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Old book covers


New book covers



https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/9742092/song-of-blades-hammer-and-forge/description

Hammer and Forge is the newest supplement for Song of Blades and Heroes. If you don't know what Song of Blades and Heroes is, it's a super easy to use skirmish ruleset put out by Ganesha Games that lets you use any figure you own, only requires a few dice, requires little book keeping, and plays quickly.

You can learn more about their various games and supplements here: http://www.ganeshagames.net/index.php

This campaign is to publish Hammer and Forge, a supplement for dwarven specific rules and minis to go with it. Their will be new scenarios, new abilities, new magic types (dwarven runes), and hundreds of stat profiles for whatever gets funded. Be aware that this is for more normal, traditional dwarfs. The crazy steampunk weaponry and equipment will show up in a different campaign in the spring.

Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes is a repackaging of the rules from their previous campaign, Fighting Fungi, and adds a bit more complexity for magic, armor, blocking, and combat reactions (from what I remember off the top of my head).


EDIT- here is a sample PDF of how Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes is different from the basic version:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8-5xUv2ZVE-RS1MbXJNcWVldFk/view?usp=sharing

Minis are intentionally done with an old school vibe. Here's some scale shots of their sample barbarian dwarfs and hobgoblins.









This campaign is pretty ambitious.

It's making regular dwarfs




It's making barbarian dwarfs





It's making undead dwarfs




It's making hobgoblins




And if there's enough funding it's making crazy looking evil Go Nagai heavy armored demon dwarfs



...and that's just some of the stuff they've got planned! There's asian themed warrior dwarfs with weapon arms, all sorts of undead, mounted hobgoblins, halflings, more mushroom men, possibly kobolds and dragons, weird underground beasts... there's a lot going on here.

At the very least take a look at getting some of the rules. They're very well written and easy enough for just about any family member to grasp.

(Plus I just want those crazy looking possessed dwarfs.)

I'll actually back it because I want the updated SBH rules in print. It doesn't seem like an especially good deal if you aren't getting minis though. And why no pledge level for just the printed ASBH book? That's kinda weird.

You aren't reading carefully then.

There's a 35 dollar pledge level- CARVED IN RUNES.

Both printed books. Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes as well as the new Hammer and Forge.

For 18 you can get both PDFs.

For 30 you can get 2 sets of figures and the pdfs, plus the limited edition weremole.



On a side note, Andrea mentioned on Facebook that if funding is high enough, the Possessed Dwarfs will get very Go Nagai influenced cavalry. I'm hoping/ guessing it'll be something like the Sentoujuu robot guys from Great Mazinger, with the humanoid torso stuck in the middle of an animal body.

Did he actually say they're based on the Mazinger enemies?

I saw those pledge levels, but I meant that there isn't a pledge for just a printed copy od ASBH like there is for Hammer and Forge. The cost of the books doesn't seem to be reduced from the regular pricing on their site. So, there isn't a whole lot of incentive to go for the lower pledge levels.

Only a few minis interest me, so I'm going to go for the CARVED IN RUNES pledge and just add stuff later if/when they get unlocked.

$40 for both books printed, and shipped, plus .pdf versions, feels like a steal.

Song of Blade and Heroes has always been a personal favorite and I will gladly support Andrea and his work.

Well this thing has funded and already unlocked the first stretch goal.




And the next goal is heavy infantry guys.




I'm liking the barbarians a bit more than the regular looking guys so far.

Of course, I'm more interested in the crazy stuff, but it'll be a bit before we get there.

Those minis look awesome! Too bad I have switched over to 15mm :-)

Anyone know what Advanced SoBH adds?

Off the top of my head, defensive combat maneuvers play a much bigger role. Blocks and parries become a thing, with you being able to disarm your opponents or trip them up with certain abilities.

Weapons and armor became a little less generic. Long shafted weapons gain reach abilities, flails and chain weapons can entangle opponents and their weapons, while shields and types of armor now have a lot more value than just giving your quality or combat rating a bump.

