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I'm still slowly working my way through my Deadzone kickstarter wave 2.

I've got to say, I'm remarkably impressed with the Asterians. Ok, sure, the moldlines are a bit footery compared to the forge fathers. But I really do like the idea of having proper modern sci-fi 'robots.'

The bike is pretty darn neat too.

Suddenly I think buying 20 isn't enough...

I've not had the chance to watch the weekenders yet, but it does sound fairly similar so far to the breach and clear rules BOW were discussing that were in the Aftermath game

Hawk Wargames, the Dropzone Commander guys are currently working on a Spaceship game set in the DZC units.

A spaceship game with a ruleset written by none other than Andy Chambers, who did BFG.

I played a game called Full Thrust last night, which was a bit... overcomplicated, even with the 'easy' rules.

There should be Dirty Tricks cards and normal cards, shouldn't there?

The new Space Marine tactical squads are even less variable than the old ones. - In fact, they're very similar now to the current restic enforcers.

I haven't seen anyone do a proper unboxing of Dreadball Xtreme yet, so I figured that now that mine has arrived (after some drama with Royal Mail), I'll correct that.

First off, to add in a bit of context, I'll show off... The Shame.



These are the Deadzone Wave 2 models that I haven't got round to assembling yet. Fortunately, it's only a handful of actual models, with the rest being terrain.

However, Dreadball Xtreme! The box that arrived is surprisingly not that huge.



Opening it, it's very well packed.



After several minutes clearing out peanuts, I have:



So, there's some loose bits outside the box. - Including, 2 decal sheets, a set of tokens and a leaflet.



We've also got the box art photograph signed by a certain Ronnie.



And the rulebook itself. I was a little surprised to see it only included the rules for the first 2 sponsors, though. I'm going to wonder if there's enough variation with the free agents to keep people occupied for that.



Also loose in the box, were 2 accessory sets.



Also, the Free Agents set. This was unexpected, as I thought they would have come with the retail game. - Maybe it's just the individual Warden and Blaine models in the retail.



We then have, the box itself.



It's tightly packed, with the glorious mousemat mat and another leaflet. - Except, this time, the leaflet has the lovely lovely Mantic Points on the back of it!



The mat itself, is just awesome looking and is slightly smaller than the Deadzone one, at 22 inches. However, it's just glorious.



Part 2 after dinner!

I've only really played the beta test version of the game so far but...

Point (1) does sound about right and similar to Deadzone although I guess good practice can make things go a bit quicker. - For example, putting the lids back on once you're done with the game so they're there ready for next time.

Point (2), you've got it nailed down pretty much exactly. It's usually the main point I make when talking to a Blood Bowl fan. Blood Bowl is a strategic game, you do the exact same predefined strategy (Dwarf cage etc), turn after turn and it's all about whether your chosen Strategy defeats your opponents strategy.

Dreadball, and dreadball Xtreme is all about the tactics as opposed to the strategy. You might have a vague plan depending on the opponents (kill the human strikers, for example), but it's all about adapting to the current situation and trying to maximise your odds of, whatever the game and opponent decides to throw at you, to put you in the best situation.

There's a second set of tokens in the box itself. I'm guessing the ones outside the box are incase any of the tokens there went missing. - As you can see, they fell out very easily.




The main box comes with an internal tray to help ensure that you're read to play. - It comes with 2 slots for your cards, plus a team tray and extra space at the back for the scenery.




Here are the 2 card types, Sabotage (I think this used to be called Dirty Tricks in the beta?) and Special Move cards. Unfortunately, Mantic have chosen a really very odd size for the cards that done fit the Fantasy Flight games 'mini american card game' sleeves. To be honest, this is really quite disappointing for me. Darn it, Mantic!




Shiny shiny new bases, 12 of each colour and some new dice as well. Helpfully, the base colours seem to match the colours on the mat. This is far better than me trying to use the GW glazes to colour my own bases.



We have the minis now. There's 2 identical bags, containing both Kalyishi and Convicts. - There's even 2 prone models for each team in each bag.



