Tank would eventually make its way into the tabletop game.
It is simply too iconic not to.
The Siege Tank will be the game's first large vehicle, sitting on an enormous 150mm base and bringing some serious battlefield presence to Terran armies.
More importantly, the model represents the two modes StarCraft players already know.
In Tank Mode, it functions as an armored vehicle capable of moving alongside the rest of the Terran force.
Switch into Siege Mode, and everything changes.
The tank becomes a long-range artillery platform built to threaten clustered enemy units and control large portions of the battlefield.
Archon has also teased interactions with friendly spotters, potentially allowing the Siege Tank to threaten units beyond what would otherwise be its normal engagement range.
That creates a very StarCraft-style dynamic.
You do not necessarily have to destroy the enemy to influence the battle.
Sometimes you simply need to make standing somewhere a very bad idea.
For Terran players, we expect this to become one of the defining models of the faction.
Protoss Immortal
If the Siege Tank is about making the enemy move, the Immortal is about refusing to.
The Protoss Immortal arrives as a Size 3 walker on a 100mm base, filling the role of a heavily armored frontline unit capable of absorbing punishment that would tear through lighter forces.
Its defensive abilities are designed around dramatically reducing incoming damage, allowing it to survive high-damage attacks while holding objectives or anchoring an important section of the battlefield.
And it is not simply a defensive wall.
Armed with twin Photon Disruptors, the Immortal is designed to hit heavily armored targets right back.
For Protoss players, that should create some interesting choices.
Put an Immortal somewhere your opponent cannot afford to ignore, and suddenly they may be forced to dedicate a considerable amount of their army to removing one model while the rest of your force gets to work.
Zeratul Joins the Fight
Wave 2 is also bringing one of StarCraft's most recognizable characters to the game.
Zeratul has previously appeared as a promotional miniature, but this release turns the legendary Dark Prelate into a fully playable hero with his own rules.
And appropriately, he does not appear to be designed as a straightforward brawler.
Zeratul is built around mobility, stealth, and precision.
He can move through the battlefield, avoid ranged attacks, and target the enemy units that matter most.
Heroes.
Support pieces.
Elite units.
Anything left isolated just a little too long.
That means Zeratul's impact may begin before he ever attacks.
Simply having him on the table forces your opponent to think differently about positioning. Vulnerable units need protection. Formations may need to tighten. Characters that previously operated independently suddenly have to consider what might be waiting in the shadows.
That feels exactly like Zeratul should.
Zerg Ravager
The Ravager may be one of the most interesting additions from a gameplay perspective.
Evolved from the Roach strain, Ravagers bring their trademark Corrosive Bile to the tabletop.
Instead of simply dealing damage immediately, the attack creates an area of danger that forces the opposing player to make a decision.
Move away and potentially abandon an important position.
Stay where you are and risk taking the hit.
Or try to escape while the rest of the Swarm is doing everything it can to make sure you cannot.
That adds an important new layer to Zerg gameplay.
The faction has already been built around speed, pressure, numbers, and surrounding the opponent. Ravagers give Zerg commanders another way to dictate movement and break defensive positions.
Combined with Zerglings and other units capable of tying up the enemy, Corrosive Bile could create some particularly nasty situations.
Once that attack is coming down, your opponent has a problem to solve.
Fast.
Lost Temple Comes to the Tabletop
Wave 2 is not stopping with new units.
Archon is also introducing new terrain inspired by the legendary Lost Temple, including High Ground and Ramps.
This might quietly be one of the most important additions in the entire wave.
StarCraft has always been a game where terrain, elevation, vision, choke points, and positioning matter enormously.
Bringing that verticality to the miniature game opens up some fascinating possibilities.
Most units will not simply be able to walk straight up a cliff. They'll need to reach designated ramps, turning those routes into natural choke points that can be defended or contested.
Meanwhile, units capable of reaching elevated positions through other means may be able to bypass those conventional approaches entirely.
Then start combining the terrain with the new units.
Imagine a Siege Tank entrenched on the high ground with commanding lines of fire.
An infantry force desperately trying to secure a narrow ramp.
A highly mobile hero bypassing that fight altogether.
Suddenly the board itself becomes another part of the strategy.
That is something we are particularly excited to see develop.
This Is Where StarCraft Starts Getting Interesting
Wave 1 had an important job.
It had to establish the basic game, introduce three very different factions, and prove that StarCraft could make the jump from the screen to a physical tabletop.
Wave 2 gets to start building on that foundation.
And this is usually the point where a miniature game begins getting really interesting.
More battlefield roles mean more army-building decisions. More units create new combinations. New terrain changes positioning. New counters emerge for existing strategies, and players begin discovering interactions that simply were not possible with the launch range.
The Siege Tank, Immortal, Zeratul, and Ravager all appear to accomplish that without requiring existing players to start over. They are reinforcements designed to slot into the armies already being built today.
That is exactly the kind of expansion we want to see.
We'll Be Watching Wave 2 Closely
We certainly have not forgotten how long the road to Wave 1 was.
That is also why we wanted the first release physically in hand before we started telling everyone to get excited about the next one.
Now it is here.
Players are building armies, models are hitting tables, and we can finally start judging StarCraft: Tabletop Miniatures Game by what is actually in the box instead of another projected release date.
And looking ahead, Wave 2 has our attention.
There is currently more information still to come, including deeper looks at the rules, upgrades, unit interactions, and ultimately the preorder and release schedule.
We will be following those announcements closely and will have more to share at the Portal as Wave 2 gets closer.
For now, start planning those reinforcements.
The battle for the Koprulu Sector is only getting bigger.
