If anything, there are actually more changes (both in general and for sci-fi specific reasons) than I would have expected.
It was always mostly going to be reskin, and presumably mainly aimed at a new audience rather than provide something novel for people who already play Frostgrave. Even so, it seems interesting enough as a variant for people who've played a lot of Frostgrave before and want something slightly different but nicely familiar. And a good excuse to dust off whatever small groups of random sci-fi models and weird alien monsters you happen to have lying around, just as Frostgrave did for creating warbands and having creatures for random encounters!
Like has been said, the ability to have a captain/first mate of different backgrounds is a nice departure for Frostgrave players that offers a twist and some depth in terms of gameplay AND for the purposes of dreaming up characters and roleplaying. I'm excited. Master/apprentice evil mystics going around the galaxy looking for powerful artifacts and generally doing nefarious deeds is what I'm currently leaning towards, but there's so much potential there
Billicus wrote: Like has been said, the ability to have a captain/first mate of different backgrounds is a nice departure for Frostgrave players that offers a twist and some depth in terms of gameplay AND for the purposes of dreaming up characters and roleplaying.
Right. In the same way that Frostgrave 2nd edition (and Stargrave) owes it's warband structure to Ghost Archipelego, I think Stargrave also borrows more from Ghost Archipelego than it does from Frostgrave when it comes to the Captain and First mate, since I guess they function a bit more like the Heritor and Warden than they do the Wizard and Apprentice. This is not a bad thing and I guess for anyone who didn't play GA, it might feel like a bigger change. One thing that wasn't changed that I am a little surprised by is ranged combat. Given the prevalence of guns in a sci-fi setting I'm surprised that Stargrave doesn't take the Infinity approach of giving a model the choice of dodging (Shoot vs Fight) or firing back (Shoot vs Shoot with an extra penalty).. especially since it would make ranged combat handle a lot like melee combat. A house rule I will have to try out once my copy arrives, I think!
Man i wanted to be excited for it, but the mechanics just don't seem there at all. The charm of frostgrave that gave it depth was the wizard abilities. For a sci-fi game it appears to be to essentially just be a d20 roll off game with modifiers.
There's still abilities, between the two characters you can have as many different ones as you had spells in FG. Are they interesting abilities? We don't know yet. I did enjoy the spells with their rival schools and careful spread of hard counters more interesting than Ghost Archipelago's "supers".
Yeah, way too soon to write it off on the basis of the powers. Hell, judging by the names, a good few of those powers sound like they may work just like Frostgrave spells anyway.
Ian Sturrock wrote: I too felt that Frostgrave was considerably more balanced and fun than Ghost Archipelago. Let's hope this *is* mostly Frostgrave in Spaaaaace.
Thanks for that link, quite watchable and it really did get me excited. It made me realize how Star Grave dovetails nicely with my ongoing spaceport project.
Thanks for that link, quite watchable and it really did get me excited. It made me realize how Star Grave dovetails nicely with my ongoing spaceport project.
I even have lil' ole shuttles for the crews!
Nice! If you don't mind me asking, what are you using? With the exception of the 28mm USHI kit from Clear Horizon (which, after shipping and taxes is too expensive for my tastes) I've never found a practically sized shuttle model that I like.
Nice! If you don't mind me asking, what are you using? With the exception of the 28mm USHI kit from Clear Horizon (which, after shipping and taxes is too expensive for my tastes) I've never found a practically sized shuttle model that I like.
I'm sort of in the US so I don't know how well some of the advice will work in the UK. Your very best bet is the recently reissued Star Trek Runabout, very modular kit, styrene, combines nicely with GW and other bits. Valkyrie hulls can also make for some nice boxy shuttles/Arvus lighters.
Ah I've not played 2nd ed. 1st with Ulterior Motives is pretty close to being the sweet spot for me for family-friendly fantasy skirmish games though.
I don't suppose enough changed between 1st and 2nd ed to change your opinion by the way, but since it added a few small things from Ghost Archipelago (like having free basic warband members, ensuring you're never without crew after a bad game), I just wondered which version it was.
Only ever played Frostgrave 1st ed too by the way, so not even sure how GA or 2nd ed compare in practice! Have both books, but only because I got GA for free, while I haven't had time to play 2nd yet for pandemic reasons. Maybe I should finally try out the solo rules later this year...
Yeah the free basic warband members seemed like a sensible fix.
GA offered more options overall and for me that killed both the balance and the strategy, compared to FG. You can make a game with so many options balanced, but it's much tougher.
GA shows the problem of freely mixing and matching all abilities, you end up seeing a small subset of optimal powers repeating across all warbands. Luckily we at least made the effort to all choose different Wardens, and the completely different ability set between Heritors and Wardens is a big improvement over Wizards and Apprentices.
With Stargrave allowing both, it will be interesting to see if crews end up doubling up on a few busted powers or going for the flexibility of having two different power sets.
Stargrave is officially released on the 29th of April. We are running a Nickstarter for the book and figures to run through April, and to start shipping from the 29th. All good.
But we 'could' start shipping the books alone on the 19th. The figures won't be ready, and we can't split orders between 'books going now, figures later'. What we could do is give those who want the book ASAP the option of buying the book on it's own and shipping on the 19th. Those people can still join in the Nickstarter for the figures, and get all the benefits, they will just have to pay postage for the book and then postage for the figures.
Nice. I'd be tempted to get the rulebook early but in practise, I haven't finished painting all my Frostgrave stuff yet, an extra 2 weeks isn't going to make any difference at all
Stargrave is officially released on the 29th of April. We are running a Nickstarter for the book and figures to run through April, and to start shipping from the 29th. All good.
But we 'could' start shipping the books alone on the 19th. The figures won't be ready, and we can't split orders between 'books going now, figures later'. What we could do is give those who want the book ASAP the option of buying the book on it's own and shipping on the 19th. Those people can still join in the Nickstarter for the figures, and get all the benefits, they will just have to pay postage for the book and then postage for the figures.
I find the encouragement to include the Tech soldier equipment/skills interesting. Whether it is a 20 point standard or 75 specialist, they will be key slots in your warbands. What this does is create more interesting tactical situations where you may feel more urgency attached to tracking down and killing a 20 point hacker over a 100 point sniper. Of course decks and picks will be available for your leadership to equipped, but then all your eggs are going to be in that basket.
Tokhuah wrote: I find the encouragement to include the Tech soldier equipment/skills interesting. Whether it is a 20 point standard or 75 specialist, they will be key slots in your warbands. What this does is create more interesting tactical situations where you may feel more urgency attached to tracking down and killing a 20 point hacker over a 100 point sniper. Of course decks and picks will be available for your leadership to equipped, but then all your eggs are going to be in that basket.
Agreed. A much more interesting tactical situation gamewise.
As for the Captain and First Mate combos, one can only speculate, but at least for me I'm thinking about what sorts of crews to assemble from a story standpoint. Say a Cyborg & Tech to represent Replicants as in Blade Runner. I've a not-Malcolm and not-Zoe for the not-a-total ripoff of Firefly. A Robot specialized Captain with a crew of Cylon centurions. Recently bought a Tech-Priest Inquisitor, so she could be captain for a Tech focused crew, and I'd probably want a Rogue First Mate (if they can't take the lost tech by force, the First Mate will find a way to steal it or con it out of the mark).
Nice! If you don't mind me asking, what are you using? With the exception of the 28mm USHI kit from Clear Horizon (which, after shipping and taxes is too expensive for my tastes) I've never found a practically sized shuttle model that I like.
Daemonscape in the UK has several resin flyers, from a dinky wee 5cm flying car for a fiver up to a foot-long dropship for £40 (itself about a tenth the price of FW equivalents, although nowhere near as detailed).
