Update #56

Mar 16 2016
Twisted has funded over 600%! Thank you, to all of our generous backers!
3 Comments
14 likes

Wow – well done everyone, together WE’VE DONE IT! Not only has the Twisted Kickstarter been a massive success, but we reached over 600% of our funding goal! Bravo to all of our backers, you’ve helped us turn our dream into a reality!

Thanks to your tremendous support Twisted has already grown far beyond our expectations, with a bunch of incredible new miniatures to be sculpted, upgrades and enhancements to the Rulebook Box Set, and special Kickstarter Exclusive bonus missions! What an amazing result – so much better than we ever dreamed! With such a fantastic ‘kick start’ we are going to be able to do really wonderful things with the world of Twisted and enrich the whole universe. It is a very exciting time for Twisted!

And it’s all thanks to you – our generous backers – that we’ll be able to spend the time improving, expanding and enriching the world of Twisted. So THANK YOU EVERYONE – we are sincerely humbled and grateful for all of the positivity, support and encouragement you’ve shown us over the last month.

Cheers to an absolutely amazing Kickstarter campaign! We can’t wait to get really stuck in to our work, now!

We’re going to immediately start setting up the Pledge Manager so we’ll keep you posted with regular updates with information on how this will work.

We’ll also be posting regular progress updates keeping you informed as we travel the road towards fulfilment, as well as showing more sculpting and artwork WIPs, of course! So remember to check in now and then for the latest news.

Alexander Hayter about 7 hours ago

@demented games Whilst not from London perhaps the plague doctor could form part of a Venetian Carnival faction? After all Venice is only a few days carriage ride away.

Creator Demented Games about 7 hours ago

@ Alexander - a very interesting thought. Noted for future reference :-)

Andrew P about 7 hours ago

Hi DG are all the wave 1 releases (I hope) included in the rulebook? i.e. dickensains, guild of harmony and servants of the engine

Creator Demented Games about 7 hours ago

Hi Andrew, Definitely the Servants and Dickensians in the main book. The guild we be covered in some fashion but the exact form of their information is yet to be decided for sure. Rest assured whatever we do we will make sure you will have all the info you need to run them as your faction when you get them :-)
Cheers
Pete

Update #57

Mar 20 2016
Kickstarter payments, Pledge Manager info, GF Lancer WIPs
1 Comment
1 like

Hi again everyone! The dust from our amazing campaign has settled, Peter and I have caught up on all of our lost sleep, and we have launched ourselves into working hard on Twisted!
What happens now?

By now, your credit card should have been charged by Kickstarter.
If there was any problem with your payment, please contact us and we can organise payment via Paypal - no problem! You will still have access to the Pledge Manager.
We should receive the funding money in around 10 days from now (it takes some time for Kickstarter to process the payment and deposit it into our account).

Please contact us at via PM here on Kickstarter or email to sales@dementedgames.com if you have any problems or questions about paying for your pledge.
When will the Pledge Manager open?

We are working right now to set up the Pledge Manager, and hopefully it should be ready to launch in 10-14 days.
We cannot launch the Pledge Manager until we receive the funding money from Kickstarter, which should be approximately 10 days from now - so sit tight and please be patient, and we'll organise it as quickly as possible!
If you pay us via Paypal you will still be included in the Pledge Manager - we can add you manually.

We will post a full instructions for the Pledge Manager when it is time to launch! We will clearly explain how it works. It should be easy to use, and enable you to select the exact rewards you want to receive in return for your pledge, as well as adding extra to your pledge should you desire. More info will come soon!
Gentlefolk Lancer Early WIP

Here are some photos to make this update a bit more visually interesting!

I've started work on the Gentlefolk Lancer miniature, and these are some early WIP photos of the rough shape for the figure. I have decided to change the pose from the concept art, because I think this 'rearing up' pose will both make the miniature look more dynamic, strong and cool, and also because it will create a stronger 'contact point' with the base so that it is more stable.

I'm really looking forward to continuing work on this one! It's quite a challenging shape for a miniature, so with a bit of luck hopefully I can pull it off and it'll be another interesting addition to the Servants of the Engine.

-sebastian

Update #58

Mar 25 2016
Sculpting news, and more Gentlefolk Lancer WIPs!
1 Comment
11 likes

Hi everyone - a few bits of current news:

By now, your payment should have been processed by Kickstarter. Please contact us if you have any problem at all you can pay via Paypal instead - no problem!
Peter and I are working hard to set up the Pledge Manager, and we'll have it up and running as soon as we can. This will allow you to customise your pledge and choose the exact rewards you want!
You'll be able to modify or add to your pledge as often as you like while the Pledge Manager is open. We have some new products (especially terrain!) that we are planning to release as bonus Add-ons while the Pledge Manager is active.
The Pledge Manager will be open for a decent length of time - at some point we'll need to close it and finalise production numbers but it will be open for at least a month, if not longer.

Sculpting News

That's the dry stuff out of the way: in more exciting news, all of our sculptors (including me!) are working hard on new Twisted miniatures. Stephane Camosseto has started work on the Gentlefolk Sailor, we've got Olivier Bouchet scheduled to start work on 3 miniatures next month, and Valentin Zak has finished the Avatar of Set sculpt! (I'll share photos soon)

As for me: I'm continuing to work on the Gentlefolk Lancer sculpt whenever I've got a free moment in between other Twisted jobs! Here are the second stage of Work-In-Progress photos for the Lancer.

I have decided to do a little re-designing of the mechanical legs compared to the concept art, for a few different reasons. First, I wanted them to look a little more Art-Nouveau-ish and steampunky in shape - a little more low-tech, a bit less futuristic/sci-fi. I also wanted to carry over the mechanical style I used for other Gentlefolk such as the Flower Seller, Blacksmith and Highwaywoman, so that there is more continuity in design between the miniatures. Peter also thinks it looks more industrial and mass-produced this way, too, which fits the idea of the Gentlefolk.

Everything is still very rough at this point - I'm simply trying to get the basic shapes in place before I start concentrating on refining the details.

I had a few questions last time about sculpting material: I normally use Super Sculpey Firm, but lately I have been experimenting with BeeSPutty Plastic (Firm). These are both over-bake synthetic clays and are quite similar, but the BeeSPutty is slightly more elastic/sticky and I find it to be less brittle after baking (which is good when you need to chop up a sculpt for mould-making!). This Gentlefolk Lancer is being sculpted with a 50:50 mix of Super Sculpey Firm and BeeSPutty Plastic (Firm).

Thanks everyone - more updates coming soon!

-sebastian

Update #59

Apr 1 2016

Avatar of Set - final sculpt!

Hi everyone,

Before we get to the exciting pictures, here's a bit of housekeeping news:

Peter and I are still working hard to set up the Pledge Manager - we realise it is taking a little longer than we originally said it would, but this is partly because (thanks to you unlocking so many Stretch Goals!) there are lots and lots of different products and combinations that need to be created. We are hoping to make the Pledge Manager comprehensive and also very clear to understand, rather than launch prematurely - so this is the reason for the delay. But it will be launching soon!

The great news is that we have finally received the funds from Kickstarter - hooray! That is one piece of the puzzle that has now fallen into place, so we are now ready to go full steam ahead

The other good news is that things are rolling along well on the production front for the miniatures themselves: we've made a great start preparing the metal miniatures for production. I'll post more news about that in future updates.
Avatar of Set

Ok, here it is - the final sculpt for the Avatar of Set! This amazing miniature was sculpted by the supremely talented Valentin Zak, who has truly outdone himself with this figure! The complexity of detail is absolutely amazing - I think this miniature is an instant classic and certainly one of the centrepieces of the Twisted range of miniatures!

I want to also thank Nicolas Amoroso for the amazing concept artwork: without Nicolas' talent in developing the concept, this miniature never could had been created. So a big WELL DONE
to both Nicolas and Valentin for creating such an incredible piece of miniature art!

Update #60

Apr 12 2016
Faction Box Review - The Dickensians Starter



Hi all,

This is the first in a series of updates that will focus on the Characters from each Faction Box and give you a guide to their personalities and how they play in Twisted.

We figured, with the Pledge Manager opening soon, that you might like some more detailed information to help you make your choices when it comes to the Faction Boxes you want.

Please bear in mind the example rules and abilities might change a bit during playtesting and final development but we will try and keep to the spirit of what is noted here. First up we will deal with the cunning and shifty Dickensians.
Faction Play Style:

The Dickensians are what could be called a ‘swarm’ faction. You have a good number of Named Characters such as Bill and Dodger but the particular feature of the Dickensians are the lowly (and cheap) Urkin. These demented maniacs roam the tabletop causing no end of headaches for your foe.

The Dickensians will more often than not outnumber their opponents and these numbers can be used to great advantage. It means you will often lose the initial Priority roll of a game but you should have a good number of extra activations after your opponent has activated all his or her characters to give you a tactical advantage. Remember that the Favour of The Engine changes throughout the game so even if you don’t start with it you may well gain it very soon and Priority changes with your successes after the first turn so that is up to how well you go during the game. What doesn’t change (unless things go badly for you) is your numerical superiority!

The Starter Set has a good balance of combat ability and a modicum of Alchemancy. Bill will be your mainstay in Close Combat along with the Bloodrage Achemancer whilst Dodger will take care of your Ranged Combat (mind you Bill is no slouch in this either). Sowerberry will tend to play a bit of supporting role, weakening your foes and being a general pain for your opponent whilst the Urkin skitter about the table making what mischief they can!



Bill Psyches

Personality: Bill is a thug, plain and simple. He is concerned with nothing but the accumulation of wealth and power and he cares not how he gains one or the other. He uses threats and intimidation to keep his allies in line and control the streets above his sewer lair and he is not averse to giving those who annoy him a short lifespan indeed. Since “The Twisting” that Feygin initiated he has become convinced that he is beset by demons that guide his actions. This is simply The Engine using him as a pawn in its machinations...

