Conan: Hyborian Quests

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**cincydooley**

Maybe it's because for many people they're directing the product at (board gamers) the resin masters are more than enough to indicate what you're going to get and are far, far, far cheaper to produce?

**Yodhrin**

cincydooley wrote:
Maybe it's because for many people they're directing the product at (board gamers) the resin masters are more than enough to indicate what you're going to get and are far, far, far cheaper to produce?

That's nice. Some of us aren't savvy about chucking $100+ at a company based on "indications", not when it was within their means to give us concrete examples. This isn't some startup company running a KS out of their garage, it's a lineup of established names working with a huge license who've evidently already done a lot of work prior to the KS and who made a big deal pre-campaign about the quality of the models(so don't give me that "it's for board gamers anyway, guh!" nonsense).

**cincydooley**

Yodhrin wrote:
cincydooley wrote:
Maybe it's because for many people they're directing the product at (board gamers) the resin masters are more than enough to indicate what you're going to get and are far, far, far cheaper to produce?

That's nice. Some of us aren't savvy about chucking $100+ at a company based on "indications", not when it was within their means to give us concrete examples. This isn't some startup company running a KS out of their garage, it's a lineup of established names working with a huge license who've evidently already done a lot of work prior to the KS and who made a big deal pre-campaign about the quality of the models(so don't give me that "it's for board gamers anyway, guh!" nonsense).

Which is why they've provided samples of similar work done by the production house?

I stand by every word I said. The demographic they're marketing to (board gamers) is plenty fine with the examples they're providing.

You aren't.

That's fine.

Doesn't mean they should cater to you, however.

**Moopy**

Does anyone know why they went with 32mm?

**Yodhrin**

cincydooley wrote:
Yodhrin wrote:
cincydooley wrote:
Maybe it's because for many people they're directing the product at (board gamers) the resin masters are more than enough to indicate what you're going to get and are far, far, far cheaper to produce?

That's nice. Some of us aren't savvy about chucking $100+ at a company based on "indications", not when it was within their means to give us concrete examples. This isn't some startup company running a KS out of their garage, it's a lineup of established names working with a huge license who've evidently already done a lot of work prior to the KS and who made a big deal pre-campaign about the quality of the models(so don't give me that "it's for board gamers anyway, guh!" nonsense).

Which is why they've provided samples of similar work done by the production house?

I stand by every word I said. The demographic they're marketing to (board gamers) is plenty fine with the examples they're providing.

You aren't.

That's fine.

Doesn't mean they should cater to you, however.

If they didn't want miniature collectors expecting to be "catered to"(nice choice of wording, implies anyone who disagrees with you is expecting something extraordinary and unreasonable), they shouldn't have explicitly set out to court pledges from miniatures collectors, which is what they did when they emphasised the models pre-campaign and then sent their community manager guy onto BoW's Weekender to specifically state that the models are a priority(indeed he went to the extent of saying he told the company he would refuse to take a job with them if they weren't up for making the best models possible, or words to that effect).

Their main demographic may be board gamers, but you're just being disingenuous if you claim they weren't happy to make a point of pitching at collectors as well, at which point we're every bit as entitled to hold them to our standards as board gamers are to hold them to theirs.

**Theophony**

Moopy wrote:
Does anyone know why they went with 32mm?

A lot of company's are going 32mm now. More size to get more detail and also the models don't look as ham fisted as some of GW's work. Also GW's 28mm really isn't always 28mm.

**cincydooley**

Yodhrin wrote:

If they didn't want miniature collectors expecting to be "catered to"(nice choice of wording, implies anyone who disagrees with you is expecting something extraordinary and unreasonable), they shouldn't have explicitly set out to court pledges from miniatures collectors, which is what they did when they emphasised the models pre-campaign and then sent their community manager guy onto BoW's Weekender to specifically state that the models are a priority(indeed he went to the extent of saying he told the company he would refuse to take a job with them if they weren't up for making the best models possible, or words to that effect).

Their main demographic may be board gamers, but you're just being disingenuous if you claim they weren't happy to make a point of pitching at collectors as well, at which point we're every bit as entitled to hold them to our standards as board gamers are to hold them to theirs.

Shoot, you're right.

That must be exactly why they've got a pledge that only includes miniatures sans the game itself.

Well played, sir. Well played indeed.

**Azazelx**

What's the forecast pledge manager situation on this one?

**JohnHwangDD**

Moopy wrote:
Does anyone know why they went with 32mm?

"realistic" 32-35mm has similar total model bulk / volume as a 28mm "heroic" model, but allows for actual scale proportions. It's a good size.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Azazelx wrote:
What's the forecast pledge manager situation on this one?