My favourite is the CASEVAC shuttle - £9 for a 12cm futuristic-looking VTOL thing. That's about the size of an APC. It's a sweet little 2-part kit that will need some sanding, and I also kitbashed some landing gear for it.
Antenociti's Workshop has some beautiful flyers. They start around £30 for the City Hopper model, but the really big dropships are sold as STL files (there are plans to bring them back in resin, I believe).
Mantic do a couple of cheap, sturdy plastic models in their Warpath range. The GCPS Hornet is more of a plane, but is only 20cm long, a great size tabletop. The Enforcer Accuser is 30cm long, but has a more scifi look. Both highly recommended.
There's tons of cheap plastic toys around, their problem is that they're BIG. I'm currently repainting an Age of Ultron Quinjet, which cost £10 on eBay. It's 25cm long but 40cm wide (although you could glue the wingtips on vertically, or not at all). On a 3x3ft table, that's about 1/9 of your space gone.
The older Quinjet from the first Avengers film is getting rarer and more expensive, but that's 2ft long. The Nerf-firing Rogue One U-wing is sized well for 28mm figures, and can be found for £20, but again is 2ft long. These things just dominate smaller tables (unless you make it 4ftx3ft anfld have the ship along one edge)
Danny76 wrote: What scale do these come out at?
Compared to something like Studio miniatures or Hasslefree minis if anyone knows.
I’ve got like a sci fi bulldog fella from HF with a rifle that would be a cool race to add In to a group for Stargrave..
I have the bulldog too! He's going to be short compared to humans anyway.
The Frostgrave soldiers are a bit chunkier than Hasslefree, but otherwise fine height-wise. You can actually make good "tech raiders" by using Frostgrave bodies with Skitarii arms and heads.
Clearly I've not seen the Stargrave plastics yet, but it would be a missed opportunity if they didn't allow the sets to mix with the Frostgrave plastics.
The Rogue Stars sculpts that North Star makes also fit in well with whatever passes for "28mm heroic" these days (bigger and chunkier than historical plastics, smaller than modern GW)
The Nickstarter pre-order program for the Stargrave figures and the book will begin on the 5th of April. It will end on the 22nd of April, and we hope to be able to send all the figures and the book out by the official release date of the 29th of April. ...
... if you want the book as early as possible, order the Stargrave (Express) deal now, and we'll send the book on the 19th of April, 10 days before the release date.
The Express offer is not part of the Nickstarter, but you can still order just the figures through the Nickstarter and get all the benefits. The only disadvantage is you'll be paying postage twice.
Danny76 wrote: What scale do these come out at?
Compared to something like Studio miniatures or Hasslefree minis if anyone knows.
I’ve got like a sci fi bulldog fella from HF with a rifle that would be a cool race to add In to a group for Stargrave..
I have the bulldog too! He's going to be short compared to humans anyway.
The Frostgrave soldiers are a bit chunkier than Hasslefree, but otherwise fine height-wise. You can actually make good "tech raiders" by using Frostgrave bodies with Skitarii arms and heads.
Clearly I've not seen the Stargrave plastics yet, but it would be a missed opportunity if they didn't allow the sets to mix with the Frostgrave plastics.
The Rogue Stars sculpts that North Star makes also fit in well with whatever passes for "28mm heroic" these days (bigger and chunkier than historical plastics, smaller than modern GW)
Yeah that’s what I thought that he’ll be good as long as he looks the right size scale wise (and yeah he’s more dwarf height or whatever).
But I’ve found a lot of minis I have seem to be around 4/5 different scales now in the 28mm game.
There’s sort of 28 and 32, and both have normal heads and then heroic scale larger etc.
For both fantasy and sci fi, I’ve got Black Scorpion, Hasslefree, Westfalia, Studio Miniatures, Westwind and Reaper Bones and all won’t work together I’m sure. I’d love to at least get like an even grouping of each, or easily know what ranges fit together for when I buy things (or not if no good etc).
Not including Hero Forge, Mantic and GW which all seem bigger but similar to each other. And is Titan Forge more GW size. Haven’t got any yet, but it looks it.
Danny76 wrote: What scale do these come out at?
Compared to something like Studio miniatures or Hasslefree minis if anyone knows.
I’ve got like a sci fi bulldog fella from HF with a rifle that would be a cool race to add In to a group for Stargrave..
I have the bulldog too! He's going to be short compared to humans anyway.
The Frostgrave soldiers are a bit chunkier than Hasslefree, but otherwise fine height-wise. You can actually make good "tech raiders" by using Frostgrave bodies with Skitarii arms and heads.
Clearly I've not seen the Stargrave plastics yet, but it would be a missed opportunity if they didn't allow the sets to mix with the Frostgrave plastics.
The Rogue Stars sculpts that North Star makes also fit in well with whatever passes for "28mm heroic" these days (bigger and chunkier than historical plastics, smaller than modern GW)
Yeah that’s what I thought that he’ll be good as long as he looks the right size scale wise (and yeah he’s more dwarf height or whatever).
But I’ve found a lot of minis I have seem to be around 4/5 different scales now in the 28mm game.
There’s sort of 28 and 32, and both have normal heads and then heroic scale larger etc.
For both fantasy and sci fi, I’ve got Black Scorpion, Hasslefree, Westfalia, Studio Miniatures, Westwind and Reaper Bones and all won’t work together I’m sure. I’d love to at least get like an even grouping of each, or easily know what ranges fit together for when I buy things (or not if no good etc).
Not including Hero Forge, Mantic and GW which all seem bigger but similar to each other. And is Titan Forge more GW size. Haven’t got any yet, but it looks it.
I feel your pain on the fantasy side of the fence (I am trying to create a 'night watch' for DnD and trying to get a mix of rabble peasant, militia, guards and noblemen to look diverse and not break the bank and be in something resembling the same scale is a total pain), but I must disagree on sci fi minis.
Stargrave seems like the perfect setting to have models of quite different scales (even if human) and to hand-wave away with 'different genes' 'high gravity/low gravity' 'diet/malnutrition' 'half-alien ancestry' etc. I would also say that sci fi allows you to adopt more radical basing without it just being people stood on varying size mountains of slate or flock so you can hide the different heights
I for one am really excited for the models and the rules, and hoping that this can enable me to use all of those random miniatures that I have collected and not quite painted as there was never the impetus. But who am I kidding, I will probably just go and get a whole load of new models!!
Danny76 wrote: What scale do these come out at?
Compared to something like Studio miniatures or Hasslefree minis if anyone knows.
I’ve got like a sci fi bulldog fella from HF with a rifle that would be a cool race to add In to a group for Stargrave..
I have the bulldog too! He's going to be short compared to humans anyway.
The Frostgrave soldiers are a bit chunkier than Hasslefree, but otherwise fine height-wise. You can actually make good "tech raiders" by using Frostgrave bodies with Skitarii arms and heads.
Clearly I've not seen the Stargrave plastics yet, but it would be a missed opportunity if they didn't allow the sets to mix with the Frostgrave plastics.
The Rogue Stars sculpts that North Star makes also fit in well with whatever passes for "28mm heroic" these days (bigger and chunkier than historical plastics, smaller than modern GW)
Yeah that’s what I thought that he’ll be good as long as he looks the right size scale wise (and yeah he’s more dwarf height or whatever).
But I’ve found a lot of minis I have seem to be around 4/5 different scales now in the 28mm game.
There’s sort of 28 and 32, and both have normal heads and then heroic scale larger etc.
For both fantasy and sci fi, I’ve got Black Scorpion, Hasslefree, Westfalia, Studio Miniatures, Westwind and Reaper Bones and all won’t work together I’m sure. I’d love to at least get like an even grouping of each, or easily know what ranges fit together for when I buy things (or not if no good etc).
Not including Hero Forge, Mantic and GW which all seem bigger but similar to each other. And is Titan Forge more GW size. Haven’t got any yet, but it looks it.