In Game: Bill is one of the hardest hitting Dickensians, second only to the terrifying Ollyver, but much more reliable. He has a large number of wounds and his armour value is high, making him a real tank. He fights very well in Close Combat and, when combined with a decent Ranged Attack statistic, this makes Bill a very dangerous proposition for your opponent.

On the special ability front Bill can swap the ammunition in his gun to suit his needs and can Threaten his foes, making them move away from him. He can also attempt to charge through other opposing models to get at those he desires to hurt. A good, solid blow from Bill can Stun those he hits leaving them open to being finished off by even a lowly Urkin!
Sowerberry

Personality: Once an Undertaker, known for disposing of “troublesome” corpses for Bill Psyches on occasion, Sowerberry has been transformed into a strange, wraith like entity. The result of experimentation by Nancy in creating a larger, tougher adult Urkin Sowerberry now exists in a kind of half life, roaming the alleys of London gathering more fodder for Nancy’s foul work. His insubstantial form allows him to glide silently through the streets, taking young waifs to meet their unfortunate destinies as part of Bill’s army of Urkin.

In Game: Sowerberry in pure statistics looks quite weak. He is quite slow and his strength is not great. He also has little armour and no ranged attack statistic. This is somewhat misleading as his ghostly form gives him a number of advantages. His Close Combat attack, whilst weak, ignores the armour of the target and he has a chance to ignore damage from any physical attack (i.e. a bullet or knife). He can also move through some terrain and can glide up to the rooftops with ease making him rather more mobile than his statistics might suggest. He has some Alchemantic ability and also exudes an Aura of Death that affects his opponents in Close Combat so attacking Sowerberry can be more difficult than it seems at first glance. His Eyebite gaze attack has a range of 4 inches and, whilst not terribly damaging, can cause his foe to be drawn into the realm of death temporarily, losing them their Activation!
Dodger

Personality: Dodger is the most skillful of Feygin’s gang of pickpockets. Terribly injured in the events of “The Twisting” Dodger now gets about on a monowheel pilfered from one of London’s mechanical Bobbies. If anything, this change of mobility has made Dodger even better at his work as he has become even faster and more agile than before.

Dodger is rather keen on money but for a very different reason to Bill. He would like to get out from under the thrall of the Psychotic thug and views the garnering of wealth as the best way to do this. Even better, as far as Dodger is concerned, if he can take his master Feygin and his friend Ollyver with him. Dodger views the world very differently to Bill for him money is a means to an end, not an end in itself. He is no Robin Hood but he is not averse to flicking a poor washerwoman a gold grown as he zips by - he prefers to gain influence in the streets by favour, not fear. Dodger and Feygin want desperately to get Ollyver back to normal and, whilst they find Nancy’s work distasteful they will try to keep in her favour until such time as they can figure out how to restore Ollyver.

In Game: Dodger is one of the fastest moving Characters in Twisted with a Speed of 7! His Finesse score is also 7 meaning he can interact easily many objects and can jump gaps really well. He cannot, however, climb!

His “Archer” long revolver is equipped with a scope that allows him to expend extra actions to reduce range penalties on his shots and he also has the “Sniper” ability that means Characters cannot claim cover from other Characters against his ranged attacks. His “Scout” ability allows him to take a Ranged Attack Action at any point during his move so he can whip out of cover, fire off a shot, and zoom away before his foe can react. As you would imagine he also has the ability to steal some objects off other Characters so take care with your stuff when Dodger is about!
Bullsye

Personality: Bill’s faithful dog Bullseye is only concerned with one thing... protecting his master!

In Game: Bullseye is quite fast and nimble and reasonably hard to hit in ranged combat. His bite can be quite nasty but his main ability is that when he bites he tends to “Latch On”. This hampers the movement of his foe and causes automatic damage each turn. If Bill is engaged in Close Combat before Bullseye he must move to assist his master. When in a Melee in which Bill is involved Bullseye may take any hit directed at his master - a kind of Canine ablative armour for Bill if you will!
Urkin Alchemancer

Personality: Nancy is constantly experimenting in various base and disturbing ways - ever keen to produce a better, stronger, more resilient breed of Urkin, much like the immensely powerful Ollyver! One of her successes, albiet accidental to some extent is the Urkin Alchemancer.

In trying to produce a more powerful Urkin by imbuing more of The Engine’s essence in she inadvertently created an Urkin with a modicum of Alchemantic power. This small, evil minded lad, now serves as Nancy’s assistant, fetching and carrying vials of the foul essences she needs to drive her research on. He is often dispatched to the streets above to aid in one task or another as his greater intellect make him a useful tool.

A side effect of his creation is that he intermittently turns into that which Nancy was actually trying to achieve - an uber Urkin if you will. He has little control over this transformation and it can come as rather a shock to his foes when they assume they will be fighting a small, weak Urkin and end up facing a raging beast!

In Game: The Urkin Alchemancer is very unusual for an Urkin. Firstly his statistics are, in general, much better and you may also select only one Urkin Alchemancer in any Company you build. He has a reasonable Alchemantic ability but his Schools of knowledge are somewhat limited.

When he transforms however it is an entirely different story. He loses all Alchemantic ability but becomes a Close Combat Powerhouse! If you can get him into a fight in this state it will, in all likelihood, end poorly for your opponent. You do need to take care though as he is likely to change back into his smaller, weaker form at any moment!
Urkin Slashers & Shooters

Personality: These demented little thugs are the mainstay of Bill’s stange army of twisted wee lads and lasses. The Slashers, as they are known, are the dullest and least intelligent of the Urkin, suited only to the simplest tasks and base street robbery. The Shooters are slightly cleverer and more self aware. They can be entrusted, to some extent, with firearms!

Urkin delight in making their own weapons from scraps they find and the more strange and deadly they are the more value the Urkin hold them in. This does tend to result in weaponry of dubious quality however! Urkin are numerous though and engaging one in a fight will likely draw many more of his skittering and shrieking friends to assist!

In Game: Possibly the cheapest models to field in Twisted the Urkin Slashers weigh in at 11 points each. Their statistics are, at best, average and they don’t have a lot of wounds to spare should they get attacked. They have no ranged attack with the exception of a single grenade that they can lob at their foe. These grenades have a random effect when they explode from a squib that simply fails to go off to a mighty explosion worthy of a skilled Alchemancer! The do like things that go bang! They are just a bit rubbish at making them!

Urkin Shooters are a touch more expensive at 14 points but they do carry a ranged weapon. This weapon is also a jury-rigged affair and can explode in their hands or perform beyond all expectations! It is short ranged however so they do need to close with their foes to fire. The Shooters can fight in Close Combat but they aren’t great at it.

All Urkin share a couple of abilities that make them more useful! They can, as an Action, choose to “Lurk” which makes them impossible to target at ranges greater than 3”. They also have the ability to “Reinforce” which means that when an Urkin is killed there is a 50% chance of him being replaced and a 1 in 6 chance of him being replaced by two Urkin! These nasty wee psychopaths have a habit of popping out of the sewers when their foes least expect it!

We hope you found this update useful. Next up we will focus on the Dickensians Expansion Set Faction Box which contains the mighty Ollyver!

Cheers
Pete

Update #61

Apr 13 2016
Pledge Manager coming soon, and Metal Production Update

Hi everyone,

We’ve got some good bits of news to go through today!

First we’ll start with the Pledge Manager. We are still waiting for the final Twisted Pledge Manager page to be finalised – Peter and I would like to apologise for the delay. I know we told you that the Pledge Manager should be up and running within a week or two, but we didn’t realise how much time it would take to build the page properly. We are currently working together with the professional team from Kicktraq/PledgeManager to create the page. Part of the reason it’s taking so long is that there are so many different rewards and combinations to create! So we thought it would be better to take the extra time and make sure everything is clear and correct, rather than rush through a dodgy version.

The good news is that this Pledge Manager delay has no impact at all on us moving towards actual fulfilment! It isn’t delaying our production in any way, and we have already made some great progress in that direction. For example, we’ve already started making the production moulds for our metal Twisted miniatures!
Metal Production Update

We had some cool stuff arrive in the mail, and I wanted to share it with you all! Take a look at these photos: these are metal masters we received recently from Valiant Enterprises, one of our casting production partners in the USA.



What you can see here are metal master casts of 7 of our new miniature for Twisted. My job now is to take these masters and clean them up to start making the next of our production moulds for Twisted!



The production process works like this: the sculpted miniature is sent to a caster, who makes a mould to create the first copies of the miniatures. These first copies/casts are called the ‘masters’. Multiples of these masters can then be cleaned up and used to make a production mould: for example, we might want to make a production mould with 5 ‘Gentlefolk Blacksmith’ miniatures on it.

I took a photo to show you the ‘clean-up’ process for a Gentlefolk Blacksmith: on the right is a master cast straight from the mould, and on the left is a cast I have cleaned and prepped for production moulding. You can see that the cleaned version is much more 'shiny'.



In order to prepare the miniature for production moulding, I examine the figure to make sure it has cast properly, make sure to clean any existing mould lines, and then brush the surface with a copper-bristled brush to make sure there is no residue so that the figure is as clean as possible. This process takes some time but I think it is important in order to make the best quality production mould, to make sure the Twisted miniatures are the the highest quality possible!

-sebastian

Update #62

Apr 17 2016
Faction Box Review - The Dickensians Expansion



Hi all,

After the last update dealt with the Dickensians Starter we will now take a look at the Characters included in the Dickensians Expansion Faction Box. Expansion Box is actually a bit of a misnomer really. The Expansion Box can act as a standalone Company for Twisted. It just plays differently with Alchemancy more to the fore and one of the biggest hitters in the game in the mighty Ollyver!

