Diehard Miniatures prepares for its 3rd KS Campaign
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Gary powell
F86b1478498906175c3d2b418c06a694 original

Over the last year, the Figure Sculpting Company Diehard Miniatures behind smash Kickstarter campaigns  Diehard: Fantasy Miniatures, and The Eru-Kin Expansion, encompassing both Fantasy and Sci-Fi miniatures; With small skirmish units to a full armies it seems are teasing something new and exciting with its latest project. The Kickstarter campaign is scheduled to launch this month.Infernals, concept art Chris Walton.
Diehard has been teasing something interesting with their latest Kickstarter, as it hints at some very old school looking but modern styling miniatures.

Now one must be honest, when one first heard about Diehard Miniatures one assumed it was another attempt to cash in on the Oldhammer Movement, as the Mission Statement

Oldhammer Reborn

Our aim is to give the highest quality 28mm Scale Sculpts with more than a nod to the past.
We have gathered a team of oldhammer Veterans to create  an exciting and nostalgic range of figures that merge the old feel with the new look.
With your help we can bring miniatures back to its roots.
    

 

stated. However, with a little bit of research, it became clear that this campaign was never going to be that and why the ongoing project is potentially at its heart what the Oldhammer Movement is about, yet pushing boundaries. Here’s why.

Despite having an unfortunate and awkward initialisation that saw Diehard Miniatures Cancel its first Project, after asking for a £35,000 goal, however it became quickly apparent that this was never going to be achieved. So they dropped the Initial project and re-Launched with a smaller request and more focused approach. It also saw that the company took time as to how it approached its campaign and this showed that Tim Prow and others were interested in what they produced, the core ethic and product rather than the bottom line and a potential jump in produce a product, grab cash and drop out again. The product its self is also one that shows the sheer craft and dedication to what they are producing with an ever growing range of dynamic and superbly sculpted miniatures that pack both cool poses and dynamic range. Kickstarter and the Internet is awash with vanity projects, half-assed sculpts and peoples latest get quick rich scheme that offers poorly or worse overworked 3D sculpted miniatures, but these they have a life and show that the time spent sculpting over the years have put the Diehard miniature Sculptures at the top of their craft and it shows.

Well the latest campaign is about to begin and this is what they have on offer;

Undead Chaos Snakeman, concept art Chris Walton.
Undead Snakemen
For those not following us on Facebook or Twitter we have announced our Undead Rising Kickstarter, launching next  Tuesday 10th  October 2017. We are following the same format as our first two KS (why fix Whats not broken!), we do however have something new! Diehard will be adding original concept art to three of the pledge levels, so if you are interested in buying some awesome art get in early as there will only 3 pieces up for grabs!!
  We are also repeating the prize draw competition of a half price order and a completely free one!! All you need do is place your pledge of £30+ or £60+ respectively before the 20th and not let it drop below the amount before the end of the campaign, its that simple 🙂
As always we have added a few other miniatures for those interested in our other factions, and we’ve got all of Diehard Miniatures back catalogue on offer as well. If you’ve missed out on a previous KS, or just want to add to miniatures you’ve already bought, then check out the ‘Add On’ section towards the bottom of the page.
  Both our previous Kickstarters shipped on time with over half shipping slightly earlier. We anticipate the same happening again this time round as most of the sculpts are already made and master moulded. Our caster is on the ball and producing some lovely stuff 🙂
  Thank you for your continued support, and I hope to see you again for our third release!!

 

 

 

 

 

Warbot, concept art Chris Walton.
Sci-Fi Warbot

 

What makes the Company interesting is it’s absolutely stacked with top talent, Chaz Elliott and Drew Williams, and the artist is Richard Luong (most recently known for his awesome work on Cthulhu Wars). At its head is the esteemed Tim Prow, a stalwart of the Miniature industry who has seen over a decade as Sculptor and Chief figure painter for Games Workshop and over the past 20 years has been seen his talents at Center Stage Miniatures, Ral Partha, AEG : Clan War, Iron Wind Metals, Reaper, Magnificent Egos and Dark Fable Miniatures amongst others. And Diehard Miniatures has gone from a personal pet project to something that is becoming a serious miniature business competitor.

However, we are also starting to see new concept art by Chris Walton who brings a whole new fresh look to the miniature concepts and art. The concept art looks dynamic and fresh, the Infernal Sci-Fi Troops have a dynamic look and yet playful, its refreshing.
So what is the future of this project, well from the Concept art and for me a lot of pain with regards one’s Wallet being hit hard the Warbot, Infernal’s and new Undead this is looking to be a great Kickstarter and a real treat:


 TP: These will be 28-30mm scale figures. All the humanoids are between 28mm to 32mm (Eru-Kin starting at 28mm and Orcs at the top end at 32mm). Next size up are the snakemen at 40mm, they are slightly larger creatures and do 40mm well. Next are the ogre-sized monsters they are roughly 50mm tall (Troglodyte, Troll, and Chaos Ogre as examples). Gnomes are 20mm, Dwarf and Goblins 25mm.

