"Mechadrome Kickstarter Launched!" Topic

The campaign finally is live! Here is the URL:
kickstarter.com/projects/gangfightgames/mechadrome-heavy-metal-combat

About the game:

Hundreds of years from now, the greatest sport the galaxy has ever known will explode on your screens as everyone watches their favorite teams of giant Mechs beating each other to scrap. Mechadrome is a 15mm scale "Mech Combat Gladiator Arena Skirmish Game" set in the far future where man and alien races have come together, forming teams that do battle in arenas set in abandoned, war-torn cities and industrial zones. The game is simple, fast and fun, and the Mech models we hope to create with this Kickstarter campaign offer a wide variety of customization. The pieces are universal and can easily be glued to any Mech for lethal combinations of cannons, pistols, missile pods, and devastating melee weapons like jackhammers, buzzsaws and siege drills.

Here is what we're offering:

The Pledge levels

Add-on Items

Stretch Goals

We can't make this game a reality without your help! Please help and pledge your support on our Kickstarter campaign page at:
kickstarter.com/projects/gangfightgames/mechadrome-heavy-metal-combat

If you have any questions, comments or ideas feel free to reply here or better yet leave a comment on the Kickstarter page!

Thanks!

Gangfight Games

So the rules are in the 20, and 100 pledges?

Interesting. I never gone into a kick starter. I will have think about this one.

I just put $45 USD pledged. First ever kickstarter pledge.

Looks like proxiemodels is supplying some of the terrain (corners, roadblocks, walls and prefabs). That's a great idea as they make good stuff.

I've got more mechs than I know what to do with, but maybe I'll order some of them.

@ Lfseeney, you are correct, but you can also add-on a rulebook to any pledge if you increase your amount by $20 USD to cover it. After the campaign you can pick all of the items you want to receive when we do the pledge manager.

@ stealth1000, thanks!

@ ordinarybass, Yes Proxie is doing the terrain :) and the bases also. Ken is doing a new smaller version of his pre-fab buildings for the game.. so these aren't his usual 28mm scale buildings. The pics are of the 28mm versions since he hasn't finished the 15mm version, but they'll look the same, just smaller. We're also talking about doing other terrain too, I'm hoping we can do some modular ruined walls kind of like a 15mm version of GW's Cities of Death buildings, but I don't think that would make it into the campaign in time.

I will be keeping an eye on the 15mm terrain. May up my pledge.

Another thing,

The costs all seem off.
7 for a light much
15 for medium

21 +15= 36
Squad is 45

Confused.

Sorry, I'll update the campaign page with actual contents. But, the extra money for the squad sets is because they come with a lot of extra weapon pieces. I had actually wanted to lower the price of the squad sets, but since I already have people pledging at the $45 USD level, I can't change it :(

I may end up just adding in a 4th light mech for all, and change the $25 USDk goal to be for 1 extra medium mech.

man those mechs are sexy…

Day 1 Recap!

It's been a great first day though a little rocky on my end. There were some complaints about the prices, and rightly so, they were higher than I expected. But, I crunched some numbers and did some reorganizing. Now, all Squad sets will include 4 light mechs rather than 2, and still 1 Medium Mech, and a bunch of extra weapons for conversions too.

I've updated the stretch goals a bit as you'll see on the Kickstarter page. So depending on the funding level we will be able to upgrade the squads to have 2 mediums. And I also added a goal for a 28mm scale Medium Mech as well. I expect to have the 3D prints for the 28mm light mech tomorrow and I'll post photos as soon as I get them!

I also got the final 3D files for the terrain medium mech, and also the first Free Agent mech, Trion. I'll be sending those files out for printing asap. Free Agents are like special characters in unique mechs or with unique weapons or skills. Trion is medium mech armed with 2 Particle Cannons, which are similar to Railguns, but fire more rapidly. And he's also got booster jets and a missile pod. His guns are compatible with other mediums as well. He'll be $15 USD and you can also get him in a squad set instead of another medium if you prefer. Here he is!

Got the 28mm light mech prints today :) Here's the new update!

Well, it's the end of day 2 and things are moving right along. Today the 3D prints for the 28mm scale Terran Light Mech arrived and I took some photos. This thing is actually pretty huge. It's exactly 2x bigger than the 15mm scale, so I guess it's more like a 30mm scale mech, but who's going to nitpick over 2mm when the model looks cool? :) Here's the pics!

