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I was in the same boat and noticed at the end of June the pledgemanager was still open (even though the KSer updates said it was closed) so I moved from my $1 up to a $150 and added a few other things and Mantic charged my card in August. Getting my stuff like 2 months after paying -- can't complain.

Preorders are up, along with pretty pictures of faction starters and boosters

http://www.manticgames.com/mantic-shop/kings-of-war-vanguard.html

Those are some good models. I might get the Northern Alliance or the Nightstalkers.

The nightstalkers aren't really my thing, will probably flog them on ebay.
Undecided by the basilean's but really like the palace guard ogre.
The northern alliance and forces of the abyss stuff is full of win, can't wait to see full kings of war regiments for the new stuff.

Haven't played the game itself yet, but seems solid enough. I think the campaign system will be the deciding factor as to weather or not this really takes off as it's own thing or maybe just the occasional game played as a warm up for Kings of war proper. I really like that all of the scenerios have ways to link them to battles in KoW included in the rulebook.

Some really cool minis there, also the paint job is quite good actually.

There are some really great minis for every faction. Sadly, the Basilean standard bearer confirms that Mantic went with the goofy stub swords for their Basileans.

Ronnie got some new Dwarf pictures in the video (1:16) . Also confirmed the rule book is £24.99 but is half price £12.49 until 27th of October.

Is there a good mail order distributor in the US for Mantic stuff? I looked at ordering the Deadzone: Outbreak book from Mantic this weekend, but the shipping is insane. There's gotta be a better way to get that and some of the new KoW stuff!

 DaveC wrote:
Ronnie got some new Dwarf pictures in the video (1:16) . Also confirmed the rule book is £24.99 but is half price £12.49 until 27th of October.

Interesting to see the Vangaurd bundles have different stuff then what was in the KSer. Guess the difference is existing models were added to the bundles. Looking and the Northern Alliance images it really shows how badly Mantic's Dwarves hold up to their newer stuff.

 Psychopomp wrote:
Is there a good mail order distributor in the US for Mantic stuff? I looked at ordering the Deadzone: Outbreak book from Mantic this weekend, but the shipping is insane. There's gotta be a better way to get that and some of the new KoW stuff!

The Warstore carries Mantic. https://www.thewarstore.com/mantic-games-kings-of-war.html

Also Mantic does sales often enough where either shipping is free or the discount offsets shipping.

Those dwarfs look great. Will they be boardgame plastic or resin?

Try the Warstore. While I have not ordered from Neal recently, he's given good service in the past. Don't see KoW: Vanguard in the preorder section, so you might need to e-mail and ask if he can get it.

 Psychopomp wrote:
Is there a good mail order distributor in the US for Mantic stuff? I looked at ordering the Deadzone: Outbreak book from Mantic this weekend, but the shipping is insane. There's gotta be a better way to get that and some of the new KoW stuff!

Gamekastle (formerly FRPgames) carries them too https://www.gamekastle.com/online/index.php?m=list&c=2827

So does Fantazation http://www.fantization.com/mantic-plasticminiaturesandboardgames.aspx

Neal is probably the cheapest with gamekastle probably having the better sale prices. Fantazation will give 20% off if you spend a lot though so could be worth looking at.

Looking at Pre-orders people are only just about to get the Terraincrate stuff so it seams like we're a month or so behind in the US at least.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Those dwarfs look great. Will they be boardgame plastic or resin?

Dwarfs are resin as they were a last minute addition, PVC tools were not funded for them.

Yeah the old plastic dwarfs just look wrong with the new sculpts. I have a box of GW LOTR dwarf rangers that I'll use instead.

Wow the difference between the new and old sculpts. Just compare those dwarfs soldiers in the first picture to the rest.

I liked the old dwarfs. Like the elves, they looked inhuman and highly stylized.

I'm not a fan of them as they're too blocky. Obviously a plus if you're doing a formation based game but they all look like Ram-man from the old He-man cartoon.

But that's just a preference obviously as enough people buy them to keep mantic adding new stuff to the line.