Kore Launches its second Kickstarter aiming squarely at the Wargame market
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Gary powell

 

Kore Thinking, which scored Kickstarter successes with its first 3D vehicle miniature ‘The Kore Aeronautics LARC; a VTOL for 32mm Sci-Fi Wargaming’, has headed back to the crowdfunding site with a new project to bring high-quality Miniatures to the Gaming table. Using innovative Marketing, superb 3d sculpting and 21st Century tech! Kore Automotive has Launched its second Kickstarter aiming squarely at the Wargame market with a range of Cars are modelled in 32mm scale and fit beautifully with a range of Tabletop and Wargames miniatures.

Tabletop Cars - 32mm -- Kicktraq MiniKore Projects aim is to provide the funding for the production of SUV, Saloon Car, 4×4 Pickup, Classic Taxi, Muscle car,  through a Kickstarter campaign that has currently  (at time of writing) attracted £2,156 pledged of £500 goal with 8 days to go.  Blasting past what Kore was initially, looking for £500 to enable them to begin production of the first of our Kickstarter Vehicles the Family Saloon car!

3d Master Print of SaloonThe difference with this Kickstarter is that Kore has some of the 3D printed Masters for the initial designs which means that initial production is already along its path and Kore can make alterations. A spokesperson for Kore was quoted as saying that, ‘The Masters are already with us, and we are delighted with the quality – the following photos don’t show the wheels or wing mirrors, as we only have 1 set of Masters to use and don’t want to go gluing them in until after we have lifted Moulds from them.’

Saloon Car 3d RenderOne has to say from the initial look the cars do not seem to pack much detail, however, what they do show that the product is exactly what you would expect and that is a 32mm scale vehicle and with enough detail to make it useable. One rather suspects that with the inundation of overworked 3d models out there one gets used to thinking in those terms rather than appreciating that this is exactly what the model should look like and that it is in a scale that works for gamers on the table.

So the Pledges and what you get.

Well, the Kickstarter has funded four designs funded, it so one should look at the pledges and what Kore are offering.

Pledge levels
We are keeping this Kickstarter as simple as possible! (This is a smart move as it keeps the project simple and allows those not familiar with Kickstarter an easy understanding, (However that is another bugbear and argument.Ed))
There are 3 Pledge levels;
1st Gear Pledge Level1st Gear Pledge Level
For the 1st Gear Pledge Level you can select any 1 Vehicle of your choice from all that we fund!
2nd Gear Pledge Level2nd Gear Pledge Level
For the 2nd Gear Pledge Level you can select any 2 Vehicles of your choice from all that we fund!
Top Gear Pledge LevelTop Gear Pledge Level

The pledge options also allow Pledges of expanding – you can pledge for as many Vehicles as you like, at any quantity and variation you like.  Simply add +£10 per design you want after the first 3.
I.e. you’d like 2 x Saloons and 2 x SUV’s, simply take the £30 Pledge and add +£10.  Do you want 6 x Luxury 4×4’s? Select the £30 pledge and add +£30, and so forth.

3D Printing

As you can see from the picture of the SUV and the pipework that goes into its creation, 3D printing is not something that is easy to set up and get into mass production, the models require extra work cleaning up after printing with the post-production, cutting, grinding, sanding and smoothing out before anyone can even think of creating masters from resin or other production means. Yet the company has taken this into account and are keeping this project manageable.

Thoughts and Scale Creep

While there are many Sci-Fi models to go with the 28-32mm figures, they have a tendency to be expensive and the selection is limited, and yet, however, dinky or toy cars are made in a variety of scales and as many a gamer has seen can be bought cheaply. The problem is that a 28mm/32mm figure is not a correct model scale of a person, however, many modern figures have an odd proportion, with an extra bulk and larger head size. A 1:60 scale is correct or near enough for a 28mm miniature, yet as discussed it looks odd. 1:43, after all, looks right but is not quite correct, and even though the height scale might be correct on the table, they look odd.

The biggest issue with most models with regards tabletop gaming is that with scale creep and variance in model sizes vehicles usually do not fit properly or look disproportionate, however from the scale picture to the left you can see that these really do fit in regards most models and for anyone running skirmish level modern warfare or post-apocalyptic games at 28-32mm then these vehicles are going to fit very nicely.

So what can we see with this particular Kickstarter, well while one will admit this is not Nottingham, though just a little outside and was asked as one of the Games Club Members is backing and mentioned that it would be worth taking a look. Well, I can see a lot of people taking a serious look at the project as the prices and options are very tempting. The range of vehicles is also reasonable and cover the widest range of options for such a small number of options. The taxi is very cool and could fit into many games Inc. Pulp action and Sci-fi, while the Pick-up truck can easily be found in games of ‘The Walking Dead’ or modern skirmish games like Middle Eastern wars, or Post-apocalyptic games. The muscle cars could work nicely for a more street racing style of game or just lined up as scenery along a road.

