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If it comes down to 10 unique figures or 8 modular figures, I think you should go with 8 modular and here's why - unique sculpts will appeal to collectors that buy to paint. Or if you producing a unit for existing rules where the figures should be armed to match their unit entry in the rules.

While I'm sure a lot of collectors will be interested in this box set, I think you should "cast a wider net" so to speak for the KS campaign. Modular figures with different weapons options will be of more use for RPG players wanting to make a PC/NPC or a gamer who needs a warband unit with specific weapons.

So for example a figure has options for a polearm and a shield on his back or a sword in one hand, shield in the other and a backpack.

Once you get to the super duper double secret project, then it depends on the rules you've been working on whether you make each unit unique or modular.

Just my $0.02

I agree with Mike on that one, especially as your models tend to stand out in a crowd. That is, they are sometimes hard to mix in with other random models due to scale and style. Making them modular would open up getting a set or three to do different stuff with in a given project, instead of just having a handful of guys who don't really look like anyone else in an army, except their 2-3 clones if you got multiples.

So Tre - we must be due an update in here about now, yes?

Please?

Well production may happen faster than expected. I am tentatively scheduled to meet with them in person for a hands on quote and possibly some real time feedback as to how best to take advantage of the process for plastic production.

The rules will be much more completely realized by the time of the launch also. I am particularly eager to see how people react to the command mechanic of the game as the few people who have tried it out have REALLY liked it thus far. It still needs fine tuning and balancing but the reaction was definitely positive...... but then these were good friends of mine in a private setting so that may have been at least part of it.

Modularity may not be as varied as I had hoped as I am struggling to get the parts to work well together unless the pose is fairly undynamic. I prefer dynamic poses myself. We shall see how that develops.

I am also very seriously considering offering more than just the four initially discussed starter sets. It will really come down to what I am able to sculpt between now and the time I am ready to launch and what the moldmakers say when they have the figures in hand but I would really like to try to launch with 6 " factions " if possible...... even if 2 or 3 of them need to be stretch goals.

Of course this will mean a little less variety of expansion for the initial 4 but I think it may be easier to balance starter sets for 6 against each other than to try to balance starters AND expansions for 4.

Probably a good move. I think a decent variety of balanced starter sets helps a good bit, as there are always those who only like the aesthetics of one faction, and if that faction isn't in they aren't either. Plus I think people like to see expansions for factions come out at the same time, instead of one faction getting a bunch of stuff while the others wait. I believe people get flashbacks from GW's "support" of factions where no new models come out for years when they see 4 factions with 10 units and 2 factions with 4.

Hi Tre,

Apologies if I missed it earlier in this thread, but would you consider an open playtest period where you might share the rules with a group of folks to test it out? I'd love to partake if that might be possible. Thanks and good luck!

Based on what you said tre, it sounds like you've done a bit of sculpting. Any chance for a sneak peek?

sorry no sneak peeks before this is closer to launch. I intend to keep as much of the punch as possible for the actual launch. Though there will be some premarketing I think I FAr jumped the gun with the initial posting of this thread.

As to your question pancake onions; the initial release of rules will be an open beta test version. I do not want to publish a seet of rules and then have to rewrite and re market them two years later due to lack of thorough playtesting so the first " edition " will be a totally free " beta " edition. But do not be fooled the beta version will be a working model with certain core mechanics that will not change.

Tre seems like you're going to skip making a plastic test set of minis and go right into producing minis for the super duper secret kickstarter project?

Maybe maybe not it depends largely upon my meeting with the manufacturer.

Ok time for an update on this......

I am still in talks with a couple of different manufacturers on this but the really great news is that all of them can scan a tangible sculpt to make a digital master for hard metal tooling ( which is used to cast the harder plastics ) so I do not have to wait to learn zbrush for this project.

I am still working on this so do not fret. I am hoping to have something ready to show in the next month or so.

So...it has been a while here.

Any news for us Tre?

 Alpharius wrote:
So...it has been a while here.

Any news for us Tre?

No really, is there?

(OK, I'm PMing Tre too!)

Yeah - sadness.

I was saving this to be one of my 2 KS for both 2014 and 2015!

Third time is a charm I hope. And quit giving me false hope Alph!

Tre seems to be working on Norse stuff as per his Facebook updates. I think he might be going with something safe for his initial plastics foray

This is from update #47 from Tre's last kickstarter Barbarian Hordes:

I do very sincerely apprecciate everyone's confidence, encouragement, enthusiasm and patience with me in this effort and I do very dearly hope to see you all in my next Kickstarter project set to launch in January. This next project; Warbands, will seek to fund the production of a new line of plastic figures. The first offering planned are the Njorn. 4 light armored hirdmen, 2 shield maidens, 2 archers, 2 berserkers, a Longswordsman Hero and a Wise Woman. I will also have a warband set for an opposing force ready to fund as well should the demand be sufficient. It is my intention to use this new project to also launch the beta version of the RBG skirmish rules as well. it has been a long time coming and I think now it is the most important thing I can do.

On December 3rd on the RBG facebook page, Tre posted that the opposing force that might be added to the Njorn KS would be goblins:

The next KS will fund the Njorn Army set and possibly an expansion of the Goblin army as well. The Beta rules for the game will launch with the KS and will allow for the use of any RBG figures currently in production whilst these new figures complete production.

Odd that it would be goblins because in October he previewed sculpts of modular Aenglish but I guess that faction will not be part of the KS. I'm a big fan of the Njorn models so I'm looking forward to this one, would love to see plastic Aenglish, HelsVakt and Dwarves eventually.

