Archon Studio 40K(ish) 'Empire of Men' KS

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**Lance845**

They have a commisar coming too. The troops look like some pretty great DKOK and at a significantly better price point.

If Archon really is a separate entity from Prodos then good.

**SeanDrake**

aka_mythos wrote:
Scrub wrote:

Ruglud wrote:From one of the (rare) AvP Kickstarter updates (sent out some time back in 2016 I think)

Controversy about LOAD the miniatures game.
As there is a few questions about Archon Kickstarters, we would like to make the following statement.
Archon is a company set up by Prodos in 2014 to provide manufacturing services to Prodos only.
Archon LTD and Prodos Games LTD are separate LTD entities and therefore have separate accounts, structures and teams in place.
Prodos Games is an investor in Archon's structure.
Archon, between 2014 and 2016 has grown is strength from mono-customer manufacturer of miniatures to well know and established entity, providing services to more than 20 customers from industry.
It also helped via Prodos connections to provide miniatures for 12 other Kickstarters as well as well know names as:
Ninja Division, Mantic Games, Warlords Gates of Antares, TitanForge, MicroArt Studio, White Dragon Miniatures, Riverhorse, Steamforged Games, Freebooter Minatures, Infamy Miniatures, Age of Tyrants, Rycerze pustkowi, Shadowrun, Demigods Evolution, Norsgard, Miniature 13, Perditions Mouth, Wargamer, Hysterical Games, Awaken Realms, Troll Trader, Armoured Syndicate, Fregged Empire, Collision, hint The Game, Modiphious, Dungeon Saga, Apollo, Broken Contract, Purgatory, Smog Con, Nova open…
Prodos uses about 10% of Archon's manufacturing capabilities to provide Prodos products to the market.

Thanks for saving me some cash, Ruglud!
Am I missing something. I read this and came to the exact opposite conclusion you are. The jist is that they are run separately and the relationship is that Prodos is a customer and shareholder and not the one running this. This is a good thing. This a reason to spend.

BobtheInquisitor wrote:$20 for a not-Chimera is a must-buy, but why is the not-Leman Russ so much more expensive? C'mon, Prodos, if you're not going to deliver it anyway, surely you can go as low as $25.
First, separate company from Prodos and with a better track record. Second, I think the Little Eagle looks wider than the Wolverine, it probably has more weapon options, and I wouldn't be surprised if its simply not as hollow of a model.

I would point out that the list of customers is deceptive as Mantic had issues getting the product they paid for and the quality was variable at best, they stiffed White Dragon by failing to deliver and then "lost" some of the masters when White Dragon took production i house. I would bet some of the other named companies had similar issues as well. Also Both Mantic and White Dragon had previous successful orders before they got stiffed so previous performance is not a indicator of future performance.

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

I know Hysterical Games (who took over and now do their own stuff) and Age of Tyrants also had problems getting stuff they'd contracted for from Prodos but all that seems to have been down to overcommitting to other companies when they need their capacity to run their own stuff, and when push comes to shove picking their own stuff to get done first

but as RiTides has said I suspect this is going to be a fairly safe bet as they're now a business that knows what they're doing and what their costs are (and are using their own IP which they obviously prioritise over contract work , crucially so no approvals needed from anybody else)

**Krinsath**

I'd add Infamy Miniatures to the list of companies that had delays/issues with Prodos. That said when the product was finally delivered, they were of good quality. The Archon label also seems to have been brought out when Prodos knew they had trashed their reputation with the AvP fiasco (and seriously, read up on the mind-boggling level of deception and chicanery still going on with that if you're unfamiliar), so there has been a certain amount of skepticism that it's a separate company on anything other than paper.

KS is always a gamble, but if one chooses to gamble on this particular campaign make sure you're very comfortable with the idea that it may not fulfill and pledge accordingly. The risk with this group seems a bit higher than most.

**warboss**

insaniak wrote:
Sidstyler wrote:

And no, I haven't bought anything from Mierce, actually. I watched that Maelstrom gak as it happened and decided I didn't want to give that company my money. Nothing against people who do, I personally just don't wanna take the risk or knowingly support a company that's engaged in that kind of behavior, and just hopes that people either don't remember or don't care anymore.

Pretty much in the same boat. I love a lot of Mierce's range, but just can't bring myself to give them money after the Maelstrom mess.

Same here. I wasn't affected by the Maelstrom closure but out of principle I don't reward companies that do stuff like that to the community. It's not just Prodos but also Palladium and Mierce and any other company that pulls that kind of stuff but continues to do business. It's not all about getting shiny stuff right when you want it. If those companies ever make a product that I just can't pass up (hasn't happened yet), I'll only buy used from a fellow gamer getting out of the game so they don't make a penny.

**Hulksmash**

Well the models they handed out at Nova are very well done that are for this kickstarter. I might toss a few bucks but prods history makes me to nervous to back big.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Well the models they handed out at Nova are very well done that are for this kickstarter. I might toss a few bucks but prods history makes me to nervous to back big.

**Theophony**

I have not bought any Mierce because of Maelstrom, I have bought AVP and the power loader, both on clearance(well off the damaged rack at miniaturemarket, and it took me over 10 years to buy from CMoN since I got burned by New Wave Games. To me these guys have to prove themselves a lot more before I will send any money their way.

**spiralingcadaver**

ArtIsGreat wrote:
Haha, so many brave heroes courageously standing their ground against this toy company.

Ouch. My feelings. You totally pointed out... something trolling?

You're on a gaming site's news page about companies, of course it's a "toy company" of one sort or another. People here care about gaming, and this is a case where a company's rep will likely hurt it because it's small enough that a number of people voting with their dollar could do something. Yeah, there are bigger, nastier fish in the world than Prodos, but I reject as many of them as I can, too, and why not reject both big jerks and little jerks? It takes pretty little effort to vocally vote with my dollar. You're the only one who got dramatic about it.