This is a Kickstarter that is both practical and useful, of use rather than a vanity project.

Mini Gangs Launches on Kickstarter
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Gary powell

 

Mini Gangs is a fast to play tabletop skirmish game for 2 or more players.

Mini Gangs launches on Kickstarter

The on-going entrepreneurial push that is Ramshackle Games has again brought a new system and game to Kickstarter with his latest offering ‘Mini Gangs’  a new rule set which combines ease of play with great strategic options resulting in a quick game with a lot of hidden depth. Its an ideal option for short club games, for playing a campaign and for getting beginners into tabletop battle games. a compact 12 figure, A5 Rule Book and tokens game designed around the principle of ease of play and three levels of complexity.

In Mini Gangs players control a gang of four model characters each fulfilling a different generic battlefield role. Each has its own unique style. Any of the gangs can be taken as rewards for backing this project and all are supplied in the full set reward.

This game really does offer a lot for such a simple offering and yet is it something that the market will welcome

For those that follow this Blog, one touched upon this project from Curtis a while ago, https://whispersfromtheleadbelt.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/mini-games-new-venture-from-ramshackle.html and managed to get a couple of playtest games in.

 

WHAT IS MINI GANGS?

The Keychain Mohawkswell at its core Mini Gangs is a whole new rule set from Ramshackle Games, a departure from Nuclear Renaissance with its more complex rule sets in a preference of a game that offers combined ease of play with great strategic options resulting in a quick game, however, one that provides the players with a lot of depth.
Mini Gangs can be played in three different ways, each appealing to a different level of gamer. 

Gateway– A simple and easy game for beginners. Mini Gangs Gateway is designed to teach beginners how to play tabletop strategy games. It great for children of 6 years or older as the simple rules mean it’s easy to understand. It is also good for adults who have never played model based games before. It teaches all the core concepts that are used in more complex games. The Ironstrike ClanCasual– A game for easy play and deep strategy. Mini Gangs Casual adds a deck of cards. These cards represent equipment, weapons and skills for your gang. This adds a layer of depth to the basic rules which makes it ideal for quick games. Whilst being simple, Casual makes for rewarding play. Mini Gangs Casual is great for club or gaming groups as it is a fast-paced multiplayer game. 

Hardcore– A sophisticated in-depth gaming experience. Mini Gangs Hard-core features a full points system, campaign rules and scenarios. It expands the game to be a tool for playing any skirmish level encounters with the minimum of inconvenience.

As I said one got to playtest this game when one had a chance to playtest this game and one of the things that one likes about Curtis apart from a chance to rob his miscast box is that he is generous with his thoughts and ideas that go into game design and the creative process.


 DESIGNER’S NOTE – ‘a quote from Curtis’ 

“I first came up with the idea for Mini Gangs when I was trying to make a simple war game. I realised that by using one stat for each character I could make a game that was easy to memorise. The idea is that to shoot, players must roll over this number and to make a combat attack they must roll over the number. By balancing those numbers I could give a good spread of probabilities. 

 With four character classes, I could represent ranged troops, combat troops and troops that were ok at both. I then added in the actions, which limit what the classes can do. For example, a healer with an Awesomeness of 2 is very bad at fighting, but would be a marksman level with a gun! Therefore the healer cannot make a shoot action. These three basic rules of under/over, actions and restrictions mean that the different battlefield roles are represented really well with minimal paperwork. 
At this point, Mini Gangs Gateway was born! It’s great for gaming with kids, or players new to tabletop gaming. I find at our local club it can be intimidating for new players to try to get into figure based tabletop battle games. Mini Gangs offers this way in, by using (and teaching) all the core concepts from our favourite strategy games.
However, Gateway doesn’t go far enough for more experienced players. I wrote out a list of additional skills and things I wanted to add to the game. In playtesting, we found that having these on cards gave us a really fun experience. Players in Casual get randomly dealt cards, which they then give out to their gang. Choosing who these go to and then using them during play builds a really deep strategic element into the game. This random setup for gangs also makes for a very speedy game turn around. After a few goes, we were finishing four player games in about forty-five minutes or less!
Once we had the cards working, I assigned points to them and the characters, meaning that players could build their own forces as they wanted. This is Mini Gangs Hard-core, and can be used to put on any kind of game you like.” 

HOW THE GAME PLAYS

Players select four models. These are placed on the gaming table with pre-arranged terrain on it. The table can be any size however a 2ft by 2ft table works well for 2 and unto 4 players.


 Players then take turns with their gangs, each character in the gang may make one action per turn. The actions are move, shoot, fight, charge and heal. The movement rules are straightforward with models moving 10cm.

 Shooting, fighting and healing require a dice roll, basically, an Action Resolution test to determine if they are successful or not by rolling under their Awesome  Stat. Conversely, they must roll over their Awesomeness Stat in order shoot or perform heal actions. Charging is a move and fight action rolled into one. However, some characters can perform actions others cannot. I.e. the healer is the only one who can make a Heal action. Characters each have one statistic, called their Awesomeness. 