As before please bear in mind the example rules an abilities might change a bit during playtesting and final development but we will try and keep to the spirit of what is noted here.
Faction Play Style:

See the previous update for an overview of the play style of the Dickensians.

The Expansion Set will see Ollyver taking the brunt of any Close Combat. Both Feygin and Nancy can fight but are best kept out of hand to hand if at all possible. The Urkin Dragoon is a handy Close Combat Character and is quite quick with it whilst the other Urkin play their usual role of being a thorn in your opponent’s side if left unattended to!



Ollyver:

Personality: Once a sweet and shy young lad, Ollyver was transformed by the power of The Engine during “The Twisting”. He is now a raging monstrosity with little self awareness and a propensity to kill anything that comes too close if he is in a bad mood. Feygin and Dodger have worked out how to control him to some extent but he is still unpredictable and, given an unfortunate set of circumstances, can be as much of a threat to his allies as he is to his enemies!

In Game: Ollyver is a beast of a Character on the tabletop! With a whopping 30 Wounds and 8 Armour he will be a hard job for your opponent to take out of action. His Strength of 8 and Close Combat Attack score of 8 make him quite likely to tear even the best fighters limb from limb! His Defence in Close Combat is pretty good but he is rather susceptible to being taken out with Ranged Attacks if you don’t keep him in cover.

In terms of Special Abilities he is a bit of a double edged sword! He can perform a “Furious Charge” moving at triple speed and getting a bonus to Attack. If his opponent rolls poorly on their Defence he can also “Rend” them which causes significant damage as his mighty iron fist comes into play! As an alternative to “Furious Charge” Ollyver may “Plough Through” opposing Characters to charge those behind them and can even Charge through terrain to some extent, smashing his way through houses and walls! He is also “Unthinking” which means he cannot interact with any objects other than doors so no fiddling with dainty chest locks for Olly!

Beware Ollyver when he is Wounded though! He then becomes “Berserk”, increasing his Strength and Speed but in this state he will attack the nearest Character, friend or foe, with the exception of Dodger!
Feygin:

Personality: This wily old fellow used to control his gang of young pickpockets and had accumulated quite significant wealth and power prior to The Twisting. His exploration of the Sewer system below the streets lead him to find not only the curious armed harness he wears but one of the secret chambers that concealed a Node of The Engine. A lesser rogue may well have missed the cunningly concealed chamber but little of value escapes the eye of Feygin! His meddling in that which he did not understand lead to great and ruinous changes in his companions however.

His life now changed he works to try and figure a way out of his current situation with his skin intact (along with Dodger and Ollyver if possible). He fears Bill - he always did - but it is the once kind Nancy than now terrifies him. Should she gain the power she seeks he know it will spell his doom as his usefulness expires. In the meantime he has control of the Urkin and a measure of power in the gang and, even though he regrets the changes they have endured, he recognises that the Urkin are bringing in much more money than the young pickpockets they once were ever did!

In Game: Feygin’s Statistics are solid but not outstanding with the exception of his Finesse score of 8 - the highest currently in Twisted! He has some Alchemantic ability although he is somewhat limited in Schools (Fire and Earth only).

His gun, a “Biggin and Weller Arc Gun” fires bolts of electricity (that he often uses on a low setting to shock disobedient Urkin) that can arc to more than one target. On occasion is has been known to malfunction and fire off a random bolt to quite some distance! Feygin, using his “C’mere Lads” ability can attempt to call more Urkin to his side, adding to the Dickensians numbers. He is also clever enough to know when not to fight and may “Bow Out” of Close Combat without needing to test. His special Harness is somehow linked to The Engine and has a mind of its own to some extent. It defends Feygin even when he doesn’t see the attack coming and hence the old reprobate cannot be flanked or outnumbered in Close Combat!
Nancy

Personality: Nancy is evil, pure and simple. Once a kind a caring woman she was transformed during “The Twisting” and the effects were not only physical.

She is now concerned only with gaining power and controlling The Engine node is her doorway into a world of unimagined dominion over the physical world which treated her so poorly before she became what she is today.

Nancy delights in pain and suffering with little or no thought given to those under her “tender mercies”. She finds the process of creating Urkin fascinating and constantly experiments to create ever more powerful and psychopathic servants.

Through her research she has gained a great deal of knowledge of the arts of Alchemancy and is a force to be feared should she be set against you.

She currently obeys Bill Psyches but only until such time as she feels she no longer has a use for his more visceral kind of power. When she attains the power she so desires it may end very poorly for her current allies indeed.

In Game: Nancy is one of the most powerful Alchemancers in Twisted. Her Combat statistics are average but her Armour is quite low so if she finds herself locked in Close Combat or under serious fire at a distance she may well come off second best.

She has access to all four Schools of Alchemancy and an Alchemancy bonus of 7 so most Invocations are no problem for her and she can take an impressive 11 Power of Invocations giving her great flexibility!

She carries a brace of small throwing knives as her ranged weapons. These won’t do much to heavily armoured foes but she has plenty of other, more damaging, options in her Alchemantic arsenal. She also uses a long, bladed “Whip Shawl” in Close Combat and, if she rolls well on her attacks she can entangle her opponent.

On the Special Ability front she is “Disturbing”, an aura that unsettles her opponents, making Close Combat attacks against her more difficult and disrupts enemy Alchemancers who may be nearby.

Her studies of The Engine node make her an “Engine Mistress” which allows her to redraw any Tempt Fate Card she draws. Nancy delights in pain and has worked out many ways to maximise the agony her blades cause. Her “Murderous” ability causes extra damage on a Critical Hit in addition to the usual halving of a foe’s Armour as she drives her blades in more deeply with a bloodthirsty grin...
Urkin Dragoon

Personality: Whilst most Urkin are maniacs who lack much in the way of intelligence but have plenty of low cunning this is not true of all of them. Some retain a good measure of their intellect and are suited to the more difficult tasks that require a measure of independent action and thought.

The Urkin Dragoon is an example of one of these lads. He retains his love for the soldiery of England and has modeled his equipment on that of the Dragoons he so loved to watch ride by before Nancy changed him.

Urkin of this type are given tasks that will require them to act independently and make their own decisions. They act as messengers and runners for Bill, often carrying his threats to those above his sewer lair or controlling other Urkin on somewhat ‘delicate’ tasks.

These Urkin are also Feygin’s favoured lads as they remind him of the old days and the old man can often be found in the company of one or two of them.

In Game: The Urkin Dragoon is quite fast for an Urkin. He is capable of nipping around the table and positioning himself to flank and outnumber your foes. His statistics are better than a regular Urkin Slasher, with whom he is most closely aligned, and he has more Wounds so staying power isn’t such an issue.

His sabre can inflict a nasty wound and he also carries a small pistol which increases his usefulness.

The Dragoon loses the “Lurk” and “Reinforce” abilities but has much more flexibility with ““Retreat” and “Assault”. “Retreat” allows him to leave Close Combat without a test and “Assault” gives him a free Ranged Attack if he charges into combat (albeit at a hefty penalty).
Urkin Slashers & Shooters

Personality: These demented little thugs are the mainstay of Bill’s stange army of twisted wee lads and lasses. The Slashers, as they are known, are the dullest and least intelligent of the Urkin, suited only to the simplest tasks and base street robbery.

The Shooters are slightly cleverer and more self aware. They can be entrusted, to some extent, with firearms!

Urkin delight in making their own weapons from scraps they find and the more strange and deadly they are the more value the Urkin hold them in. This does tend to result in weaponry of dubious quality however!

Urkin are numerous though and engaging one in a fight will likely draw many more of his skittering and shrieking friends to assist!

In Game: Possibly the cheapest models to field in Twisted the Urkin Slashers weigh in at 11 points each. Their statistics are, at best, average and they don’t have a lot of wounds to spare should they get attacked.

They have no ranged attack with the exception of a single grenade that they can lob at their foe. These grenades have a random effect when they explode from a squib that simply fails to go off to a mighty explosion worthy of a skilled Alchemancer! The do like things that go bang! They are just a bit rubbish at making them! Urkin Shooters are a touch more expensive at 14 points but they do carry a ranged weapon. This weapon is also a jury-rigged affair and can explode in their hands or perform beyond all expectations! It is short ranged however so they do need to close with their foes to fire. The Shooters can fight in Close Combat but they aren’t great at it. All Urkin share a couple of abilities that make them more useful!

They can, as an Action, choose to “Lurk” which makes them impossible to target at ranges greater than 3”. They also have the ability to “Reinforce” which means that when an Urkin is killed there is a 50% chance of him being replaced and a 1 in 6 chance of him being replaced by two Urkin! These nasty wee psychopaths have a habit of popping out of the sewers when their foes least expect it!

That's it for this update! Next up we'll take a closer look at The Servants of The Engine Starter Set and we'll see how they stack up against the sly Dickensians.

Cheers
Pete

Update #63

May 1 2016
Faction Box Review - The Servants of The Engine Starter



Before we get started on the review of the Box contents for The Servants of The Engine starter here's some housekeeping:
Pledge Manager update:

Thanks to all of you for being so patient while we wait for the Pledge Manager to be launched. We realise it is taking a lot longer than we originally indicated. This is because we are working with a third party (Pledge Manager, run by the team behind Kicktraq) in order to create the Twisted page, and it requires some new coding to be done. This is the cause of the delay, while we are waiting for this to be completed.

