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Hi all

The Heavy Gear Blitz: War for Terra Nova Starter Set Kickstarter is now finished and funded, thank you everyone.

Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/heavygearblitz/heavy-gear-blitz-war-for-terra-nova-starter-set

Final Funding: $150,406



From DP9 site and Kickstarter page:

The War for Terra Nova - Starter Set - Kickstarter is to fund molds for plastic miniatures. These high quality multi-part plastic miniatures for our tabletop
wargame will form the new two player Basic Starter Set of 16 miniatures - with 4 different models at the start.

We don't want to stop there, a Core Starter Set is also available, with stretch goals that will unlock new models and add move plastic miniatures to the Core Starter Set.
Our desired goal is a Core Starter Set of 46 miniatures and color quick start rulebook, which will be accomplished by reaching the 13th stretch goal of $105K CAD. This
would allow for a variety of eighteen different models from 4 factions in a Core Starter Set for two players, with a multiplayer option of up to four players.

Reaching all our stretch goals will allow us to give our Backers even more, with 52 miniatures, twenty-four different models, for the cost of the Core Starter Set.

Heres the current contents of the starter set, keep in mind as this KS hits more stretch goals more hard plastic gears/units and factions will be added to the core set:

Final $115 backer rewards/core set


Final Stretch goals:


Enjoy people.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/620322.page, in the Misc. Miniature Games sub-forum, should probably be merged with this thread.

In case it is not:
If you want to know why pledging is not a good idea, look at this thread.
I'll also point out that DP9 the company might have 20 years, but the current team does not. Pretty much everyone left around 2003, and the current team has less than 5 years with the company.
The new rules writer has no previous experience in game design (or design, as far as I know), so beware if you want to actually play the game, especially if you care about game balance.

Ah Heavy Gear. What a great universe for an RPG..

..too bad it didn't stay that way. :(

Thanks for posting Mrondeau, any info to help potential backers make an informed purchase is always welcome, like any kickstarter everyone should do their best to know
fully who and what they're getting into we don't need more KS related burns.

In terms of merging the threads I'll leave that to a Mods decision.

So, for those of us who don't want to read through 50+ pages of people arguing about being true fans, can you give us the reader's digest version of why we shouldn't back this?

 Barzam wrote:
So, for those of us who don't want to read through 50+ pages of people arguing about being true fans, can you give us the reader's digest version of why we shouldn't back this?

The team constantly changes. The new hires have little to zero experience. All the problems are caused by either an ex-employee, some outside factor or by the evil complainers, like me, who saw the problems coming and raised the alarm.
There's no vision for the game, and the company never learn from mistakes.They keep doing the same thing, no matter how often it failed before.
Example: the playtest procedure. It never worked. It always failed the same way. Instead of changing it, they just blame the playtesters.

There are other problems, such as arbitrary change to the setting and an apparent wish to go from ranged-focused to melee-focused.
More subjectively, my experience with DP9 consists of broken promises, over-promising and under-delivering.

Honestly, I don't like having this kind of discussion in a news thread, since it makes finding news harder for those interested.
We can continue in the "complain about DP9" thread if you have questions.

As someone who jumped in to Heavy Gear for about $350 a year ago, I won't be backing this.
Muddled rules, partial "not really new editions", invalidating models and builds with little understanding of lore or balance...just a big mess that the game isn't remotely good enough to overcome.

Okay, thanks. So, as long as I don't care about the rules, then it really isn't that big of a deal. I think I'd be more concerned about the fact that they don't actually have their planned material locked in yet. If they can actually pull off proper hard plastic like they say they want to do, I'd be down for getting some of the figures just to have some.

At the end of the day Barzam you could just wait for retail if your just looking for plastic mechs to build, it might just be the safer option.

Forgo the guessing issues of the material all together.

That's probably what I will do since I'm tapped out rigbt now for Kickstarters anyway. Plus, I gotta keep feeding those Gunpla ans Infinity addictions.

