Saturday 1 December 2012

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


Thursday 29 November 2012

Serious Firepower

About 7 months ago I finished some Victorian naval British landing party figures. Yesterday I managed to up grade them with some serious firepower. I think this is by the Perrys, but not 100% sure, one carriage mounted Nordfelt machine gun with Royal Navy crew. This is the kind of Victorian firepower that is idea for maintaining the standards of the empire. I am sure they could have done with a few of these as Roarke's Drift or Isanwanda as well as several other places. As wargamers we all want something unusual and "fun" to play with on the battle field. Something to make us rub our hands together and chuckle. And that is what this is for. I have grand delusions about it being a game winner and sweeping all opponents before me. The reality will no doubt be TOTALLY different.
As a Perry Miniature it is of course 28mm figures, and not for the 20mm WW1East Africa show game. I have used the same background only for convenience and no other reason. It has a coat of gloss varnish which has caught the flash from the camera, but you should still get the idea of what it should look like.
 Just a couple more snaps to give you an all round view of the model, front and rear.
 
 
That's it for today. With luck I should be able to post on Saturday. All the best folks and speak soon. Cheers Clint.

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Officers (WW1 East Africa)

I have really struggled to get anything finished these last 2 days. However I did finish the two 20mm IT miniatures ( http://www.frontlinewargaming.co.uk/) European Officers to go with the Asakari that I posted on Friday. There uniforms are darker but remain a similar colour to the native troops. I am told the ratio to Asakari to Germans was 11 to 1 so two Germans and 22 Asakai is perfect. Other nations had less European troops in relation to native troops I am not sure why this was but can imagine several reasons. The figures painted easily and are full of characters. Being the same sculpts and wearing the same uniforms there is only so much you can do to make them different from each other. As such all I have done is to give them different hair colours, different shade of the same brown hats and the one on the left a moustache. It was about all I could sensibly do to create variety. Given that they are 20mm figure I don't see a huge problem with them being so similar.


That's it for today, a really quick post. With luck I should have something more to show on Thursday. Remember we are now only 28 days from Christmas so if you are getting anything mail order for the day you'd best be thinking of it now. (Go on treat yourself, 'cos if you don't you just wont get what you really want!!) Have fun, take care and talk soon, Clint.

Sunday 25 November 2012

Tony, Zombie Hunter

Today's offering is a single 28mm Hasslefree Miniature Tony.
(http://www.hfminis.co.uk/shop?product=tony-%28b%29~hfa058&category=miniatures~modern-adventurers) I picked up the box set of "Zombie Hunters" a few weeks back when I was doing all the overtime. Anyway I finished him this morning. I just have to tidy up the base edge and varnish him. I wanted himto have a "Ganger" feel so I went for a mix of military and ploice equipment and some more "street" clothing colours. My main reason for finishing him this week was in response to my character (Vonda) in Shelldrakes Play by Blog game. (http://zombiewargame.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/pbb2-after-action-review.html) Vonda might or might not survive, that being the case I wanted to be ready to roll with another character straight away should I need to. There may or may not be a link between the two characters, that has yet to be determined. But it's also nice to paint a single figure especially when I have been batch painting as with the Asakaris (last post). Also being a larger scale it is so much easier to add detail.

I am particularly fond of Tony's trousers with the stripe down each side. To me this gives it a sports apareal feel to the clothing which adds to the "Street" feel of the figure which I feel it needed to take it away from a paramilitary figure. It is clear that this figure has looted a set of police armour and has stocked up on ammunition for the two submachineguns he carries, one in each hand. This may not be the best tactic against a horde of zombies, but it will make him feel good. (And make a lot of noise which in turn will attract more Zeds!) So Maybe Tony's not that bright afterall, only time will tell. I shall enjoy painting the other Zombie hunters in the pack if they are as nicely sculpted as Tony. (I've had a look and they are)>

That's it for Today. Tuesday will be my next post. So enjoy the rest of the day and talk again soon.  All the best Clint