Beyond the Gates of Antares: The Ongoing News & Rumors Thread

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**Barzam**

Sprue looks good. I like that they managed to get a complete squad with drones and a weapon option all on a single sprue. Here's hoping that the Isorians get the same treatment.

**BobtheInquisitor**

I really like those drones. The troops are pretty neat, too, excepting their weird clavicle armor. They look like a bunch of stormtroopers just out of a sauna. At least the helmets and weapons are great.

**Gallahad**

I don't think those plastics look very promising. Seems to be a lot of soft edges, but hopefully they are just poor photographs. The drones are a cool design.

**Pacific**

I'm wondering how much of that is the design of the armour?

Just because I own a metric ton of Warlord's historical plastics and they're excellent, hopefully these will have been produced in the same factory !

**scarletsquig**

Was liking the Ghar until I saw the infantry.

Not sure if it's the painting though, they're rather crudely over-highlighted, much like the Warlord historicals.

Not sure if I'll go for this, it seems really similar to Maesltrom's Edge, right down to the colour schemes in the box being carbon copied from the Epirians and Karists.

The rules being Bolt Action in space at least means it'll play well.

**Vermis**

BobtheInquisitor wrote:I guess I just came into gaming too late to appreciate models with this much 'character', but those are some embarrassing minis to my eyes. I can't believe a few pages ago people were praising GoA over GW for it's realistic proportions and lack of hokeyness.

MeanGreenStompa wrote:
I'm incredibly turned off by this, from the sculpts to the blob bases put into plastic round bases, it's like someone dredged 1987 for it's worst scifi concepts and sculpts.

Yyyup.

Beginning to wonder if companies set up and run by ex-GW staff of yeeeaaars past can entirely pull themselves into the twenty-tens.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Prestor Jon wrote:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

**judgedoug**

Well my core group of gamer friends all went insane last night and we combined our resources and pre-ordered four copies of the game.

All the "launch day" incentives and freebies helped tip it (the exclusive Fartok miniature only available for preordering on launch day was a big one!), and Manchu's nice overview of the Beta (http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/664369.page) was the tipping point.

Well all like the minis a lot and the rules look great.

**Manchu**

As a member of said core, I object to the characterization of insanity. Pre-ording this awesome starter box is eminently rational!

**Bakedbeans**

Anyone in Spokane, buying into this game?

**Pacific**

scarletsquig wrote:
Was liking the Ghar until I saw the infantry.

Not sure if it's the painting though, they're rather crudely over-highlighted, much like the Warlord historicals.

Not sure if I'll go for this, it seems really similar to Maesltrom's Edge, right down to the colour schemes in the box being carbon copied from the Epirians and Karists.

The rules being Bolt Action in space at least means it'll play well.

That last point is what tips it for me.

I want a platoon level sci-fi game that doesn't have ridiculous amounts of miniatures/tanks on the board, isn't too overblown with its design concepts and involves an element of tactical play. As far as I'm concerned there isn't another game on the market that fulfils all three of these criteria so I'm definitely going to be getting into GoA when it's released.

**BobtheInquisitor**

Are they also releasing squad boxes for the plastics? If so, any idea what the price will be?

**Pacific**

I haven't seen any announcement as yet, but all of their other starter set components (Romans, Celts, WW2 etc.) have been available separately so I would be surprised if these weren't released also at some point.

**Talking Banana**

So the Fartok Ghar miniature is no longer available?

Ha. That's me waiting to see it appear on discount, then.

**Sikil**

Preordered one starter from Waylands and one from Warlord themselves...

Can't wait to get my hands on them!

**TwilightSparkles**

Vermonter wrote:
So the Fartok Ghar miniature is no longer available?

Ha. That's me waiting to see it appear on discount, then.

No still available..... It doesn't appear on the site because currently the only direct link to the product comes from the early access email.

**Mort**

While the minis are pretty atrocious all-around, the rules definitely have me intrigued.

I keep seeing 'starter box' mentioned - does anyone know if there will be a rulebook sold separate at some point?

**Sikil**

Mort wrote:
While the minis are pretty atrocious all-around, the rules definitely have me intrigued.

I keep seeing 'starter box' mentioned - does anyone know if there will be a rulebook sold separate at some point?

Its supposed to be released at the same time as the starterbox or the week after IIRC.

**volume**

Just to clarify, chaps... from the Warlord email;

As a special thank you for pre-ordering from Warlord Games you will also receive the following absolutely free...

- A print of the box cover artwork personally signed by the games creator Rick Priestley
- Free PDF downloads of the Ghar and Concord Army lists from the book
- The exclusive pre-order miniature Fartok, Leader of Battle Group Nine - this figure will not be available again after launch day!

...so - as long as you pre-order direct from the Warlord website, you'll receive all of the above - up until launch day... so, the Fartok miniature is still available if you pre-order up until launch (Early November, apparently)

Rich

**Pugnacious_Cee**

Whelp, I ordered me a set. The minis are just too cool and the game itself too compelling for me to ignore it.

Excited!

**Pacific**

Damnit I usually never go for a manufacturer direct pre-order, wish I had waited for the Warlord offer now rather than going through a retailer!