 Again this is a real departure from Nuclear Renaissance and many other Tabletop games which aim to provide stats for every possible action, Mini Gangs instead simplifies the statistics the whole system down to its bare bones.

 What does this mean, well it makes Mini Gangs easy to play, easy to teach and surprisingly (Not in a bad or negative surprise way) great fun. This is the basic game basic game, and one that young kids and newcomers to wargaming Gateway. Casual and Hard-core use this same game engine but incorporate gang design rules, armour saves and much more. Interestingly the simple mechanics do not detract from the richness and depth of the game.

SO WHAT DO YOU GET AND WHAT ARE THE PLEDGE OPTION

Mini Gangs On Kickstarter

£15 Mini Gang Cards

  • Full 52 Deck for the game

£20 Mini Gangs rule Book 

  • 56-page rulebook


 £24 Early Bird Keychain Mohawks

  • 4 polyurethane resin figures

£24 Early Bird BFSFGFT

  • 4 polyurethane resin figures

£24 Early Bird  Ironstrike Clan

  • 4 polyurethane resin figures

£26 Resin Gang

  • 4 polyurethane resin figures

£75 Full set  

  • 12 polyurethane resin figures,
  • Gang Stretch goals
  • Grenade Tokens
  • Digital Copies of Rules
  • Quick Start Set
  • Gang Sheets

RESIN FIGURES

The Keychain MohawksThis is another big shift from the usual resin that Ramshackle normally uses (polyester resin), instead, this is a new high-quality polyurethane resin and while a common resin for model manufacture, it marks an interesting shift. The older style is good, however, what this means for figure production is a rigid, lightweight crisp clean and strong cast. Most Ramshackle Games models are cast Polyester and while this is great for mass production it does have limits in areas like proportional strength which means it cannot be used to produce more dynamic figure poses due to the thinner components like a sword or an arm. It also allows Curtis to sculpt much more detail into figures and for the master sculpt to carry the detail across with the model.

DIGITAL FILES

Like many companies these days Ramshackle is offering a sampler of their rules with a free digital download of the Casual variant which can be found below.

Scribd
or

SaberCat

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN

So what does this mean, well this will be  Ramshackle Games’ eighth Kickstarter campaign. and all the previous ones have been highly successful, with feedback being positive. It should come as no surprise that this one is looking to go the same way. 
 

The projections on Kicktraq seem to provoke interesting speculation, with the current charts showing.



Mini Gangs Skirmish Game -- Kicktraq Mini

and projections at time of post are at Current Pledge Levels £1,680 putting the project at 84% of the Goal, however the trend (and it is a trend, not a projection!) Trending towards £29,400 or 1470% of goal, and while I’m sure they will succeed in passing the goals and entering the stretch goal range time will tell. 

The gameplay is simple yet fun, and this really is an Intro or entry-level game where it truly emphasises that point. The rules combine a level of clever tactical play and high simplicity that anyone from small children to those new to gaming can pick this game up and start playing from a quick read of the rules. It is the sort of game that those who game are looking for to encourage their own kids into miniature gaming, Games clubs who are looking for either an Intro game or a nice little skirmish game for between games or something a little more lighter.

  However is it for those who game, well from just the gameplay one would say yes, its light refreshing and encourages tactical play regardless of experience it makes you think, the models are exquisite and highly detailed. The use of the new resin is great and something one hopes Ramshackle Games will continue to push with their figures. The new dynamic range of poses and looks are amazing and bring that spark back to the table and something that we will be looking to back, as are many others.

Alex J Huntley of Warploque Miniatures Adds another arrow to His Bow with Model making Course
0
Gary powell

 

While Nottingham may be the Spiritual Home of tabletop gaming in the UK, Alex J Huntley is it seems to help to cement this image by helping put Nottingham on the map again internationally in both gaming and with his model making business by teaming up with Nottingham Trent University to develop and run an exciting model-making Courses. The course aims to teach you the skills to make dynamic figures that will stretch your creativity.

Image result for nottingham trent university

Model Sculpting Course

Saturdays 10 am – 4 pm, two weeks
Indicative maximum class size: 14
Nottingham has an excellent reputation in the war game and fantasy model making industries, and at NTU we are pleased to announce a repeat of this unique two-day course for enthusiasts who wish to immerse themselves in this world.
Course Code; CSCFMM
Course Dates; 28th October 2017 – 4th November 2017
Course Fee; £180.00
Course Description;  Led by Alex Huntley of Warploque Miniatures, one of the UK’s most exciting model-making companies, the course will teach you the skills to make dynamic figures that will stretch your creativity.
Over the two days, you will focus on superheroes, bizarre animals or any other creature of your imagination. The course is completely practical, so you’ll be engaging with a hands-on project from the start.
This course is open to anyone aged 16 and above.
On this course you will:
•build a simple armature
•sketch in plasticine
•sculpt in fast-drying materials
•turn a 2D design into a 3D piece of art.
What will you gain?
By the end of the two days you will have a model to take home to continue painting, and the knowledge of how to create more. The course will also introduce you to the techniques used to produce miniatures for resin and metal casting reproduction.
This course is ideal if you are interested in the war game and model making industries.
You might already have a concept you want to develop and are looking for advice and new skills, or you might want to create models purely for pleasure and your own games.