I feel your pain on the fantasy side of the fence (I am trying to create a 'night watch' for DnD and trying to get a mix of rabble peasant, militia, guards and noblemen to look diverse and not break the bank and be in something resembling the same scale is a total pain), but I must disagree on sci fi minis.
Stargrave seems like the perfect setting to have models of quite different scales (even if human) and to hand-wave away with 'different genes' 'high gravity/low gravity' 'diet/malnutrition' 'half-alien ancestry' etc. I would also say that sci fi allows you to adopt more radical basing without it just being people stood on varying size mountains of slate or flock so you can hide the different heights
I for one am really excited for the models and the rules, and hoping that this can enable me to use all of those random miniatures that I have collected and not quite painted as there was never the impetus. But who am I kidding, I will probably just go and get a whole load of new models!!
I will very likely buy new ones from just what we’ve seen so far.
But would definitely like to use some of the other bits I have if I can. I suppose yeah they’ll be easy enough.
But it’s the fantasy scale that’s gonna be the problem there - not really relevant to Stargrave
Danny76 wrote: I will very likely buy new ones from just what we’ve seen so far.
But would definitely like to use some of the other bits I have if I can. I suppose yeah they’ll be easy enough.
But it’s the fantasy scale that’s gonna be the problem there - not really relevant to Stargrave
It depends. I'm using some converted Ghost Archipelago Crew and Frostgrave Gnolls for Stargrave, and there will be more converted gnolls when the Stargrave boxes come out. [The gnolls will be the Melconians, "the dog boys", from the Last War in Keith Laumer's CDT universe.]
Now from the previews of the SG plastic boxes we see there will be some animal heads. (And yes, Bob, my crew will have a red panda.) But if one wants yet more anthromophic animals...
Albedo Combat Patrol is a sci-fi minis game based on a comic of the same name (I've never seen the comic for sale locally) in a galaxy where all the species are anthromorphic animals. Now I know nothing about the game or minis other than they exist, but there seems to be a good variety including civilians (some are demonstrators! "Hell No! We Won't Go!"). The ILR are monospecies, and are only rabbits, while their opponents the EDF are multispecies, with dogs, cats, foxes, squirrels, etcetera. The ILR are the external villains of the story, with the EDF also suffering unrest at home.
Should anyone want to read some of the new Bolo supertank stories set in Keith Laumer's universe, visit the Fifth Imperium, and download the Torch of Freedom CD. In the Standalone books section of that CD, there are two books that have "created by Keith Laumer" on them. Old Soldiers is a full length novel set in the Last War, and I'd suggest reading it after the "Bolo!" anthology, as the protagonist of the novel is featured in one of the short stories at an earlier stage of her career.
Anyway, these are Free and Legal downloads, and you can read the conditions on the main page. In short, when you buy a hardcover book from Baen Books, they give you a CD with that book and the rest of the series, plus some of the writer's other books. You are even allowed to copy and distribute the CD on a non-profit basis. [As it happens, I did buy Torch of Freedom in hardcover, but I've used the Fifth Imperium to get downloads for books I did not buy hardcovers for.]
> I feel your pain on the fantasy side of the fence (I am trying to create a 'night watch' for DnD and trying to get a mix of rabble peasant, militia, guards and noblemen to look diverse and not break the bank and be in something resembling the same scale is a total pain), but I must disagree on sci fi minis.
OT: Archon's Dungeons and Lasers 3 KS will start sometime "soon" and has villager as SG's.
> Albedo Combat Patrol is a sci-fi minis game based on a comic of the same name (I've never seen the comic for sale locally) in a galaxy where all the species are anthromorphic animals.
Assuming the plastic Stargrave miniatures will be multipiece, maybe the Sally 4th Critter Conversion kits are also worth a look at:
Easy E wrote: Am I the only one that finds it funny that the ILR are all rabbits?
'Prince of Prey my arse! Let's blast some preds!"
It is odd. Instead of "All the world shall be your enemy, o Prince of a Thousand Enemies", it's Kaninchen über alles! (Rabbits over all.)
If you have any doubts that anthropomorphic rabbits are dangerous warriors, then you should play a little computer game called SWINE. Pigs versus Rabbits inside tanks and armoured vehicles that is something I had never expected to play
Stargrave miniatures should be quite easy to mix with Frostgrave stuff and other kits, assuming they retain the same kind of parts as before, which would make sense from a design point of view.
Had to look that up; if the song made it to my side of the Pond, I missed it. So, no, think General Woundwort with several planets worth of Ousla, not Hazel and Fiver.
ced1106 wrote: Assuming the plastic Stargrave miniatures will be multipiece, maybe the Sally 4th Critter Conversion kits are also worth a look at:
Albedo has some unique miniatures like protestors and civilians, but if you're just looking for animal heads, I'd look at the Conversion kits first.
Thanks for that. I'd not bothered looking further, as the Albedo Combat Patrol stuff I'd looked up for someone else who wanted animal figures. However, since you've brought the heads to my attention, the possibility of a few head swaps is not out of the question. No hamster heads though: I'd have liked to made my avatar.
As for multi-piece Stargrave, I am assuming that they will keep the same format as Frostgrave & Ghost Archipelago. So five one piece torsos & legs per sprue with a choice of heads and arms. They have existing conversion kits for Frostgrave (including sci-fi weapons which I used on the gnolls), so it would make sense to keep Stargrave compatible. (In case someone wants to convert the Stargrave figures with medieval parts for Mad Max post-Apocalypse action.)
Ugh I really shouldn’t..
I’m trying to sell models and make room.
No one I know wants to play this particularly or anything.
I just really want to make a cool sci fi team of varied races..
Danny76 wrote: Ugh I really shouldn’t..
I’m trying to sell models and make room.
No one I know wants to play this particularly or anything.
I just really want to make a cool sci fi team of varied races..
Would you rather regret the doing, or the inaction? It comes down to what suits your mindset the best.
Danny76 wrote: Ugh I really shouldn’t..
I’m trying to sell models and make room.
No one I know wants to play this particularly or anything.
I just really want to make a cool sci fi team of varied races..
If you’re looking for justification, you can always use them for monopoly...
Oh I can equally regret each there’s no worry there Let’s just assume I’m probably going all in at this point..
Though I think I’ll try to limit myself to one box.
So will see what fits with my other sci Gi type stuff.
(I don’t think I’d get an ‘all uniformed’ type set up going)
Oguhmek wrote: Or for that sci-fi nativity scene diorama you've always wanted to do.
Oh snap. Now I actually have a desire for a 28mm Grogu bassinet.
Automatically Appended Next Post: So, do they have any police or riot helmets in any of their kits? I just thought of a conversion I need to make if their short, chonky miniatures come with a cop helmet from the future...the future of space.
Something cool about northstar plastics is they are frequently eBay available as sprues so you can buy 5-10 miniatures if you just want a few. Sure the whole box is cheaper but really only if you plan on building 20-30 (counting oathmark in there)
BrookM wrote: I don't suppose actual sprue pics have been shared as of yet?
They havent. They said on FB today that they havent even seen them as production is behind, which is why they are offering the book early by itself if you dont order any of the minis or are willing to pay two separate shipping costs.
privateer4hire wrote: Something cool about northstar plastics is they are frequently eBay available as sprues so you can buy 5-10 miniatures if you just want a few. Sure the whole box is cheaper but really only if you plan on building 20-30 (counting oathmark in there)
This is a plan.
Or going into the trade thread and maybe finding someone to buy a box each and swap halves.
In fact maybe I’ll do that on the OTT discord trade bit.
There’s definitely nice models in more than one kit, but having 20 all the Same isn’t as cool, and equally buying two boxes to use halves is no use either..
