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Miniature Invasion: The Kickstarter Success of Mantic Games
MARCEL HELION | 12 MARCH 2015 9:00 AM
Kickstarting - RSS 2.04
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Mantic Games is a successful miniatures manufacturer based in the UK. They publish the Kings of War, DreadBall, Warpath, Dungeon Saga, and Deadzone line of miniatures games. They have successfully completed eight Kickstarter campaigns and raised a total of almost $5 million ($4,962,989 to be exact) without a single failure. As they have been unusually successful in this regard and they have a new Kickstarter campaign coming later in March, we decided that Mantic would be the optimal choice for this Kickstarting column. We taked to Chris Palmer, Mantic's Kickstarter and marketing coordinator.
The Escapist: What is the latest Mantic project?
Chris Palmer: The new Kickstarter is Deadzone Infestation. In 2012 we set about creating a project called Deadzone. It was conceived as our second attempt at entering the sci-fi miniatures tabletop market. We'd tried previously back in 2011 with our Warpath game, but we ultimately didn't spend enough money on it. We were in a lull where we couldn't afford to do much hard plastic, so for a bit we made kits in PVC until we hit upon Kickstarter. That lit up our Kings of War game with a load of capital and lots of new miniatures kits for the game. That in turn gave us confidence in the system and so we set about creating DreadBall - a tabletop sports game set in the Warpath universe.
So, when we decided it was time to have another crack at a sci-fi miniatures game, our CEO decided that we would do so on a smaller level, for a number of reasons. For one, cost. Second, we could focus on a specific part of the Warpath universe. One of the most common complaints about our games is the lack of background, so rather than trying to create an entire universe in one go, a smaller game like Deadzone would allow us to focus in one story - in this case, a planet on the outer rim of the galaxy experiencing an alien virus breakout.
Third, we wanted to have hard plastic for Warpath. You need lots of core infantry and vehicles in a mass battle game, and the best way to do that is through hard plastic. Resin Plastic doesn't do infantry well, and would have been unsuitable for vehicles. We needed a lower cost tool-maker to do it justice, one who could do both hard line objects and more organic shapes like faces and hands.
And that's where the scenery came in. Deadzone is a claustrophobic game set in dense scenery, so we came up with a modular system of tiles to construct buildings. Buildings by there nature can be less detailed than infantry figures, and so sci-fi buildings became the test for hard line vehicles, flyers and armoured infantry units.
The Escapist: What is the initial goal and what will that provide supporters?
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Palmer: The initial funding goal is $100,000. What we've recognized since the last campaign is our rulebook is a bit difficult to read and find things in. It's inaccessible and that makes it very difficult for new players to get involved. With the funding we'll be revisiting the rulebook, making it easier to read and offer up a gentler learning curve to get into the game. We'll also take the opportunity to rewrite the campaign section and tweak a few of the things that need clarifying. And since we don't want to leave out our previous backers, we'll be providing this new rulebook free as a digital download.
The bulk of the funding will go towards tooling new kits. We're aiming to add an entirely new faction to Deadzone - the Veer-myn. They will get a hard plastic infantry kit, forming the foundation of their Warpath army. We're also creating new soldiers for the Enforcers and we'll be adding to our scenery range. Those that support the project through the main pledge level with get the new rulebook, the new miniatures, the scenery, a newly artworked mat, all of the game aids, and we're also creating a resin figure exclusive to the Kickstarter in order to say thanks to our backers.
We've tried to go for a pledge level value that is affordable and can have lots of stretch goals added to it.
The Escapist: Mantic's past Kickstarters have all considerably exceeded the campaign's initial goal. The initial goal is $100,000, but what level of funding are you actually hoping to hit?
Palmer: I just hope to hit the funding goal! Somewhere between $350,000-$500,000 would be nice because that will give us the base to cover everything we want to develop for this project. But we are planning what we call "mad [big bad swear word]" just in case we go past that value.
The Escapist: How does Mantic decide how far apart the stretch goals should be?
Palmer: There isn't a scientific process to it. In fact, it's very interesting to look at how other people do it. Look at Zombicide 2 as a great example of stretch goal pricing. The last goals on that campaign are over $100,000 for a single plastic model that sits on a tool with the previous seven miniatures they've funded, each at varying degrees of value. And that's very clever, because they're not overstretching themselves.