Email: creativeshortcourses@ntu.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2813

Warploque Miniatures website

This is or looks to be an interesting and exciting project and shows how tabletop games companies can be both generous with their knowledge and engage with the hobby on many levels. For those who don’t know, Alex Huntley is the owner, writer and sculptor of the highly successful  ArcWorlde, a 32mm fantasy wargaming miniatures for gamers, painters and collectors, which launched on Kickstarter in 2013. Their original goal of £5,000 was completely blasted alt textthrough and by the end of the campaign they had managed to raise a truly massive £57,019 in pledges,  A second run at Kickstarter Battle for Troll Bridge hitting £10,663, then finally the third instalment Trouble in the North raised a whopping £21,108. Helping to expand the World of ArcWorlde into new territories.

Originally a model maker as a child Alex Huntley started to show off his works via blogs and internet forums developing a loyal following. This was then proven with the number of people who both took up interest in his original Kickstarter and also actively spent time sharing details with everyone they knew, helping to blast past the pre planned Kickstarter pledges and see sudden changes in how he was running the campaign. yourself to keep going.

Of cause there is a multitude of model making and gaming companies out there and many would wonder about the necessity of further saturating the market with another, as we have seen several just recently collapse, like Spartan Games and and Tor, however that is not what this is really about and more about helping others develop skills to create something that at the very least help to create bespoke minis and models that appeal to the maker and at best see something that is edgy and less about mass market and more about what makes you want to buy because you really appreciate the miniature, something which captures the imagination.

So who will be going to such a course and why, well anyone who has ever gamed and thought I can do better, anyone who has looked at a miniature and felt I wish they made X model or just those who want to understand how to improve existing skills and develop or new comers who are eager to start their own dreams of being a miniature designer.

So what will you be looking at with the course, well at its core people will be introduced to the skills required for creating their own three-dimensional characters and bringing their ideas to life. through the process of making Image result for alex huntley miniature sculptingsketches and taking ideas from peoples heads and develop the model through the process of creating a wire armature out of wire, and then building up modelling putties to the finished component. Learning about the creative process, through practice and the experience of both the teacher and others.
Well if you are a budding miniature game designer and want to learn how to sculpt, an existing converter who wants to develop skills or new to the hobby and fancy developing then this is something that will appeal to a lot of readers.

#Warmongers #tabletopgamingnews #WhispersfromtheLeadBelt

River Horse games and Jim Henson the perfect Mix? Dark Crystal Board Game.
0
Gary powell

Jim Henson’s ‘The Dark Crystal’ comes to the Board Game Market

clip_image004
The dark genius that is Jim Henson has inspire River Horse games and Jim Henson the perfect Mix? Dark Crystal Board Game.d a multitude of comics, TV shows and stories, and recently it Inspired River Horse games and Alessio Cavatore to create the Labyrinth the Board game. Yet it seems this was just a prelude to something of a run on Henson’s range with a new game, this time based on the dark epic fantasy, The Dark Crystal.
.

Board Game,
for 2 to 4 players
RRP: £40 / $52

 

Box Contents

• 4 highly collectable figurine renditions of the main characters: 2 Gelflings – Jen and Kira (with Fizzgig!). 2 Skeksis – skekSil the Chamberlain and skekUng the Garthim-Master

clip_image002

• Rules booklet – 24 pages.
• 2′ × 2′ game board – lavishly illustrated with inspiring new artwork featuring all the legendary places from the movie, including Aughra’s Observatory, the Valley of the Stones and the Crystal Castle.
• 25 World cards, 9 Mystic cards, 7 Skeksis cards and 15 Minion cards.
• Over 20 game tokens.
• 6 polyhedral dice (D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, D20)
• 4 character sheets and 4 Special Ability cards.
• Cardboard stand-ups and bases: 4 Garthim, 1 Slave Podlings, 1 Gourmand Skeksis and 1 Slave-Master Skeksis
• 1 Orrery turn track; A turn tracker based on the Dark Crystal Orrery completes the game.

The Dark Crystal and its expansive fantasy setting is enjoying something of  a resurgence in popularity, with a newly released hardcover book The Dark Crystal:  The Ultimate Visual History releasing shortly, from publishers Insight Editions, a new 12 Issue comic series and, it has also seen Netflix announcing plans for a 10 Ep series inspired by the film. And the relationship between River Horse and The Henson Henson has already proven fruitful.  The company recently announced plans for a second expansion for its Jim Henson’s Labyrinth Boardgame, expanding the line with a new Goblin Range.

clip_image003The game will see players following the events of the movie, ‘The Dark Crystal,’ and will see players given the opportunity to assist the film’s main characters, Jen and Kira, as they seek to heal the Dark Crystal by gathering the magical Shards.
The players move visually exquisitely sculpted figurines, around the board, visiting the iconic locations from the movie and exploring the Dark Crystal world. (From playing the Labyrinth Board game on hopes there will be a little more than this in the game, as it can prove a little mundane and samey in game play, Ed.)