Hmmm. That reminds me to look for a Star Trek Mugato mini or STL. The Frostgrave white gorilla stats should work just fine for it, and how can I have a decent sci-fi game without a unicorn ape?
Well when the time comes if anyone here is wanting trades I’ll jump in the trade thread or message anyone who’s interested.
I keep finding nice single miniatures from places that are gonna be really good, rules depending I suppose. Loadouts and such.
Automatically Appended Next Post: On a slight side note, are the frost grave minis similar scale wise to Bolt Action? As in look good next to each other not just both 28mm
Veteran Sergeant wrote: While I would have preferred a more True Scale approach, those chubby little 28mm Heroics are going to sell a ton.
Honestly, I'm happy to see some companies sticking to 'Heroic scale' for 28mm. There's room in the hobby for both, and it would be a shame to have everyone else in the industry just blindly follow GW into increasingly larger miniatures.
Veteran Sergeant wrote: While I would have preferred a more True Scale approach, those chubby little 28mm Heroics are going to sell a ton.
Honestly, I'm happy to see some companies sticking to 'Heroic scale' for 28mm. There's room in the hobby for both, and it would be a shame to have everyone else in the industry just blindly follow GW into increasingly larger miniatures.
You mean old 28mm heroic? GW still makes heroic scale minis, but more like 32mm heroic.
Veteran Sergeant wrote: While I would have preferred a more True Scale approach, those chubby little 28mm Heroics are going to sell a ton.
Honestly, I'm happy to see some companies sticking to 'Heroic scale' for 28mm. There's room in the hobby for both, and it would be a shame to have everyone else in the industry just blindly follow GW into increasingly larger miniatures.
GW's scale creep towards 30 and 32mm is one thing. I just mean I'd rather see more miniatures companies making more sophisticated and properly proportioned 28-30mm True Scale figs. Heroic Scale just seems so old hat, so 1980s/90s. These miniatures look old and they aren't even out yet. Even GW has tried to get away from it by making their models a litle taller while keeping the same aesthetic.
Frostgrave's figs were a bit leaner than 28mm Heroic. These Stargrave guys look like they'll slot seamlessly with GW's Imperial Guard line, which are among the ugliest figures GW makes, lol. While Mantic's Star Saga or GF9's 30mm true scale figures for Firefly Adventures or Aliens aren't amazing, that scale just looks so much better.
I'm just assuming they went with 28mm Heroic Chub Scale because 40K still dominates the market for Sci-Fi games.
From Northstar FB: ''You'll also be able to get the metal miniature based on the Rogue in the artwork free, as a Spend Goal Reward in the Stargrave Nickstarter.''
In other news, I was a little disappointed when I went to have a go at putting a crew together this afternoon, and realized that the crew creation excerpt they released doesn't include the equipment list. Curses! Now I have to wait for the danged book...
Won't be long now i like that metal bounty hunter a lot. I am really hoping there are some metal captain/first mate and specialist types in the Nickstarter
insaniak wrote: In other news, I was a little disappointed when I went to have a go at putting a crew together this afternoon, and realized that the crew creation excerpt they released doesn't include the equipment list. Curses! Now I have to wait for the danged book...
The soldiers have set gear, but the captain and first mate can select from an equipment list. No idea what's on that list, as they didn't include that page in the rules except.
The sprue contains what appears to be a heavy machine gun, an RPG, and a sniper rifle, none of which are options for any of the soldier types (The 'Sniper' comes standard with a carbine, for some reason)... presumably these are for upgraded weapons found during a campaign.
But then the flame thrower and grenade launcher that are carried by heavy armoured soldiers, so should be on this sprue, are not.
So for those squinting on a phone I see 5 gasmask heads, 5 visor heads, 2 targetting/comm specialist heads and assorted bare heads. SMG, assault rifles, a heavy rifle, a long rifle, an RPG and a pistol.
Nothing mind-blowing, certainly the sort of kit someone could have made years ago, but that's fine with me. It looks like a quality, generic near future soldier sprue which we can always use.
insaniak wrote: The sprue contains what appears to be a heavy machine gun, an RPG, and a sniper rifle, none of which are options for any of the soldier types (The 'Sniper' comes standard with a carbine, for some reason)... presumably these are for upgraded weapons found during a campaign.
But then the flame thrower and grenade launcher that are carried by heavy armoured soldiers, so should be on this sprue, are not.
I belive the RPG might just be considered a type of Gernade Launcher in stargrave, Snipers are Carbine's with special rules in Stargrave i recall from one of the previews.
Edit: Ok misremembered the youtube video slightly. Their is no sniper rifles but encouraged to use a "carbine" with the more sniper rifle look to help represent the "sniper's" better accuracy. Stargrave very much is playing loose with terminology tbh. It took me way to long to realize "Combat Armour" was the settings name for Powered Armour.
Edit: Edit:
From Facebook group.
Confession time.
When folks say 'I wish you'd put male and female figures together in your plastic box sets', I usually snap back 'sticking a girls head on a male body doesn't make a female figure', and we go onto make box sets of female soldiers/ wizards instead.
And that's what we'll do for Stargrave, Crew II and Mercenaries II will be women.
But the confession is, there won't be a Troopers box set 2 because we've added male and female heads to the frame. The more we discussed it, we just felt a warrior in armour should have a neutral shape, cus we didn't want to go cheeseball boob armour etc. So by offering a choice of heads, the Troopers can be men and women.
Hope you like 'em.
Only Crew and Mercs will get a follow up box, Trooper will be one and done because of the heavy Armour look.
insaniak wrote: The sprue contains what appears to be a heavy machine gun, an RPG, and a sniper rifle, none of which are options for any of the soldier types (The 'Sniper' comes standard with a carbine, for some reason)... presumably these are for upgraded weapons found during a campaign.
But then the flame thrower and grenade launcher that are carried by heavy armoured soldiers, so should be on this sprue, are not.
Yeah it's a shame there's no flamethrower/grenade launcher. I wonder if maybe the merc set with have different special weapons.
Also I noticed yesterday that there's already listings on various sites for a supplement called Quarantine 37 that is described as:
...introducing new scenarios, soldiers, technology and aliens to the ravaged galaxy.
So I maybe that will add granular options for any missing weapons.
(I just started following Stargrave last week so I'm not sure if this is all old news.)
"alternative 40k imperial guard figures" has become a quite crowded market tbh. But hey, if the only thing stopping you using these for that is a couple of particular guns, conversions are a thing. Personally, 40k foot guard are basically irrelevant at this point anyway aren't they? Prefer they focus on making really good Stargrave kits than compromising that to make them sort of fit for 40k
Yes, but this is the sprue that makes the guys who carry the flame thrower and grenade launcher. It wouldn't make a lot of sense to include those weapons on one of the other sprues, particularly when they're being sold separately.
I was actually wondering if the frostgrave/stargrave stuff is close to something like Wargames Atlantic height or if they are smaller like other 28mm stuff.
I have so many parts lying around from different sources that mixing them with the troopers would seem like a nice idea, but I haven't seen comparisons of the frostgrave models with stuff I actually own so I am not sure how well they scale.
Still, if they are on the small side, things like Einherjar might work if nothing else.
I am thinking that mixing a box of the stargrave stuff with frostgrave could certainly make some interesting conversions, like the gnolls shown before and it might be easier to get outside of the UK than the current conversion kit for cultists.
I really don't play so rules are not of interest to me but the models are always a nice thing to work on
GreenScorpion wrote: I was actually wondering if the frostgrave/stargrave stuff is close to something like Wargames Atlantic height or if they are smaller like other 28mm stuff.
WGA skeletons are bigger than Oathmark/Frostgrave minis so I think that their other minis are bigger than Frostgrave/Stargrave ones.
GreenScorpion wrote: I was actually wondering if the frostgrave/stargrave stuff is close to something like Wargames Atlantic height or if they are smaller like other 28mm stuff.