I'm guessing the retail set will just come with 8 models, plus the prones for each side. What is neat is the Grogan comes with alternative head/arms. 2 balls in the bag as well. - One thing I can't remember is if you might need 3 balls as well.



I suppose that's good for us in the Kickstarter, as we have 4 balls with the second bag. I've got to say, the Convicts really do look ace.



Here is a close up of the Kalyshi models. One thing I'm a little worried about when it comes to painting them, especially after undercoating them, is that the faces of the most lightly armoured type models may end up being very shallow. - I'll need to be very careful when undercoating these...



Unfortunately, Mantic didn't manage to make even this small dropoff be error free. - One of the Guard type models has had a missing arm. Yet another trip to the missing parts form for me, I'm afraid. It's good that the minis all come preassembled at least.




The 2 sets of scenery gives you plenty of crates and 4 scoring zones. - I'm guessing these will need to come in the retail box as well



They seem nicely detailed and I'm thinking these are proper 'hard' plastic as opposed to board game plastic. Though I don't think you need to glue any, and they just push fit together without glue. - Great for the boardgame-ey nature of the set.




Here are the closeup of the crate lids. - They even have the numbers sculpted on. If I remember right, that's the number of attack dice you roll.




And finally, here is the unboxed 'Free Agents' set. There's lots of weird, random aliens here, from Tree monsters to squid-spiders and the mighty Blaine. The detail on these really are great, even with the Zees and I can see people having a great time trying out all sorts of crazy colour schemes with the free agents.



And that's the Dreadball Xtreme Kickstarter Wave 1 unboxed!

I've set the board up to get a few rushes in before bed.




It might be an idea when you get the game to sit the mat out under a couple of boxes overnight to flatten it down.




I learned my first tactical lesson for Dreadball Xtreme.

We see here, the Grogan Thug attempting a first turn slam to take out the Pusk Rampager - the only Guard on the opposing team.



However, there is a Kalyshi Jack nearby. - Jacks are usually something I don't worry about much in normal Dreadball games. This Jack has some ability called backstab though... I wonder what that does.



The Pusk then doubles a standup and automatically pushes the Grogan back when it slams.

The DBX models have remarkably few moldlines of note.

I've picked a couple now that I'm pretty sure I just ran my knife over something I had imagined.

Also, if I had any modelling talent of note, I'd really like to replace the mohawks on the Kalyshi and turn them in Asari...

I suppose it'd be more viable to make a metal accessory set in that case, like what they did with the orx.

I don't think it was a public decision as such.

I suppose Mantic may go back to it, if for some reason the right situation came up for it.

The new plastic enforcers are now out in the wild, it seems. Or on facebook anyhow.

Considering all the doom and gloom about how mantic were hiding the plastics from us because they were going to be a Basilean level disaster from us, or whatever...

They look like, well, plastic enforcers. So...

Yep, Grimdork. However, they weren't in the game box itself for me, and were instead packed externally.

Check out my Unboxing to see what you 'should' get (Plus an arm!)

They weren't available to purchase individually until Survey 3.

Instead, everyone will be getting 1 sprue of them for the original box. They will then be getting at least 1 sprue for every other faction starter / booster set they're getting...

I think. All I know, is that I have a helluva lot incoming.

I wonder if the correct facing will sit better once sprayed / painted / varnished

This isn't entirely sci fi, but it does talk about what came in my Mantic Crazy boxes today.

A typical foldover box arrived.



However, what really did surprise me was Mantic had combined both the Sci and General boxes together into the one megabox. So, generally speaking, I'm not sure what would be in each box normally.



First off, I have some of the awesome new Deadzone ruined sprues, to go along with my already huge collection of terrain. Surprisingly, I received not one, not two but *4* of the Deadzone accessory sprues. Extra connectors don't go amiss too.





Next , I unpacked 10 Basilean Men-at-Arms. While, I do know they aren't exactly the greatest models in the world, I do find it quite entertaining that, between these and previous years crazy boxes I'm pretty sure I've got at least a starter armies worth of models now.



I'm guessing these guys would be found in the sci fi crazy box.

