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kickstarter now live!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/443527920/strange-aeons-2nd-edition



For those who have not heard of the game here is a little bit about Strange Aeons -

The history you know is only a fraction of the truth. A truth so black and frightening it was decided that for reasons of national security it should be forever hidden from the public…until now.

September 1920: President Woodrow Wilson, in failing health following a failed assassination attempt by members of the nefarious Cult of the Black Goat, forms an elite governmental taskforce to address the threat. Its codename is Threshold. Among the first recruits are law enforcement officers, military personnel, scientists, archaeologists, doctors, librarians and regular civilians. All applicants have been thoroughly screened: mentally, physically and spiritually. Agents are given Double Black security clearance and rigorous training in self-defense, firearms, arrest theory and the occult.

Within months, newly trained Threshold Agents are placed into society and given assignments, protecting an unknowing humanity from forces so dark, ancient and alien that to comprehend them would surely mean madness…and to fail, absolute destruction…

What happens next is uncertain…but whatever the outcome, the future lies in your hands.

Strange Aeons is a tabletop miniature skirmish game, wherein one player takes control of a band of heroic Threshold operatives and the other player acts as the evil Lurkers. Games of Strange Aeons are based in a roughly historical setting sometime after 1920 and can take place anywhere in the world.

Designed for use with 28-32mm scale miniatures (though smaller scales work as well), each game of Strange Aeons plays in 30-60 minutes and typically requires only 4-10 models per player. And with a standard board area of only 2’ x 3’ (approx. 60 x 90cm), all else you need to play is the rulebook, some dice, a tape measure, a kitchen table and a box of scenery. An option-filled advancement system matched against Lurker lists built-to-order each game from a selection of over 50 unique monster profiles couples with a broad range of scenario options to provide nearly infinite replay value.

Journey into fear…and beyond madness!

Current Box Sets (More to come as stretch goals are hit!) -









Current Stretch Goals -



and new backer number Stretch Goals -




Pledge Levels -




Regarding material being used -

As always, all of Uncle Mike’s solid resin models are produced in-house, allowing us to keep a close and personal eye on the quality of every figure. We’ve also begun adding colour tint to our resin. This has the benefit of making the detail on unpainted models much easier to see, and also makes the figures more attractive for use unpainted in the event players aren’t interested in picking up a brush.

Close up of unpainted minis -









and size comparison shot -

Very cool game.

Though I have 1st Edition, I can't wait for this KS. It is a company worth supporting and a product which is fantastic.

I'll definitely keep an eye on it!

The next Booster Box preview is up with another large box preview to come later tonight -



This one contains a mating pair of Missing Links, three Giant Vermin and six Swarms.

Anyone up for explaining the game? It almost sounds like a hybrid table-top game/board-game, what with players needing to play the respective sides?

and now the Innsmouth Box (figures are shown in scale with each other) -



That's four Fishmen, a Fishman Demagogue, three Hybrids and the monstrous Deep One.

NewTruthNeomaxim wrote:
Anyone up for explaining the game? It almost sounds like a hybrid table-top game/board-game, what with players needing to play the respective sides?

SA is pretty active on the LeadAdventurers.de forums, and I asked this very same question!
http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=71214.0

You had my curiosity, now you have my attention.

Will there be a bit more variety for player characters?

 Mathieu Raymond wrote:
Will there be a bit more variety for player characters?

The recent black goat cult email had a little more information about the Kickstarter and I hope that the team won't mind if I say that one of the earliest stretch goals will add more variety for the Threshold players.

Reading that Lead Adventures thread, reading up on the game, and watching some of those video reviews... WOW.

October 1st can't come quickly enough. I'm so throwing a bunch of money at this.

If you have not seen the 1st edition line of minis (some are returning, others are being replaced with new sculpts) you can check some of them out here - http://www.strange-aeons.ca/photo/strange-aeons-miniatures/

Will give you a few ideas as to why may appear during the campaign.

Not bad. I like quite a few of those. Seems like a game I want to genuinely support, so assuming prices are reasonable, i'll try to go in for one or two of everything.

Seems like they'll be supporting models including in Cthulhu Wars, but i'd rather not buy that game just for the minis... during the campaign for it Cthulhu-flavored-Risk was just not calling to me. :-p

The Strange Aeons team have always encouraged players to use what ever models they prefer even if from a different company, as they knew a lot of Strange Aeons players also picked up Cthulhu Wars they have mentioned that they will be doing what they can to provide suitable stats for all the monsters not already covered in the existing rules. I thought that this was a nice thing to do especially as they risk losing model sales by doing so. Most of the Cthulhu wars sculpts already have suitable Strange Aeon minis and they are adding new sculpts all the time (If you do fall in love with any of the cthulhu wars sculpts I believe you can pick them up individually from the Fenris Games website).