**RiTides**

That's enough back and forth insults, please - post politely and on topic, or just don't post.

Thanks all

**Samsonov**

Love the chimera thing. But I was in on the AvP Kickstarter (managed to thankfully sell my pledge) and that put me off kickstarter entirely, so I'll be waiting for full retail if I buy in.

**Mr Gutsy**

Surprised nobody has updated this yet, the Kickstarter launched 2-3 days ago and is currently at $24,000. So far they've unlocked 8 stretch goals and 4 freebie characters, the next two stretch goals at 26k and 28k are for Wyvern and Hydra versions of their not-Chimera tank.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/geeksaw/empire-of-men-28mm-sci-fi-miniatures-collection

I bit the bullet and jumped in at $100 for some IG tanks, i spent heavily on the AvP Kickstarter and endured the same gak show as everyone so i completely understand why people are cautious. But since i've seen people have good experiences with their past few Kickstarters i'm willing to take a gamble on this one.

**Dark Severance**

I didn't actually notice this until I was browsing comments that the majority of troops are all female like The Empire's Storm Troopers and Marksman Platoon which aren't obvious unless you look at the renders.

https://goo.gl/hfmhHe

Judging by the freebie pack and a few other things, this is pretty much designed like Raging Heroes KS.

**BobtheInquisitor**

I'll have to put in a dollar to follow this one. There is a lot of "too good to be true" in this campaign, and I trust Shieldwolf a whole lot more than Archon.

But, oh man, if they deliver on these products for those prices... I'm hyperventilating just thinking about it.

**judgedoug**

gosh, ANOTHER Stahlhelm-gasmask design

**Galas**

Dark Severance wrote:
I didn't actually notice this until I was browsing comments that the majority of troops are all female like The Empire's Storm Troopers and Marksman Platoon which aren't obvious unless you look at the renders.

https://goo.gl/hfmhHe

Judging by the freebie pack and a few other things, this is pretty much designed like Raging Heroes KS.

You are totally right! They are all females!

I didn't noticed either! Well, that has give me interest in this. I'll wait and see, but as Bobtheinquisitor said, this is nearly "too good to be true". And you know what they say about that...

**Turnip Jedi**

Cry Shenanigans and unleash the GW IP Ducks of Law

**judgedoug**

Yikes that Flak is just a lazy copypaste of a Gepard flakpanzer

Spoiler:

**BobtheInquisitor**

I hope they cleverly design that Crayfish Falcon grav tank so that it's very easy to accidentally glue the fuselage backwards onto the wings.

**Dark Severance**

judgedoug wrote:
gosh, ANOTHER Stahlhelm-gasmask design

At least they are women instead of men.. and oddly not completely over the top women that most people actually missed that part.

**Azreal13**

Turnip Jedi wrote:
Cry Shenanigans and unleash the GW IP Ducks of Law

GW and Raging Heroes would probably have to decide who was most offended first, and then they'd probably only unleash Morgoth.

**BobtheInquisitor**

I have to admit, the not-Ynnari are the fastest move of such breadth and quality into a GW created niche I've ever seen. Talk about identifying a market and striking while the iron is hot.

**RiTides**

Is this model offered anywhere, I only see it in the banner at the top?

All the other ogres I see don't have masks, and I highly prefer the masked look.

Edit: Found one of them, but not the other, at this 3D link. Does that mean they have separate heads with options, or...?
https://sketchfab.com/models/f5cece24dc254751ad65f91a79878bca

**highlord tamburlaine**

I really want the gas mask ones, and I hope we see a melee unit of the ubermen as well at some point.

I'm genuinely curious as to what other sorts of stuff they'll offer as this progresses. Maybe an "embodiment" of their Gods?

There's also been talk of a loyalty figure for those that have backed some of their other campaigns.

**Ratius**

That Raptor battle droid.
Space Crusade flashbacks

That mammoth walker is very cool too,

**highlord tamburlaine**

I'm worried that Mammoth is going to be a bit smaller than I'm imagining, considering it's supposed to sit on a 50mm base.

To me it looks like it ought to be on an 80 or 100mm, but that may be due to my Mierce scaling issues where everything seems bigger than it should be.

**His Master's Voice**

highlord tamburlaine wrote:
There's also been talk of a loyalty figure for those that have backed some of their other campaigns.

Any chance I could back this and trade the loyalty miniature for those female Predators I still haven't received?

**insaniak**

highlord tamburlaine wrote:
I'm worried that Mammoth is going to be a bit smaller than I'm imagining, considering it's supposed to sit on a 50mm base.

To me it looks like it ought to be on an 80 or 100mm, but that may be due to my Mierce scaling issues where everything seems bigger than it should be.

Not sure what you're imagining, but it looks like it's supposed to be a sentinel stand-in.

**highlord tamburlaine**

I'm not sure what I'm imagining myself. I know very little about Guard kits. Last one I built were some metals with plastic arms and skinny lasguns decades ago.

I'd assumed it was a Sentinel stand-in, but the overall shape of it with the extra pair of legs was making me think it'd be closer to the transports in overall length.

**skarsol**

Amusingly, all their 3d renders are under their Sketchfab prodos_games_ltd account. But they're totally separate. We promise!

Archon LTD and Prodos Games LTD are separate LTD entities and therefore have separate accounts, structures and teams in place.

**BobtheInquisitor**

Do they have any renders of their not-Scorpions? I hope they take on some of the other Aspects, too.

Does any other company make not-Eldar that might be compatible?