However, the good news is that this is not causing any delay to the actual production fulfilment for the Twisted Kickstarter, as Seb and I are moving along well with that side of things! Our resin caster (Valiant Enterprises) has been casting up a storm of all the figures we currently have sculpted, and our metal caster (Eureka Miniatures) has already made the first few production moulds for some of the metal miniatures to be included in the faction boxes. I have also been working hard on finalising missions for the rulebook, which are coming along very nicely! Plus Craig at CNC workshop has been his usually busy self, and we will have some more new terrain additions to reveal when the Pledge Manager does finally launch.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for being patient so far - we'll get there eventually!



Nouveau

Personality: Nominally the leader of the Servants of The Engine Nouveau has a direct connection to The Engine and it can perceive the world through a series of small lenses he wears. He has little regard for those he leads and views them as truly Servants of The Engine to be used as he sees fit.

He is not beyond putting their lives in danger if it furthers The Engine’s desires and, whilst not wasteful of those that serve under him he does pay their safety scant regard.

This leads him into conflict with some members of The Servants of The Engine, most notably Gretel who’s strong instincts for independence and self-preservation rankle him greatly.

In Game: Nouveau is a good all-rounder. His combat statistics are good and he is reasonably quick to move around the tabletop. He also has a decent Alchemantic ability and, whilst his access to Elements is a little limited he can call some fairly powerful Invocations. His armour score is also rather good at 7 and this can see him sustain some quite nasty hits before succumbing to injury.

He carries a wicked Sabre that can do significant damage in Close Combat and his “Controller” Riot Pistol is accurate up to quite a long range. It can also fire both barrels at once as “Dual Fire” attack that does 2 lots of damage on a single attack roll however this does come with extra penalties to hit and cannot be done more than once a turn.

His status as “Servant of The Engine” allows him to take two Cards if he chooses to Tempt Fate and he may choose which to keep. In addition a Company he is part of may draw a third Eye of The Engine card if they hold priority however this third card must be taken.

He is also blessed with “Supernatural Speed” that allows him to reroll failed Defence checks against Ranged Attacks and he may also reroll failed Finesse checks to avoid area effects. His “Servant’s Step” ability allows him to spend an Action in Close Combat to move to any free position around his opponent – very useful for outflanking unwary foes!

Tesla

Personality: A brilliant scientist, Tesla was instrumental in the development of the Gentlefolk by the Reichenbach Stahlwerk Co.

He has an overarching curiosity and love of all things technical, some suggest that this verges on madness as very often his devices are beautiful, brilliant and deadly all at the same time. He views the world through a prism of a deep desire to understand how everything works and he has a strong desire to find out more about The Engine and learn it’s secrets. This is not from a sense of wishing to control The Engine but rather harness it’s power to better perfect his craft.

His relations with the rest of The Servants of The Engine could be characterised through more a curiosity to see how events will unfold rather than a deeper sense of loyalty. By no means a heartless man – Tesla cares deeply about those he likes but his insatiable desire to learn more about The Engine can often lead them into some risky scrapes indeed.

In Game: Tesla’s statistics are solid. He’s not a Close Combat monster in his regular state but his Finesse is a very respectable 6 and his Armour of 8 (thanks to his powered suit “Edison”) is really quite impressive. He can increase his statistics by “Overcharging” Edison but this comes with its own set of risks. It increases his Speed, Strength and Close Combat Attacks but reduces his Finesse and Defence scores.

In addition if Tesla rolls a 1 at any time whilst Overcharged Edison will being to Overload! This causes it to give off bolts of electricity that harm anyone nearby and, if the suit is not shut down (by an ally hitting the emergency stop button on Tesla’s back) it explodes and that is very bad for anyone nearby, especially Tesla himself!

He carries a “Plasma Staff” which can be used in both Ranged and Close Combat. He also carries a batch of Grenades of his own design, especially designed to make impressive and rather damaging explosions!

His “Curious Tinkerer” ability allows him to re-roll failed Finesse checks when interacting with items and it also allows him to heal damage on Gentlefolk, something Alchemantic Healing won’t do.

Telsa if often accompanied by a small flock of his own cunningly designed robotic “Interfering Pigeons” and these small birds have a tendency to flap about him and become a distraction for his opponents when they try to land a blow.

Nightingale

Personality: Nightingale is a consummate healer, both kind and gentle. She tries her best to avoid harming others but when her friends are threatened she is willing to get involved in a fight to help them out.

She views the world very differently to Nouveau and sees The Engine as a force for good, a source of power that carefully harnessed could even undo the ruinous changes that have been wrought over the hapless Urkin!

She sees the thrall that The Engine and Nouveau have over Launcelot and knows that the carnage he commits when controlled by them is slowly driving the honourable knight to the edge of madness. She works quietly to figure out a way to break this control and restore to Launcelot the free will to do what he sees as right. She trusts that this aligns with the overall goals of The Engine but that remains to be seen…

In game: Nightingale is not a Combat oriented Character. She can fight but her best statistics are her Defence and Alchemancy scores. She is reasonably fast but lightly armoured and will suffer badly if engaged in any prolonged melee or firefight.

Her Alchemancy score is a solid 6 and she has access to all Elements bar Fire. Her primary access is to Water and Air so she can heal and allow your other Characters to move around the board more quickly.

She carries a Surgical Knife which whilst not terribly damaging has the property of being able to slip between the armoured areas of a foe if they fail to Defend themselves well, adding to its lethality. Her Ladies Pistol has a reasonable range but again does a bit less damage than the larger, heftier weapons carried by her companions.

As an “Elemental Healer” Nightingale can exchange any Elemental Essence for any other in order to call an Invocation that heals so her usefulness in keeping your Company fighting cannot be underestimated. She also carries her famous lamp and with her “Lamplight” ability she can dazzle nearby foes or help her companions target enemies concealed by smoke or other non-physical obstructions to Ranged line of sight. Finally, and not least, her wings give her the ability to “Flit” twice a game which allows her to take a double move as a single action over intervening objects or Characters and even fly up to the rooftops to a place of safety from where she can work her Alchemancy, away from the “attentions” of her foes.

Gentlefolk

First developed by the Reichenbach Stahlwerk Co. of Prussia the “Selbstgesteuerter Dampfdiener” or Self Controlled Steam Servant was first sold to the public at the great Steam Expo in Hammersmith.

Initially the Steam Servants were simply robots who were built to serve a purpose - more animated machines than anything else.

The Engine, discerning that some scholars had found references to its nodes, decided that these new machines would make an excellent force with which to defend itself. It was concerned that if humanity could control the nodes it would begin to lose its control over the world and, to The Engine, control is everything!

The Engine’s first action was to use its powers to influence Tesla. Giving the already brilliant man incredible insights into the secrets of steam technology. The Engine gave its new servant the task of improving the design of the machines to a point where they became useful servants.

Tesla set to work and within a year the simple, lumpen machines had become elegant works of art, mirroring the human form but unique and built to suit their purpose perfectly.

First adopted by the rich and powerful as household servants and a means to show their copious wealth and avoid the rather tedious matter of dealing with actual human staff, the “Gentlefolk” as they came to be called in England, were soon adopted by industry and the military where they truly began to prove their worth as a tireless and fearless force of workers.

Some Gentlefolk simply human shaped automatons whilst others sport specially designed parts to carry out their tasks with great efficiency. Some have elongated legs, some centaur like forms and some are stocky and squat with great steam driven muscles that have many times the power of a human being. They are as varied as the tasks which they are required to perform. A perfect example of form following function.

Humans are still employed in many areas that Gentlefolk work but there are entire companies of miners and whole regiments of troops made up of the steam powered automatons.

The first generation of Gentlefolk were little more than pre programmed machines, suited only to a dozen or so relatively simple tasks. The newer models are fully capable of learning and to some extent reasoning, better able to respond to their masters wishes and more able to operate independently.

This increase in independence has lead to some interesting and unexpected quandaries. In some cases the Gentlefolk have developed enough independence to actually leave their employment and strike out on their own. This is rare but not so uncommon that in some areas of London you’ll see the elaborate steel constructs selling flowers on street corners or working as labourers. There are even instances of Gentlefolk becoming higwaymen or robbers to make their living.

These “free” Gentlefolk are arrested and reprogrammed when they can be caught but the strength and speed of even the cheapest models makes this a difficult task for the Peelers.

Most Gentlefolk are adorned with items of normal clothing that make their owners feel more at ease with them. This is usually a simple hat, scarf or other clothing associated with their trade, sometimes the livery of a butler or other servant.

The “Free” gentlefolk tend to wear more human clothing to help conceal their true nature but remain fiercely proud of their steel heritage will always allow some of their mechanical bodies to show.

In the 25 years since they were first developed the Gentlefolk are now a common sight throughout England and Europe. They work in all manner of tasks and their presence in almost any situation raises barely an eyebrow these days.

Since the discovery of the Engine nodes there has been a great rise in the number of Gentlefolk “going rogue” as the Engine’s plan comes to fruition and it takes control of ever increasing numbers of them.

The Engine, knowing it has been discovered, has called it’s Servants but the creation of these heroes has put a great burden on it’s resources. This would normally not be a problem but the rise, worldwide, of groups seeking to uncover and control the Nodes has meant The Engine now needs an army to defend itself. A few champions, no matter how powerful, just won’t keep the never ending tide of those who seek it’s secrets at bay.

The Gentlefolk, developed under Tesla, proved to be just what The Engine desired. A band of fearless and tough servants who will unquestioningly do its bidding.

Controlling the Gentlefolk is much less of a drain than calling and keeping a human champion in line.

The Gentlefolk, however, cannot be healed by normal means, Even most Alchemantic Invocations won’t heal them. Tesla, however, has a special affinity for his creations and is able to repair even the most badly damaged ones given time.

Where ever a challenger appears to be closing on a Node The Engine will take control of a number of the automata nearby and bring a Servant or two to defend itself.

