FASA Kickstarter

Fasa for these of you who don't know are a games company having produced several classic wargames and role-playing-games in the past, but not having released anything new for a decade. So it was some surprise to me that they have been seeking funds to start a new project. They are using "crowd funding" which is a system of raising cash from the masses without approaching the banks (whom we all love and trust!) Until now I have not gotten involved in "crowd funding" projects but given the track record of Fasa and knowing them as a reputable company from whom I have purchased a number of games in the past and not been disappointed I thought I should check out their offer. The system works by individual people pledging money in return for the company sending them an agreed upon reward when the project completes. I am thinking it is very little different from pre-ordering an item, but with a longer lead time.
The game they are proposing is called "1879". Hence the picture on the right, which is at this stage the logo for the game. I say "at this stage" only because until it arrives in my sweaty grasping hands I am aware that the design process may dictate a change of name or logo. But once it hits the shelves (assuming it does) then we shall all know for sure.  Fasa are running the "crowd funding" from the popular Kickstarter website. (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/783548120/1879-rpg-miniatures-and-app-0?ref=live). I was the 37th person to pledge money for the project. I have personally put $64.00 forward in exchange for the following rewards. The Miniatures rules and both army books, the British and the Samsut. The British should be fairly self explanatory, although there is a picture of British Cavalry riding large lizards, so it might have a few twists. The Samsut we are told come from a different planet/dimension/place/time/whatever and with a little bit of searching there troop types contain zombies and skeletons. Ral Patha have already signed in to sculpt the figures for Fasa and the scale for the tabletop game has been set as 15mm. If you know me you will not have to make a huge leap to realise the idea of colonial era British against the undead hordes is right up my street!

Having already pointed this Kickstarter out to a friend who just happens to have a 10mm undead army, I painted up the samples I got from Pendraken some years ago and based them on similar matching bases to the undead so the sizes would match. I have placed a 5p coin next to the figures for a size comparison. (Or take the front edge to be 40mm if you are unfamiliar with British currency). So the figures are quite small, and this is a single pack which currently retails for £4.00 and contains 30 miniatures (I lost one so only 29 in the picture and a rock!)

As well as the miniatures game Fasa are also planning an RPG and an electronic App game using the same setting background and one would hope forces. All the details are on the kickstarter and if like me the idea grabs you then check it out. Even if Fasa don't manage to achieve the funding goal I just love the idea so I may go ahead on my own as a personal project. After all who does not want to pit the British Empire at it's height against the forces of the dead.

That's today's post, hope you like the figures and the kickstarter. Thanks for reading, I shall blog again on Monday, all the best Clint