I have so many parts lying around from different sources that mixing them with the troopers would seem like a nice idea, but I haven't seen comparisons of the frostgrave models with stuff I actually own so I am not sure how well they scale.
What would the "stuff you actually own" be? I've got some Frostgrave and other things lying around, so might be able to provide a scale comparison of use.
GreenScorpion wrote: I was actually wondering if the frostgrave/stargrave stuff is close to something like Wargames Atlantic height or if they are smaller like other 28mm stuff.
WGA skeletons are bigger than Oathmark/Frostgrave minis so I think that their other minis are bigger than Frostgrave/Stargrave ones.
Hmmm, I found this comparison of a WGA skeleton to a WGA Raumjäger and I think it might just be the skeletons that are abnormally large.
Hopefully they end up being similar scale because that'd mean they should also play nicely with Maelstroms Edge and 3rd party 40k bits as well.
Even if they're slightly smaller, they should be close enough, and mixing and matching that way gives you people of varying heights, which is always nice.
Hmmm, I found this comparison of a WGA skeleton to a WGA Raumjäger and I think it might just be the skeletons that are abnormally large.
The skeleton in that pic has some extra height from his integral base, and the Raumjager have a real hunched, head drawn in on the neck sort of pose. One you account for those, the skeletons aren't that large.
GreenScorpion wrote: I was actually wondering if the frostgrave/stargrave stuff is close to something like Wargames Atlantic height or if they are smaller like other 28mm stuff.
I have so many parts lying around from different sources that mixing them with the troopers would seem like a nice idea, but I haven't seen comparisons of the frostgrave models with stuff I actually own so I am not sure how well they scale.
What would the "stuff you actually own" be? I've got some Frostgrave and other things lying around, so might be able to provide a scale comparison of use.
I have GW guardsmen and poxwalkers, Raumjagers, Grognards, Einherjar, Afghans, Chaos Marauders, some beastmen, WW1 Germans, mantic plague zombies and 3rd generation mutants, also perry miniatures. A comparison to any of these would be useful
As an overall note, even if they are on the small side, Einherjar would likely fit, as they are more 25mm scaled than 28mm, which should be ok. I am also more worried about size of fitting parts than actual height, as people are not all the same size in real life.
GreenScorpion wrote: I was actually wondering if the frostgrave/stargrave stuff is close to something like Wargames Atlantic height or if they are smaller like other 28mm stuff.
I have so many parts lying around from different sources that mixing them with the troopers would seem like a nice idea, but I haven't seen comparisons of the frostgrave models with stuff I actually own so I am not sure how well they scale.
What would the "stuff you actually own" be? I've got some Frostgrave and other things lying around, so might be able to provide a scale comparison of use.
I have GW guardsmen and poxwalkers, Raumjagers, Grognards, Einherjar, Afghans, Chaos Marauders, some beastmen, WW1 Germans, mantic plague zombies and 3rd generation mutants, also perry miniatures. A comparison to any of these would be useful
Alrighty, closest I can muster:
From left to right: Perry Hundred Years' War, Frostgrave Ghost Archipelago crewman, GW Warcry Splintered Fang (with Marauder horseman head), 2nd FG GA crewman, and a bonus Victrix Greek slinger.
Middle figure obviously somewhat off the ground, rightmost had an integral base too.
Sizewise not a bad match for several other ranges including certain historicals; proportions of heads and especially weapons certainly more heroic than e.g. Perry (though kitbashing isn't out of the question).
Thanks Coenus Scaldingus It seems like they should be roughly in line with the Einherjar from Wargames Atlantic, so a bit closer to 25mm as it seems, but also heroic in proportions.
The torsos seem wide enough that arms from 28mm should still fit similarly so that should be fine.
Ideally you probably want just 1/4 of each box for your team and maybe the rest of the Trooper box for enemy mooks but you always get way too many sprues in -grave product.
Couple of UK sellers on eBay sell most of Northstar and Wargames Atlantic sprues as singles. You pay a slight premium but quite handy for checking out sprues before you go all in.
Looking forward to seeing the two sprues from the other kits.
They look to have a bit more in the way of alien heads etc.
What sort of numbers did we say you’d be using in this?
One box of each seems quite a lot..
Now that they have 3 different sets on offer from the start, a full one of each certainly seems superfluous. A single 20-figure box for Frostgrave was always basically fine as that could more or less give you everything you ever needed for a warband (kitbash something or buy separate figures for the wizard and apprentice, then have about 8-12 basic troopers for the early campaign - or if things go badly! - and 8-12 more elite troops of various types for later in the campaign). This looks very similar, so about 20 figures in total could suffice.
That said, if you'd want several models for each soldier type, you could probably even have 40 models just for one warband of course (so you can play with several flamethrowers in one game, and specialize into snipers another time). In Frostgrave, I'd normally just build 1-2 of "most" soldier types though, ignoring some similar options (crossbowman if having archers, knights or barbarians if having templars) based on whatever theme my warband had (no crossbows for Vikings for example). Of course, having 2 full boxes then gives you 2 more diverse warbands with some options (maybe exactly 4 complete starter warbands if you build cleverly?), which can be great for introductory games...
And the promised size comparison picture with older Citadel figures. Oldest infantry I have lying around were these Dogs of War - 1999ish I think; 5th edition WHFB?
Left to right: Republican Guard, Frostgrave, Leopard Company, Frostgrave, Marksman of Miragliano.
Frostgrave models maybe slightly chunkier in build, but could easily swap hands or heads around, and certainly use them alongside one another without any issue. (Surprised by how close they are actually!)
Well it seems I’ll put the call out now for anyone UK who wants half a box of Mercenaries for half a box of Ship crew, or vice versa.
I’m down to do a swap if someone’s buying one box
With the mention of the second box of each of those, it’s even harder as there could be odd sculpts in each box you like.
(All this for a game no one plays here potentially. But I suppose then I can build up two lots and try to convince people..)
Well it seems I’ll put the call out now for anyone UK who wants half a box of Mercenaries for half a box of Ship crew, or vice versa.
I’m down to do a swap if someone’s buying one box
With the mention of the second box of each of those, it’s even harder as there could be odd sculpts in each box you like.
(All this for a game no one plays here potentially. But I suppose then I can build up two lots and try to convince people..)
Try eBay; I've seen a number of sprue sellers, mostly on your side of the Pond. Although I bought from a US-based seller, and wrote him about Stargrave. He said he''s working on getting a supplier for Northstar Plastics. If it works out, I can get a one-off Trooper sprue; the Crew and Mercs sets interest me more so I'll get a box of each.
As pointed out previously, that's overkill, but I like variety, and I may try to do themed crews like I did with Frostgrave. I bought some of the Northstar metal wizards, and built themed warbands. The Witch got a Mongol themed warband, the Summoner with the obvious Arabic influence has an Arabic warband (bought historical plastics from a sprue seller, and a few Reaper and Dark Sword metals for the specialists). Not sure what I'll do for the Chronomancer, but since I'm planning on painting the official one blue [all Magic players know that Blue is the color of Time], it will keep to the Blue Magic theme.
I did buy some bits to make Firefly Browncoats, so that is one themed crew once I finish them. Even have a not-Malcolm, not-Zoe, not-Jayne, and not-River from Sedition Wars, so there's the Captain and First Mate, and two specialists. "You don't get over serenity valley; you just learn to live there."
But for time travelers, the two that interest me are Marty McFly and Doc Brown. Since they have other TV & Movie characters, a few others will fit into the Chronomancer warband. A Planet of the Apes gorilla soldier, a St. Tristan's schoolgirl, maybe Number 6 from The Prisoner {The original with Patrick McGoohan}, and my favorite of the "new Number Two"s, Leo McKern. They also have the Ghostbusters, original and reboot.