I've always liked the look of Heavy Gear's models, always wanted to give it a go but the price to get going in the UK is pretty steep (Warhammer has that aspect covered already!) That said the aesthetic really scratches an itch for me but the complaints about DP9 and the game in general does raise some concerns having just read through some threads here on Dakka about it.

Well. I'm in for now, see how it goes!

I want to love this, but after the games past issues I've quite wary of jumping into this. The scale change broke up the small group here and nobody ever got back onboard and they seem to change rules like somebody changes socks. Another concern is even the base funding level isn't going to afford them the ability to do plastics through the KS funds alone, not a problem if they are using it in combination with other funding sources but if it's being drawn exclusively from KS their base goal is far short of what they'll actually need. Going to have to give it some serious thought before I can throw in on it.

If there's one thing I love it's stompy robots and their designs are excellent. However I've had more than a few disappointments with the company track record and that's what has me gun shy.

 Barzam wrote:
So, for those of us who don't want to read through 50+ pages of people arguing about being true fans, can you give us the reader's digest version of why we shouldn't back this?

In a nutshell, just look at the poll results in the misc games link above for popular reasons why people stopped or never started playing HG. In any case, this is supposed to be (yet another) clean start for the company so I wish them luck. I'll be following the thread here for news.

 Barzam wrote:
So, for those of us who don't want to read through 50+ pages of people arguing about being true fans, can you give us the reader's digest version of why we shouldn't back this?

I think this post summed up the salient points pretty well as to making that kind of decision:

 Firebreak wrote:
On the more general nature of this thread and the divisiveness issue, it's a great attitude to give the Pod another chance, but they have a lot to do before they can ever get back to "Well if the Pod's doing it, it's probably going to be good."
A LOT. We as consumers have next to no reason to trust them or support them.
If, for example, Rob and Dave were politicians running for reelection, why should we respond to their blunders with "Yes, they're arrogant and ignorant and refuse to address their mistakes and behavior, but, well, so what?"
There is no onus on us to give them any slack. There's a long, long uphill battle before the Pod can be trusted to do the right thing. And in fact, that time may never come, unless someone new takes over the license.

_
_

Hi Rolt,

Thank you very much for being a great supporter of Heavy Gear and our first Kickstarter, its very appreciated.

Robert Dubois
President Dream Pod 9

I loved the game when it first came out, the larger pewter miniatures, had a blast! Played at the War Room in Clarksville Tennessee with Darrick the owner, he ran some great games. I remember a scale change, I had all the books I needed, bunch of miniatures. but our group broke up and I don't even know if I have any of it left over. I would love to play again! Great setting, love the mechs/Heavy Gears! I'm going to check out the rules and review the KS. I may actually join this....after I read the 50+ pages of hate, that may save me from my this being my first KS to join.

I think dismissing that discussion as 50+ pages of hate is a bit ridiculous. Everyone involved is obviously invested and cares about the game and the setting.
Obviously you're never going to make everyone happy, but when thats the only discussion on a gaming forum as active as Dakka, I think it's a valid assessment of the state of the game and it's curators.

Meh. Years ago I decided that DP9 wouldn't get another dollar from me over the treatment of Jovian Chronicles. Fortunately they offered all the PDFs for HG Blitz for free, I had intended on using it to play with all my 1/400 Gundam Collection figures with and they kept me from having to give them any money for the rules.

Honestly, I'd be pleased if HG got proper plastics done through this KS, but I can't find any mention of whether it's hard plastic sprues or restic.

 Dream Pod 9 wrote:
Hi Rolt,

Thank you very much for being a great supporter of Heavy Gear and our first Kickstarter, its very appreciated.

Robert Dubois
President Dream Pod 9

If you're going to get involved in the conversation on a site like this, it seems kinda silly to just ignore the obvious questions being asked here.

I mean, nobody's asking you to battle the trolls, but some kind of response to show you're not just doing a flyby might be better than nothing.


And for the record, I'm not one of the people from the other thread. I've not been involved with the Heavy Gear universe in over a decade, so I'm fairly impartial. I just clicked into here out of curiosity since I'm familiar with the setting.

Aaaaand funded

Bang on $27k as of 1947 Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time on 24 October 2014.