As my current strange aoens models are packed away I intend to have a western themed game using models from Shadows of Brimstone to try out the beta Second Edition rules when they available.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
On a side note, the Kickstarter will be EU and U.S. friendly (the models are produced in Canada) -

An enormous proportion of the Strange Aeons player base resides in the EU, and we want you to be able to enjoy the game without having to worry about a massive VAT bill when your package arrives. We are therefore planning to ship all Kickstarter pledges through a fulfillment service with warehouses in multiple countries. This will allow backers in Canada, the US and EU to receive their packages free of taxes and duties.

Hey all. I'm the editor/webmaster/Kickstarter curator for Strange Aeons, and figured I ought to make an appearance here to answer any questions you might have (though I must say Aeneades has been doing a bang-up job so far - our Cultists really are great). Loving the enthusiasm in this thread!

I'm currently revising our Demo Pack to reflect the 2nd Edition rules. That should be ready for download within the first week of the campaign, so you'll be able to snag it and take the game for a spin.

How fast does it play is going to be my big question?

Are there rules for having mythos vs mythos?

Nobody in my family ever wants to be the puny humans, who wish to pay them tribute.

Hey Lidless...

Saw your posting on the Lead-Adventure forum, and between you and Mike being such good stewards of your game, and it looking so cool, you've got my support to be sure.

Incidentally, I saw Mike asking in a thread what people would want out of a second edition game.

Having not played the first, but being instantly enamoured because of the campaign stuff (tables for injuries, quests, relics for unlocking side-quests, gaining skills), I have to say, the more of THAT you include the better.

For once I will legitimately be as excited for stretch-goals that add to outcome tables, or different scenarios (than just kill x scenarios) as I will physical freebies.

Filling that campaign-game/Necromunda void will be what makes this sing, and what helps me more easily convince others. As such, this is an instance of quality AND quantity. Luckily, quantity of "print" content tends to be a ton easier for a small team to whip up than physical goods.

See you October 1st!!!

 highlord tamburlaine wrote:
Are there rules for having mythos vs mythos?

Playing Mythos vs Mythos is possible with the current rule set but only really for single games rather then campaigns. Strange Aeons has a sister game in development called 'Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten' which revolves around the war between rival Mythos cults (and has full campaign rules for such).

Have you had enough of playing the good guys? Are those tentacled monstrosities starting to look like part of the solution rather than part of the problem? If you've answered yes to these questions, a career in cult recruitment and management may be for you!

Operating on the same core rule system as Strange Aeons, but with a distinctly unsavory twist, Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten (Of Unspeakable Cults) allows you to build your own band of nefarious evildoers and take to the streets to do battle with other degenerates in the quest for your dark overlord's favour! Whether you choose to take to the field with a posse of croaking Fishmen, a horde of graveyard denizens or a well-heeled secret society of mystics, chaos is bound to ensue.

This 110-page PDF contains everything you need to play. Captives, sacrifices, dark secrets and insanity await! Start building your cult today.

The rules are still being worked on but you can get a copy of the current version from the webstore - http://www.strange-aeons.ca/umw-shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=87 or for free when you sign up to be a member of Cult of the Black Goat. I believe some of the Kickstarter pledge levels may come with Cult membership otherwise I am certain it will be available as an addon.

And surely, anyone interested in mythos vs mythos wants, no NEEDS! to be a member of the Cult of the Black Goat.

Ia!

Jake (card carrying member)

Wow, I step out for a few minutes, boom! Better get with the responding.

highlord tamburlaine wrote:How fast does it play is going to be my big question?

30-45 minutes for most games, though that may creep closer to an hour with experienced squads as we've upped the max points cap.

highlord tamburlaine wrote:Are there rules for having mythos vs mythos?

Already covered by some of the other gents, but no, not built into the campaign rules, though there's nothing stopping you from playing one-off games. Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten does take this road, being a sort of Mythos-Mordheim, as does a supplement I've been working on that will be more of an Old One vs. Old One mass combat game - expect that'll be a 2016 project at best though, as I'm pretty swamped with 2nd Ed.