It's straightlining for $2.2M.

For the deal being offered (150 minis for $100), I wouldn't be surprised to see this in the $2.5M-$3M range when it's all over.

**Trodax**

cincydooley wrote:
The demographic they're marketing to (board gamers) is plenty fine with the examples they're providing.

I dunno, you speak as if board gamers are a completely homogenous population that really don't care about the quality of the miniatures. I bet there's a percentage of "board gamers" that are swayed into pledging here because what they're seeing is some absolutely spectacular looking gaming pieces (aka miniatures). I think it feels alright that some miniature enthusiasts who are more material savvy are taking a bit more skeptical stance, pointing out that what you're seeing isn't necessarily exactly what you'll be getting.

**Pacific**

The latest update:

#62
Demonic fury
Posted by Monolith Board Games LLC

Demons in the world of Conan are terrifying opponents and nefarious allies. Bound to those that summon them, they are a unnatural source of devastation upon the foes of their master.

"The desert is filled with my people; the demons of the earth shall do my bidding, as the reptiles of the earth obey me."
Robert E. Howard - Black Colossus

Demons such as this one are extremely powerful combatants. They never begin the game on the board but are instead summoned by powerful magical spells and bound to serve the sorcerer that brought them into the world. They activate at the same time as the mage, for no additional cost, making your mage’s activation tile extremely dangerous . However, as with all dark magic, there is a price to pay. The two models are henceforth linked and the death of one causes the immediate demise of the other. It could be described as putting all your eggs in one basket but, well, that’s one very painful basket. This set contains 1 large monster model and 2 Overlord Tiles.

Illustration by Brom

**overtyrant**

Oh... Another KS exclusive I see.....

**Bioptic**

The game is entirely scenario-based, which really limits the use of non-scenario entities. You either have to write your own missions or rely on fan-created stuff. Frankly your best value add-on is going to be the $20 book which at least enables you to use all of the models in the King pledge!

Also, several of their "exclusives" like the tiger have simply been alternate sculpts, so that's a possibility here.

**Mr Morden**

Be fun if Akivisha could be a hero alongside Conan of whom she was quite enamoured

**Nostromodamus**

Bioptic wrote:
The game is entirely scenario-based, which really limits the use of non-scenario entities. You either have to write your own missions or rely on fan-created stuff. Frankly your best value add-on is going to be the $20 book which at least enables you to use all of the models in the King pledge!

Also, several of their "exclusives" like the tiger have simply been alternate sculpts, so that's a possibility here.

Jamie has confirmed that if something doesn't inherently come with a scenario, it will be usable in a scenario in some way. He has also said that some scenarios allow for some degree of model choice.

Also you don't need the campaign book to use the King content. It's the other way around. You need the King content to use the campaign book.

**Pacific**

Another update:

#64
Knock Knock, who’s there?
Posted by Monolith Board Games LLC

More scenery for your game boards, folks!

Today we’re looking at doors! Now, doors have no particular combat utility, but they are a lot easier than fiddling about with the tokens in the core box and they look a lot better!

And before anyone asks, yes, they do really open. I know right? The wonders of technology!

Sculpted by Grégory Clavilier

Might give this one a miss, as hopefully by the time Conan comes around I will have plenty of doors from Heroquest (yes, really!

)

**Sinful Hero**

Yodhrin wrote:
cincydooley wrote:
Yodhrin wrote:
cincydooley wrote:
Maybe it's because for many people they're directing the product at (board gamers) the resin masters are more than enough to indicate what you're going to get and are far, far, far cheaper to produce?

That's nice. Some of us aren't savvy about chucking $100+ at a company based on "indications", not when it was within their means to give us concrete examples. This isn't some startup company running a KS out of their garage, it's a lineup of established names working with a huge license who've evidently already done a lot of work prior to the KS and who made a big deal pre-campaign about the quality of the models(so don't give me that "it's for board gamers anyway, guh!" nonsense).

Which is why they've provided samples of similar work done by the production house?

I stand by every word I said. The demographic they're marketing to (board gamers) is plenty fine with the examples they're providing.

You aren't.

That's fine.

Doesn't mean they should cater to you, however.

If they didn't want miniature collectors expecting to be "catered to"(nice choice of wording, implies anyone who disagrees with you is expecting something extraordinary and unreasonable), they shouldn't have explicitly set out to court pledges from miniatures collectors, which is what they did when they emphasised the models pre-campaign and then sent their community manager guy onto BoW's Weekender to specifically state that the models are a priority(indeed he went to the extent of saying he told the company he would refuse to take a job with them if they weren't up for making the best models possible, or words to that effect).

