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PART ONE
Bennett stormed into the abandoned house, flinging the door open with such force that it bounced back off the wall and almost struck him in the face. Further angered by the doors unwillingness to play fair, he grabbed hold of it again and slammed it shut. 'Easy there big guy!' came an amused voice from behind a computer screen on the other side of the room.
'When I want your opinion Strike, I'll give it to you.' grumbled Bennett, removing his sodden poncho and throwing it onto a nearby table. He wandered over to the burning fire to warm up, disturbing another man from his reading.
'Any news then?' asked Andersen, placing his book down on the table.
'Nah', he replied, rubbing his hands together in front of the dancing flames, allowing the warmth to restore feeling to his fingers, 'Ghost's still out there waiting for them to return.'
'Not to worry, as soon as they've got the intel they'll be back. Then we can get on with the job.'
The big man sighed and sat down on a nearby chair. 'I'm sick of the rain. Everywhere we go, it rains. And not just normal rainy rain, it's big fat rain, every single time. What's the deal with that?'
'It's that big bald head of yours', offered Strike, 'Well known fact that rain is naturally attracted to dense, flat surfaces...'
Bennett stared over at the younger man, a slight look of confusion on his face. 'But I was wearing a hat...'
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Hmmm, interesting..... :-\. I shall watch this with interest.
Interesting :-\
Will these be heroic 28's or regular? Maybe of use with my 28mm zombie stuff? Shame it's kickstarter ???
Quote from: petercooman on 17 August 2014, 06:10:33 PM
Interesting :-\
Will these be heroic 28's or regular? Maybe of use with my 28mm zombie stuff? Shame it's kickstarter ???
They are regular 28mm's, designed to fit in with other popular modern ranges already out there, like Empress and Eureka. They'll go on general sale after the KS, but that's likely to be the end of the year or early 2015.
8)
Quote from: petercooman on 17 August 2014, 06:10:33 PM
Interesting :-\
Will these be heroic 28's or regular? Maybe of use with my 28mm zombie stuff? Shame it's kickstarter ???
But if its from the guys at Pendraken, surely the whole Kickstarter issue of potential scam artists who'll disappear with your money, is much less of a concern?
EDIT; I notice that as I post this I have a big "Team Pendraken" badge under my name. We should make it clear that's more about the fact that they hire me every so often, I'm not part of the business as such!
Quote from: clibinarium on 17 August 2014, 06:41:00 PM
But if its from the guys at Pendraken, surely the whole Kickstarter issue of potential scam artists who'll disappear with your money, is much less of a concern?
EDIT; I notice that as I post this I have a big "Team Pendraken" badge under my name. We should make it clear that's more about the fact that they hire me every so often, I'm not part of the business as such!
I don't have ANY doubt in team pendraken, i just detest kickstarter as a whole. ;)
You're certainly not alone in not liking Kickstarter, but which aspect? I am curious as I am planning one myself :)
I am not really a fan of KS as well. For me it seems to have become nothing more than a pre order system ( especially on the gaming front) these days rather than people looking for some financial help to get a product off the ground
Quote from: clibinarium on 17 August 2014, 07:08:15 PM
You're certainly not alone in not liking Kickstarter, but which aspect? I am curious as I am planning one myself :)
Well to be honest, when i buy something, i will have looked about half a dozen times around the web for pictures, scale comparisons, reviews etc...
I like to know exactly what i buy. not models based on concept art or 3d renditions but what i see is what i (want to) get. I really don't like ordering something that has not been made and spread around the gaming community for 'testing'.
If you search the web, you will notice that lots of wargamers do unboxings, comparisons and step by step builds, and that shows that we want to see and spread that info, and adjust our purchases based on if we like what we see or not.
I'm not saying there's a problem with kickstarter, don't get me wrong, it's just not the way i want to buy models/games. For me, half the fun of ordering something is researching, and exploring what like-minded fellows around the globe have achieved with the stuff i'm looking to buy. Gives me a decent insight in what i'm buying.
I can only say good luck on the kickstarter for these, and maybe if i like what i see i'll get them afterwards ;)
I've gone with 4 ''crowd funded" miniatures purchases in the last year or so. Only 1 was actually through kickstarter itself.
In Her Majesty's Name figures - from North Star
Mongols - from Pendraken :D
Evil Men - on Indiegogo by Yann
Landschenkt Zweihänders - on Kickstarter by Dave of Warmonger
The first two were definitely more of pre-orders - but even the Pendraken Mongols I think got a bigger range because of the support given to the campaign.
The second two I don't think would have been made if it wasn't for crowd funding - as both are by startups needing the money for sculpts and casting. Both of these used sketches and greens to show what they were intending to make.
