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Huh, glad I actually didn't order any - that is some super soft detailing on the plastics. I can see how they'd be good for conversions, but the "painted" pics on the page look awfully misleading.

Eh, don’t judge Them based on my poor modeling or Picture taking.

Here are some closer pics.

They're really good casts for the time they were put out. I've been happy with that I have.

Dont know why all my pics show sideways...

But yeah, Generally the minis are pretty good casts. I like some more than others. But detail wise they are all pretty good.

The last pic is one of my favorite models. Ayana Heska. Wish she was still available, but havent seen her in years... I only have the one.

Some of them go together really smoothly and some are just a nightmare. I’m a big fan of Shael Han’s aesthetic, but they have some of the worst minis for detail and assembly in my opinion.

Its a shame the game was discontinued, it was one of the most enjoyable tabletop wargames I have played, mechanically innovative, fast paced, etc.

 Elbows wrote:
Eh, when it comes to rock-bottom sales kind of things, it's a result of a poorly planned or researched product - or occasionally the retailer made a mistake of buying too much stock. In any case you're helping out the retailer who's trying to clear warehouse space. There's nothing wrong with games failing - that's the fault of the designers/producers...and they're aware.

Rumormill is that MM bought out CMON's remaining stock, as part of CMON's plans to close down their warehouse (eg. Time Machine) as part of Asmodee.

I was curious so checked the numbers for WoK vs. some CMON KS that followed semi-soon afterwards:
* WoK: 3,756 backers pledged $718,152
* Arcadia Quest: 4,885 backers pledged $774,222
* Zombicide S3: 12,011 backers pledged $2,849,064

Assuming retail numbers are similar, I presume WoK (and other game lines) was left behind because it didn't make as much money or had as large of an audience as CMON's major boardgames. The starter box mold costs were all paid for by backers, so actual costs after KS were pennies for the plastic. In contrast, any further support had CMON paying for the molds, though I don't know why CMON didn't try a second WoK KS.

Here's CMON's numbers for its next "lifestyle" miniatures game:
* Song of Ice and Fire : 9,040 backers pledged $1,690,466

After reading how difficult it is for Dakkanauts to get their hands on new Song of Ice and Fire miniatures, I guess it's just as well that WoK was dropped. CMON was built on KS, so seems fine with its "fire and forget" model of releasing new product, which is okay with boardgamers who are fine with just the base game. But CMON isn't doing a good job with "lifestyle" miniature games, whose stock needs to be available for its audience to remain competitive.

Well, whatever. I think KS has flooded the market with cheap but good quality plastic miniatures, since the risk of the steel molds are no longer with the company. Can't really say I'm upset with this, though. Heck, with all these WoK starters in customer hands, maybe CMON will have another WoK KS. When Doomtown Reloaded was dropped by AEG, cheap copies were everywhere on the market. Yet Pinnacle Entertainment Group, after picking up the license, was still able to release four expansion sets.

I think it still comes down to realistic expectations though.

We've been around "big" KS games long enough now to know that a successful KS doesn't mean a successful and lasting retail opportunity - mainly because companies as big as CMON throw in so much value/unlocks during the KS period that the games often run out of steam within 12-18 months after the KS actually delivers. Now if that's part of the overall plan, and they made enough to just shrug that off - then it's all good.

If you look at Wrath of Kings...even for a tabletop game, it's niche style...with niche factions. It also has a pretty solid model range. It's almost impossible for a game like that to live on after the KS buzz/delivery. I admit it looks like bad decision to me, but if CMON makes enough in the initial KS/buzz area that they come out profiting, then good for them.

Again, we're obviously the benefactors if you like some miniatures that show up from this stuff - so I can't complain; I just don't think people should feel bad about a game leaving the market if it was always going to happen.

Even knowing that I would not have a long enjoyment of getting to play this game, and knowing that I would have paid much more during the kickstarter than I could get them 4 years later... I would still have backed this kickstarter. And would back another in a heart beat.

The models arent the best models I have ever gotten, but as a whole I have really enjoyed them. As a side, I also really like the ASoIaF minis too, though I did not kickstart that one.

I didnt buy in to this sale, but admit that I have gone back a couple times and added stuff to cart, then talked myself out of it. It probably helps that I bought a bunch of ASoIAF minis 2 days before this sale launched, or I may have purchased differently.

I'd back another WoK KS too,

shipping & taxes kills this for me in terms of being a crazy deal sadly, still reasonably cheap but I've got so much of it already I just shouldn't

I'd like some more of the fiction too, I though that it broke up the books nicely and gave added depth to the world

 Elbows wrote:
Huh, glad I actually didn't order any - that is some super soft detailing on the plastics. I can see how they'd be good for conversions, but the "painted" pics on the page look awfully misleading.

Yeah, these prices really encourage conversions. If they were full priced, I’d be too afraid of ruining an expensive model to take any risks. But for MM clearance prices...

That’s pretty bad ass

 ced1106 wrote:

 Elbows wrote:
Eh, when it comes to rock-bottom sales kind of things, it's a result of a poorly planned or researched product - or occasionally the retailer made a mistake of buying too much stock. In any case you're helping out the retailer who's trying to clear warehouse space. There's nothing wrong with games failing - that's the fault of the designers/producers...and they're aware.

Rumormill is that MM bought out CMON's remaining stock.

That part isn't a rumor. The MM dakka account confirmed they bought all the Darklands and WoK stock.

 Gitkikka wrote:
I'll never play the game, but I'm using the miniatures for a lot of different things. For example, the Ashmen make decent Ringwraiths just by leaving off their masks.

This is a brilliant suggestion. Got me to dig out my pile of ash men to try it for myself. And to think all this time I’d been gluing their faces on like a chump.


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 Smokestack wrote:
That’s pretty bad ass

Thanks!

Just saw your mecha conversion, and it is impressive.