Ømen Tide - An Indie Skirmish Game of Briny Horror

At its core, Ømen Tide is a small-scale skirmish game where players command custom cults called Sects, sending them into battle over sacred relics, divine crabs, or the occasional bleeding altar.

Combat is fast and dangerous. Poker cards drive not only your actions but also the tone of each round through drawn Omens that shift the flow of battle. Victory might come through tactics, prophecy, or simply outlasting whatever horror just hatched from the tidepool in the centre of the board.

Note: At the time of writing, Ømen Tide is still in active development. While the rules are plenty developed for a full game experience, you should watch for updates from Paolo and Simon on their Instagram (Paolo & Simon) or via the Ømen Tide Discord Server.

Warbands in Ømen Tide are called “sects” and usually include just 3 models, making each game quick and deadly! Here you can find some sample warbands and the Bestiarum Miniatures you could use to represent them:

This sect worships the Spiral of change; they are mystics and preachers and change the future itself through their prophecies. On the table, the Barnacle Prophets can manipulate the top of the deck and the Omen in order to empower their strongest model, the Leviathan Chosen, and use it to crush their enemies!

A typical Barnacle Prophets warband might include:

• 1 Salt Seer
• 1 Converted Peasant  
• 1 Leviathan’s Chosen  

Salt Seer

This deranged prophet can change the order of the top cards of the deck, giving you the best draws and leaving your opponent scrambling for better cards. It is also a great enabler for the other models in your warband.

The aesthetic of the Hircine fits this model perfectly! Its covered eyes can easily be interpreted as a sign of the Salt Seer's clairvoyance.

Converted Peasant  

A normal peasant, swayed by the passionate words of the preachers. When this model is activated, the player draws a card, then puts a card from their hand on top of the deck, taking advantage of the Salt Seer’s manipulation and preparing further for the ascension of the Chosen.

You have plenty of options for a converted peasant in the saltwich range. We particularly love the Fishwives of Saltwich.

Leviathan’s Chosen

You have done a lot of preparation, now it’s time for the payoff! If the Omen is Spades (which is very likely thanks to the skills of this warband), the Leviathan’s Chosen gains 1 extra action. A devastating ability!

We love the idea of modelling this character as a child who has a terrible prophecy placed upon him. Some players even use two models to represent the chosen: one for its “normal” state and one for its “ascended” state, when it turns into a terrifying monster.

We suggest the Children of Saltwich or a Fisherfolk Strangler to make it monstrous and mutated! 

When the leviathan washed ashore, this faction decided that the most obvious course of action was to eat the carcass of the god to enter communion with it. This resulted in terrible mutations and cannibalistic tendencies. They are also the only cult with dogs!

The Feast is a very aggressive faction, moving fast on the board and seizing control through pure violence and domination in combat. A fun, straightforward sect that will shine in the hands of a fearless player.

Here’s an example Sect of The Feast:

• 1 Ravenous Hunter
• 1 Massacre Artist  
• 1 Eel-Hound  

Ravenous Hunter

This terrifying character eats its enemies when it kills them: a gruesome way to heal back some of the damage taken during the game, which makes it a great option for tanking some early punishment.

The praying cultist holding a severed leg up as an offering to an invisible god is a perfect fit for the Ravenous hunter.

Or you may go down the feral route and choose the headhunter. Just remember to place it on an appropriately sized base.

Massacre Artist

Even the other members of the Feast avoid the Massacre Artist when they can. Her methods are as deadly as they are spectacular, steeped in savage abandon! This model is a great source of damage and can spread the pain amongst your enemies… Literally! The massacre artist is the primary source of damage for the Sect and will be a deciding factor in many of your games.

To represent her, we couldn’t resist pointing at the Punishment . This crazed lady will burn (or cook?) anything that opposes her in a spectacular display of destruction. 

Eel-Hound  

Dogs are man’s best friend. This mutated abomination is no exception! With its howling, it can inspire the other models to move faster and enter (or flee from) combat at a crucial moment!

This is definitely one of the most beloved models of the faction and has captured the imagination of many players who now let it run free on the gaming board.

The Eel-hound can easily be represented with the Grave Hounds, especially the one with its Mouth open.

If you're looking for an alternative, Sandbeasts are another great option!

They drift along the rocky cliffs above the waves, like spectral jellyfish. Their bells ring ceaselessly, carrying a truth no one wants to hear: the true tide is coming!

The harbinger is a ghostly faction, modelled on ascetic doctrines; its distinctive elements are bells, a skeletal appearance and tattered robes. They rely on discarding both their cards and their opponent’s to gain an advantage on the board. They are also pretty tough and will shrug off a lot of damage with little effort.

Here’s a classic Harbinger Sect:

• 1 Abyss Dredger
• 1 Mummified Augur
• 1 Undying Spirit

Abyss Dredger

The Abyss Dredger drags his nets along the shore, searching for treasures in the cursed sands. Everything it collects is proof of the wasteful desire for ownership. This model replenishes your hand if you are without cards, picking cards from the discard pile. This is a very powerful ability, but hard to trigger. It requires some planning and a clever player!

To represent this model, you could use Fisherfolk, who already have a nice net on them. 

Or you could lean into the undead, spectral aspect of the Harbingers and go for a Soul vessel.

Mummified Augur

The mummified augur is both a healer and an outlet to discard cards, enabling all sorts of crazy combinations!

To represent this skeletal doom sayer, you may use an Attendant Of Despair. The one with the bell is perfect for this faction!

Undying Spirit

No matter how many times they tried to kill him, the Prophet kept coming back, shouting that the end was near. The Undying Spirit can come back from the dead and become a real thorn in your opponent’s side.

The Querubin is a great candidate for the Undying Spirit. It has plenty of chimes, and its open mouth makes it look like it's crying with a terrible eldritch sound.

If you want to be one of the cool kids, you can also use a tombstone to mark down the position of the Undying Spirit while you wait to resurrect it with its powerful ability!

One of Ømen Tide’s identifying characteristics is the usage of miniatures kitbashed with real seashells. This gives it a distinctive look and is also a lot of fun! To glue shells on your miniatures, you may use superglue or hot glue, even! 

It is quite possible that you’ll have some gaps as a result. You may cover those with grime, texture, or sculpt tentacles emerging from the shell. 

In the following Sect, LukeWarm has used Bestiarum’s "The Restless" models, kitbashed with some bivalve seashells. He used some tufts to cover any gaps, adding a gross texture that gives this warband a creepy, captivating look!

In this second example, Instagram user sinisterflux13 cleverly added some shell kitbash bits to one of our "Empire Citizens" models, adding a subtle thematic accent fitting of Ømen Tide's style!