So, since he is bigger than I expected, I'm going to have to have him done in resin. I was planning on a $15 USD price tag but due to the size it's going to have to be $20. USD It will come with 1 pair of matching weapon arms of your choice plus 1 upgrade which would be either a missile pod, booster jets or extra armor plates. A lot of folks asked for this guy, at first I was thinking this would make a good proxy for a Warhammer 40K centurion, but it's actually more like dreadnought sized. If we can unlock the 28mm version of the Medium mech, that will probably be dreadknight sized :)

Also, this mech won't be a stretch goal after all, I'm going to add it in to the campaign as an add on item now since I was going to get it done anyway. The $15,000 USD stretch goal is going to change to unlock one of the other light mech body positions in 28mm so there will be more variety :)

Lastly, this mech is a "showcase model", since Mechadrome is a 15mm game. If there is enough interest I may put together rules for large scale games, mostly just doubling the movement and shooting ranges.

Thanks for the info, was just trying to figure it out.

I like Trion.

He will be what 15 extra?

One last thing may want to include a no fluff, pdf rule set with each squad.

Set up to allow basic play.

So 2 squads, Bionics and Terran if they get funded, Trion 15 guessing and about 6 in shipping
120ish for 8 small 2 medium and Trion

Sounds good, hope to pledge mid April when money is in.

Those are outstanding! I like a lot of options!

RebelMike
Rebelminis.com

the 28mm mechs are drawing a lot of interest .. more than I expected :) I'm going to be updating the game rules to include both scales now rather than having the big mechs as "showcase" models. I think it'll be pretty fun that way, if you're into smaller mechs with bigger teams you can play the 15mm size, and if you prefer bigger models you can play with those, and the game rules are all the same just the movement and gun ranges are doubled.

Also… I've been thinking about this now that the 28/30mm mechs are a reality.. and because I've been playing Titanfall lately :) … should I add infantry to the game? I'm not sure if it's something I could add to the Kickstarter.. maybe as a later stretch goal? Just since there's already so much on the list and I don't even have concept art yet.

At first I didn't really want to, I wanted it to be all Mechs.. But, now that I think about it, it could be kinda cool.. you'd have a squad of maybe 3 men with heavyish weapons. They would work like a squad in other games, where they all shoot at the same target with 1d6 to hit for each guy in the squad. 30mm scale would be single figures that maybe have to stay within 2" of each other, but 15mm scale would probably be a 40 or 50mm base with all 3 guys on it? What do you guys think?

So, I finished up all of the renders to show each different weapon for the Terran Medium Mech. Unlike the light mechs, the medium's arms will be in 2 pieces so you can easily swap just the forearm or gun around, so there will be more options for poses, and you can see there's 2 different leg posses, you can just glue em right into the torso.

I'm getting the 3D prints done now, I will probably have them late this week or early next week :) And of course, I'll post pics as soon as I have em!

Keep it straight forward first time out. Impressed with the campaign to date, well done.

yeah, I'm just going to stick to Mechs now :) Some day I wouldn't mind expanding into a "wargame" version that's more about army battles in the same universe, rather than a gladiator arena game.. but they would be like 2 separate games that just use the same mechs.. but that wouldn't happen till I can get a bunch of different races all done first. So I'll be better off sticking with this as the main format till the game is more well known and then look at expanding things later :)

I posted a pic of Trion the other day, but here he is again, with his bio. We'll be doing one of these for all of the Free Agents :) Eventually I'll have each one as a PDF with a printable pilot card.

Trion will be a Medium Mech, armed with 2 Particle Cannons, 1 Missile Pod and Booster Jets. Like other Medium Mechs, he'll be a $15 USD add-on, and here's a fresh link to the Kickstarter page, just because!

kickstarter.com/projects/gangfightgames/mechadrome-heavy-metal-combat

There are many mysteries and surprises within the varied arenas of MechaDrome, but none as perplexing as the free agent known as Trion. Free agents were introduced as a way to spice up what had become line-up-knock-down matches, where one team had outgrown the rest in the league due to increased revenue streams (image rights and licensing had become big business thanks to the uptake of the World Network). Quickly, these Free Agents became like the movie stars of Old Earth – crowds flocked to grab a single glance of their hero, and where there were crowds, there would also be big bucks.

No one knows exactly where Trion came from. His race is a unknown, as he never steps outside his sleek mech. His name is also a mystery – TRION is etched down the left side of the mech torso – whether this is the make of the Mech, his name or a designation from some as-yet unknown military unit. He appeared during a match between Team Bushido and the Terran Titans, joining the Titans as they struggled under the speedy attacks of Bushido. With blistering attacks from his twin particle cannons, and moving with lightning speed thanks to the booster jets fastened to his legs, Trion took out three Bushido's in rapid succession. But it was when a previously hidden missile pod raised from his shoulder section, blasting the final heavy mech into metal shards that the name Trion began to be chanted throughout the arena observation zone as well as across the many World Network bars that had been created for the general populace. The legend grew from there.

Trion is now a regular appearance at most matches, with teams doing everything they legally can (and illegally can't) to secure his valuable services.

