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Hi guys! i know i know, it been ages since iv posted anywhere on Dakka, let alone one of my own threads but i have been lurking and keeping an eye on some great blog/threads. Over the weekend i had a little bit of spare time so decided to look over the warboard project featured here and over at warsmith.co.uk.

Basically, I'm almost convinced that its an idea worth taking to production, but i'm desperate from more feedback before i take the leap. So please, if you've got a few minutes to spare, take a look at the video and the blog over at warsmith.co.uk and let me know your thoughts.

Thanks DAKKAnauts!

Hey Guys, Here is an updated, slightly more dynamic video to promote the warboard.




Let me know what you think!

Thanks

Interesting idea Hits, like the way it folds for easy storage, but as it's solid card it won't crease or curl up as a gaming mat can and is also nice and neat for storage after the game.

The only part that concerns me is the fact it's pre-printed so limits your set-up somewhat. If the idea takes of into production, will you be making some more generic looking boards - i.e. grass plains / ash waste / deep space,etc...

For the Zone Mortalis / Space Hulk type board, could you just cover the whole thing with 'tiles' and then produce some sort of static vinyl strips to cover up the unused parts - that way you get a more dynamic and varied layout each time you set-up a game?

I think something to keep in mind Hits... as you're working out cost of production and pricing... is that a 40k player is going to need to buy 4 of them in order to cover a standard playing field. So a reasonable sounding price for one can quickly become unreachable when quadrupled.

That's very true Gits. It's looking like each double sided board amd case will come out at around £17/$27 each. So that would be about £68/$108. The main consideration effecting price is quantity, to get the price down to a reasonable starting point I need to be ordering 500 to 1000 units. Due to this quantity, I need to allow for retailer profit along side my own. Of course, if I were confident that I could shift 500/1000 units within suitable time frame off my own back I could drop the idea of using retailers. But to be honest, there are many reasons it would be preferable to use retailers.

Ruglud, I have done a grass/mud/dirt option, but thought that there are already so many comparable products in that kind of finish, I shoukd stick to the more individual designs. If the Warboard were to take off I would most definitely look at incorporating them into the range, but due to cost, I'm currently restricted in the number of designs available in the first/second run.

Does a £17/$27 price tag sound reasonable? Or is the idea of 4 for £60/$108 too much? Bearing in mind that the warboad can be rearranged, so your getting something more than just one setup.

Thanks again guys! Your input is always welcome!

Oh, and I should also mention that I've put a few parts, weapons etc up on my Shapeways store and will be adding more over the next week or so. You can find a link to the store via warsmith.co.uk. For anyone who hasn't heard of Shapeways before, it's a 3D printing service and community, it's really worth checking out.

Speaking for myself... ~ $100 for a double sided playing surface of this caliber would be worth it. Especially if the patterns are things that are difficult to duplicate with other means. (such as the city-scape)

I'm with Gits, that price point is well within my budget and it's a more than useful product... Totally understand you as well on the design choice and business reasons...

Not sure what your timeline is on manufacture to launch date, but have you considered showcasing it at one of the big UK wargame shows to test the market - I can imagine you wouls sellout if you tookk a batch of 500 to SALUTE next April. Plus you could speak to the traders at the show.

Nice looking boards there Hits. The city one looked really nice and detailed.

As far as price goes i have this to say.
We collect and play a very expensive hobby. If a squad of tactical marines can cost 65 Australian dollars then i think a highly detailed, good quality, doublesided battle board is well well worth it if it's costing roughly $100.

So in my eyes $100ish (assuming it's American dollars) is perfectly reasonable for four of those boards and i would certainly consider buying one (or 4) of them.

Thanks for the feedback guys, as always it really very much appreciated.

I have decided to take the jump and move the Warboard to the next stage. As you can figure out from the title change, I've started a Kickstarter campaign. Currently the campaign is under review, but here is a link to the preview:

Preview the Warboard Kickstarter before it goes live! - http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/536295104/1920321779?token=15b3af4c

I would love to hear what you think about it and the rewards structure, i have tried to keep the costs pretty low but still realistic and the rewards are pretty awesome too (at least thats what i think).

So, please check it out, pass the word around and pledge once it goes live! (if kickstarter give it the thumbs up that is)

Thanks again guys!