The game is expecting to shift: Early 2018

Games Workshop paint App
0
Gary powell
Ok appoligise’s for the premature release of a post, hit wrong key ?
So one picked up news about Games Workshop’s new app a few months ago, however got asked to hold off posting due to staff slip and the fear of a visit by internal security and the release the lawyer’s. (Don’t know why but always think of flying Monkey’s from The Wizard of Oz when one hears, release the Lawyer’s. Ed )
So what does this mean?

 

Well, the times are a changing at GW, both in terms of CEO’s and company ethos. WHFB was dropped in favour of a skirmish system, and White Dwarf shifts focus from an advertising catalogue to about the games and features. This one a popular choice. However that saw a shift  towards digital media with a Dedicated Warhammer Digital Community Channel. So it was inevitable that they looked at other areas like App’s.
The current Citadel Paint System is very comprehensive with guides that offer a straightforward method for painting models from basic to pro. And now it looks like things will get simpler with a dedicated paint App.
To quote GW;
“There’s a new app on the way designed to help you paint like a pro, whether you’re just starting out or you’re a veteran looking for a handy pocket reference guide.
 
We’ll have more details next week (once we’ve managed to translate the machine code our data-servitors have been outputting). In the meantime, here’s what we know so far: the Citadel Paint app will be free and almost as good as having Duncan in your pocket. Except it won’t need to be fed – so arguably even better!”
So Games Workshop have released dates for the Citadel Paint app, and theres going to be a big prize draw for those people who download it.
September 16th is the big day for the new Citadel Paint App. And 5 lucky winners will be taking home a hearty entire collection of Citadel paints for just downloading the app. 
 
 And it’s very simple, once you’ve download it, you’re automatically entered. Well thats easy.
The earlier the better, as every single day of the week after being downloaded, one lucky paint App user will be informed that they’ve won a aged load of paints.
  
The first draw being Monday the 18th, and continuing all week. The final draw being called on Friday the 22nd. Obviously grabbing the app sooner  provides greater chances of winning.
And the app is free!
Of cause this is not the first company to look at apps and digital media, as Mantic Games have looked at apps to assist with the hobby as have others, however one rather suspects that this will not be just a paint App for Games Workshop.  The redevelopment of Warhammer Community, a dedicated website, channel, videos, tutorials and engaging with the community has been a breath of fresh air and maybe a pointer to where this App is going.
So what do I think it will mean? one feels that the App offers real opportunity to engage the audience who may not engage via the Community Aspect of the website, but will via the app, so painting and modeling tutorials available via the app, step by step guides?  Something that a phone/tablet app could make real strides in helping people with painting or conversions, not many have a pc next to painting stations. One feels that the app will also link in other aspects of the hobby like send us your painted miniature photos, conversion Ideas and show others or better yet, find a colour match in our paint range. It also offers opportunities for targeted advertising which makes sense from a free App.
With this in mind, it looks like GW is pushing the Community aspect of the hobby with even a basic app, so there’s literally no reason not to download it.
Warlord Games Gates of Antares Chryseis Shard Tournament
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Gary powell

On the 1st July, Warlord Games launched its new expansion Chryseis Shard expansion to the popular Sci-Fi Wargame Gates of Antares by Rick Priestly; and to even more fanfare its first Tournament for the game gathering dozens of players to their HQ in Nottingham.  

To Quote Warlord Games ‘This day is going to be packed with activity to take you to the furthest reaches of Antarean space…’

Well, that fell a little short. One day, 20+ tables, 6 demo tables, a few staff and a handful of Gates of Antares Nottingham Club members both gaming and rule assisting. Yet Warlord has come a long way since its inception with an expansion into a physical shop, and company expansion both department wise and gaming lines.

But what of the event, well I arrived an hour later than one wanted but certainly made sure I took full advantage of trying to see everything going on, and while the entry arrangements were a little haphazard with a member of staff sitting by a desk it felt like they were doing that as a curtsy, not as part of an organised event. Still, there were a few things to see so I made my way across to the demo tables, but as they were empty, wandered across to the Sarissa Precision table which hosted some very gorgeous Gar as they fit that style and personality very well.

Gar buildings and other new works. It has to be said Sarissa does make and design some very nice buildings, and this table is no exception. what I liked about such buildings was the race specific concepts, more so with the

This neatly leads one to the tourney player tables, and here we saw some interesting takes on army selections and ideas. It also highlighted in some ways the current miniature range and the need to want to expand army ideas as more gamers start to take up the game.“Hopefully see new things and an expansion on either the Freeborn Merc units or a fifth faction of nonfiction who anyone can take.”