Mechanical: All Gentlefolk are “Mechanical”. This means that they are unable to be healed by Alchemantic Invocations. If damaged they need to be repaired. This is a Finesse Check by another Character against a target number based on the level of Damage. Tesla is by far the best at this and has a substantial bonus to his chances of success.
Gentlefolk Highwaywoman

The highwaywoman is an example of one of the “Free” Gentlefolk. She was once a servant in a grand country manor. When the house was destroyed in a fire she survived and, purloining a brace of pistols from the ruins took to the roads and highways of England, robbing to survive.

In Game: The Highwaywoman is reasonably fast moving with a speed of 5 and quite a good shot. She is a little less powerful in Close Combat but she can hold her own unless her opponent is rather skilled. Her Finesse is also solid at 4 so she can avoid area effects and jump rather well.

She has a pair of very well crafted dueling pistols which allow her to make accurate ranged attacks using her “Aim” ability should she not move in her Activation. She also has the ability “Stand and Deliver” that allows her to make a single Ranged Attack, albeit with a penalty, in her opponent's turn should she be charged or engaged in Close Combat from within her line of sight.

She is also “Shifty” and this allows her to leave Close Combat without an opposed check should she not be the only Character from her Company engaged in the melee.
Gentlefolk Blackmsith

The Blacksmith is an example of one of the more specialised Gentlefolk. He is built with one purpose – to hammer steel all day long without tiring! He carries his own furnace and this model of Gentlefolk is found in many foundries and smaller ironworking establishments throughout London.

In Game: The blacksmith is rather slow in terms of movement. He lumbers around the tabletop attempting to bring his great strength to bear in Close Combat which is his forte.

His Strength of 5, combined with the high basic damage of his hammer makes him a threat to even the most heavily armoured foe! His own armour is a respectable 6 and he has a good number of wounds so he can fight on for quite some time. His Finesse and Defence scores are on the low side however so he can find himself in some trouble if caught in a fusillade of gunfire or attacked by a skilled Alchemancer.

The Blacksmith has the ability “Knockback” which represents his heavy blow sending his opponent flying if he does sufficient damage.

He can also emit “Smoke” to cover himself and others from ranged attacks but adding a few oily rags into his furnace. His only ranged attack is to reach into his burning belly and fling hot coals at his foes. These don't do a great deal of damage and have a short range but they do bypass armour so their usefulness cannot be underestimated.

The immense power of the Blacksmith's blows can be used to “Shatter” objects on the tabletop giving him a bonus to open doors or barrels and allowing him to easily ruin objectives that take damage to destroy.
Gentlefolk Lancer

This fellow is a military model of the Gentlefolk. There are entire regiments of Gentlefolk cavalry and soldiers and The Engine finds them particularly useful additions to it's fighting forces. Their uniforms are usually reminiscent of their human equivalents but on occasion they are enamelled in their unit colours. Often the military Gentlefolk have heavy leather covers that are used to protect them from the elements whilst on the march.

In Game: The Lancer, as one would expect, is a very fast moving Character. He is not terribly strong but makes up for this with his “Run Through” and “Thundering Charge” abilities which add to his damage when he charges and can render opponents prone as he moves through them!

He carries a pistol which is very useful although not terribly accurate at long ranges. His primary weapon is his long lance which gives him the “Reach” ability allowing him to attack in Close Combat from a base width away from his target without actually locking himself into the fight. This means he can become a kind of 'second rank' in a fight if one of your other Characters is involved!

The next update - coming soon - will focus in the Servants of The Engine Expansion.

Cheers
Pete

Update #64

May 6 2016
Gentlefolk Lancer sculpting WIPs - almost finished!

Hi everyone,

It's been a while since we showed the first WIP pics of the Gentlefolk Lancer, so here are some more stages in the progress series.

This miniature is being sculpted by me (Sebastian), and here we can see stages 2 - 7 of the sculpting process. I thought it might be interesting to show you a series of photos taken from the same angle, so you can easily see how the sculpting develops at each stage.

My method of sculpting is to create the general form all over the miniature, then gradually refine each area in stages, before finalising the fine detail work at the end of the process. The missing parts - the spear/lance, gun and tail - would get in the way if attached earlier, so they are sculpted separately and aren't added until near the end of the sculpting (you can see them roughly tacked in place in the last WIP photo)

The primary sculpting material being used is Super Sculpey Firm, mixed with BeeSPutty Plastic (both grey oven-bake polymer clays). The more bone-coloured parts have been mixed with Tamiya Quick Type, a two-part epoxy putty. Sometimes it is easier to use epoxy putty for certain details so that they harden quickly, while the clay around them remains 'wet' until baked.

Photos of the finished miniature will be coming soon!

p.s. Thanks again to everyone for being so patient while we wait for the Pledge Manager coding to be finalised. We'll be sure to let you all know as soon as it's ready - and we'll have some nice new terrain to debut, too!

Update #65

May 17 2016

Faction Box Review - The Servants of The Engine Expansion



Hi all,

In this second update we will cover the characters who make up the Servants of The Engine Expansion set.

Firstly though there is a wee bit of housekeeping to get through:


Pledge Manager: We aren't far off now! We are down to the last few tweaks and we do hope to launch it very soon. We are just wanting to ensure it is easy for you all to work with as our Kickstarter has a large number of options so we felt it better to get it right rather than do it quickly and have it harder to work with.

We thank you for your patience! We also wish to say again that the delay with the pledge manager has no bearing on the progress of the project - a lot is happening behind the scenes!

What else is happening?: At the moment we have Mitchell Nolte working away at the art for the box set sleeves - it's looking awesome (I'll show you some of the illustrations soon!). Lily McDonnell is working away on a shiny new Logo for Twisted too, giving our current one a bit of spit and polish.

We also have the talented Owen Aurelio working on the concept for the Gentlefolk Miner whilst Nicolas Amoroso is doing some work that will remain secret for the moment!

On the sculpting front Sebastian has finished the Gentlefolk Lancer and we'll show him off once we have good photos taken. He has now moved on to the Guardians of Set from the Egyptian sets. We also have the Gentlefolk Sailor and the couple of remaining Urkin being done.

We have the masters for Set and the Bloodrage Alchemancer from Stephane in hand now too and, if I do say so myself, they are fantastic. The photos we have don't do them justice! They will soon go off for mastering with Valiant in the USA.

Nic at Eureka has completed a bunch of production moulds and metal models will soon be pouring out of his forge and we will begin packing them in anticipation of getting the box sets ready to ship to you all.

Now on with the Faction Set update as promised.

First up though here is some information I probably should have covered last time!
The Servants Faction Play Style:

The Servants tend to be a fairly elite Faction.

By and large their Characters are more expensive than the Dickensians and the Gentlefolk that make up the ‘grunts’ of the Servants Companies are around twice as expensive in points as the Urkin.

This means that, in general, The Servants of The Engine will be outnumbered but certainly not outgunned! Careful play in the early stages of the game will be important to ensure you can whittle down the weaker Dickensians before driving home your advantage in skills and power at the point of a well honed blade! Both the starter and the Expansion are fairly good Companies for games of Twisted.

The Starter is possibly more defensive in nature and some care will have to be taken to keep Nightingale safe but the Lancer and Blacksmith can take the brunt of the Close Combat for you.

The Expansion suits a more aggressive play style with the mighty Launcelot backed up by the Alchemantic powerhouse that is M’Dusa. The Sailor is no slouch in ranged combat whilst the Flower seller can be a very nasty (and bloody) surprise for your opponent!



Launcelot:

Personality: Launcelot is The Engine’s greatest weapon. His skills in combat are unmatched and he is capable of taking on, and defeating, even the most worth fighters in all of London. As one might expect he is brave and honourable, at least when he is in control of himself...

Carried on Launcelot’s hip is a device known as “The List”. This is a direct link to The Engine, given to him by Nouveau who was fully aware of it’s real purpose.

The List can take control of Launcelot and direct his actions to some extent. When a name prints out of the device there is nothing that will stand in Launcelot’s way in killing the so named person. Even innocent bystanders who are seen to interfere will be slaughtered mercilessly, no act is beyond Launcelot when he is under the thrall of The List!

He remains aware of his actions but cannot stop himself. This is slowly driving him closer to madness as his essentially honorable nature wrestles with the despicable acts his is sometimes forced to perform.

He knows that Bill Psyches and the Dickensians must be stopped from getting more control of The Engine’s node but he desperately wishes that he could be free to tackle the task his way.

In Game: Launcelot is possibly one of the best all round fighters in Twisted. At 49 points he is an expensive Character to field but with a +7 bonus to attack in Close Combat and +6 in Ranged Combat he is worth every point! His Strength of 6 along with his wickedly sharp sword means he can deal large amounts of damage quickly, in addition it can cause his opponent to “Bleed” which means when they have a chance of taking further damage each maintenance phase with every wounding hit.

Defensively he has 10 armour so he can also withstand almost the strongest of blows before taking any harm. His Close Combat defence is a respectable 5 but he can he at risk from ranged attacks and his movement is average so care must be taken not to leave him exposed.

In addition he carries a great rifle known as “The Lance”. This long ranged weapon has the ability to target a point on the table rather than an enemy Character. Any Character, friend or foe, between Launcelot and this point has a chance of being wounded as the great, rocket powered, shell whizzes across the tabletop!

On the special abilities front The List is represented by the “By The Engine’s Will” ability. This gives Launcelot a +2 bonus on all attacks against an opposing Character who is nominated randomly at the start of the game. For some reason The Engine wants that Character dead and it is Launcelot’s job to see it done!

He also has the ability “Determined” that allows him to make and additional free attack against any Character in contact with him should he reduce any other Character he is in Close combat with to 0 wounds.