Their main demographic may be board gamers, but you're just being disingenuous if you claim they weren't happy to make a point of pitching at collectors as well, at which point we're every bit as entitled to hold them to our standards as board gamers are to hold them to theirs.

You've summed up quite a few of my thoughts in these two posts.

**JohnHwangDD**

Mr Morden wrote:
Be fun if Akivisha could be a hero alongside Conan of whom she was quite enamoured

Yep. Definitely want Akivasha as a Hero!

**Pacific**

That's a really cool piece of art, exactly as I imagined her in the book.

Latest update:

#65
$1,710,000 – Pelias UNLOCKED! Next up: The call of the wild.
Posted by Monolith Board Games LLC

A helping hand is a helping hand, whether it has dark magic flowing through it or not, and Conan doesn't get around to allying with many sorcerers so it makes it all the more prominent!

Now we all know that Zogar Sag, Pict shaman from "Beyond the Black River", uses his knowledge of ancient and dark powers to communicate with and command the beasts of the forest. We've already seen some of these in the form of the giant snake and the sabertoothed tiger, but there is one more, even more powerful entity that Zogar Sag can command:

When he calls this demon to the world, Zogar Sag takes possession of its body. The demon is not activated normally like other models but instead activates when the shaman activates making them both very dangerous. The downside is that when one of them is slain, the other perishes instantly. In fact, this is how the shaman meets his end in Howard's tale when Conan slays the demon!

Illustration by Brom

« A face began to take shadowy form. At first Conan thought it was Zogar Sag himself who stood wrapped in green fire. But the face was higher than his own and there was a demoniac aspect about it--Conan had noted various abnormalities about Zogar Sag's features--an obliqueness of the eyes, a sharpness of the ears, a wolfish thinness of the lips; these peculiarities were exaggerated in the apparition which swayed before him. The eyes were red as coals of living fire. More details came into view: a slender torso, covered with snaky scales, which was yet man-like in shape, with man-like arms, from the waist upward; below, long crane-like legs ended in splay, three-toed feet like those of some huge bird. Along the monstrous limbs the blue fire fluttered and ran. He saw it as through a glistening mist. Then suddenly it was towering over him, though he had not seen it move toward him. A long arm, which for the first time he noticed was armed with curving, sickle-liketalons, swung high and swept down at his neck. With a fierce cry he broke the spell and bounded aside, hurling his ax. The demon avoided the cast with an unbelievably quick movement of its narrow head and was on him again with a hissing rush of leaping flames. But fear had fought for it when it slew its other victims, and Conan was not afraid. He knew that any being clothed in material flesh can be slain by material weapons, however grisly its form may be. One flailing talon-armed limb knocked his helmet from his head. A little lower and it would have decapitated him. But fierce joy surged through him as his savagely driven sword sank deep in the monster's groin. He bounded backward from a flailing stroke, tearing his sword free as he leaped. The talons raked his breast, ripping throughmail-links as if they had been cloth. »

Robert E. Howard - Beyond the Black River

**Talking Banana**

It's a shame they're recycling old Brom art now instead of commissioning new work, since Brom's paintings were originally inspired by other sources and created for other purposes. I know I've seen some of it in the old Guardians CCG game. This is why the Forest Demon illustration doesn't match the REH text.

I guess maybe re-using older imagery is a way to save money on the KS exclusive pieces, which they won't make money on at retail after the campaign is over.

**ced1106**

Trodax wrote:
I dunno, you speak as if board gamers are a completely homogenous population that really don't care about the quality of the miniatures. I bet there's a percentage of "board gamers" that are swayed into pledging here because what they're seeing is some absolutely spectacular looking gaming pieces (aka miniatures). I think it feels alright that some miniature enthusiasts who are more material savvy are taking a bit more skeptical stance, pointing out that what you're seeing isn't necessarily exactly what you'll be getting.

Ooh! Ooh! Me! Me!

It's the bucket-o-miniatures crowd. They paint to tabletop or don't paint at all. They want pretty figures, but want them for games and don't want to pay prices for high quality display-level figures. Before KS, FFG started releasing soft plastic boardgame miniatures, which were at least better than cardboard standees. FFG also released games with higher price points. Personally, I think this primed boardgamers to be willing to pay for and want better quality figures *but* not necessarily display-level models. You can see the tabletop quality boardgamers are satisfied with in the Shadows of Brimstone, Imperial Assault, and Cthulhu Wars forums on BGG. It's definitely not hobby miniature painter standards, but it's better than lumps of soft grey plastic.