Siygess wrote: Well, I guess I'm in for £50 and 60 new multipart minis I don't need, but will enjoy making!
What’s that for? Deal 2?
Automatically Appended Next Post: And how does this Nickstarter thing work?
Yeah, I *may* split those boxes with a friend, but.. probably not. I hate cleaning up minis so they can be painted and a loathe painting them. But actually making the little guys? It's the best!
As for the nickstarter it is basically a pre-order where, the more people that also pre-order, the more extra things you might get. It's never crazy like a kickstarter but you might get one metal mini and a few conversion bits out of it.
We've unlocked the cool Thane Krios looking bounty hunter fella and a sprue of gnolls now, and we've almost unlocked the hacker. Oh, and a D20, which is cool I guess
Does it stop after the 10th reward or are we looking at more being added later like a KS would?
7 metals and a frame is a good enough extra anyway, but just wondered.
Not glad to not see a flamer and grenade launcher.
What is weird is that the Frostgrave Cultist sci-fi bits have those components. It would have been easy enough to use those as a base for the new plastic frames.
@Danny76: Don't know, I don't remember previous ones going that high.
Danny76 wrote: Ah ok fair.
I guess maybe the total it’s at now might not rise much more as everyone interested might have gone in early on.
Was just thinking 20 days is a long ol time.
I’m gonna go for the three kit set. Nice saving even without the extras.
Then sell on a few sprues if possible once I’ve built the 30 or so I want.
I'm sure the first day's tallies aren't done yet, based on time zones. For instance, I just put in my order for deal 1a + Box of Mercs (plus some other stuff that won't count for the NS). And then there are the fence-sitters, who are arguing with themselves, although the longer they argue, the less likely they are to pledge.
If we get all ten goals, I'll be both happy and amazed. {Also, if it does that well, it's good news and business for Northstar and Osprey.} If we get the pskyer, that's good enough for me. (Oddly, that's the one sci-fi archetype that is not in my collection, so just in case I ordered a Rogue Star Psionicist.) And as I've mentioned before, I was going to turn the Frostgrave gnolls into Melconians, so getting a bonus frame is icing on the cake.
Edit: Whoops! I meant hacker, not psyker, although I do have hackers already from a cyberpunk game. Still, there are undetermined metal figure awards; if we get high enough, maybe there will be a psionicist.
Danny76 wrote: Ah ok fair.
I guess maybe the total it’s at now might not rise much more as everyone interested might have gone in early on.
Was just thinking 20 days is a long ol time.
I’m gonna go for the three kit set. Nice saving even without the extras.
Then sell on a few sprues if possible once I’ve built the 30 or so I want.
I'm sure the first day's tallies aren't done yet, based on time zones. For instance, I just put in my order for deal 1a + Box of Mercs (plus some other stuff that won't count for the NS). And then there are the fence-sitters, who are arguing with themselves, although the longer they argue, the less likely they are to pledge.
If we get all ten goals, I'll be both happy and amazed. {Also, if it does that well, it's good news and business for Northstar and Osprey.} If we get the pskyer, that's good enough for me. (Oddly, that's the one sci-fi archetype that is not in my collection, so just in case I ordered a Rogue Star Psionicist.) And as I've mentioned before, I was going to turn the Frostgrave gnolls into Melconians, so getting a bonus frame is icing on the cake.
Edit: Whoops! I meant hacker, not psyker, although I do have hackers already from a cyberpunk game. Still, there are undetermined metal figure awards; if we get high enough, maybe there will be a psionicist.
Yeah.
We shall see I guess.
I will have to wait a bit and see where funds end up for the month, but I think should be on track.
Without going back and checking, was there postage to add?
I will have to wait a bit and see where funds end up for the month, but I think should be on track.
Without going back and checking, was there postage to add?
Nope. It was all part of the cart, and should be on your invoice.
Also going back to the revealed stretches.
There’s 7 metal minis on there, and they showed 9 off earlier.
So I guess that’s two more if it did go that far.
So far the metals have just been from that batch anyway.
Danny76 wrote: Ah ok fair.
I guess maybe the total it’s at now might not rise much more as everyone interested might have gone in early on.
Was just thinking 20 days is a long ol time.
There will be a rush at the end as well. I'm waiting until my credit card bill gets made up for April, then I'll place an order and not have to pay until June. :-)
Almost £29k now, have unlocked the Psionic and about to get the first of the Mystics. They've also put up the images of the other metals that are confirmed in the nickstarter spend goals, the rest are all mystics. My favourite of the miniatures they showed off isn't among them but fingers crossed it'll still appear later
I’m hoping the next Mystic unlock is the one in order, next to the Psionic..
I mean I guess we will probably get all3, but I like that one best.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Although to be clear.
I have no clue what these different classes do or are like.
Or anything about the game really. I just like the look of the models first off.
So a psyker has been unlocked. Good. And we are close to the first mystic unlock. Of the three the one I like best is the last one, who could also be an assassin or bounty hunter with those weapons and body armor. If we don't unlock that one, I'll probably buy it at a later date.
Kind of surprised there's no typical Captain type with a great coat and epaulettes and such. There's the Rogue Stars guy they're including but none of the metals shown really look like bosses.
So I wonder if there isn't one last thing on the way, either a line of metal captains and first mates, or even a box ala the Wizards.
Danny76 wrote: First and third are the best on the picture.
Not sure I’m particularly keen on the middle one.
But can’t complain at any.
Yes, I prefer the masked mystics, as opposed to the not-Jedi. In his favor, he has a feline face, which fits into the Biomorph background mentioned in the preview chapter Osprey released in March. The mercs box has the chimp head and canine head, and I linked to the site that has Albedo miniatures, the anthromorphic sci-fi animals. I have a theme here, the Starship of Doctor Moreau, so a biomorph crew & 1st Mate with a Tekker captain (Dr Moreau, the resident mad scientist). (Alternately, the biomorphs have killed off Dr. Moreau [understandably after all the experiments he's performed on them!], and the feline Mystic would be the Captain or First Mate.) Just get a few more animal heads from the Albedo site. Or perhaps there are enough in the Crew & Mercs boxes.
Kid_Kyoto wrote: Kind of surprised there's no typical Captain type with a great coat and epaulettes and such. There's the Rogue Stars guy they're including but none of the metals shown really look like bosses.
So I wonder if there isn't one last thing on the way, either a line of metal captains and first mates, or even a box ala the Wizards.
In a previous Northstar order, I bought the Rogue Stars guy to use as the Big Bad for the pirates. As for the metals not looking like bosses; it's a matter of opinion. The crew of the Serenity in Firefly don't look like Hollywood heroes, and certainly not like the crew of Babylon 5, or any Starfleet vessel. They are rogues & the working poor, and that's how I see the majority of the Stargrave crews. Occasionally, a captain will get all pimped out to impress or intimidate, but most of the time, even the Captain and First Mate will be scruffy and not stand out in a crowd.
Now a small Command box along the lines of the FG Wizards box is a grand idea.
Billicus wrote: Plastic Officers box down the line would be my hope. Frostgrave Wizards is an amazing kit, that in sci fi form would be god's gift to modellers
But it’d be in a few kits time I guess.
Assuming the alternate Crew and Mercs kits would come first.
But maybe just because they’re mentioned doesn’t mean they’d be next up.
Obviously a captain, especially of a small ship living by scavenging won't wear his Sunday best full time. But mini games are a visual medium.
Yeah an Ambassador might wear a suit everyday and sweatpants off duty, but an Ambassador mini will have a top hat, tails and a sash because, dangit, he's supposed to look like an Ambassador.
So I want my space captains to look like 18th century naval officers with laser guns!
Not glad to not see a flamer and grenade launcher.