I've not been in big money on any one £40 to £100 probably. Two have delivered, one is due soon, and the 4th has only closed fairly recently.
On the other side of the style of KS - is the current Mantic one for Dungeon Saga - this is very slick with a continual steam of stretch goals. But in some ways if feels a bit fake - their target was £50k (loads of money compared to any of the above) and they are currently at £400k, but it feels they are really just 'unlocking' stuff that they were going to do anyway. If the total figure count gets high, then I may still go for it - but I'm not sure.
Yeah mantic are good at that.
I recently bought their deadzone game, and although very nice stuff, it would have been too big of a risk to 'pre order' that through kickstarter. I just wanted too see it first.
The stretch goal stuff is also a nasty side effect of KS. Instead of buying a few bits so you can see if it's really your cup of tea, i see lots of people going the full length to get all the add-ons etc..
I have lost count of how many 'full pledge packages' i have seen being offered for sale in trade sections on other forums like LAF and such, just because people got their package and didn't like what they saw once they got it in their hands. Reaper bones for example is something that frequently turns up...
Hmmm, those points are completely reasonable, I have seen a lot of Abe Simpson style denunciations of Kickstarter over on TMP, but this isn't one such. I do look at a lot of projects on Kickstarter and wonder if they need to be using crowdfunding.
For miniatures I think there's two main types; the project that's going to get done anyway, but gives you a good deal for supporting a fledgling range early, and the project of unknown viability that needs a certain amount of money to bring it into existence as otherwise its too big a risk for the creator. There are other reasons but some are less impressive, for example to use the reach of Kickstater almost as advertising. Its not that that isn't legitimate, its just less interesting.
The one I have planned is definitely in the "wouldn't happen without Kickstarter" category, and if such a project doesn't reach its funding that's an answer in itself, that there's not enough demand for it; move on. I do think its useful for getting projects going that couldn't have been attempted otherwise.
Quote from: clibinarium on 17 August 2014, 10:36:34 PM
The one I have planned is definitely in the "wouldn't happen without Kickstarter" category, and if such a project doesn't reach its funding that's an answer in itself, that there's not enough demand for it; move on. I do think its useful for getting projects going that couldn't have been attempted otherwise.
Yes, but i always wonder, if you get it (barely) funded, what's to expect afterwards?
Quote from: clibinarium on 17 August 2014, 10:36:34 PM
Hmmm, those points are completely reasonable, I have seen a lot of Abe Simpson style denunciations of Kickstarter over on TMP, but this isn't one such.
These points being reasonable, is just because it's my own personal look at it, not some 'follow the herd' dissaproval thingy :P :P
I don't care what the herd says, i just shop in a way i get some pleasure out of it!
Yes its certainly true that the barely funded project may not have legs after the kickstater ends, but if its an obscure thing that's a labour of love getting it into existence and breaking even can be enough. Otherwise plan the funding structure carefully so that even the barely funded level has a margin of safety built in!
Its not so much that your reasons are sound (they are), its that they are actual reasons, not the frequent "Kickstarter is a tool of the Devil!" statements that go on on TMP a lot of the time.
I backed Yann's Evil Men KS for no better reason than that I had "support a kickstarter project" on my mental bucket list.
Wish I'd had the courage of my convictions and backed Heroes of Normandie too :(
Still have to tick off "Create a blog and keep it going for a year." I'd ask for suggestions as to a blogging platform but I fear I might drown in the responses :)
Quote from: clibinarium on 17 August 2014, 11:22:55 PM
Its not so much that your reasons are sound (they are), its that they are actual reasons, not the frequent "Kickstarter is a tool of the Devil!" statements that go on on TMP a lot of the time.
"on second thought, let's not go to TMP, it's a silly place" :P :P
Crowd funding is an ace idea, but I think it's important to remember that it's not a finished product you're buying, and that it's a tool like any other - some people use it well, others less so... the difference between a "Mantic style, we were doing it anyway" established company essentially using it for advertising and pre-order money and a small "hey I've had a great idea, wanna pitch in and see if it works?" is pretty vast.
I've backed a few and so far not disappointed, but - I've a/ picked well, and b/ been prepared to wait. Overruns for various reasons are common... you just have to live with them or not stump up. And try to spot the KS's/Indiegogo's that are workable and not going to disappear. The value of crowd funded projects may go down as well as up...
I'd take any opinion piece from TMP with a whole tub of salt :D
Also, I have a mini in 28mm that looks very like the silhouette of Goldman - although facially he looks disturbingly like John Major :S
I may publish the real numbers behind my own campaign once delivered.
