Kings of War Fantasy Battle Game - 2nd Edition by Mantic Games Kickstarter (Live and funded)

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**RobertsMinis**

I think they look like what an Orc Shaman in Mantica would look like. I upped my pledge to get a couple.

**squall018**

I think they look pretty good myself. That being said, I know better than to pledge on concept art alone, so I will be waiting to see if they are worth it.

**Alpharius**

The overall look and feel here has been pretty disappointing.

I can only hope that Mantic takes some time after this campaign to really reassess things and comes back with a better plan and system in regards to an overall design aesthetic and dedicated quality control in all phases.

Maybe a 'disappointing' KS here will 'help' them in that?

**ulgurstasta**

Alex C wrote:
These Orcs don't have hair either....

They're wearing Maw Beast pelts.

Ha! I didn't see the orcs faces inside the mawbeasts maw

**Nostromodamus**

Alpharius wrote:
The overall look and feel here has been pretty disappointing.

I can only hope that Mantic takes some time after this campaign to really reassess things and comes back with a better plan and system in regards to an overall design aesthetic and dedicated quality control in all phases.

Maybe a 'disappointing' KS here will 'help' them in that?

Dunno what you're on about Alph, I'm loving the project.

**Alpharius**

Alex C wrote:
Alpharius wrote:
The overall look and feel here has been pretty disappointing.

I can only hope that Mantic takes some time after this campaign to really reassess things and comes back with a better plan and system in regards to an overall design aesthetic and dedicated quality control in all phases.

Maybe a 'disappointing' KS here will 'help' them in that?

Dunno what you're on about Alph, I'm loving the project.

I guess we'll just have to agree that opinions differ!

**adamsouza**

It's at nearly 10 times it funding goal with 5 days remaining, so I can't see Mantic being very dissapointed.

Ronnie did an interview 2 weeks before the KS where he said Mantic wasn't expecting, or pushing, for this KS to be big. They wanted to fund the Book + Plastic Abyssals with anything after that being gravy.

**Theophony**

I just have a feeling that the "stretch goals" for this are things they already have done and just waiting a good release time. If the funding doesn't jump I'm sure we will see something along the lines of "we were so excited about how well the KS went that we decided to also offer these other items during the pledge manager". My pledge is staying a 1, until I see the Final final pledge manager and see some of these sculpts show up.

**Hulksmash**

Yeah, I'm going to go in for $1. Just so I can grab a large number of the plastic daemon infantry if it turns out well.

**Nostromodamus**

Theophony wrote:
I just have a feeling that the "stretch goals" for this are things they already have done and just waiting a good release time. If the funding doesn't jump I'm sure we will see something along the lines of "we were so excited about how well the KS went that we decided to also offer these other items during the pledge manager". My pledge is staying a 1, until I see the Final final pledge manager and see some of these sculpts show up.

So pretty much like any Mantic KS then?

**Bioptic**

They overfunded the first KoW Kickstarter so much that they ended up filling out a big chunk of their entire line just from that (albeit making a loss overall).

All I see this doing is plugging some gaps in the existing line and creating a new army, possibly a second if things go really well. A pretty major success by any metric - unless you don't like the models resulting of course!

On a personal level, I indeed feel that Mantic could do with investing in an actual overall art direction, as currently they feel a bit too much at the mercy of individual sculptors and concept artists. I actually quite like parts of this approach when it results in truly strange and different stuff, but since Mantic's properties tend towards the generic it can end up feeling unfocused instead.

**Pacific**

Fenriswulf wrote:
Yeah they look like bad 1980's GW designs. They can do it a lot better than this.

For those of who love the 80's GW designs, I think that is definitely a bonus.

Absolutely love the style of them!

**Da Boss**

I look at the designs, and I think "This looks cool! It looks like a bargain!"
And then I scroll through the armies, and look at the Orc army (because I love Orcs) and see the Trolls, and remember some other concepts that looked really good, and how they turned out, and decide to wait.

If Tre Manor can have sculpts getting finished during the campaign, I dunno, maybe it just raises my expectations of being shown what I'm getting.

**judgedoug**

Da Boss wrote:
I look at the designs, and I think "This looks cool! It looks like a bargain!"
And then I scroll through the armies, and look at the Orc army (because I love Orcs) and see the Trolls, and remember some other concepts that looked really good, and how they turned out, and decide to wait.