His final ability is “Challenge” which, if successful, forces an opposing Character to move towards Launcelot and ensures that Launcelot may only attack that foe until he or she is dead.
Gretel:

Personality: Gretel is a fiercely independent woman. She has been summoned to aid The Servants but does so in her own way. She is accompanied at all times by Hansel - a small monkey she named in honour of her brother who was killed by a rogue Alchemancer some years ago.

She holds great disdain for Alchemancers, considering them dangerous and untrustworthy in general. She carries with her several wands that she has taken from Alchemancers she has defeated, all of whom were fond of the more distasteful kind of “experimentation” that is sometimes carried out.

This kind of work required her to become an expert shot and an agile and skillful rogue. She was lucky enough to find a pair of gauntlets in the abode of one “Ezrail Willis” an Alchemancer with a penchant for animating corpses, particularly those of children. This pair of linked arm coverings has allowed her to link her movements with those of Hansel, increasing her ability to break in anywhere due to the agility of her pet.

She distrusts and dislikes Nouveau. She knows he is truly a Servant of The Engine and is aware that all the other Servants are viewed by him as mere pawns. This is not something she will tolerate lightly. She will follow his commands as long as his goals align with hers. Currently she has a great desire to see the foul work Nancy is engaged in ended and this must, for the moment, override her distaste for Nouveau...

In Game: Gretel is fast and agile with a Speed of 6 and Finesse of an impressive 7. This is backed up by her “Nimble” ability which means she can re-roll failed Finesse checks to avoid area affects and gains an extra +1 to her Defence against ranged attacks for cover.

Her attack statistics are fairly solid with an emphasis on ranged combat. Her Dueling Pistol has a good range and the damage is also rather good.

Her Close Combat weapon is her gauntlet “The Hand of Hansel” with which she can inflict a solid blow. This wondrous item also allows her a couple of other abilities.

The first of these is “Thrust” which can push an opponent away from Gretel. This is very useful for avoiding Close Combat or for shoving foes off ledges and balconies!

Secondly she has “Linked Finesse” with Hansel and this means she can interact with objects up to 6” from her, sending the small monkey scuttling away to pick locks and open crates using her own movements and Finesse.

She is also a skilled “Witch Hunter” which means she is +2 on all attacks against Characters with some Alchemantic Ability. In addition any damage she causes drains some Elemental Essences from her foe.

Finally she carries with her a small brace of “Wands” she has taken from the Alchemancers she has defeated. At the start of a game of Twisted 3 random Alchemantic Invocation cards are drawn and Gretel may use each of these only once per game.
M’Dusa:

Personality: M’Dusa is a very powerful Alchemancer. She is proud and elegant with a strong sense of justice. Curiously, and as many do not realise, M’Dusa is not a humanoid at all.

M’Dusa herself is a construct of indeterminate origin. The body of M’Dusa is the cowl form that rests over the head of her current host body, linked by spinal and cranial probes.

The cowl also holds a pair of “Seeker Snakes” that are normally curled inside it but can emerge and move independently of M’Dusa.

Her preference of host is normally those that do not deserve an independent life. Murderers and street thugs that would otherwise make the life of the good people of London a misery.

Regardless of the real phyisical appearance of the host M’dusa always chooses to appear as a beautiful and poised woman clad in fine, if somewhat unusual garb. This is perhaps a reference to the origins of M’Dusa but none can say for sure.

M’Dusa, much like Nightingale, would like to see Launcelot freed from The List but has a different motivation. M’Dusa believes the knight would be more effective if given free reign and she believes that Nouveau is being wasteful of this great and powerful resource.

She wishes to see Bill Psyches brought down and the balance of The Engine restored so a modicum of peace might once again be brought to the streets of London.

In Game: M’Dusa is an Alchemantic powerhouse, rivaled only by Nancy. She is reasonably fast with a Speed of 5 however her Strength and Close Combat statistics are average. She is quite a good shot with “The Serpent”, her crossbow and this is coupled with the "Deadeye” ability which reduces the penalty for firing safely into Close Combat where an ally is involved.

Her “Seeker Snakes” in her cowl can be sent out independently and she may use them as channels for her Alchemancy, calculating the range and line of sight from their position rather than hers.

The Seekers also form her close combat attack and although the damage they do is not great their venom can weaken a foe.

The myriad of small snakes on her cowl keep a watch for her and this “Awareness” means she may not be flanked in Close Combat, nor is there a bonus for attacking her from the rear.

When M’Dusa reaches the Wounded state her statics change, representing her host body being killed. If she then manages to have an opponent reduced to 0 wounds in a melee in which she is involved she may possess the new body, healing herself and becoming fully effective again. She may not be healed in any other manner whilst in this state however but normal Alchemantic healing is effective as long as she is not in the Wounded state.
Gentlefolk:

As noted in the last update The Engine uses Gentlefolk, semi sentient automatons as it’s expendable fighting force. This set contains four of them. As previously mentioned they all share the Mechanical property that means they cannot be healed by normal Alchemantic Invocations but rely on Finesse checks from their allies to repair them.
Gentlefolk Sailor

Personality: Another example of a military model Gentlefolk the sailor is a model used widely by the Royal Navy to bolster its ranks. Rather than send press gangs out into the inns and taverns of the docks it’s simpler and more efficient to simply build the crew one needs to keep Britain’s great navy running.

This particular example has been fitted with a cannon and is what is known by the human sailors with whom he serves as a ‘deck clearer’.

In Game: The Sailor is quite slow. These Gentlefolk aren’t designed for speed as they are meant to serve in the close confines of naval vessels.

His combat statistics are solid but not awesome. He can hold his own in Close Combat but should not be left unattended against a skilled foe. His cutlass can cause quite it bit of damage to lightly armoured enemies though!

His primary use is as a mobile firebase for your Company where he can bring the great cannon he carries to bear, wreaking havoc amongst your enemies.

The Cannon can fire two types of shot, shell and cannister. Shell has a better range and explodes at the end of its flight. This makes it quite deadly against tightly packed foes. Cannister uses a template and requires no roll to hit but is is very short ranged - perfect for clearing alleys however! The cannon is, however, a slow weapon and this means it may only fire once a turn.

The Sailor also has an ability called “Arr me hearties” which allows him to make a special consolidation move in addition to his normal movement. When using this ability he must end up closer to his allies than when he started.
Gentlefolk Gamekeeper

Personality: These types of Gentlefolk are purchased and kept primarily by the landed gentry and the ownership of one of the better models is a badge of prestige!

They are designed to be fast and agile to keep up with game and poachers!

In Game: The Gamekeeper has a good Speed of 5 as befits his hunting tasks. The rest of his statistics are solid making him a reliable addition to your Company.

His primary weapon is a large shotgun that uses a blast template when firing. This means he need not roll to hit when close enough to his opponents. He can use his “Ammunition” ability to swap out the Bird Shot for Deer Slugs which gives him much greater range but does require the usual rolls to hit.

He also has an ability called “Run ‘Em Down” which allows him to make an extra 2” move if this will put his shotgun in range of an opponent.

His most interesting ability is “Trapsetter” which allows him to lay traps as an Action which are then triggered if an opponent gets too close. The type of trap is random and is generated when the trap is triggered. This is very useful for controlling the movements of your opponent and protecting objectives!
Gentlefolk Flower Seller

Personality: Much like the Highway woman this character is an example of a “free” Gentlefolk. In this case she has escaped her servitude and now makes a living selling flowers on the streets of London.

This is not without risk and the sharp blades, no doubt part of her previous task perhaps in a wool mill or leather tannery, serve her well in both cutting flowers and defending herself on the sometimes dangerous byways of the less salubrious areas of her patch.

In Game: The Flowerseller is exclusively a Close Combat focused character. She has no ranged attacks whatsoever! She makes up for this with a better than average Close Combat attack statistic and some really handy close combat abilities.

Firstly her Pruning Blades (the ones on her arm) are Razor Sharp and will score a Critical hit on a 19 0r a 20 rather than just a 20. The upper blades known as Scorpion Shears allow her to make an immediate attack, albeit at a penalty, against any foe who attacks her from the rear.

Having the two sets of blades also gives her the "Multi Strike" ability which means she gets two Close Combat attacks per round and can choose to attack two different foes or she can direct both attacks at a single opponent.

She is also adept at blending into a crowd and has the "Inconspicuous" ability. This means she may not be targeted with a ranged attack unless her opponent wins an opposed Finesse check to spot that she is not what she seems. She can spend an Action to give herself a +4 bonus on this check until her next Activation.

Once she is engaged in Close Combat her opponents quickly realise how deadly she is however and can target her normally.
Gentlefolk Teacher

Personality: In some of Britain’s better schools Gentlefolk are employed as staff, both janitorial and teaching. The Teacher is an example of one such automaton.

Renowned for their adherence to rules and encyclopedic knowledge they are valued additions to any good school and are among the most expensive Gentlefolk to purchase so only the very finest institutions can afford them,

In Game: The Teacher is an interesting Character to run. Her combat statistics are only average but she is very tough and hard wearing as befits a Gentlefolk that had to face up to the “attentions” of unruly schoolboys.

Her primary close combat weapon is her Switch which whilst not terribly damaging has a chance to stun her foe with it’s whip like pain. In terms of ranged attacks she carries a number of darts taken from children who most certainly “should know better” but can be put to good use at reasonably close range.

Her abilities are more about weakening your foes resolve rather than damaging anyone. "Stop it you naughty boy!" means that any Character wishing to attack her mist first pass a Finesse Check based on her current Life total

Her "Stern" ability gives her the ability to shrug off some wounds if she can make a check against the damage dealt, increasing her longevity and making her a real roadblock in some circumstances.