Steve

The draft on kick starter looks nice. Will it ship internationally? I couldnt find anything.

These look great. You mentioned having tests of the first designs already made. A video showing some gaming in progress would probably help generate excitement.

Seeing them with terrain in place would be helpful as well since it's a bit difficult to visualize the size of the streets etc right now.

How stable are they on a table? Do they easily stay flush with each other during gameplay? Is there anything that gives some traction to the underside if there is an issue?

I know there's probably nothing you can do about the international shipping costs but it certainly hits the viewer hard when they see a 50% shipping cost. Not sure what you have planned for stretch goals but any increase in perceived value there might help.

I'm sure it's frustrating for the many Kickstarter creators to see the thread devoted to their project have pages of "Really nice product but those shipping costs are crazy. Count me out"

When you say the boards are double sided is there a possibility of having completely different designs on each side? I know a lot of people who would jump at a chance to have a war torn cityscape 6'x4' which could easily switch to a grassy field 6'x4'

Thanks for the speed responses!

Cormadepanda - The Warboard (if funded) will ship internationally, the extra 'out side of the UK' shipping fees are in the reward sections. Ill edit the main body a little more to make it super clear. Un fortunately since each board will weigh around 1.3kg international shipping is going to be pricey.

Eldarain - Thanks for the kind words! There are a few pictures of the test prints in the warsmith.co.uk blog, but i'm holding out on flooding the kickstarter page at the moments, so i have some extra content to keep things fresh and interesting as the dead line counts down.

You have brought up some brilliant points about the terrain, game play and stability. I will be sure that these are clearly addressed once kickstarter give the go ahead. I particularly like the idea of a little video showing some terrain in place, to keep the visual continuity i think ill do something similar to the intro video as an extra.

Unfortunately, the shipping cost are as low as i have found (for a trust worthy shipping company). I've sourced my shipping via interparcel.com and a few other companies like them. If anyone knows of a lower cost alternative i would very much appreciate it if they drop me a message or even posted it up here. i dont want the Warboard to be a UK only product just because i cant source a suitable carrier.

As for the double sided, i have show the 3 available options at the bottom of the page. But i can understand the confusion, so i will look to generating some more graphics to make things more clear.

Just to clarify tho, each board will have a different desgin on each side. Option 1 and 2 have a cityscape on one side and a corridors design on the other. Option 3 is a city scape expansion and has 2 different cityscapes, one on each side. So thats 4 different cityscape designs and 2 corridors.

When it comes to stretch goals, i hadn't given it too much thought, as getting the initial funding would be amazing! But the first thing that comes to mind would be an additional board design. Grassy battlefield for example, or dessert wastes.

Thanks again for your feedback, its really helping out.

Don't forget to keep passing the word on, forward the warboard link to your friends and like warsmith on facebook twitter and wordpress! I need all yours and Dakka's help to make this project a reality!

I think additional board designs are the best form of stretch goal. Perhaps you should try and cater to specific game systems.

the options you've mentioned as well as

Destroyed WW2 era city for Flames of War
Non Dystopian sci-fi for Infinity
Old west/Steampunk for Malifaux/Blackwater Gulch
6mm scale city dimensions for Dropzone commander
Space/Space station for X-wing (might need some tweaking with the game space being 3'x3' in that game while two of your boards are 3'x4'. Perhaps a sideboard sheet for tokens etc. that covers the offending 1')

In regards to the international shipping, would the option of not receiving the carrying cases for the boards be a viable option? Would the removal of them make enough of a difference in weight/dimensions to save on shipping.

If this could bring the shipping down for those like me who wouldn't really need them it might encourage those on the fence to pledge.

Really looking forward to this starting.
Best of luck with it.

I think it looks good, but the non-UK shipping is going to make people think twice... The $100 early-bird investment becomes $150... with the extra 50% going to the postal service... not even your company. Have you explored the possibility of using something lighter as a backing for your board? I say this because the shipping cost will probably be a recurring issue when it comes to getting international buyers.

Looks good, will keep an eye on this kickstarter.

Have you considered as a possible stretch goal having a 'multi' case? I.e. one case that would fit several boards, thereby reducing the need to have them all individually packed and easier to transport several at once?

Well Steve I think you'll be popping my ks cherry on this one : thumbsup:. But I'll echo the requests for better/more unusual stretch goals.