I swear I see not only a drum grenade launcher, but also a single shot grenade launcher with corresponding hand holding a grenade like it's about to load it.
Are the fuel tank bits not flamethrower fuel tanks?
edit: ^^ on the Mercs sprue
on the troopers sprue I am 99% sure the short stubby weapons with very wide barrels are grenade launchers (2 per sprue)
I swear I see not only a drum grenade launcher, but also a single shot grenade launcher with corresponding hand holding a grenade like it's about to load it.
Yeah, the small weapon just above the bottom row of heads looks similar enough to the one beside the grenade hand. So does indeed look like two grenade launcher options on there.
Are the fuel tank bits not flamethrower fuel tanks?
Looks like an oxygen tank. The same bit and a smaller version are also on the crew sprue.
So I was looking at the Sally4th store for the animal heads, and they have a Critter Conversion Galley. A number of the conversions are using either Frostgrave or Ghost Archipelago plastics (and a few metal!) for the body with head and appropriate tail attached. So it certainly seems like there won't be any problems using the animal heads for my Biomorph crew.
@Kid Kyoto: re: Pirate Lord. Go for it. I figure him for the Bond Villain type. "Take good care of [Name of Your Crew's Captain], see that something happens to him.
Psychopomp wrote: I'm in for Deal 3 - the book and all three boxes. Like I was ever not going to go all in on this.
As far as the spend goals, I don't think the overseas mirrors contribute until the end of the day, or some other such schedule.
Have we been able to work out the schedule for when the totals for each location gets added?
I assume they must add abroad in the morning as it’s gone midnight now..
Is the single player stuff talked about available somewhere to look at.?
Not glad to not see a flamer and grenade launcher.
The RPG is the grenade launcher, which is better than the flamethrower not being included within any of the three sets (super disappointed about that). The other glaring problem is that there are no close combat weapons. Even one or two would have helped represent the few crew who use such weapons.
Philhelm wrote: The RPG is the grenade launcher, which is better than the flamethrower not being included within any of the three sets (super disappointed about that). The other glaring problem is that there are no close combat weapons. Even one or two would have helped represent the few crew who use such weapons.
If you go back to page 15 and look at the Mercs sprue, you'll see one left arm with a knife, and a left hand with knife. So it's not zero CC weapons, but a paltry two per Mercs sprue (eight for the box), and zero variety. I'd have expected a nightstick or crowbar in the mix.
As for the Flamethrower, apparently you'll have to buy the metal figure, if you don't have plastic bits. Or get the Frostgrave Cultist Sci-fi bits; which have 1 flamethrower, 1 grenade launcher, and a fair assortment of melee weapons, plus assorted pistols and longarms. But still one expects that with 3 kits at launch that it would be possible to build all the crew and specialist options with the plastic sets. Sure, put the flamethrower and grenade launcher in the Troopers box as that kit will probably be used to make the 100 credit Specialists who use such weapons, but they would be there.
Now I'm not bothered, as I do have a good assortment of bits (and two of each specialist painted [Burner and Grenadier]), but other potential players may not be as well provided, and might expect that all the options were included.
The central figure in the picture below has a flamethrower, while the figure to his right has the grenade launcher. Both are from the Frostgrave Cultist Sci-fi bits sold by Northstar, and are resin. The pistol the snakeman is holding is also from the same set.
But I already have a backlog of Reaper pirates to keep me busy.
I did notice that Brigade USA has the Rogue Stars guys separately including ones that are not in the Nick Starter so that's probably how I'll go. A Stargrave order + some Rogue Star characters.
Yes, you need to be careful when adding the Rogue Star pack to your order as they seem to have taken 1 model out of most of the existing packs so if you later decide to complete the collection you will end up duplicating what you have already purchased. I plan to cherry pick a couple of Rogue Star packs for that reason rather than buy the bundle (which unfortunately means they wont be added to the Nickstarter total).
Shadow Walker wrote: 2 women heads (1 on the left and 1 on the right) for the Trooper box looks like they were ported from the Wizards 2 from the Frostgrave range.
I just pledged for a book and box deal. Played a lot of frostgrave some years ago and tried to like rogue stars, I have loads of minis to use for stargrave.
Everything else on the spend goal graphic is roughly in the correct order reading downwards so that would make Dr. Teeth there the unlocked Mystic. I'm positive we'll unlock them all though before this is done
Philhelm wrote: The RPG is the grenade launcher, which is better than the flamethrower not being included within any of the three sets (super disappointed about that). The other glaring problem is that there are no close combat weapons. Even one or two would have helped represent the few crew who use such weapons.
If you go back to page 15 and look at the Mercs sprue, you'll see one left arm with a knife, and a left hand with knife. So it's not zero CC weapons, but a paltry two per Mercs sprue (eight for the box), and zero variety. I'd have expected a nightstick or crowbar in the mix.
As for the Flamethrower, apparently you'll have to buy the metal figure, if you don't have plastic bits. Or get the Frostgrave Cultist Sci-fi bits; which have 1 flamethrower, 1 grenade launcher, and a fair assortment of melee weapons, plus assorted pistols and longarms. But still one expects that with 3 kits at launch that it would be possible to build all the crew and specialist options with the plastic sets. Sure, put the flamethrower and grenade launcher in the Troopers box as that kit will probably be used to make the 100 credit Specialists who use such weapons, but they would be there.
Now I'm not bothered, as I do have a good assortment of bits (and two of each specialist painted [Burner and Grenadier]), but other potential players may not be as well provided, and might expect that all the options were included.
The central figure in the picture below has a flamethrower, while the figure to his right has the grenade launcher. Both are from the Frostgrave Cultist Sci-fi bits sold by Northstar, and are resin. The pistol the snakeman is holding is also from the same set.
From a strictly WYSIWYG and ruleset perspective, a "knife" is different from a "hand weapon," and with three kits upon release it's disappointing that not a single hand weapon other than a knife was included. I'm also disappointed about the exclusion of the flamethrower since I was looking forward to kitbashing flamethrower crewmen (so the metal version won't fit the bill), and the cultist upgrade kit has a different aesthetic from the other kits. Frankly, the Trooper kit should have included all special weapons and a couple of hand weapons.
The choice of weapons on the plastic frames are definitely a bit weird. I can live with it, I have a big bits box, but they're definitely far from optimal.
Depends how well the Guardsmen arms fit on for most of my bits.
I’ve got loads of marine weapons though as to which would be the right size I don’t know..
Automatically Appended Next Post: The second Mystic has been unlocked at 36k.
Currently at £38,000, ready for the next target at £42k
Billicus wrote: They're not very KKK in reality, they've lots of bulky stitches on them and look like they're made of thick burlap type stuff rather than thin cloth
Billicus wrote: They're not very KKK in reality, they've lots of bulky stitches on them and look like they're made of thick burlap type stuff rather than thin cloth
I’m not sure on those stretches.
80k seems really far. Certainly big gaps between.
(I guess if they weren’t planned, there’d be costs to get it organised, so it’s fair enough on their end, but for us..)
I did however think we’d be getting the other two missing metals as stretches.
Danny76 wrote: This bloody flamethrower talk, will we ever get past it?.
Nope. In decades to come, everyone will be reminiscing about where they were when they found out the Stargrave minis didn't come with a flamethrower...
Danny76 wrote: This bloody flamethrower talk, will we ever get past it?.
Nope. In decades to come, everyone will be reminiscing about where they were when they found out the Stargrave minis didn't come with a flamethrower...
Even worse when the kit was redone years later it still didn’t have one.
Nostromodamus wrote: Just treat any of the guns as a flamer. It’s sci fi. Paint it red or something.
There’s a ‘filthy casual’ joke lying around here somewhere.
That’s how you wind up with people playing with paper standees and worrying about ‘the narrative’ or some such.