So, Tre, have you moved yet?

ub3r_n3rd (sp) on Reaper only wanted specific models, so I think there's potential for a not-Conan display-level line of miniatures. Looks like some posters here would rather pay for a high quality miniature, rather than a bulk purchase!

**cincydooley**

ced1106 wrote:
You can see the tabletop quality boardgamers are satisfied with in the Shadows of Brimstone, Imperial Assault, and Cthulhu Wars forums on BGG. It's definitely not hobby miniature painter standards, but it's better than lumps of soft grey plastic.

The funniest thing about this line is that the game that produced it's minis in HIPS has, by far, the worst miniatures of any of these games.

I'd contend that the minis FFG has been producing since Descent 2E came out are more than detailed enough for nearly all painters, and masters can get plenty of detail out of them.

But then again, I have to remind myself that Dakka is a haven for only master painters who certainly wouldn't deign to painting "lumps of soft grey plastic."

**JohnHwangDD**

Trodax wrote:
I dunno, you speak as if board gamers are a completely homogenous population that really don't care about the quality of the miniatures. I bet there's a percentage of "board gamers" that are swayed into pledging here because what they're seeing is some absolutely spectacular looking gaming pieces (aka miniatures). I think it feels alright that some miniature enthusiasts who are more material savvy are taking a bit more skeptical stance, pointing out that what you're seeing isn't necessarily exactly what you'll be getting.

The resin masters look pretty good, and it is claimed that they will be Dust quality, but have yet to see actual production-grade pieces. One would think that raising $500k in the first week would have greenlighted the production of at least 1 model to show by the end of the campaign.
____

ced1106 wrote:It's the bucket-o-miniatures crowd. They paint to tabletop or don't paint at all. They want pretty figures, but want them for games and don't want to pay prices for high quality display-level figures.

So, Tre, have you moved yet? ub3r_n3rd (sp) on Reaper only wanted specific models, so I think there's potential for a not-Conan display-level line of miniatures. Looks like some posters here would rather pay for a high quality miniature, rather than a bulk purchase!

To be fair, if you count the stuff in a basic pledge, it working out to roughly 200 things for $100. That's quite a bucket o stuff, not that there's anything wrong with that.

At 200 things for $90, it's cheap enough to buy the pledge, pick what you like, and sell the incomplete remainder for $50-60 shipped.

**highlord tamburlaine**

I'm such a horrible painter, I refuse to even attempt to paint a board game, but will willingly subject myself to ruining Mierce figures quite regularly.

Ced has the right idea, and it was initially the FFG games that brought me back into the fold. Buckets of minis are quite a lure, especially when you have none to speak of.

Busting open that first edition Descent box was a thing of joy. Just like I imagine sifting through my final pledge for this will be.

**Bossk_Hogg**

ced1106 wrote:
[You can see the tabletop quality boardgamers are satisfied with in the Shadows of Brimstone, Imperial Assault, and Cthulhu Wars forums on BGG. It's definitely not hobby miniature painter standards, but it's better than lumps of soft grey plastic.

Having all three, the Shadows of Brimstone are hands down the worst, and those are the hard plastic ones! I'd rank the man sized ones below D&D minis or star wars figures. Some of the creatures arent terrible, but I gave up trying to pick out faces on those things. Hopefully the next wave is improved :/

**tre manor**

Holy crap! Is it really 200 pieces for $90.00??? I do not see how that is possible. That means even if the packaging is free ( which it isn't ) then the pieces are $.45 each!

yep we are moved btu not quite settled yet. I FINALLY got back to work today! I will get the KS launched by Monday.

**Nostromodamus**

tre manor wrote:
I will get the KS launched by Monday.

Nice!

Looking forward to seeing how a perfect KS is run, seeing as you're always so keen to point out the faults in others

**Wehrkind**

Alex C wrote:
tre manor wrote:
I will get the KS launched by Monday.

Nice!

Looking forward to seeing how a perfect KS is run, seeing as you're always so keen to point out the faults in others

If being perfect was required before pointing out flaws there wouldn't be a word in the language for "criticism."

**Nostromodamus**

Wehrkind wrote:
Alex C wrote:
tre manor wrote:
I will get the KS launched by Monday.

Nice!

Looking forward to seeing how a perfect KS is run, seeing as you're always so keen to point out the faults in others

If being perfect was required before pointing out flaws there wouldn't be a word in the language for "criticism."

Well I added a tentative date on the upcoming KS list. Tre has done good projects and makes nice models, just a little friendly ribbing

**tre manor**

I can handle it. It is certainly not the worst ribbing I have had!