There's the metal Helfather special character. (My second)
Marauder Kommando Captain. - My second
Enforcer Peacekeeper Captain. - My um... 5th one
A bag of 2 Plague infantry, 1 Plague Machine Gunner. - Could always do with more infantry
A bag of 2 Mawbeasts - Doggies! With chainsaw mouths.
1 Marauder Trooper, 1 Goblin Sniper
1 Yindij Trooper, 1 Sorak Trooper





There were some Dreadball models in there as well.
A Z'zor Keeper - I've had loads of guards, so this is theoretically handy.
The Praetorian star player - I can use this guy in my Asterian deadzone force
Dozer, the Dreadball giant - I seem to keep on amassing these, I think she's my 5th




Next, I have some Forge Fathers.

Some Stormrage Veterans - I had some more of these last year, so probably my 3rd squad of these guys.
Jotunn Hailstorm Cannon - I have the urban combat variant for Deadzone, so this is pretty awesome.



Some Kings of War models now, some Basileans and Undead. It's odd I can't find either of the undead in the mantic store though.

A big bag of Basilean Sisters on panthers/cathorses. - I had a set of these from last year.
An Undead dog and its handler.
An undead standard bearer on horseback.





Mantic seems to have thrown in a few Mars Attacks minis too, which is pretty good, as it's a mantic game I haven't bought into and I was wanting to see them in the flesh. - I already know that dropping them in some hot water will help straighten them out though. Sad thing is, the martians have no helmets, they weren't included in the box..




Finally, there were the various additional bits and pieces, some posters, a couple of leaflets and a copy of the Kings of War rules. - Funnily enough, with my 2 bags of Panther riders and 30 basilean soldiers I own over the last few Crazy boxes, plus some Mantic elf models I've picked up over the years, I might have enough for a viable army to try out a game or two.

It's a decent haul, yeah. I'm not entirely sure if it's a decent £50 haul though to be honest. Especially since there was so much duplication from last years sets.

I really don't think I need *that many* Stormrage veterans. Sadly, most of the Deadzone models weren't ones where it's good to have duplicates for either.

On the other hand, I could field a full peacekeeper squad now, just of the captains I own :p

They look good to me!

Due to Dozer not coming in the Ultimate Dreadball box, the only people that would buy her are those that are specifically wanting to buy her individually.

Which, I imagine, people don't really bother doing, so there's loads of spares.

No mail for me today in the UK.

I'm travelling away on holiday tomorrow for Christmas, so I'll bet that Royal Mail (I'm assuming it's Royal Mail...) will try to deliver while I'm away. At least they keep the parcels for 18 days now.

Wait... What?

So I've been waiting in every morning for the past week and a half for the postman, for nothing?

For Pete's sake Mantic.

My theory is Grimdork.

Another mantic email.

I think they just want to get the most mileage possible out of that goblin parachute drawing

I think the kickstarter ones had the bases arrive in the previous wave.

I imagine that mantic might have screwed up and not included them for people who had the almost-kickstarter of the website preorders.

Best filling out the missing parts form.

CouldRiverhorse itself just be Alessio as a fully fledged employee? One of those legally things to protect an artists work etc.

In which case, Alessio could be partnering with basically anyone.It might be Mantic, it might be Warlord.

Probably best being in its own thread?

I'm guessing I'm one of the 'complicated' orders due to my mate jumping onto my pledge literally at the last minute for wave 3.

So, no Deadzone waiting for me when I came back from my holiday.

There are a few worries out there that the season 4 teams are just season 1 teams 'but better.'

I can sorta see the argument with the brokkrs compared to the Forge Fathers, to be honest.

The other argument though is that the Oceanics/Sharks are just the Tronteks, But Better. Sure the extra striker is awesome (I like strikers, especially ones that can pick up the ball, unlike my rats), and the extra speed and the tail distraciton ability is good.

But... I could see myself missing the coaching dice and extra card at the start in the game for the Tronteks.

Ooh, Deadzone Rules Commitee persons!

My most pressing question right now is, how is Knockback supposed to work in close combat. My uncertainty with that one pretty much determines how asterians do in my games.