Just got some screenshots for the stationary turret. These will actually be smaller than the light mechs, the screenshot makes them look big. The flat bottom makes it good for mounting on a base, or on top of a building :)

I'm still waiting for the other renders. There will also be 2 mobile versions, 1 with little tank treads and the other like a mini-walker. You'll be able to add these turrets to your team roster, and I'm also working out some optional solo play rules where you can have your team vs automated turrets.

I just got pictures of the new turret sculpts. We're going to be calling these "Arena Hazards". There will be 3 types. Fixed Hazards are stationary, they don't move but they have better targeting systems. Roving Hazards have tank treads, and Crawling Hazards are small walkers that are the fastest moving hazard (but still slow by Mech standards).

Some teams may add hazards to their roster to pressure their opponents or defend vital positions, but they are most often used in by the Arena itself to add an extra level of difficulty (and get the crowds roaring). These hazards will attack any Mech, seeking & destroying the closest target, often denying the other team of valuable points. These automated hazards will activate at the beginning of each Game Turn, before any Mechs may be activated, and they will always attack the closest target.

Arena Hazards will be available in 15mm and 28mm. They will be packaged in pairs, both of the same type, including 2 bodies, 2 missile pods and 2 blaster turrets. 15mm scale hazards will be 2 for $8 USD, and 28mm scale hazards will be 2 for $15. USD They will be added to the add-ons menu this evening.

Here are the pictures! They look huge, but keep in mind these will be about half the size of a Light Mech.

Roving Hazards

Crawling Hazards

Fixed Hazards

I did some updates to the campaign page that will hopefully make it easier to see what's included in a squad set. Since I'm getting the 3D prints for the medium mech in both sizes, I added the medium mechs to the add-ons menu, and also made a new pledge level for $70 USD for a squad of 2 28mm light mechs and 1 28mm medium.

Here are the 4 different human teams along with the squad payloads they favor :)

Whelp looks like he cancelled the kickstarter cuz he wants to concentrate on 28mm versions instead :( bummer!

It was more due to lack of interest, the funding just wasn't happening. I think by offering 2 different versions I ended up confusing too many people and that lead to not enough pledges. So I'm going to focus the new campaign on 28mm since that is what the majority of backers were interested in. I'll still be offering the 15mm miniatures as add-on items though.. but the pledge levels will all be based on 28mm so that the campaign is easier to follow.

you'll make more profit on the 28mm versions -- the price that 15mm sells for ratio of cost to retail is way off compared to 28mm.

Yes that was another problem I had.. the metal figures ended up costing me twice as much as I expected. I'd still do them in metal for now for the folks that want them, but in a few years I might want to expand into a full 15mm wargame in the same game universe, so I think I'd switch to resin later so the minis will be more affordable if I do that game. But I want to start small with a manageable project, and let it grow from there over time rather than trying to do it all right off the bat. The good news is I have a good road map in place for future releases and a lot of the preliminary work done ahead of time :)

My one suggestion when you re-release is to get your homework done and set your prices/basic pledges and stick to them… Making a clear note of what postage costs will be at the beginning.

Don't get carried away. It is easy to keep adding things but eventually you'll get ahead of yourself and have trouble keeping up with the demand you create.

I look forward to when you restart your Kickstarter and hope that it is more successful next time (I want my mechs!!! :D ).

Yes the new campaign will be a lot more streamlined and focused. There will be very few pledge levels and only a few stretch goals. I'm not going to have goals that go on forever, this campaign will just be to get the rulebook printed and the Terran mechs produced. Other races will be done later, possibly in separate small campaigns for each race. As a 1 man show it will be easier for me to fulfill the rewards that way, rather than taking people's money and forcing them to wait a year or more to get everything made. I think I'd rather do a couple of small campaigns a year that are easy and quick to fulfill rather than 1 big one that drags and ends up long overdue.

The focus is also going to be on teams rather than generic mechs. So when you select the models you want in the end, you'll pick the pilots for the team(s) you want rather than a "Terran light mech with plasmaguns". It will just be easier and more organized this way. You'll still be able to make your own teams and I'll also sell the weapon packs separately too. Official teams will have a total of 6 pilots now instead of 12 (or 7 if we unlock the heavy mechs). So a full team would be a nice sized skirmish game and will be good for a 3x3' board.

I think for the pledge levels I'll just have a pledge for a light mech, then for a medium mech and a 3rd for a squad of 2 lights & a medium, and then "2 player starter set" of 2 squads and a rulebook. I don't know what prices will be like until I can get the resin samples made.. they won't be higher than the old campaign, but I'm going to see if I can make them cheaper.

Then add-ons will be for extra mechs, rulebook and arena hazards.. that's pretty much it. Gonna keep it real simple :)