**judgedoug**

Pacific wrote:
Damnit I usually never go for a manufacturer direct pre-order, wish I had waited for the Warlord offer now rather than going through a retailer!

Retailer has exclusive miniature too!

See attached image from the retailer launch pack 1. Comes with 6 exclusive minis, one for each of the six box sets. (assuming your retailer has a Warlord account and deals with them directly)

**Pacific**

That's brilliant, thanks Judgedoug

I ordered from Dark Sphere here in the UK who are pretty big (so I would have thought they have a Warlord account), I'll contact them to check

**Charles Rampant**

This just popped into my inbox. I am not investing in this right now - Infinity remains my love, plus I don't want to get into a game without seeing all the factions first - but it was still interesting, and I thought that I would share.

LAUNCH!!!!
Posted by Dark Space Corp
Thank you for your support back in 2014 for the Beyond the Gates of Antares kickstarter. It has been an eventful 18 months-or-so since the Kickstarter campaign....
Behind closed doors at Warlord Games HQ the game has been worked-upon and the universe has been brought to life...
- Our team of sculptors have been breathing life into the six core factions - with new models appearing week-by-week... both digitally and hand-sculpted creations beyond your imagination.
We have an entire year's worth of releases already mastered and readied for release with plans for 6 core plastic kits supported by waves of support in the form of metal miniatures and resins for larger creations such as vehicles and monstrous creatures.
- Some 20,000+ members of the community have been playtesting the rules, submitting their feedback, and shaping the game mechanics...
- Rick Priestley (co-creator of the likes of Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Fantasy, the Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game, and many more.) has penned a vast, dynamic universe... a vibrant living backdrop to give context and narrative to your battles.
The hard work is almost done, and the waiting almost over...
in early November, the starter set 'Strike Vector One - The Xilos Horizon' is due to be released - followed by releases for all six core factions...
For more information on the Launch Edition of Beyond the Gates of Antares please follow this link: http://us11.campaign-archive2.com/?u=dcf2fce108a2b2d6ebd1d03ae&id=d0c94e354f&e=7594e19269
or find out more at www.gatesofantares.com

**Kilkrazy**

The beta figures were on display at Eclectic Games in Reading, which surprised me as it is more of a boardgame shop than wargames or table top, but fair does to the Gates people for getting the exposure.

**Barzam**

It sounds like each of the main factions will be getting basic infantry units in plastic. I wonder when we're actually going to see the Isorians available for retail. From the sounds of that press release, it's very possible that their initial release may very well be HIPS infantry.

**Momotaro**

judgedoug wrote:
BobtheInquisitor wrote:
JudgeDoug, I hope they bring you years of happiness. I don't understand the appeal, but I will try to stop judging.

Gosh, I hope they bring me happiness, too. I don't understand the appeal either, but I love them, so very much, and I don't know why. They're so ugly that they crossed back around to cute, I dunno. Their faces are alskdjalkfjsd aslkljasdfjkdjklsdsdjfkl

Not only do I love the ugly little guys, I also want to see a sitcom where every week an average family defeats the nefarious schemes for galactic domination of the 3'2" Ghar who lives with them...

More seriously, I'm probably in for the rulebook - got enough in my paint queue to last until mid-2016, but I'm always on the lookout for a SF game that plays fast and smooth, and the size of BA games also appeals.

**Warhams-77**

A few more photos - from tonight's newsletter:

FREE GIFTS: When you preorder directly from Warlord Games you will receive a personally signed art print of the box artwork from the game's designer Rick Priestley, a PDF download of the Concord & Ghar army lists and the limited edition model of Fartok, Veteran Leader of Battle Group Nine, Unarmoured.

Arriving at Warlord Games yesterday we thought you would like to see the fantastic templates you will be receiving in the Launch Edition starter set.

We especially like the crescent moon shapes which are used for to indicate cover given by Batter Drones. The different shaped counters indicate the different types of probes you can take.

**TwilightSparkles**

Barzam wrote:
It sounds like each of the main factions will be getting basic infantry units in plastic. I wonder when we're actually going to see the Isorians available for retail. From the sounds of that press release, it's very possible that their initial release may very well be HIPS infantry.

Warlord have said this is the case, they have said they have a years worth of releases ready which will launch on a timescale depending on sales. Vehicles have been said to be largely resin and metal - so similar path as Bolt Action took. The plastic sets for Bolt Action really helped grow it as it made it much more affordable to start the game, the Ghar seem to be a faction to appeal to thisevening wanting to largely paint small numbers and mech style constructs.

**Barzam**

The Isorians are the faction I want to see the most though. They've been teasing them for a good long while now, but still no releases. I would've rather seen them before the Freeborn. Here's hoping that they'll be the next release.

**Pacific**

Quite a good summary and write-up of the game in the current issue of Wargames Illustrated, well worth a read.

http://wargamesillustrated.co.uk/shop/wi336-october-2015/

So it seems a lot like Bolt Action in some regards (the order dice and basic actions) but there are a lot of extra bits, such as drones you can attach to units and obviously varying levels of toughness for units.

Really stoked for this now. It's starting to look an awful lot like a game I once knew as 40k, but then was lost.