Magic becomes a thing, rather than just a ranged attack variation. There were at least a dozen or two spells in Fighting Fungi, which is what will be forming the basis for the advanced rules.

Fighting Fungi also had a lot of different fighting styles available that granted certain bonuses depending on how they fought.

That's just off the top of my head though.


Once the next stretch goal gets hit, we can all look forward to this too:

As Lizardthings are to Highlords and Gnolls/Beastmen are to Barzams, Dwarves are to Alpharius!

Thanks for pointing this one out!

I think DEEPWARS and SHADOWSEA are modified SoBH rulesets and I love them, so I'll be in here too!

I did my part and put in my pledge this morning. I'll probably get some Hobgoblins later if they unlock. I'll be needing at least one of those hyena things.

So the dwarf thief is included in all pledges of 55 or more, and the next stretch goal has been unlocked.



So these guys are in the collector pledges, or available to anyone to pick and choose from at the lower levels.

The undead are next.



Also of note, this scale comparison showed up on Facebook. There's more there if you go search them down.



A Hyaenadon, the Hobgoblin Demon- Lord Koylak, A Hobgoblin Mistcaster, and the Dwarf Weremole.

The Weremole and Hobgoblin Demon- Lord are add ons only and must be purchased sepeartely. Not feeling the demon lord myself. I think it's the pony tail in his face tied off with a scrunchie that's bugging me.

The hyaenadons look good though



Wonder if I can use them for Skaven cavalry with a bit of a tail swap...

Needs big hats. Why no chaos dorf love?

I'm guessing they're trying to forge their own narrative rather than go down the tried and true path.

Maybe some of the Possessed that don't look like 70s Super Robot bad guys (which are the best ones) will get some big hats?

These are pretty nice, and I fancy the new rules. But $5 / plastic mini seems VERY expensive, especially after a couple of Bones kickstarters. Once we're in that kind of price range, they start to compete for price with somewhere like Hasslefree, and HF's dwarves are just so much more detailed and well-sculpted than these. I mean, I like the look of the new Song minis, but they're just not in the same league as HF... except in terms of price.

The home page says "The models will be cast in real pewter. All will come with 25mm round plastic bases. " Or did they make any changes?

The masters (?) sure look like they're made of plastic. Any idea why? Were they sculpted and ended up looking like plastics? 3D prints? Not as much detail as metals so they look like plastic?

it looks to me like those models are sculpted in something like fimo or similar clay.

Sorry, been busy with going back to work and unable to update this.

I haven't seen or heard anything to indicate plastic releases. Everything is pewter, just like the Fighting Fungi that just got officially released and available now on Ganehsa Games' webpage.

There was talk on Facebook about putting together mass battle units for games like Kings of War, but those would be announced later.

There's also a facebook campaign going on for a free figure, but I'm at work and can't link it at the moment.

Sorry, yeah, confused by the pics. TBH they still seem expensive -- I'm not bothered that much by the materials involved, it's just that these seem to be at premium prices for perfectly OK but not premium minis.

Big post incoming.

Undead have started to get unlocked!



Up next, Skeleton dwarves!



I think there is a definite need for undead of races besides humans.

There's now TWO contests they've got going- one for a free ale thrower/ flame thrower if they get enough facebook likes, and also a new one if they get another 300 backers for a dwarf bard, and the bard you can get for basically just pledgeing for the PDFs.






Images of some of the heavy infantry command ideas Andrea had from Facebook:





Just remember- faster we get more backers, faster we get more free stuff and get to the cool stuff like Hobgoblin cavalry and crazy looking evil dwarfs, and the possibility of Halflings, Fungi, Kobolds and Dragons as well.

Liking that HI commander design. Lots more cool stuff to go. Hoping for that Fungi Assassin.

Damon and Andrea just released a PDF explaining the differences between regular and advanced Song of Blades and heroes. You can check it out at the link.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8-5xUv2ZVE-RS1MbXJNcWVldFk/view?usp=sharing

That sums it up very in depth. Take a look. Also added it to the OP.