If Tre Manor can have sculpts getting finished during the campaign, I dunno, maybe it just raises my expectations of being shown what I'm getting.

You can do what I did and have an Orc army made up of Mantic Orc plastics (being one of my favorite design aesthetics for orcs) and Mantic pvc Gore Riders (because they are actually one of the only good pvc kits) mixed with Mierce monsters (Wyvern, Trolls).
That way you don't have the crap models but the army still looks awesome.
edit: amusingly enough a couple of my Orc heroes are Tre Manor sculpts for Reaper.

**Nostromodamus**

Add-on wednesday delivers...

**Da Boss**

Yeah, but I will wait for retail so I can buy the ones I know look good. I'd be interested in pledging for Abyssals, but I will not pledge for mantic models with just a render because they've proven to be unreliable in the past.

I am also interested in the Orcs, but much of that army is restic, and restic stinks. The other one I like is the Ogres, which is all restic or their apparently quite poor goblins. I keep see-sawing. If I could be confident about the abyssals I would go for it, but I think it's not worth the risk of a disappointment.

**Thraxas Of Turai**

Not really, all of the Orc infantry is proper plastic, only the trolls/Gore riders and chariots are restic. In my experience these models are great in the material.

Disappointed that the Abyssal Dwarf Great Winged Abyssal is the same dragon sculpt with an additional metal head.

**TheAuldGrump**

Alex C wrote:
Theophony wrote:
I just have a feeling that the "stretch goals" for this are things they already have done and just waiting a good release time. If the funding doesn't jump I'm sure we will see something along the lines of "we were so excited about how well the KS went that we decided to also offer these other items during the pledge manager". My pledge is staying a 1, until I see the Final final pledge manager and see some of these sculpts show up.

So pretty much like any Mantic KS then?

Or any Kickstarter that has a chance of actually hitting schedule.

The Auld Grump - we only added 300 things with stretch goals, what do you mean that it is going to take longer than planned?

**agnosto**

I like some of this but will wait to see retail execution before plunking any money down. Mantic has taught me a painful lesson that their final product doesn't always match the concepts and prices at MM are sometimes cheaper than KS prices anyway (1/2 price battlezones anyone?).

**judgedoug**

Da Boss wrote:
I am also interested in the Orcs, but much of that army is restic, and restic stinks.

Orc Ax and Greatax are hard plastic. (interchangeable bodies, actually). Orc Morax are the plastic sprues plus metal left arms.
Gore Riders are pvc but are surprisingly good. They were my first actual pvc models and I was quite impressed and thought it was a reasonable material. (It was all downhill from there, though; but the Gore Riders are good. I own 30 of them)
I dislike the troll aesthetic personally, so that's why I use Mierce trolls.

**Thraxas Of Turai**

They are only half price if the MM servers allow you to checkout

@Judgedoug there are no Morax in the Ork army deals, it is the all plastic Ax and Greatax that are included. All together more than 75% of the big army deal is in hard plastic.

**highlord tamburlaine**

I just got some Mantic trolls for ten bucks with shipping. We'll see how they stack up. Never minded the aesthetic of them. Just big dumb trolls.

HOWEVER- I had never thought of getting some Mierce ones to use. Duh. Because I don't have enough Darklands stuff already, right?

Guess it's back to ebay to hunt up some cheap trolls...

**Azazelx**

jorny wrote:
A Basilean concept that actually looks good! What will happen next? Cats chasing dogs?

My old cat did this whenever dogs got a bit too close. She was a tough one. Still, it takes more than cats chasing dogs to see a Basilean concept make it all the way to great miniatures!

**angelofvengeance**

Sorely tempted to get the scenery stuff added to my pledge...

Update #20

It's back... Add-on Wednesday is here!

It’s big, it’s bad and it’s back. Yes it’s Add-on Wednesday!

Just to recap, Add-on Wednesday is that special time of the week where we release a number of cool add-ons to enhance your experience. Whether it’s etched army dice or a hard plastic gaming table, each is entirely optional but gives you more value and more bang for your buck.

