The game's story takes place within the Warhammer Fantasy world setting, and focuses on players managing a group of mercenaries, who take on work for various clients but become involved in stopping a plot by the Skaven. The game's main focus is on battles that feature a mixture of medieval warfare and fantasy elements, using a variety of units based upon those from within the Warhammer setting.

The Story Behind Warhammer - Shadow of the Horned Rat

A sequel to the game was later released in 1998, entitled Warhammer: Dark Omen, with the game being later made available at GOG.com in 2015. The game's story takes place within the Warhammer Fantasy world setting, and focuses on players managing a group of mercenaries, who take on work for various clients but become involved in stopping a plot by the Skaven. Upon arriving in Nuln, Bernhardt and Ceridan meet with Franz and relay what they know about the Skaven's plot.

It was developed and published by Mindscape, and released in November 1995 for Microsoft Windows, and on PlayStation in November 1996. Following his success, Bernhardt does what he can to combat the raids by the orcs in the Border Princes, while learning that the dwarven fortress of Zhufbar has come under attack from Skaven and orc forces. While en route back to Nuln, Bernhardt's mercenaries defeat a large orc army, killing Urgat during the battle.

How Warhammer - Shadow of the Horned Rat Plays

Shadow of the Horned Rat incorporates the use of magic in battles, in a more primitive manner to that of later titles such as King Arthur: The Role-Playing Wargame. Losses are divided into two types – injured soldiers of a unit are unable to return until after the next battle, while those killed must be replaced between battles and missions, often when the army is in a town, with the number available to reinforce the unit varying at times. Units which receive experience, often from killing enemies, will eventually get stronger and more skillful in battle, though the cost of replacing lost soldiers increases as a result – a unit's level of experience is represented by skulls, with one skull indicating an inexperienced unit, and four skulls representing an elite unit.

Before a battle, players can deploy their units where they wish within a designated deployment area, during a "Deployment Phase", though this is not possible when the player's army is ambushed during a march; instead, they must begin a fight with their units arranged in the manner chosen when setting out the marching formation. What units a player can use depends on the player's overall progress in the campaign – more units become available later on in the game to hire, though some depend on the path the player is taking, while at times the player gains access to certain units that remain with temporarily until after a certain milestone (i.e. completing a chain of missions). All of the game focuses on a single-player campaign, in which the players take control of a mercenary force within Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy world setting, managing their army, deciding on what units to take on a mission, how many reinforcements a unit is given, and what missions are undertaken.

Why Players Still Load It Up

After escorting Ungrunn's envoy to a dwarven fort in the Grey Mountains, the mercenaries finally make it to Loren and assist the elves within the wood against Skaven attacks. Realising that the Menhir has been located, Ceridan advises Bernhardt to journey to the elven ruins, guiding the army with the runic crystal's sister stone embedded in his family's sword. Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat is a single-player fantasy real-time tactics computer game based upon the Warhammer Fantasy Battle table-top game and miniatures.

It was developed and published by Mindscape, and released in November 1995 for Microsoft Windows, and on PlayStation in November 1996. Upon learning that Carlsson was captured by orcs, Ceridan requests Bernhardt's aid to rescue him. The game's main focus is on battles that feature a mixture of medieval warfare and fantasy elements, using a variety of units based upon those from within the Warhammer setting.

Warhammer - Shadow of the Horned Rat — Frequently Asked Questions