(This review has taken some time to write as while one does not wish to suddenly list all the short comings of the event compared to the highlights it has taken some thinking about. Ed)
 What of the event, well the blurb said:
We’ll be having everything we can lay our hands on for Antares from the Warlord Studio, including sculptors and painters to delight you with wonders from across the sphere plus demonstrations of their mighty art!So back to the event, well there was a full 20 player gaming event, and yes it also Featured Demonstration table of someone 3D sculpting a model which was interesting if slightly singular. with a single 3D sculpture and nothing else going on meant it felt a little like a last minute add-on.

Fancy a bag full of goodies as well as entry to all the gaming madness? Then check out the Skirmish ticket level entry and explore the Antarean landscapes in the event hall here:

 Well if you were a follower of GoA then you will have already grabbed a copy of the Dice game and the miniature so many of us had no reason to take that offer, and as the event was for competitive players then the core purchase audience was never going to be there.

Plus!

    • New releases – including new Algoryn special units and the new Antares supplement: The Chryseis Shard! (coming soon for Pre-Order)
  • There were some nice new releases and a shame that stock levels ran out so quickly still shows the new lines are popular. 
      • Author of Warhammer 40,000 and Beyond the Gates Of Antares: Rick Priestly & Tim Bancroft & Andy Hobday will be running Q&A seminars during the day, and are here to provide insights into Antares and book signings to boot!
    • This was interesting and Rick Priestly as ever was both generous with his time and knowledge. The talks were very interesting and informative, giving real insight into the game and core concepts behind the game. One even picked up some info that Rick had been working on a fantasy version of Gates of Antares, and this could prove to be a big hit as GW dropped WHFB in favour of Age of Sigmar, leaving a lot of potential players out there.

    • Open Gaming tables – i.e. bring an army and challenge all comers!
  • This kind of made ones point in regards overall planning with the event and that was it was marketed as a Tournament but serialised as a Warlord Event.  Therefore you got a load of Tourney players who knew the rules but no real pick up players and no spare armies as nothing to grab peoples interest and come down. I felt that this was a waste.

And There’ll be More!

Warlord 3D Staff

We’re organizing some great displays along with our friends from Sarissa Precision, The studio team will be demonstrating techniques from hands on sculpting to 3D insights plus painting demonstrations.

Rick Priestly Giving an engaging talk

Rick Priestley and Tim Bancroft talk Antares, and apart from some very nice new shiny toys, we’ll also have the New Beyond The Chryseis Shard, out in stores and here at the event.
the Gates of Antares book:

Set in the Antares Universe, this Tournament saw armies engaging in complex strategies and apocalyptic bad dice rolls as armies clashed as the ever going search for resources and new worlds in the ever expanding Universe as the Antares Gates slowly open up to new secrets. with a focus on (in general) camaraderie and a fun gaming day, the atmosphere was great all day. Epic war tales one is sure will be told on social media by those who gamed for many a day after.
The standard of the armies and tables in the Hall was incredible – The tournament was a fun aspect and good to catch up with club members and those who game from other Cons and Events, the range of armies and army styles meant that it could constantly provide a source of inspiration for future army ideas. It was also interesting with so many beautiful armies that were on displayAnd as the dust settled and the winners were called forth, we started to assess the results. In the list below the results can be seen, or follow the link.

THE RESULTS!

After a brutal tournament, here are the results! For each army, we’re going to release the top finishing list so people can learn and study what makes a winning list!
Position Name Army Rnd 1 Rnd 2 Rnd 3 Total
1 Aston Howes Ghar 20 20 20 60
2 James Bowen Algoryn 20 20 13 53
3 Jamie Howard Concord 7 20 20 47
3 Lee Prestidge Algoryn 7 20 20 47
5 Simone Ristori Algoryn 13 20 20 53
6 Elliott Ireland Algoryn 20 20 0 40
Giving out Prizes


http://www.warlordgames.com/antares-day-tournament-round-up-results/

 

So final thoughts, it was a good day that one feels was let down by a lack of cohesion by Warlord Games as a whole, it felt more like a bit part player with a lack of definition and planning. There were several things that felt like a thrown together event, lack of staff manning door, lack of real advertising, lack of interest about such an event, confusion of buffet and control, and the closing down of the event and secondary use by other bookings. (The last bit not warlord fault..)

 So was it all bad, could it have been a filled event, possibly yes and it does encourage in some way the idea that while Warlord encourages staff to be innovative and take command of events and projects. While a good thing, it felt like it needed an experienced hand over-watching as staff seemed to be short and dealing with managing different aspects. The other short coming came from the lack of organisation with regards a dedicated Social media coordinator, an aspect Warlord do not have and that one feels could have expanded the event to be more inclusive and gathering in a bigger audience, not just those who play, as GoA is an ever expanding game and as such needs more players as it is at its core an excellent game.