Just kidding, by the way. Sort of annoyed that I hadn’t thought of just making flame weapons red, plasma blue, or whatever. It’s so simple and so workable.
Unlike previously when you could politely ask to combine orders (made at different times) to save postage NorthStar have said they can't offer to do so for this Nickstarter as it's just generating too many orders (combined with covid social distancing working|)
so either grab everything you might want in one go,
Is that a set you can buy or something, all the metals together?
Seen as we know the goals to 80k, it’ll be a long way before they add in a flamethrower or two, and the other cool looking guy.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Going back to the Cultist frame, if we do get there, irrelevant of the hooded heads etc' I’d probably be sticking some of the alien heads onto them anyway, gotta get as much use from them as possible.
I guess people could use them for Necromunda, though they’d probably come up a bit small.
Danny76 wrote: Is that a set you can buy or something, all the metals together?
Seen as we know the goals to 80k, it’ll be a long way before they add in a flamethrower or two, and the other cool looking guy.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Going back to the Cultist frame, if we do get there, irrelevant of the hooded heads etc' I’d probably be sticking some of the alien heads onto them anyway, gotta get as much use from them as possible.
I guess people could use them for Necromunda, though they’d probably come up a bit small.
Assuming they follow the same practice as with Frostgrave and Ghost Archipelago, the metals will eventually come in packs of two for Specialists, and singles for some. Just take a look at the Northstar store for examples.
As for the cultists, they have undead bits on the frame if you want space zombies. Skeletal arm and head with blaster pistol on the other arm.
Garfield666 wrote: Lets see how good the Mantic GCPS arms will fit...
Still have a ton of these and they seem lika a good match. Better than GW.
I’ve got loads of Mantic Plague 3A, the sprues Of 5.
So if stuff like that mixes well, that could be a good one.
Now you’ve got me thinking, I could make this guys up as alternate GCPS builds, so I could have some cool alien figures and use them in Deadzone.
Unfortunately I don’t have any GCPS or that’d be a good source of spares yeah..
Well I think the last Mystic is in the bag.
With the others (and potentially further ones), I guess it’ll depend where we are in 15 days time, as if a rush happens, it still needs a large base to go from to get a lot higher.
80k seems very real
Not that I super care about the freebies
My own pledge isn't in yet because I'm waiting for MiniaturicuM to maybe get some more UK stock in before I place my big order but count on me for the book and all unit boxes.
Unless there's a rush towards the end we might not get the flame thrower
How ever will we throw flames?
Very carefully, with long-handled tongs. {But 80k unlock is the Cultist frame, not a metal Flamethrower.}
Seriously, I'm good. Sure more free stuff is good, but we got the original ten SGs, and the Magmamite is icing. Looking forward to building these. [Also, I have ordered the ACP animal heads for my "Starship of Dr. Moreau". The bits are metal, so a slight inconvenience, but I could not find resin or plastic animal heads on Shapeways.]
I am still not exactly sure what the main difference between the "Crew" and the "Mercenaries" is supposed to be, other than the mercs having a couple more animalistic heads.
When the page was first loading and I saw the sprue I thought we were getting something new shown and got excited.
The slowing to a crawl was expected, but is a bit sad.
Getting close to adding my cash in, not gonna be a crazy difference. But hopefully there’s lots more like me who’ll pay in next week.
Esmer wrote: I am still not exactly sure what the main difference between the "Crew" and the "Mercenaries" is supposed to be, other than the mercs having a couple more animalistic heads.
Yeah with Troopers and Crew I'm not sure Mercenaries has enough difference to justify making it (vice, say female crew). It looks like they're both mismatched civilian clothes but Mercenaries have more guns, crew has a bit more wrenches and computers and such.
Personally I'd have given Mercenaries more hand to hand stuff and Troopers more stand off weapons but it's all good. More plastic is always good.
Esmer wrote: I am still not exactly sure what the main difference between the "Crew" and the "Mercenaries" is supposed to be, other than the mercs having a couple more animalistic heads.
Yeah with Troopers and Crew I'm not sure Mercenaries has enough difference to justify making it (vice, say female crew). It looks like they're both mismatched civilian clothes but Mercenaries have more guns, crew has a bit more wrenches and computers and such.
Personally I'd have given Mercenaries more hand to hand stuff and Troopers more stand off weapons but it's all good. More plastic is always good.
It seems that the Mercs torsos have more armor. Not as much as the Troopers, but more than the Crew.
Ancestral Hamster wrote: It seems that the Mercs torsos have more armor. Not as much as the Troopers, but more than the Crew.
Mercs are like Specialists in Frostgrave who are better skilled and armored than the standard soldiers. Troopers are equivalent of knights/templars etc.
With the kits being interchangeable the way they are, for me it’s less worry as I’m getting all three.
But certainly the similarities between those two boxes are there. I guess many people would just choose One of either.
If both had a lot of melee stuff they could differentiate by tools etc for the Crew and such.
It’ll be interesting to see if the two female boxes are just the same set ups.
Or are they unproductive enough that changes could let some of the stuff they see we’ve asked for to make it in.
Obviously with these it was way too late, as it was all already made..
Yeah, the 3 boxes are fine per se, but for the initial wave I think, a box of aliens, robots, bugs, pirates etc. would have appealed to more people. Mercs could have been released later on.
Of course I am in for all boxes, as I'm a conversion posessed plastic crack junky...
I put my £50 in to the mix. Would have backed at £75 but, eh, looking at the cart, £50+£5 postage for three boxes of minis + buy the book discounted elsewhere, seemed WAY better than £75 + £7.50 postage for the minis and book. :(
Ian Sturrock wrote: I put my £50 in to the mix. Would have backed at £75 but, eh, looking at the cart, £50+£5 postage for three boxes of minis + buy the book discounted elsewhere, seemed WAY better than £75 + £7.50 postage for the minis and book. :(
I was the same.
Gonna just do £50 deal.
Though if postage is already included, that’s quite good?
But I read it as added definitely.
Yeah when I looked at my basket at the £75 deal I was going to be charged £7.50 postage. If it'd been baked in, I'd have gone with it (would definitely rather give my dosh to North Star than Amazon).
Looks like I’ll need the crew for the body and the Mercs (?) for the helmet with shades head. Then maybe a Kroot shoulder pad for the visor, if it fits.
I think any further goal they may decide to add is likely going to be over £100k so we’d need to hit this target in the next few days to even have a chance of getting another.
I’m guessing any surge in sales for the final 48hrs won’t be like a Kickstarter would be (where watchers and backers get a final email reminder about it and all that) where it gets a huge boost often up to 50% of its end total in that last push.
I am not so sure - payday for me was today (and we only do that so we can clear the big month-end money moves we have at my work) so people may be waiting for that before committing - I know I was after splurging on cursed city earlier.
Garfield666 wrote: Don't know if the crew box will make a proper space cop, but you will need a 25mm figure if you want to portrait Jay
There had better be ubiquitous Lazy Boy chair terrain pieces. Like Infinity tactical rocks and 40k structural support hair and ribbons but more comfortable.
Danny76 wrote: Well we hit £80k, so we’ve got the cultist frame.
Nothing else added as a goal, so perhaps that’s that.
But I don’t know when they added the others anyway.
Mine is getting added later today. It’s been good fun following either way!
Great news, and wound up being a really good selection of freebies! I think Nick's stated pretty definitively on zuckerbook that there'll be no more spending goals.
Congratulations to Osprey, Northstar, and JoeMc! I'm glad it has done so well. Not just for me as a customer, but for them. It's important to support the smaller players in this niche industry, and they've had a big success.
Really pleased that they hit £80k (and that I managed to get in on time) - really excited for this, and hoping that between this and Necromunda I can push the missus into Sci-Fi (as she is always onboard for fantasy). Now to wait for deliveries!!