I'm so excited.

Dream Pod 9 certainly has a bad reputation. Although the scale change kicked their customers in the nads, there was a reason behind it. Their other decisions regarding equipment options and army building border on GW craziness. I suppose the good news is that a bad rep in the gaming community is something of a badge of honor. Lots of companies have it, GW, PP, etc.. Even Corvus Belli is working on theirs with the Cascuda event.

Despite all of this, I love their models and the setting. Further, no one is preventing me from house ruling stuff. So I will continue to enjoy Heavy Gear regardless.

I would love to get into heavy gear, but the lack of a playing group is kind of a no go for me. Still, I hope this works out for DP9. I would love to see heavy gear played more frequently. A good ruleset and plastic minis for the two most popular factions would make that much closer to real life.

I'm interested, I'll admit, as I love the scale and the theme but...

Many of the concerns here concern me as well.

I will sit and wait and watch, for now...

33k, folks. Funded, and now Stretch Goal 1 has been unlocked. The Grizzly Fire Support Gear, the Northern equivalent of the Southern Spitting Cobra, is now on the table.

Gear up!

 spaceelf wrote:
Dream Pod 9 certainly has a bad reputation. Although the scale change kicked their customers in the nads, there was a reason behind it. Their other decisions regarding equipment options and army building border on GW craziness. I suppose the good news is that a bad rep in the gaming community is something of a badge of honor. Lots of companies have it, GW, PP, etc.. Even Corvus Belli is working on theirs with the Cascuda event.

Despite all of this, I love their models and the setting. Further, no one is preventing me from house ruling stuff. So I will continue to enjoy Heavy Gear regardless.

What was the reason behind the scale change?

What is the new scale?

And how do we know that they won't be changing scale again?

The company RAFM worked up 1/87-scale Gears from 95 to 97. In 1997 the RAFM 1/87 scale was dropped for Tactical 1/144 scale.

The current Blitz scale is still 1/144, but the Blitz line was carved by Phillipe LeClerc to more fit the artwork of the game. Making 10% reduction for scouts like the Iguana and Cheetah, and 10% increases in the Grizzly and Spitting Cobra, along with the new Gearstriders.

Edit: They are maintaining the 1/144 scale because Blitz is their flagship line and so many people own older Tactical minis and also proofed them to become like Blitz models.

For those who would like visuals, I am updating this fan post of mine with more comparison shots in the future, but it should show you everything well enough for now:

http://www.swirlpost.com/2014/10/how-big-are-heavy-gear-blitz-miniatures.html?m=1

Very interested but hesitant. I also already own a North and South force, too so probably wouldn't need the new figures...

That's fair Daba. There is also this:

Gear Pilot Level – THANK YOU! This reward level will allow you to show your support, see all the updates, and pick any Add-on Rewards you select. It will ship out in our 4th wave of shipping. USA and Canadian Backers pay $15 shipping costs. International Backers pay actual shipping costs.

You could wait until Wave 4 and still pick out add-on Rewards that get unlocked as Stretch goals are hit.

That is a hell of a proposed value. The first warning alarm for me was that at their ideal "13th stretch-goal" they'll be including almost 50 models, plus a lot of extra material for about $100usd... To be able to pull that off you need to have your production fully figured out to a "t" and yet this KS doesn't even confirm what material the models will be in yet.

I want to pledge, I really do... but this thread has me gun-shy.

A thought exercise: I'm a new wargamer. I'm tired of Warhammer, and I want to try something new. I like mechs, but MechWarrior doesn't really appeal to me, so I go looking for something new. Ooo, what's this? Heavy Gear? Sounds good. And a Kickstarter, eh? Well that'd be a good time to get in on a budding, growing game and maybe - hm? 20th anniversary edition? Old game, I guess it's be re-released for the first time in a long time. ....oh. No. It's not. I wonder what's happened in the last 20 years? I wonder why the company isn't thriving, I wonder why I've never even heard of this game until I came across this Kickstarter?

What is Mr. New Player going to find when he looks into that 20 year history?