I don't think I'm going to be rich.
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PART 2 of 5
The man sat quietly in the corner, his long hair hanging loosely about his face. The dim light from the single bulb in the room cast shadows across his features, exaggerating his natural scowl. In his hand he held a knife, its edge glinting in the darkness as he ran a whetstone down its length, honing the blade to a fine edge. The lonely sound of his sharpening filled the empty cottage, a soft grating noise that echoed off the bare walls.
The door opened abruptly and two men strode in. The first was wearing a suit, his head completely free of hair and a briefcase in his right hand. He set the case on a wooden table and clicked it open, lifting the lid to reveal the contents.
The rasp of the sharpening continued.
The second man reached in and picked out several documents and set them on the table. 'What have we got then, Goldman?' he asked.
Another metallic rasp echoed around the room.
'The target will be travelling down this road at 08:00 tomorrow morning.' replied the man in the suit, plucking a map from the case and laying it out next to the briefcase. 'There are several vantage points on the hillside to the south.' He pointed out details as he spoke.
The sharpening continued.
Looking up from the map, Goldman glared into the corner. 'Who's that?' he asked his companion. 'He's the new guy, we picked him up on a job in South America.' replied Granger. The seated figure glanced up briefly but his hands continued their work.
'Do you want to stop doing that?' demanded Goldman, the frustration obvious in his voice. The sound stopped but the shadowy face turned and glowered at the suited man. Goldman paused briefly, the intensity of the man's stare catching him off guard slightly, before laughing nervously to himself. 'OK, OK, calm down there amigo,' he joked, 'Have a shot of tequila or something...'
Before he'd finished the sentence, a metallic flash shot across the room and a newly sharpened knife embedded itself in the lid of the briefcase, slamming it shut loudly. Goldman jumped back at the sound, instantly pulling a pistol from underneath his jacket and turning it on the knifeman.
A tense silence filled the room briefly, before being broken by the sound of Granger's roaring laughter. 'Goldman,' he said as he reached out and pushed the pistol down towards the ground, 'meet Rodriguez.'
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28mm Modern Mercenaries, coming soon to Kickstarter!
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Quote from: toxicpixie on 18 August 2014, 09:31:45 AM
Also, I have a mini in 28mm that looks very like the silhouette of Goldman - although facially he looks disturbingly like John Major :S
I'm pretty sure that'll be an old Mark Copplestone figure.
Cheers - Phil
He might be, actually - I think he was going cheap somewhere when I needed a non-tooled up tactical riot cop gun-ninja figure for D&D Moderns. My dim memory of the packing is something Future Wars-ish?
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PART 3 of 5
Mason crept slowly through the pine trees, guiding his feet carefully through the brush underfoot as he approached the edge of the forest. His target was less than fifty yards away now, a small patch of bushes at the edge of the tree line where he'd spotted the exposed barrel of a sniper rifle half an hour ago. Since then he had circled around through the trees, approaching from downwind to reduce the chances of detection.
He knew who this was, and he also knew that he would only have one opportunity to catch him out.
Gradually he advanced, each step precise and deliberate, his eyes fixed on his objective. He could still see the barrel, only just visible among the foliage, but it was enough. As close as he was now, he remained calm, his heartrate only slightly higher than normal.
Passing silently from tree to tree, he moved within twenty yards of the bushes. Shifting his weight onto his back leg, he carefully stepped over a rock, its surface covered in lichen, before testing the ground on the other side. Satisfied with his footing, he started to bring his trailing leg over. And that was when the hand grabbed him.
Sinewy fingers wrapped themselves around his ankle and dragged his leg out to the side, throwing him badly off balance. His eyes darted to the ground just in time to see the rock come alive, the mass of lichen raising up and barrelling into the back of his other knee, sending him face first into the ground. He felt the weight of the rock roll up his body, a sharp knee jabbed into his back and a heavy weight braced his shoulders to the ground.
'Alright Mason, how's it going?' asked the amused rock.
Cursing under his breath, he spat out a mouthful of pine needles. 'Screw you, Ghost.' he replied.
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Hi,
I'm a bih fan of Kickstarter,and as long as you're realistic, do your research on the company or individual involved, dont spend beyond your means and are prepared to wait, in most cases you'll be fine (famous last words!)
As for Militia Minis, Ive had a little preview from Leon and they all look great, and should fit in fine with my Spectre Minis which are due to be delivered (via KS) in about 3 months.
I'm in :D
Cheers,
Craig
Tiny Terrain Models
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PART 4 of 5
The four men laughed amongst themselves as they sat at the table. One was dealing from a well used deck of cards. 'How am I doing?' said Bennett, already expecting the answer.