Oh my gosh, Goblins! I think it's a good idea to have a "non-human" opposing force, as well as one that could be considered slightly more of the "evil" bent... and darn I love Tre's goblins. If those unlock in any fashion, I'll totally be in for it!

Also received my Jotunn from his last campaign, and it's amazingly sculpted, as always. I think Tre has shown that in the end, he will deliver a fantastic product - just factor in some extra time for whatever the delivery date is listed as, since the campaigns have been successful and usually run late.

I thought RBG were never going to touch plastic as it is an inferior material to metal and resin? That it couldn't hold the same details as the latter? Hopefully these will be cheaper then their current range so I can justify buying them to myself.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Actually thinking about it what sort of plastic will these be?

Over on the RBG facebook page Tre posted the following back in February:

I have long been told that plastic production has certain limitations. That fine detail does NOT transition well into the material. I have been highly critical of companies that show resin masters to sell the product and then deliver something that does not match the detail shown on the masters to greater or lesser degrees. This is apparently proof that I was wrong in that assertion and I must apologize for that. I have long been told that plastic production has certain limitations. That fine detail does NOT transition well into the material. I have been highly critical of companies that show resin masters to sell the product and then deliver something that does not match the detail shown on the masters to greater or lesser degrees. This is apparently proof that I was wrong in that assertion and I must apologize for that.

These are the actual plastic pieces going into the box that will be shipping to backers of the BloodRage kickstarter campaign launching on the 2nd of March. It is my understanding that these pieces are produced by the same contractors ( Dust Studios ) that will be producing the Conan boardgame recently kickstarted by Monolith and also the upcoming " the Others" board game as well.

These are highly impressive to me knowing what I know about the process and materials. The figures look great.

NOW, apology done.......this ALSO changes the Rubric for miniatures. It can no longer be said that plastics cannot compete in terms of detail with metals. While metals are still and will be for the foreseeable future a mainstay of the miniatures hobby, it appears to me that, based on the cost of plastic products and the apparent fidelity of detail that can be achieved in them, plastics MUST be considered an ideal option for new product lines.

So, as long as I am able to find a way in to the services of these producers I will certainly be looking in to plastic production for future RBG projects.

See Tre's post on page 19 of this thread (about halfway down the page) and some of his follow up replies about the RBG move to plastic.

Hey guys, I am sorry for the long silence on this. and thank you all for your continued interest and enthusiasm for the project. I do not intend to stretch your patience much further..



The SDSP IS still underway. I wanted to launch a smaller project first so that I can get a FIRM grasp on the process of plastic production and establish a relationship with a reputable plastics manufacturer. not to mention get a feel for the various peripheral expenses and efforts i.e. packaging, postage from China, setting up foreign fulfillment centers etc. So if you can bear with me a little further....hopefully no further than May 2016, then the SDAP will finally launch!

As for the next RBG project; Warbands of the Cold North yes it launches in January and will look to fund the first set of RBG fantasy plastics. The Njorn are the first up for funding. The campaign will begin by funding the Hirdmen ( semi modular lightly armoured footmen) first and one limited edition Priestess / female wizard type figure. The LE will be a kickstarter exclusive cast in high quality resin. After the footmen fund then we will move on to the various other troops in the Njorn army such as Berserkers, Huscarls ( armoured fighters ), Huntsmen, Shield Maidens, personalities, and villagers. Each of these will be it's own set funded individually.

There will be printed boxes for each of the sets when they ship. And a Campaign T-shirt reward as well..... the design for the T shirt is still WIP but REALLY damned cool thus far.

there will be three early bird levels that will offer either 1 set of hirdmen and 1 LE, or 2 sets of hirdmen and 1 LE, or 3 sets of hirdmen and 1 LE with each level offering a special early bird discount but there will only be a strictly limited number of EB's available.

As for plastics.......The process and techniques have come a VERY long way in the past year or two BUT there are still limitations to what can and cannot be captured well in plastic. I intend to keep this thought in mind in the design and sculpting of any RBG piece intended for plastic production. That said I have been VERY impressed with the pieces I have seen and handled in the past several months and I am very confident that RBG figures will come out fantasticly in plastic!


Cheers yall!

Tre'

I'm very impressed you have decided to and have the patience to run a KS to test out a plastic kit/manufacturer before your main one. I will back this.

Agreed, I think that's really smart. Sounds like it would have to really take off for another faction to make it in, but if it's goblins I'll be all over it (not pushing for it though - you should do whatever is most popular and makes the most sense!)

Well if this KS only funds the Njorn that just means I have to run a future KS for each of the factions.

Yes please!!! My preference would be (in this order) Aenglish, HelsVakt, Dwarves and Elves.

So will you also run separate kickstarters for expansions to each faction like you mentioned for the Njorn?

I can see so many uses for RBG warbands right now - Frostgrave, Song of Blades and Heroes, Dragon Rampant and your own rules you've mentioned on facebook.

Yes. This is really a test for the format of product and a test of the plastics production process. So if this one goes well there will be follow up campaigns for each of the factions until all of them are fully expanded in plastic.

Any chance some of the old trollcast helsvakt (the armoured ones and the cavalry) might show up in PVC some day? I'm sort of kicking myself over not getting any of those and PVC quality would be fine on those for me.

I personally hope to see something new, Helvakt have gotten so much attention (even in more recent campaigns).

Yes the Gynnade will eventually come back. plastic makes them and other bulky figures like them much more feasible as units.

Awesome, great to hear. Really looking forward to some of that cavalry actually being available again.