So what do we have on offer today? Well let’s find out…

The first is pretty self-explanatory - an extra copy of the 2nd Edition Rulebook, resplendent in hardback form with all the background, rules, army list and hobby you need to play. That means if you have friends who want a copy they could piggyback on your pledge and you could share the postage.

NEW! Kings of War 2nd Edition Hardback Rulebook

NEW! Fantasy Terrain

Buildings and scenery break up the battlefield, obscuring line of sight and influencing the strategy you’ll need to best crush your opponent. Our friends over at 4Grounds have a beautiful range of pre-painted scenery which will look great on your battlefield!

Made out of MDF, with a little card detailing (and even teddy bear fur on the thatched roofs!) all you need to assemble these great buildings is PVA glue.

NEW! Secret Weapon Rolling Field 6’x4’ hard plastic gaming table

This beauty by our friends at Secret Weapon is from their tablescapes range and made entirely out of hard plastic. It’s fully modular and clips apart for easy storage. All you need to do is paint it!

Painted Tile Example:

And lastly…

NEW! Abyssal Dwarf Supreme Ironcaster on Great Winged Abyssal

What’s worse than a vicious magic-caster Dwarf from the Abyss? One that’s mounted on a mystical flying beast of darkness, that’s what.

Yesterday we featured the Basilean High Paladin on Dragon – today we’ve got an Abyssal Dwarf Supreme Ironcaster on Great Winger Abyssal!

A new metal rider and metal head for the plastic dragon kit, there’s no stretch goal for this one, you can just simply add it on to your pledge for $25. Enjoy

Updated Art

We’ve got updated art from Dungeon Saga for our Undead Demonlord Ba'el and celestial Valandor campaign character pack – check them out:

Undead Demonlord Ba'el

Cast to the deepest pit of the Abyss, his soul trapped and bound in the very Tome of Valandor itself, Ba’el has now returned to take his revenge. Half mad with rage and spite, his physical frame racked by the changes wrought upon it by the weird powers of the Abyss, Ba’el has only one focus – the destruction of his ‘brother’ Valandor, and his ascension to true Godhood.

Valandor

A legendary hero from the time before the Great Flood, Valandor’s true nature was revealed when he returned to battle the creatures of the Abyss once again. Now he faces a terrible choice – destroy one half of his immortal being, or watch the world of mortals burn to ashes.

These two leading characters are available to add on to your pledge in our $20 campaign pack.

And finally…

We are now just 5 days until the end of the campaign and between now and then we’ve got Black Friday, and we have to do something a bit special for Black Friday, right?

So, we’re considering two new pledge levels that makes getting several – or all – of the armies a bit easier on the wallet. Would a bulk army pledge level interest you? Let us know in the comments.

Ooh, and before we go, Ronnie Renton will be on Chilling Wargamers tonight live at 8:00pm GMT. Don't miss it!

**Pacific**

Azazelx wrote:
jorny wrote:
A Basilean concept that actually looks good! What will happen next? Cats chasing dogs?

My old cat did this whenever dogs got a bit too close. She was a tough one. Still, it takes more than cats chasing dogs to see a Basilean concept make it all the way to great miniatures!

Is that the cat in your avatar? I can believe it

**judgedoug**

highlord tamburlaine wrote:
I just got some Mantic trolls for ten bucks with shipping. We'll see how they stack up. Never minded the aesthetic of them. Just big dumb trolls.

HOWEVER- I had never thought of getting some Mierce ones to use. Duh. Because I don't have enough Darklands stuff already, right?

Guess it's back to ebay to hunt up some cheap trolls...

Actually, let me rephrase. I use Ysian Brutes for my Orc Trolls, and Norse Trolls for my Goblin Trolls. Thematically fits better

**Azazelx**

Pacific wrote:

Is that the cat in your avatar? I can believe it

Different cat. She was smaller and much more sweet looking, but tough as a bag of nails. This one is a boy. He's bigger and stronger but she'd still have beat the gak out of him.

**DaveC**

Just listening to the Chilling Wargamers chat, there will be new pledge levels for French and Spanish versions of the rules tomorrow. They are still looking into German.

**RobertsMinis**

Listening here as well. That is great news for the game.

**DaveC**

Ratmen for KoW are possible depends on how the VeerMyn do in DZ first