She can also "Lecture" her foes which means that her foe is cowed and may not act in their activation as she gives them a “jolly good telling off” if they fail an opposed check against her.

As you can see she is an unusual Character for a wargame in that she really doesn’t have much of a combat role but is more a foil for you to use to blunt your opponent’s plans.

That's it for now - next up I'll go through the Characters included in the Egyptian Starter set!

Cheers
Pete

Update #66

May 17 2016

Whoops!

Hi all,

A wee correction to last night's update!

Stephane is working on the Gentlefolk Sailor for us. I mistakenly said he'd shipped the Set and Bloodrage Alchemancer to us when in fact that was Valentin Zak!

Apologies to both of them and to you :-)

Cheers

Pete

Update #67

May 28 2016
Egyptian Desert Guardians sculpting WIPs - making good progress!

Hi Everyone,

First up: we are very close to launching the Pledge Manager, the extra coding is all complete so all we need to do are the final checks to make sure it's working properly before we go live. Stay tuned for news and we'll make sure we explain everything clearly when it's time to launch! Thanks again to all of you for being so patient.

While we've been waiting, you'll be pleased to hear that Sebastian has been keeping busy by making a strong start on sculpting the Egyptians! Here are some WIP photos of the first two Desert Guardians of Set, which come in the Egyptian Starter and Expansion faction boxes.

In these photos the sculpts are about 75% complete: the main things remaining are the weapons, some extra detailing, and of course the 'Set helmets/masks' that are the iconic and most characterful part of these Desert Guardian concepts. It looks like Sebastian has made a really great start on these first Egyptians, and he's been having a lot of fun working on them!

As usual, Sebastian has been using a mix of Super Sculpey Firm and BeeSPutty Plastic (firm) polymer clays for the sculpting, along with Tamiya Quick Type epoxy putty for some detail parts (the bone-coloured bits). For those of you who are new to miniatures, these figures are sculpted by hand at 1:1 scale, so the sculpted originals are 32mm sized, the same as the final production retail casts.

Peter and Seb

Update #68

Jun 2 2016
Faction Box Review: The Egyptians Starter



Hi all,

In this update I will be giving you an idea of how the Egyptians will play. Please bear in mind these guys are still in development at this stage so some of the abilities might change and some new ones might be added.You will also find much more developed backstories in the final rules when published.

This should, however, give you an idea as to how we are thinking and I’m fairly certain that although the specifics might change a wee bit the general feel of the Faction won’t.
Basic Faction information:

The activation of the London Node by Feygin caused all the other Nodes in the world to spring to life as The Engine became wary of further interlopers.

The strange effects of the Node in Egypt, beneath the ancient temples of Sepermeru, piqued Carter’s curiosity and, after months of investigation and digging he, and his force of local workers uncovered the central Node Chamber.

This cavernous space was filled with devotional canopic jars, placed there thousands of years earlier surrounding the strange golden plinth that forms the Node. As Carter and his team worked the jars, having become partly sentient due to their proximity to the Node for an extended period began to work their influence.

One by one the Carter and his companions were overcome with a desire to possess one of these jars and, upon picking a jar up each of them became bonded with the memories and influence of the ancient Egyptian who’s remains the jar contained.

The Engine, perceiving this unexpected turn of events called forth the Avatar of Set to kill Carter and his team however the Archaeologist, well schooled in Ancient Egyptian rites and, to no small measure, Alchemancy was able to first hold the Avatar at bay. His bonded canopic jar, the remains of a High Priest, then sprung to life and allowed him to dominate it, bending it to his will for the moment.

The Engine’s plans had gone awry.

The local workers now regard both Carter and Set as deities and have formed a cult, the Guardians of Set, to defend them and carry out their wishes.

Carters companions, each of them bonded with a canopic jar, also work to help him in his work but their methods and motivations vary as ancient rivalries, brought from the grave after thousands of years come to the fore.

Carter has now left Egypt on a Steamer bound for London to try and seize control of the revered “Starting Node” that is present in that great city. In the hold of the ship are his followers - London has not seen their like before and blood is sure to follow them...

Faction Play Style:

The Egyptians have some very hard hitters in their ranks - Set in particular. They do rely on some level of synergy between Characters to be truly successful though.

They won’t be as numerous as the Dickensians but will likely outnumber The Servants of The Engine slightly.

In general terms they will be “swift but squishy” so care will need to be taken not to engage very tough opponents lightly.

Canopic Jars: Most Characters in the Egyptian Faction have a bonded canopic Jar. These jars contain the essence of an ancient Egyptian. The Characters can try and access the essences in the jars to enhance their abilities during the game. The type of benefit is determined by the personality of the essence. For example a great warrior's essence might increase close combat attacks and that of a great strategist might increase close combat defence.

Activating these will be a test of some sort and things may not go well if the test is failed badly.

The Characters



Carter:

Personality: Carter is first and foremost an archaeologist. His thirst for knowledge is unquenchable and it is this very desire to seek the mysteries of the world that has lead him into the situation he now finds himself in.

He is not an evil man, just thoughtless and relentless in his pursuit of knowledge. He believes that whatever must be done to gain a greater understanding of the world is necessary and that the ends fully justify the means.

Little does he realise his domination of Set is not total and that the influence of this malign deity is slowly corrupting him...

In Game: Carter will likely be the Alchemantic mainstay of the Egyptians. He is intended to be quite powerful in this regard but will be reasonably weak should come under sustained attack.

His base statistics will be average but the canopic jar will be able to be used to enhance a couple of his statistics for a short while each game or add a special ability temporarily. This effect will be common to most, if not all of the Egyptian Characters.

He will have a decent ranged attack but his close combat ability will only be moderate.
Agatha:

Personality: Employed initially to record Carter’s exploits Agatha comes from a wealthy, although middle class, background.

Her father, a rising industrialist, sent her to the finest schools and it was there, amongst the truly rich and powerful that she developed her love of hunting.

On arriving in Egypt she purchased the finest elephant gun she could afford, which, with her payment from Carter and her father’s wealth was very fine indeed! The rise in social standing from being in association with a man such as Carter has given Agatha a taste for the good life and she intends to make the most of this opportunity.

During her time in Egypt she managed to bag nearly every type of big game available and the loud report of her gun is heard at both dusk and dawn as she roams the countryside, constantly searching for bigger and better trophies.

She now serves as Carter’s chief tactician as her bonded canopic jar contains the remains of a long dead Egyptian general. Her own intellect, combined with the brilliance of the general makes her a very useful addition to Carter’s entourage indeed.

In Game: Agatha will primarily be a ranged combat Character. Her elephant gun will be capable of causing great damage to even the most heavily armoured opponent.

In close combat she will likely be less impressive and she will be relatively slow and, as is common to most Egyptians, fairly lightly armoured.

She will be able to boost her defences using her canopic jar and will have some abilities to help the Egyptians control the pace of the battle.
Hercule

Personality: Hercule is a Gentlefolk automaton of Belgian manufacture. He was designed specially for Carter’s expedition as a kind of diary keeper and general servant. His programming allows him a good measure of independence and he has, over time, developed quite a pronounced personality of his own.

His powers of observation are unmatched as he has been built to notice the smallest detail that needs attention and he can often be seen attending to the upkeep of the expeditions equipment and generally keeping an eye on the local workforce.

When anything is misplaced Hercule can be guaranteed to locate it within moments and return it polished and immaculate to it’s owner.

He is usually seen in the company of Agatha for whom he has been a useful addition to her own record keeping and the two of them have developed a bond that, whilst sometimes fractious, is quite close.

They are sometimes heard to argue in the tongue of ancient Egypt and it entirely possible that the canopc jars they possess were rivals in a previous life. How this plays out in this world is uncertain...

In Game: Hercule is moderate in all respects in combat. He can fight and shoot (using his pistol) but it is not his forte.

He is best used as a “spotter” for Agatha and he can enhance her ability to hit a target by getting line of sight himself. When he is close to her he also allows her to change the ammunition in her gun as he carries a good selection of specialty rounds with him at all times.

He is also particularly useful in missions where something must be found or spotted as his powers of observation are quite astounding.
Houd of Set

Personality: Imagine a very ill tempered Hyena and you will pretty much be spot on for the Hounds of Set. Once dogs kept by Carter’s team these animals have been twisted by the power of the Node into fearsome and lithe hunting beasts.

They are used to run down foes and hunt out spies, their sense of smell and hearing is unmatched and their bite is both nasty and possibly tainted with the dust of ancient graves.

In Game: The Hounds are fast, very fast. They can whip across the tabletop bringing ruin to your opponents plans in moments.

Having said that they are not tough and won’t withstand a decent blow from a skilled opponent.

Their bite, whilst not terribly damaging, can cause a very nasty form of grave rot that drains life from those unfortunate enough not to be able to resist the infection.

They also have the ability to bring down foes in true hunting dog style and in a pack they can make a real mess of any Character unfortunate enough to be their target.

Having said this they are cowardly and are likely to retreat if their opponent puts up too much of a fight...
Guardians of Set

Personality: The Guardians of Set are the local workers and their families, drawn to the worship of both Carter and the Avatar. The now dress in garb that reflects the great deity’s appearance and they work tirelessly and fearlessly to achieve the goals they are given.

They wield a variety of weapons, some modern firearms and some more traditional weapons. They can be relied upon to take the fight to those who challenge their dual masters with all the fierce and fanatical energy they can muster.

In Game: The Guardians of Set are quite quick with a Speed of somewhere around 5. Their combat statistics are solid and, much like the Urkin there will be two profiles, one ranged and one more close combat focused.

In general terms their armour won’t be great and they will be somewhat limited in Life so, whilst they can cause a good deal of damage they won’t last long in a pitched battle so choosing where you fight will be important.