Those photos and paintjobs are really nice. Holding my breath, but could Mantic have come 'round the corner with regards to their previously fairly crappy models?

I'm looking forward to getting mine!

My only real issue with the dwarf range was that the metal models looked too different to the plastic stuff

The very same reason I did not like the GW Dwarfs, no consistent range with basic troops looking too different in style from the elite units and characters


For the Mantic Elves, I like them because they are the only plastic ramge out there were elves are not just humans with pointy ears

 pancakeonions wrote:
Those photos and paintjobs are really nice. Holding my breath, but could Mantic have come 'round the corner with regards to their previously fairly crappy models?

I'm looking forward to getting mine!

They've always been consistently inconsistent, with some very good models mixed in amongst the dross. The ratio of good>dross has been improving over the last few years though, which is a good thing.

BobtheInquisitor wrote:I liked the old dwarfs. Like the elves, they looked inhuman and highly stylized.

I like the old mantic dwarves too, not very fond of the struggle figuring out how beards interact with raised arms though,

Mantic nightstalkers for KoW in January confirmed at 12:40:



Mantic has also answered some questions and are doing daily articles about Vanguard in the Mantic Blog. Someone has realised that marketing is a good move.

Oh! I have to say those nightmare-monster are super cool, apart from the silly scarecrows. I particularly like the four-armed brutes, the dudes walking on spikes and the huge squid-thing with friends... actually I particularly like most of them! Unlike almost all other Mantic stuff they seems to be based on some quality concept designs. The Basileans are a bit boring, but ok for generic paladin-like humans. Except that hilarious butter knife/sword. The hell demons are cool and funny. I really like the Nordic guys as well, and the trolls are brutal. The ice mage and her dual axed friend are lovely even! But yes, those old dwarfs are some of the worst figures I've ever seen in wargaming, and it's quite hilarious to see them next to the new, good-looking stuff

The swords looks to be based on a spatha, which is pretty spot on for a fantasy Byzantine Empire.

Standard bearer seems to have a gladius, and a lighter weapon is fairly appropriate for the flag holder - the Ogre Standard Bearers come with an arm that has an all in one wrist mounted dagger and buckler, in place of the larger shield arm.

I'm very happy with how Basilean force turned out. The Northern Alliance has the coolest heroes.

 NTRabbit wrote:
The swords looks to be based on a spatha, which is pretty spot on for a fantasy Byzantine Empire.

Lengthwise it's similar to a spatha, but the guard are far to big. I think that's a big reason for why the swords come of as stubby

 NTRabbit wrote:
The swords looks to be based on a spatha, which is pretty spot on for a fantasy Byzantine Empire.

Standard bearer seems to have a gladius, and a lighter weapon is fairly appropriate for the flag holder - the Ogre Standard Bearers come with an arm that has an all in one wrist mounted dagger and buckler, in place of the larger shield arm.

I can't see a Spatha or a Galdius myself.

At half price I will give this a try. I just wish they would offer to sell some of their new plastics as single sprues.

 Zywus wrote:

 NTRabbit wrote:
The swords looks to be based on a spatha, which is pretty spot on for a fantasy Byzantine Empire.

Lengthwise it's similar to a spatha, but the guard are far to big. I think that's a big reason for why the swords come of as stubby

Spatha blade with a fantasy guard, gotta have some fantasy flourishes!

 NTRabbit wrote:

 Zywus wrote:

 NTRabbit wrote:
The swords looks to be based on a spatha, which is pretty spot on for a fantasy Byzantine Empire.

Lengthwise it's similar to a spatha, but the guard are far to big. I think that's a big reason for why the swords come of as stubby

Spatha blade with a fantasy guard, gotta have some fantasy flourishes!

Putting such a huge guard on what's nominally a spatha makes it no longer a spatha though.
One of the distinctive features of a gladius and a spatha sword is that they lack almost any guard.

Crap! Right now is when I begin to regret not doing anything with my $1 Vanguard pledge