Rangers of Shadow Deep: Building Your First Ranger Company

Quick answer

Build one Ranger, then add two to four companions whose skills cover what your Ranger cannot do alone. Pick a core skill, a movement or combat skill, and one utility skill, then run the first scenario at the lowest threat level before adding more models. Your company grows through campaign play, so start small and let the story shape the roster.

Rangers of Shadow Deep is a solo and co-op wargame where you control a Ranger and a small band of companions through linked scenarios. The company you build in the first hour shapes every game that follows, so it pays to make a few deliberate choices before you glue miniatures to bases.

This guide walks through the practical order: choose a Ranger archetype, assign skills, recruit companions, gather the miniatures and cards you need, and run your first scenario. Each step includes a checkpoint so you can catch common mistakes early.

Start with one Ranger, not a full warband

Your Ranger is the fixed point of the campaign. Everything else, including companions, can be lost, replaced, or changed between scenarios. Decide what kind of hero you want to play before you buy or assemble anything: a bow-focused hunter, a sword-and-board fighter, or a support character who buffs companions. That decision drives your skill picks and your shopping list.

A common beginner mistake is building a large, unfocused warband before playing a single game. Rangers of Shadow Deep rewards a small, capable company that can handle objectives, not a crowd. Start with your Ranger and two companions, then expand once you understand how the scenarios play.

• Checkpoint: can you describe your Ranger in one sentence? If not, narrow the concept before buying models.

Choose skills that cover the scenario objectives

Skills in Rangers of Shadow Deep are not just combat bonuses. They determine whether you can pick locks, spot hidden enemies, climb, heal, or survive the environmental hazards that show up in scenarios. Read the first two or three scenarios in the rulebook before you assign anything, then pick skills that match the tasks you will actually face.

A practical spread is one primary combat or shooting skill, one movement or agility skill, and one utility skill such as healing, awareness, or a social skill. If you play solo, avoid stacking every bonus on your Ranger; companions act independently and need their own competence.

• Common mistake: choosing skills based on flavor alone and then discovering your company cannot complete a required objective.

Recruit companions for roles, not numbers

Companions are where ranger company building gets interesting. Each companion has a role: a front-line fighter to hold enemies, a ranged companion to thin out groups, a scout to move ahead, or a support figure who carries supplies and heals. Two well-chosen companions usually outperform four random ones because they can specialize.

Think about activation economy. Every companion you add is another model to activate, another base to move, and another set of dice to roll. For a first campaign, two to four companions keeps turns manageable while still giving you tactical options. If you play with a friend, coordinate roles so you are not both fielding the same build.

• Checkpoint: write one sentence for each companion explaining what it does that your Ranger cannot.

Pick miniatures you can actually finish painting

Rangers of Shadow Deep works with any fantasy miniatures you already own, which is one of its strengths. You do not need official models for every entry. What matters is that each figure is clearly identifiable on the table: your Ranger should look distinct from companions, and enemy types should be visually grouped.

If you are buying new miniatures, choose a scale and style you can paint consistently. A half-painted company is harder to play with than a simple, finished one. Start with a handful of character models and a few monster types, then add terrain and scenario-specific pieces as your campaign demands them.

• Practical tip: base your Ranger on a slightly larger or more elaborate base so you can always find them in a crowded scene.

Run the first scenario at low threat

Your first game should teach the rules, not punish you. Use the introductory scenario and keep the threat level low. Focus on learning movement, line of sight, combat resolution, and how companions activate. Do not worry about optimal play; worry about finishing the scenario and understanding why things happened.

After the game, review what worked. Did your Ranger's skills matter? Did a companion get stuck doing nothing? Did you have enough models to cover the objectives? Adjust your roster before the next scenario rather than pushing forward with a build that is not fun to play.

• Common mistake: treating the first scenario as a test of strength instead of a tutorial. Losing a companion early is normal and part of the campaign.

Grow the company between scenarios

Between games, Rangers of Shadow Deep gives you chances to recover, recruit, and improve. Spend your rewards on the gaps you noticed during play: a missing skill, a companion role you lacked, or better equipment for your Ranger. The campaign structure is designed so your company evolves with the story.

Keep a simple log of each scenario: who was injured, what objectives you completed, and what you want to try next. This makes it easier to decide whether to replace a fallen companion or invest in your existing ones. A written record also helps if you play solo and want to pick up the campaign weeks later.

• Checkpoint: after every session, note one thing you will change before the next game.

Your first company in seven steps

1. Choose a Ranger concept: Decide whether your Ranger is a hunter, a fighter, or a support leader, and write one sentence describing them. Checkpoint: the concept should suggest at least two skills.
2. Assign three starting skills: Pick one combat or shooting skill, one movement skill, and one utility skill that matches early scenarios. Common mistake: ignoring non-combat skills that scenarios require.
3. Recruit two to four companions: Give each companion a clear role: front line, ranged, scout, or support. Checkpoint: every companion should do something your Ranger cannot.
4. Select and prepare miniatures: Use models you own or buy a small set, then make your Ranger visually distinct from companions and enemies. Practical tip: paint in small batches so you always have a playable company.
5. Set up the first scenario: Use the introductory scenario at low threat and read the objectives aloud before placing models. Common mistake: skipping the objective text and treating it as a straight fight.
6. Play and take notes: Track which skills mattered, which companions were useful, and where the company struggled. Checkpoint: finish the scenario before changing the roster.
7. Adjust between games: Spend rewards on the gaps you noticed, and replace or retrain companions as the campaign continues. Next step: run the second scenario with one deliberate change.

Useful miniatures and terrain for a Shadow Deep table

• Fallout: Wasteland Warfare - Creatures: Brahmin Herd: Brahmin are large, mutated, two-headed cattle that respond furiously when their young are threatened. If you already own these models, they can stand in as large beast-type enemies or objective markers in a fantasy scenario, saving you from buying a dedicated monster set.
• Fallout: Wasteland Warfare - Terrain Expansion: Turrets: The set includes 4 turrets: 2 gas-powered and 2 laser turrets, and does not include cards. Turrets make useful scatter terrain or scenario objectives in any skirmish game, including Rangers of Shadow Deep, where a defended position can change how you approach a board.

Building a Ranger company is a short setup process with long-term consequences. Start with one clear Ranger concept, cover the skills your scenarios demand, and recruit companions for specific roles. Run the first game at low threat, take notes, and adjust. The company that grows from those choices will feel like yours, which is exactly what a solo wargame campaign should do.