They too have canpoic jars but it is yet to be decided whether they will share a common bonus for the two profiles or a random table when they access the jar.

It is also possible that each miniature may have a different jar so, in effect, whilst the two profiles are standard the bonuses from the jars will, in effect, give you 6 different profiles.

I am working on this soon and will let you know what the decision is before too long!

In the next update I will cover the Egyptian Expansion set and, as this includes the awesome Avatar of Set you should find it interesting!

In the meantime here is a piece of art that the talented Mitchell Nolte has done for us that will form the front of the box set when it is produced!



He has really captured the bright light and heat of Egypt and the feel of the piece is really great. Mitchell has a wonderful impressionistic style that both Sebastian and I love so we are very pleased we have him on board to do the art for all the box set covers.

I can’t wait to see the final packaging once the headers and other bits are all in place.

I hope you enjoyed this update and stay tuned for the next one coming soon!

If you have any questions please ask away and I shall do my very best to answer.

Cheers

Pete

 Alpharius wrote:
I'm guessing you haven't seen the Avatar of Set yet then?

And the female Indiana Jones homage?

There are some really nice ones in there!

Update #69

Jun 14 2016
Faction Box Review: The Egyptians Expansion



Hi all,

Here is the next update on the Faction Box Sets. This one covers the Egyptian Expansion box with contains the awesome Avatar of Set!

This set is an interesting one in that it contains the diametrically opposed Characters in Horace and Set. Horace is the epitomy of a Character unsuited to Close Combat whereas Set is amongst the strongest and most damaging Characters available to date in Twisted.

First up a wee reminder about the Canopic Jars.

Canopic Jars: Most Characters in the Egyptian Faction have a bonded canopic Jar. These jars contain the essence of an ancient Egyptian. The Characters can try and access the essences in the jars to enhance their abilities during the game. The type of benefit is determined by the personality of the essence. For example a great warrior might increase close combat attacks and a great strategist might increase close combat defence.

This will be a test of some sort and things may not go well if the test is failed badly.



Horace de Havilland:

Personality: Horace is true British nobility. From a very wealthy and landed family he has been sent along with Carter to see the world and, his father hopes, to come back with a good deal more strength of character than he left with.

Indolent and spoiled, Horace likes nothing better than a good long lounge about with a fine brandy and an even finer “Lady of negotiable affection”. He has accompanied Carter under threats of being disinherited and the long journey has changed him though some might think not for the better.

The long steamer voyage found the surprisingly intelligent Horace cloistered with the volumes of Egyptian history and lore that Carter brought along. He also studied the volumes of Alchemantic treatises and picked up a measure of skill in that area too.

If anything his arrogance and overbearing personality grew as he became more skilled in manipulating the world around him. It reinforced his view that those beneath him were not his equals and in no way should they be treated as such.

On more than one occasion it was only in intervention of Carter that stopped the haughty and proud Horace being forceably ejected from the ship into the embrace of the Mediterranean by an angry sailor he has insulted.

Horace has bonded with the jar of an Egyptian Priest of Horus. This personality increased his Alchemantic powers to new heights but it also means he suffers from the ancient and deep enmity for Set that the Priest once held. Horace actively works to undermine Set’s works while at the same time supporting Carter who he realises is his best chance at survival and, more importantly, his ticket home to England where he can fully stretch his wings and show his father who is now the Lord of the manor...

In Game: Horace, as is common for the Egyptians is quite fast however his Close Combat Statistics are barely much better than that of an Urkin.

He is quite a skilled shot however and his “Hispano Long Pistol” is often put to good use. It has a good range and can deliver quite a punch. It doubles as his Close Combat weapon with a wickedly sharp blade slung under the long, finely crafted barrel.

Horace also owns a particularly fine mechanical hawk, purchased for a king’s ransom from a Persian dealer in mysterious antiquities. It is likely quite ancient, yet it appears as though it were manufactured only weeks ago.

He can use this to effectively initiate Close Combat from a distance, sending his Hawk to do the dangerous work whilst Horace stays safely out of harms way. Controlling the Hawk does take some concentration though so it rather limits the Actions Horace can take whilst it is engaging a foe.

Horace is a fairly good Alchemancer with a specialty in Air and Fire so he can lend support when needed, aiding those he feels worthy and weakening those who he feels are “lesser” men.

He is, however, quite cowardly and can’t be relied upon if things take a turn for the worse...
Indigo Ford:

Personality: Born in Africa, Indigo, spent her youth working amongst the local tribes and hunting with her father, learning the skills needed to survive in the harsh desert environments.

Carter employed the young woman when he found her engaged in a rather raucous bar fight in Cairo. He needed a skilled guide who could understood the “natives”, as Carter called them. Someone who could take care of the workforce whilst Carter concentrated on his research.

Indigo fit the bill perfectly.

She is a rough and tumble woman, equally at home in a seedy dive as she is in a steaming jungle or the terror of a desert storm. Almost preternaturally agile she has long ago learned that keeping on the move in a fight is important if one is to avoid swinging fists and, perhaps more importantly, knives.

The local workers quickly learned that trying to challenge Indigo’s orders quickly lead to a swift and painful boot to the nether regions followed by some strong Arabic Liquor to get the offender back on his feet. Indigo doesn’t hold a grudge - once a matter is dealt with it is over.

Always keen for a bit of adventure, especially when it paid as well as Carter was offering she has developed a keen eye for valuable antiquities and has amassed quite a collection of “ill gotten gains” to keep her quite comfortable for a good long while.

Indigo is intensely practical and it is under her watch that many of the over zealous excesses the Guardians of Set might engage in have been thwarted. She knows that her best interests are served by Carter’s continued success but there are ways to do that which do not cause undue chaos and more importantly bring unwanted attention. Having said that if someone needs shooting Indigo won’t hesitate...

Her Canopic jar contains the spirit of an extremely skilled female Charioteer and she can benefit from her agility and surefootedness in times of extreme need.

In Game: Indigo is quite skilled in both Close Combat and Ranged Combat. She can hold her own with the best fighters for a short time but, if trapped in prolonged combat with a heavily armoured foe she might suffer somewhat.

Her Finesse is very high - probably around 7 so she can leap about the table with some measure of surety and is quite likely to avoid the worst effects of template weapons unless she cannot get clear.

She carries a .50 calibre “Webley Culervin” revolver which is more than capable of punching through steel plate and flesh alike.

Her secondary weapon is a long whip with a wickedly sharp golden tip which she wields with great skill. This is generally used to get the attention of her workers rather than belabour them and Indigo is very skilled at using it to restrain rather than harm. It can be used to great effect to cause damage when she desires however.

Indigo has a few special abilities that are of note.

She can use her whip to swing from one building to another with great agility she also has the ability to avoid any traps or ensnarements she comes across.

She also has the “Lucky” ability that gives her a number of re-rolls per game which she can use as she sees fit.

Of most interest is her ability to try and ensnare the weapon hand of an opponent with her whip which not only gives them a penalty on Close Combat but allows her to take a free shot at them with her pistol!
The Avatar of Set:

Personality: The Avatar of Set is an ancient god incarnate. He is both evil and cunning.

Whilst he has been cowed somewhat by Carter he knows that his malign influence will soon take effect and, when the time is right, he will take control and the world will learn to fear him.

He wants the nodes for he knows truly what they represent and that to control them is to control the world. Once he has that control there will be nothing beyond him and a great darkness shall come.

For the moment he is content to bide his time. For a being as ancient as Set a year or two is but the blink of an eye...

In Game: Set is truly a powerhouse in Close Combat and is no slouch on the Alchemantic front either.

Speed wise he is slower than most of the Eqyptians but he can use bursts of “Supernatural Speed” to close rapidly with his foes when needed.

The Avatar of Set has plenty of Life and no Wounded state so he takes a lot of punishment before being banished.

He will be able to emit a “Howl of the Desert” that weakens the resolve of his opponents.

One thing to be aware of with the Avatar though is that he is at his most powerful when surrounded by worshippers. Should he be separated from his followers he begins to weaken so whilst he is the most powerful Character available to the Egyptians he does rather work against their greatest asset - their mobility.

Used carefully and wisely though he is likely to make your Company a very tough proposition for any foe.
Guardians of Set

These guys were covered in the last update but I will repeat this here for the sake of completeness.

Personality: The Guardians of Set are the local workers and their families, drawn to the worship of both Carter and the Avatar. The now dress in garb that reflects the great deity’s appearance and they work tirelessly and fearlessly to achieve the goals they are given.

They wield a variety of weapons, some modern firearms and some more traditional weapons. They can be relied upon to take the fight to those who challenge their dual masters with all the fierce and fanatical energy they can muster.

In Game: The Guardians of Set are quite quick with a Speed of somewhere around 5. Their combat statistics are solid and, much like the Urkin there will be two profiles, one ranged and one more close combat focused.

In general terms their armour won’t be great and they will be somewhat limited in Life so, whilst they can cause a good deal of damage they won’t last long in a pitched battle so choosing where you fight will be important.

They too have canpoic jars but it is yet to be decided whether they will share a common bonus for the two profiles or a random table when they access the jar.

It is also possible that each miniature may have a different jar so, in effect, whilst the two profiles are standard the bonuses from the jars will, in effect, give you 6 different profiles.

I am working on this soon and will let you know what the decision is before too long!

Here is the fantastic box art by Mitchell Nolte.



I particularly like Horace in this image but Mitchell has really managed to capture the dynamic feel of the Egyptians again!

There is but one Faction Box left to cover and that is the Guild of Harmony. I hope to be able to bring that to you soon but in the meantime it’s back onto the rules for me.

Cheers
Pete

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