NewTruthNeomaxim wrote:For once I will legitimately be as excited for stretch-goals that add to outcome tables, or different scenarios (than just kill x scenarios) as I will physical freebies.

Mike and I were actually just discussing this last night, and are indeed looking to insert more print content as stretch goals. We did have one item already, and realized we were being a bit silly not including more. So definitely expect new monsters and content to pop up periodically as stretch bonuses. We also release free scenarios, Lurker profiles and goodies through our website a few times a year; sometimes seasonally-themed (Krampus is a hoot), sometimes just for fun.

Aeneades wrote:I believe some of the Kickstarter pledge levels may come with Cult membership otherwise I am certain it will be available as an addon.

Yup, lifetime Cult memberships are available at the standard box price of $50 CAD, which is a $10 savings over the usual price. This does include the Kulten PDF (worth $25 alone), plus an archive of previous newsletters, Cult t-shirt and a number of Cult-exclusive models. There's also an additional bonus for existing Cult members, but that'll only be for those who sign up before the Kickstarter gets underway (so an extra $10, plus shipping, but it is a very cool bonus indeed).

Shadows of Brimstone pulled in 4.7K backers, which was more than the 4.3K backers of Cthulhu Wars, so I'd recommend stats for the SoB monsters and possibly even western heroes as well. I'm also a big fan of Doomtown (although it already has its Savage Worlds miniature skirmish game), so mebbe a Western Horror SA supplement or whatever might be worth asking your supporters if they're interested in?

I wouldn't try to stuff Weird West into this KS. There is plenty to do within the current period/setting. Trying to add in too much inevitably leads to delays in production/pledge fulfillment.

Having said that, the current system could be used in different settings, to include Weird West by adjusting weapons (don't use the machine guns for Weird West). Many of the evil critters will already be accounted for and the rest could be figured out without too much trouble.

Wow, I had no idea Shadows of Brimstone had pulled in that many backers. Good for them!

Alternate timelines is actually another side project I have lurking in a dark folder somewhere, though the system is so flexible it barely needs codifying: it's little more complicated than a slightly modified weapons list. Western/Colonial/Civil War is an easy one, as all you need to drop are the Tommy Gun, Flamethrower and Chainsaw, and maybe some of the advanced ammo. .30 Cal MG can be considered a Gatling Gun, possibly with a slightly reduced range. For a more Weird West flavour, turn Character/Agent/Civilian into Sheriff/Deputy/Civilian and you're away.

Of course now I'm tempted to write up a bunch of steampunk prototype weapons. Way to distract me!

I'm having a bit of a problem with ordering the minis from the online store. I can't see them listed anywhere? Have they been pulled in order for this campaign, or am I just missing a super clear link that is right in front of my face?

Google still points to them, but they were taken off the site. eBay was my friend.

Yes, we pulled the old miniature line from the shop in preparation for the Kickstarter (the shop will be shut down entirely in a few days). It's noted on the front page of the store, but the text is rather small and easy to miss. You'll find the repackaged Kickstarter versions are a better value, and the resculpted models are an improvement over their original counterparts.

Quick question: Is there any hope of including .pdfs of the OLD rules/books at higher pledge-levels, or unlocking 'em as freebies?

It might be nice to play around with the old version during the wait for the new books/content.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh, and I appreciate that we're on the same page in terms of stretch-goals adding volume of printed content.

Specifically, the BEST things you could do are keep adding items to randomization tables (injuries, quests [as I understand them]).

Those seem the best bang-for-your-buck, in terms of work-load, to game-longevity-increase. Plus, taboo a term as it may be, "forging a narrative" is what campaign stuff is all about. If I end up on a random quest that benefits all my characters with non-combat skills, then suddenly the whole package feels more complex, and rounded, as an experience.

 CptJake wrote:

Having said that, the current system could be used in different settings, to include Weird West by adjusting weapons (don't use the machine guns for Weird West).

I've used the 1st ed rules for WW2 games. Most of the weapon types are generic enough that there are equivalents for most things. It's a great, fun game with some brilliant support from LidlessEye and Uncle Mike over on the Lead-Adventure forums

Is there a specific start time for this one yet?

Well, I'm glad I held off getting into this game, so I can go full on into the Kickstarter.

I've been talking to the folks involved, and I just have to say that I am downright ravenous for this one. I know i'll be throwing in every bit of support I can, fiscally and otherwise.

Been reading the 1st. Edition rules all day alone with the Morbid Adventures, and if this is representative of the game without a perfecting-pass, then I have to say that this new edition is going to be stellar.