That dwarf command was also added in over the weekend as a bonus for those at the collector's pledge, or as an additional option.



Total is rolling along nicely and we should have those skeletons within the next day or two, hopefully.

EU shipping has been confirmed to be arranged with Alternative Armies, which will help alleviate the costs with shipping.

Any excess shipping charges will be refunded at the end of the campaign if it's over your necessary threshold.

Also if you have any issues with checking out the differences PDF, email Andrea and he'll take care of you.

Skeletons are in! That brings the Collector pledge up to almost 40 figures at this point, with more certainly on the way.



Next unlock is for a Dwarf Wight and a Cavalry unit.



That's the last undead set for a bit- after that it's time for Hobgoblins!

There's also supposed to be a surprise for backers on Labor Day weekend here in the US.

More backers also means more freebies for everyone! Every backer pledged for 9 or more gets the surly dwarf bard stuck playing a harp!

What does EU friendly mean?

Cheaper shipping for people in the EU, since they'll have a spot in the EU to ship from.

Everyone else, besides the US and EU, gets their stuff shipped from Malaysia where they get their casting done.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
... *sigh* More free stuff.



also...


Both figures are considered unlocked, and can be added as addons also.


There's also MORE freebies coming over the holiday weekend. Damon mentioned that's probably it on the freebies for the time being. More freebies means campaign needs more funding.

A collector pledge now has more than 40 individual sculpts, and if they do it like last time, you can customize your order and get multiples of sets of figures/ possibly individual ones.

Well specifically, no 20-25% import tax, which is why us in the EU almost never buy stuff from outside the EU.

Free stuff? FREE STUFF.


... at least if you're at the Collector pledge.



These guys are available as add ons to everyone else.

They're also offering an army pledge for $250.

PDF and Printed copies of ADVANCED SONG of BLADES and HEROES and HAMMER and FORGE

1 x Dwarf King

1x Runecaster

1x Dragon Slayer

2 x 10 model STANDARD INFANTRY unit with command (Standard, musician, leader). Mix of 4 trooper types with options shields.

2 x 10 Model CROSSBOW unit mix of 2 trooper types.

1 x 10 model HEAVY INFANTRY INFANTRY unit with command (Standard, musician, leader). Mix of 2 trooper types.

1x 5 model DWARF MOLE CAVALRY

2 x Dwarf DRAGON FIRE ALE PROJECTORS

MP3 download of HAMMER and FORGE theme song

Free Worldwide shipping included in pledge.

60 models including some cavalry, books, and shipping for that price.

I'd personally rather have a bunch of variety, especially for a game like Song of Blades & Heroes, but I guess if you want to build an all metal army this would be one way of doing it.

At least the option is there for those who are interested.

Another freebie for Collectors, 5 bucks if you're interested. This figure is a backer created one. Concept and background fluff are in the latest update.




If they ever did a reptile campaign, I would have to think long and hard about immortalizing myself as one.

Backer created guy is a lot of fun. Pledge total is bouncing around a bit. Not sure what's happening there. Maybe somebody having a bit of sport?

MORE BONUSES.

Pledge before Monday the 14th to get these... FOR FREE. Well, free as in they're included with the stuff you're already getting.


Zombie Skull Slinger and "Butch" the Barbarian will be included FOR FREE at pledges of 30 and up.


Backers at 55 and up get those, and also the Assassin is getting unlocked in advance FOR FREE.


Backers at the 100 dollar Lord of Battle pledge get those 3 bonus figures, and also get 2 more troop choices for a total of 12 picks instead of 10.

Collector pledges get the 3 new promo figures, and ALL HOBGOBLINS WILL BE UNLOCKED FOR YOU whether funds get that high or not. That's the 5 hobgoblin sets automatically included for collectors- the heroes, infantry, and 3 cavalry units as well.

Roughly 60 something metal figures now for the 170 Collector pledge as well as printed editions of the books.

More pledges means more stuff for everyone!