In a blog a few months ago we spoke about whether there was an appetite for a Deadzone 1.5 as an expansion Kickstarter – not a game in its own right, but supporting the core system by adding more units and factions to what’s already there. The idea was for it to build on the solid foundations that have been established but add a new faction (Veer-myn) to the mix. This would give us a chance to clean up the core rulebook (I think everything is in it, but it could be presented in a way that makes it easier to reference).
It will also give us a chance to add extras to the scenery range (such as pipework linking through all the cavities) to add another dimension (oh, and wait until you see the Octagon Fortress we built this week with the extra sprue, it’s an awesome armoured Battle Base) Sorry, got distracted there! We can also get a couple of new units to the existing factions. All the units would also be compatible with Warpath too.
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We are thinking of adding some more industrial components to the Battlezone range. What sci-fi scenery would you like to see?
Since we kicked off the discussions I have picked up on a number of themes:
a) There is massive desire to go back and add on to Deadzone, for some doubly so if it is also developing Warpath
b) Actually most people would like to see 2 new factions, not just 1. I think that’s a great idea and while a few of the suggestions are my favourites, please let me have your ideas below (but not Zz’or or Corporation Troops – we are saving those!)
c) Can we prepare a way for new backers to come in if there is not a base game
d) There is a big appetite for the KS, but please can it go after Christmas because people want to give this their full support and it will not be a mini kickstarter no matter how many times we say it!
I also think it is not right to look again for funding until everything for the first kickstarter has been delivered and backers have had a chance to have a look. If we had managed to get the hard plastic sprues in the second shipment then any time from now onwards would be fine.. However, with those still waiting to ship it feels before Christmas would be wrong.
This is the new hard plastic Deadzone Enforcer Sprue. Kickstarters backers will be getting this in December. Click the pictures for a closer look:
Enforcer-Sprue-Part-1 Enforcer-Sprue-2
As always Mantic listens. And so taking on board all the feedback here is the plan. We will look at doing 2 new factions, we will create a new backer pledge from DZ 1 to let people get into the game, and we’ll go live at the latter end of the KS window we had and do it after Christmas. This way we can go as far as you want to go!
We will use the time to prepare lots of ideas and concepts so if it goes past the funding goals we need, then we will have great ideas to tool and add to the warpath universe. It will also give backers time to prepare. I still think it will be gentler on the wallets than DZ1 because there is no base game and everyone already has the scenery in bulk. We will also come up with a way for new fans to jump on board too. Before then we will get a free rules/ quick start guide and reference sheet written and available to build up the number of people playing so we can talk to as wide an audience as possible.
If you have ideas for faction 2 add them in the comments below or on our Facebook, and prepare for Containment Protocol – Infestation in early 2015.
However…
If we push DZ back into the early 2015 slot we push Kings of War out of it! If we push Kings of War back further into 2015 then we will not see the new book released until 2016, which from talking to the community it is too late.
So we’ll let you know on Monday what crazy plan we’ve concocted!!

QuoteApologies if we have, but...

Have we seen these Pathfinder renders yet?
From (Taco) Bell of Lost Souls:
http://www.belloflostsouls.net/2015/02/exclusive-pathfinders-minis-pics.html

QuoteLook what’s coming to a Deadzone near you… If you’ve been looking for some great female sci-fi minis, your prayers have been answered!

Here’s an eclusive just for BoLS readers!
Manticgames is launching their Deadzone: Infestation Kickstarter in March and sent over a taste of just some of the minis that will be in there. These Pathfinders are coming in hard plastic on sprue and will have many additional bits including heads and more.
I think you can see the quality of Mantic sculpts keeps going up and up. In particular the female figure is very well done, with the subtle changes to the bodyshape to reflect gender. Regardless of whether you are a Deadzone fan, or just want to spruce up your minis collection, these Pathfinders should fill the bill.
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QuoteThere've been two Veer-myn renders floating around on the internet since the last Mantic open day, as well as a concept drawing of a large rat monster called a "beast." Here's one of the renders:

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I'm guessing Mantic insiders have seen quite a bit more than this image and the other two I mentioned?
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Beasts of War just put up some new Veer-myn renders, including what looks like a heavy weapons guy:
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They also posted the other render I mentioned that's been circulating since the last open day:
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So far I still prefer Remy's restic Veer-myn, (I prefer the original less-streamlined, ragged, covered-arms look), but these aren't bad at all. I'll be on board for at least a base pledge including Veer-myn and Pathfinder starters whenever the KS launches. Beasts of War is also saying it will happen sometime this month, incidentally.