Hi guys, thanks for the posts and sorry for my late reply. Can you believe it, I got a job offer on Monday and started yesterday, so i'v been super busy preparing for a client meeting on Friday. But this isn't going to deter me or slow the Warboard down, so don't worry! O'yeah, and kickstarter gave the project the thumbs up! So my plan is to launch this weekend (Sunday) If I can iron out the creases.

Eldarain - Some great suggestions there, i will definitely look at incorporating some of those ideas. As for the box, it's really an instrumental part of the product, it even helps with the "postability'. Also, it only weighs 300g so isn't where the majority of the problem lies.

Hey Gits - If I were to change the card for something lighter to save money on postage, my main concern is that it may increase overall material and manufacture costs. But I will look into it.

Hi Rugland - Great idea about the multi case. I but I had already added it as a reward, it's a limited edition option. I may add it as a stretch goal too.

IMGI - Stretch goals are definitely something I'm going to add and develop. Tomorrow night I will be going over the kickstarter again, just to iron out a few bits and details. I will also be looking into other postage options in the effort to lower the costs.

Thanks to everyone, and please keep passing the word around!

Steve

Just a quick update about international postage, I'm currently talking to shipwire.com, so fingers crossed that can offer a suit ale service and a reasonable price. Really I would like to see the international shipping costs to fall by 25% - 50%. Here's to hoping!

That's good to hear Hits, hope it works out.

News Update on the shipping front so far.

Shipwire works out at:

$13 - 1 board
$19 - 2 boards
$24 - 4 boards
$34 - 8 boards

This is the lowest quoted, so is likely to be a little higher. The main additional to this set of cost will be the bulk shipping the Warboards from the UK to the US.

That's my next point of order, but my initial findings have not been cheap.

I'm not familiar with shipping large quantities internationally but those numbers seem promising.

Keep us posted

The prices seem reasonable! Better than GWs boards for sure.

Lucarikx

$25ish for four boards isn't all that bad really.

Are you based in the UK Hits? I seem to remember you being from there but your Dakka flag says otherwise...

Glad the news has gone down well so far, I hope this update doesn't kill the enthusiasm.

After adjusting the shipping to incorporate the shipwire fees, postage, bulk pallet shipping from the UK via pallet and a redundancy for import export fees.

It's looking more like:

1 = $19.50
2 = $25
4 = $30
8 = $40.50

Still considerably better than posting out individually from the UK.

I'm trying to be as open about costing as possible, as I don't want people to be think I'm trying to make on postage. But I do need to make sure the postage fee charged on KS covers the actual costs, just so it doesn't eat into the potentially raised funds.

So let me know who these new costs look.

I've had another little idea for the postage, I need to see how/if I can get it sorted but if the postage after the fact comes in significantly less than quoted, I could rein use backers the difference, either in monies (could be difficult as payment is processed via amazon and kickstarter) or alternatively offer a discount code for the next purchase?

Cain - Yeah, I'm from the UK, not sure why the ip flag us showing US, will have to get admin to lock it to the jack.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
Ok, so made some errors in my previous math which I picked up the second time through.

The international shipping now stands at:

1 - $22.50
2 - $27.50
4 - $32.50
8 - $43.50

Still... better than $50.

What is the material that the boards are made of? I'm assuming it must be pretty heavy given the shipping prices?

It's 2mm solid card, laminated on each side with the design and screened with a silk finish. I'm looking at other materials/thinner. But I don't want to compromise on quality for a marginal saving in postage.

I'm fine with those shipping numbers myself.


I meant to ask earlier about the finish on the boards.

Is glare an issue with them? I've been taking more pictures of our games with an eye to doing some battle reports recently.

 Hits_the_spot wrote:
It's 2mm solid card, laminated on each side with the design and screened with a silk finish. I'm looking at other materials/thinner. But I don't want to compromise on quality for a marginal saving in postage.

Understood... and you're right of course. Don't compromise quality.

Gits - just re read my reply, sorry if it read a bit 'short' that wasn't my intention. But I'm glad you agree about the compromise.

Eldrain - Glare shouldn't be an issue. But I will take photo of a prototype, hopefully tomorrow a post it up.

I will also post up the test prints of all the cityscapes as soon as I get the chance.

No, no... don't worry about it Hits. I didn't read anything negative into your response at all. All good man.