'You currently owe me ten thousand matchsticks.' replied Andersen, grinning. 'But don't quit while you're ahead...'
As they chatted, a girl entered from a side room and stopped at their table, hands on her hips. 'Where's the moisturiser?' she asked.
The four men looked up briefly from their game, but no one offered an answer.
'Really guys?' she sighed, 'We're actually going to do this?'
Bennett glanced sideways at the girl as she stood next to him. 'I don't know what you're talking about.' he said, the slightest hint of a grin evident on his face. 'You seen it Connor?' The man opposite him smirked, 'Nope, me neither.'
Slowly and deliberately, the two other men placed their cards on the table and pushed their chairs backwards slightly. 'We'll sit out this hand', stated Mason.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Bennett pulled the missing moisturiser from a pocket and threw the plastic tube across the table to Connor. His partner caught the container, laughing as he did so. 'Come on Charlie, you don't need this,' he joked, waving the tube at her. 'There's plenty of mud outside!'
The girl sighed once more, a deep sigh that signalled she didn't have time for this. With one hand she grabbed the back of Bennett's shirt, lifting it up and over his head, covering his face completely. Her other hand lifted the table edge nearest to her, tipping a mix of cards and drinks onto Connor. Her right leg came up, planted itself on the exposed underside of the table and shoved it towards the man, tipped his chair backward and sending him sprawling to the floor. Finally, she reached down, grabbed a handful of Bennett's underwear and yanked it upwards until the big man squealed in pain.
With a satisfied nod to herself, she walked around the upturned table and picked up the discarded moisturiser from the floor. 'Hey, Strike!' she shouted. A pale face appeared from behind a computer monitor in the corner of the room. She tossed the container over to him, 'Get it yourself next time.'
28mm Modern Mercenaries, coming to Kickstarter on Monday 25th August!
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28mm Modern Mercenaries, Kickstarter now open: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1056922531/militia-miniatures-28mm-modern-mercenaries (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1056922531/militia-miniatures-28mm-modern-mercenaries)
PART 5 of 5
The group huddled around the bonnet of the pickup truck, the morning sun not yet visible over the hills around them. They'd arrived before dawn, parking their vehicles under the cover of the trees in the small valley.
'Here we go guys, just like we talked about last night.' said Granger, his hands resting on an open map. 'We've got three jeeps heading east along this road.' His finger traced a winding track roughly a mile north of their current location, just over a small ridgeline.
'The target's in the middle of the three, so we need to isolate it as quickly as possible. Andersen, Connor, you're taking the front vehicle; Bennett and Rodriguez will take the rear. Mason and Strike will grab the target and get him out of there asap.'
'We'll have Ghost on the ridgeline to the south providing cover, and Strike's on backup if we need support. The trucks are in radio contact with the base, so we'll need to be in and out before they've got chance to react.'
He looked up at the group as he folded the map away, 'Just another job, guys.'
Bennett smiled as he pulled on a pair of gloves. 'Just a job!' he laughed. 'A real job has perks, like healthcare, pension, chances of promotion... Ain't none of that going on here!'
'Don't talk daft.' replied Mason, as he turned and began to walk up the slope out of the valley. 'You get to travel the world, meet new people, blow things up. And if you're lucky enough to get home in one piece, you might even get paid!'
'Alright, that's enough.' called Granger, 'Let's get it done.' With that he tucked the map into a pocket and started to follow the others up the grassy incline.
'Oh, and Bennett?' he called to the big man ahead, 'When we get back, you're buying the first round. We're all about the perks here.'
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I am the same as Ithoriel, I wanted to support a kickstarter as one of my things to do. The fact I could do it via someone I knew and trusted was a big bonus. I was also happy to help Leon on a project.
I will stop a*se licking now before someone calls me FSN ;D
These look good minis and will work on all sorts of levels gaming wise, but I have to be honest, that I do not know what I will do with them at the moment.
Good Luck Leon
Quote from: Just a few Orcs on 28 August 2014, 04:29:27 PM
I am the same as Ithoriel, I wanted to support a kickstarter as one of my things to do. The fact I could do it via someone I knew and trusted was a big bonus. I was also happy to help Leon on a project.
I will stop a*se licking now before someone calls me FSN ;D
These look good minis and will work on all sorts of levels gaming wise, but I have to be honest, that I do not know what I will do with them at the moment.
Good Luck Leon
Thanks for the pledge Mark, much appreciated! We've now unlocked the first of the stretch goals, so I'll be sending out an update later on when I get home.
8)