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http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1596689756/arena-rex-gladiator-combat-in-a-mythic-age-0

Well, the 360 of the miniature showed that it is quite well sculpted - an improvement on the concept art IMO, which looks too much like Ralph Macchio doing the Crane stance.

The sculpt of Urbicus found in the KS link looks quite good as well.

Was wondering when a new Gladiator game would emerge, and here we are.

I'm a little disappointed that they don't have a single non-Roman looking gladiator in the initial batch. I mean, hell, there's hardly any that look like Gauls or Barbarians...no facial hair to be found.

Excellent - this looks very interesting!

And WolfStark, you're in for it now - it is up to YOU to keep the first post and title updated!

Aye, Alpharius.

Watched it for awhile now and have to say that I like what I see and hope that we will also see a few other Gladiators. The Viatrix is my favorite at the moment, the artwork is stunning but 35 mm is also a little big but the game itself looks interesting enough for a pledge.

Looks pretty cool but unfortunately a little more then I would like to pay for something I may not have anyone else to play with.

I hope it does well though because it looks great so far.

Re: facial hair - it is hard to see face-fuzz through an enclosing helmet.

The two obvious barbarians are female.

The Fugitivus sports a short beard....

>shrug<

It looks like they have plans to do it, but I simply wish they'd have had a Ethiopian or or some other race represented at the outset, as there were plenty of them fighting.

 cincydooley wrote:
It looks like they have plans to do it, but I simply wish they'd have had a Ethiopian or or some other race represented at the outset, as there were plenty of them fighting.

Yeah! I demand racial equality in my brutal murder dome!

But seriously, this does look like a good game... Gotta see if I can't get a better look at the project... *grumble* cursed work blocked...

Waaaaaaant.... The $165 pledge level looks like it nets you all the minis thus far revealed...

"... wish they'd have had a Ethiopian or or some other race represented at the outset, as there were plenty of them fighting."

True - the helmed fighters could be painted however you want, though.

Anyone know how often the barbarians were allowed to retain their local costume?

My limited knowledge on the subject of Gladiators makes me think "never" - other than skin-coloration or facial hair, I thought the fighters were placed into a particular "style" of fighter with prescribed armor/armament/costume....

Scott wrote:
"... wish they'd have had a Ethiopian or or some other race represented at the outset, as there were plenty of them fighting."

True - the helmed fighters could be painted however you want, though.

Anyone know how often the barbarians were allowed to retain their local costume?

My limited knowledge on the subject of Gladiators makes me think "never" - other than skin-coloration or facial hair, I thought the fighters were placed into a particular "style" of fighter with prescribed armor/armament/costume....

You know, You're probably right, actually. They'd fight with armor and weapons custom of their culture. An honestly, there probably wouldn't have been THAT much facial hair either. Male slaves were typically completely shorn before they were sold or presented.....

I just want an Ethiopian badass

I'd also back this immediately if they did a "not-Kratos." I mean, immediately. No hesitation. At all..

"I just want an Ethiopian badass"

Oenomaus, I presume?

There was, indeed, styles of fighter that were used (Thracian, Retinarius, etc), but from what I know the Romans would stage mythological or historical scenarios - to spice it up* - so there is no reason to say that people wouldn't be in their own culture's outfit. You'd probably have just as much chance to be given a purple shield and called 'Persian' for a Marathon staging, though.

We can but hope that they find the time to make a model for the poor chaps who had to fight from horseback while wearing a helmet with no eye-slits... I'm dead excited for this though - it looks right up my alley! Classical types battering each other, with no girly ranged weapons to get in the way of the fighting!

* I've heard of one particularly ghoulish spectacle that they put on, where they put a woman sentenced to death inside a wooden cow costume and then had a bull rape her to death. Re-enactment of Pasiphae and the Minoan bull...

Aaaand funded! In less than 14 hours.

Septimus and Nero are in for 25.000 and that is just the start. Also confirmed is a female Gladiator for the Fields of Jupiter.

I'll probably up my pledge as new figures are announced, but I figure 3 figures plus all the stuff to play at $55 isn't too bad, plus it nets me the KS exclusive, to boot.

Wow, really nice illustrations, will definitely need to pay attention to this one...

Not keen on the first miniature presented. It's clearly well made in technical terms, but the pose is off by a wide margin. The torso is also way too narrow and seems to miss a muscle section the name of which eludes me right now. I'll watch this progress and see if the rest of the characters get better posing treatment.

His lats are very understated. That is making the torso seem too skinny.

~Eric

actually most Roman era gladiators were fat,

in part due to diet, and in part for self protection (extra fat means less chance of a fatal wound).

What the crowd wanted from the gladiators was spectacle and blood, not nessesarily death)

Edit: but whether the mini buying public want's more blobby figures with no visible muscle definition ?

They got pretty starchy vegetarian diets didn't they, Orlando?

Yep,

pretty much vegetarian, including no fish/dairy
(from the historical writing and from isotope studies of the bones from one of the few gladiator cemetaries discovered)

Often called Hordiarii (not certain of the spelling) which roughly translates as barley men

Scott wrote:
"I just want an Ethiopian badass"

Oenomaus, I presume?

And the designers have built in "fantasy" which will allow them some lateral movement outside of the standard gladiator combat style norms.

About time someone tried to capitalize on the general love for all things Roman and the success of Spartacus.

The first model is quite good and the concept art looks promising as well. Certainly need diversity in the gladiators though.

robertsjf wrote:

Scott wrote:
"I just want an Ethiopian badass"

Oenomaus, I presume?

And the designers have built in "fantasy" which will allow them some lateral movement outside of the standard gladiator combat style norms.

Yep. I'm hoping for an eventual Minotaur gladiator.

 Platuan4th wrote:

robertsjf wrote:

Scott wrote:
"I just want an Ethiopian badass"

Oenomaus, I presume?

And the designers have built in "fantasy" which will allow them some lateral movement outside of the standard gladiator combat style norms.

Yep. I'm hoping for an eventual Minotaur gladiator.

I would like that and a Hydra.

Animals. There needs to be animals in the den.

Good news:

Red Republic Games wrote:
@Kilcin:
I would say the Minotaur and Hydra (with our spin) are good likelihood at some point. Kraken is kind of corner case, but never say never.

@David Weiss (and also Kevin, and people who want animals in general):
We really want to do more animals, but we want to make sure they are distinct and flavorful as well as dynamic. These are heavy on the execution as well, but we are working on them. Giraffes are a personal favorite.

@Pride365, scorpion lovers everywhere:
I am internally advocating for this project. It might take some doing, but I am digging it.

Source

The Septimus and Nero stretchgoal is complete. Next is Noxius for 28.000 $ and a Lion for 33.000 $, Pics above.

BTW, Arena Rex is having a contest on their facebook page where the two runner ups win some of the minis and the grand winner gets their likeness sculpted into a mini as well as all the minis they produce for a year. I don't use facebook myself, but I did enter into the contest for fun; I'm the guy in the blue face paint. Check it out if you're interested and possible submit for next weeks round.