So would one completely dismiss the event, no it was fun, had some interesting and fun conversations and gathered interesting news the games proved to be snippets. The event packed quite a bit in and was enjoyable. and as a first GoA Tournament, it was successful in what its aims were, which was to get players competing in games of and help develop the systems and story.

Staff who were present showed interest and knowledge, store staff were personable and again knowledgeable with all of them knowing the subject and guiding people towards armies and army solutions, and offering apologies and thoughts on areas like lack of stock due to pushing ranges were all professional. The tables whereupon which the games were played were also professional and offered variety and different challenges. The partners like Sarissa Precision provided a real feast of new material both for news and table options for the future with myself and others happily drooling over potential future purchases.

The tables run by Primus Shard Nottingham players was also a fun place, and showed comradery and typical laughs and arguments over dice rolls and rule interpretations. The armies on the drop in the table were all excellent and showed again variety and interesting angles from the army builders choices.

The lack of people new to the hobby making use of the ‘drop in and play tables’ felt a little forlorn and made one did wonder if anyone was running them.

At its core the event was good, and as a first GoA event, enjoyable just felt it lacked something, however that should not and did not stop anyone there from not enjoying themselves, nor did it stop anyone walking away thinking I wish I was playing something else as that would do the whole event a disservice, no it just felt that more interest could have been gathered from new potential players, or those who just were looking for something new and fancied taking a look whether from a new start gamer or old hand and wanting to try something new.

with that, in mind, I do think it will be a case that such an event will in future start to pick up impetus and expand in both scope and range of getting the word out. As this is something of a new expanding area and move for Warlord Games start to look at how they perform such events. They will take from it and we wil  see great things.

 

 

Warlord games & Primus Shard Nottingham Charity Team Up
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Gary powell

Ok just a quick one and a pre warm-up to the event, the local branch of the Primus Shard (A collective name for groups who play Gates of Antares), Nottingham have teamed up with Warlord Games to offer a charity campaign event with proceeds going to the Firefighters and Air Ambulance Service. Tickets are £15 & include lunch!Expect to play 3 scenarios using your 750 point forces.They are also offering Prizes for:
Best Looking Army,
Sportsmanship, most unlucky,
plus a painting competition for all Antarean armies,
Single figures and units.Kick off at 10am finishing at 5pm Saturday 9th September 2017Having previously run events like Gates of Antares Tournaments, as well as participation and demonstration games, the club has come together to put on the charity fundraiser at Warlord games HQ, Store Centre which is where the group’s numerous members meet each Tuesday. To find out more about the Gates of Antares event please check out the link below and will see a full review after the event, .Gates of Antares Charity Event http://www.warlordgames.com/event/antares-charity-boot-camp/ by Warlord games 9th SeptA4_LANDSCAPE
#warlordgames #GatesofAntares #Nottsevents #WhatsonNotts

Room 17 and Needy Cat Games Announces new Collaboration Project.
0
Gary powell

 

So it seems like Nottingham is living up to its reputation as the Gaming development hub with the latest news from two new games companies, Room 17 a Board games Company and new start-up Needy Cat Games James Hewitt formally of GW. 

Room17 gAMES, The first official whiff of information about this latest endeavor came from Room17 Via Twitter with the following tweet and
who teased that they were excited to be working with James Hewitt now the mastermind of Needy Cat Games. So while “We don’t know what this new project I’ve got some ideas”, It does show that a new and dynamic company with an experienced  designer and Writer with decades of experience at Games Workshop Ltd, in roles such as Games design and development,  writing, for  Mantic games as a Game developer and rule writer, GW’s specialist games. Lead designer for Blood Bowl’s 2016 the re-launch and ex-manager of the Hobbies Centre, he brings quite a litany of talents to the board.  Although it’s far from concrete confirmation of what development stage the game is at. Now, we remain back at square one, with much speculation and little concrete information.

However, it also seems that a new company has been busy in Nottingham and that is Room 17 Operating in Ruddington, only 2 months old this company has already started to show that it can produce some amazing products and innovative ideas with its first game Museum Rush.

Museum Rush Contents Sheet

The game play its self looks to be fun, with “Each turn pick up a new cards, move and probably try to swipe a priceless exhibit stealing, cracking locks and getting caught on Camera will have the guards running in your direction, so hopefully you’ve picked up some handy item to deal with them…Museum Rush Contents SheetIf you get caught, you’ll be thrown out of the museum and your ill-gotten gains confiscated. You’ll just have to break in again and steal some more!

3D printed Sample of Miniature

Make sure you’ve escaped with your loot before the time runs out – when the last Clock card is drawn the game is over, and the player who escapes with the most valuable loot and treasure wins.”
imageThis is a game for up to 4 players and expected play between 20 and 40 minutes so a casual one that offers the potential for a lot of fun for those looking for a light game to play with friends or a game to play between games in a club.

 

Ok update, latest news got off the press,

“Yes Mate! Museum Rush is coming to Kickstarter, campaign goes live on the 30th of October just after Essen Spiel!  https://t.co/cLo16ti4E9 “
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