TIMELINES
TIMELINES
Exploring the history of classic wargaming company Warlord Games
Written by George Chrysostomou
Not every tabletop company rises from humble origins to balloon into a juggernaut. When a couple of tabletop experts used their unique experience to see the problems in the industry and chart a new course, that’s exactly what happened. Warlord Games promotes a tale of British ingenuity and industry innovation, in a market that was crying out for change.
THE BEGINNING
Nottingham is famously the home of Games Workshop, one of the most prominent British tabletop brands operating today. As such, the city has become a hub of talent, where many independent studios thrive. That includes Warlord Games, founded by John Stallard and Paul Sawyer.
Both John and Paul are former employees of Games Workshop, a company which built its market on hard fantasy and sci-fi. When GW decided that there was no market for the type of historical gaming the pair enjoyed, they were made redundant from their roles. Rather than see this as a setback, John and Paul decided to do it themselves. Warlord Games was created in 2007 with a clear ethos: to create stunning games that celebrate historical wargaming and move the genre forward. Determined to make historically accurate wargaming a global phenomenon, they set about building their team, making a key call to Bob Naismith.