jueves, marzo 21, 2013

KICKSTARTER: TORN ARMOR UPDATE 1 TO 19 (36,411 $)


El Kickstarter de Torn Armor empezó el 3 de Marzo y le quedan aún 13 días para finalizar. Con 363 participantes y una recaudación de 36,411 $, le queda poco para conseguir su meta inicial.

Como ya nos contó Alyssa Faden hay mucho material planeado y expansiones muy interesantes por salir. Si queréis saber más sobre el juego no hay mejor manera que verse la entrevista que le hicimos.


Y si aún así, queréis saber más detalles sobre el Kickstarter y los puntos fuertes del mismo, podéis ver el vídeo dedicado al mismo.



En esta entrada os traemos todas las actualizaciones hasta la fecha, entre ellas hay muchísimos vídeos de Alyssa Faden hablando sobre el proyecto que publicó casi a diario. Una forma muy cercana y sobre todo acertada de acercar su proyecto a todos.

Este Kickstarter tiene muchos puntos fuertes, y además no ha parado de añadir las cosas que la gente le aconseja y sobre todo mejorar los puntos flacos del mismos que le mencionamos en directo como los mapas, el trasfondo en PDF e incluso han empezado a desarrollar escenografía para el mismo. Realmente impresionante la pasión que tiene Alyssa Faden y el gran trabajo que esta haciendo.

No te pierdas este Kickstarter wargamer.


UPDATE 1


So here we are, only 19hrs into our first day and it has been a very strong showing indeed; and this is all down to YOU, our first backers. The Torn Armor team is humbled, appreciative and thankful! We have a long march ahead, but it is an exciting journey that lies before us and we have no doubt that we are all - as pioneers - going to be very happy to see this develop.
Tomorrow we will post a draft copy of the rules in 11x8.5" format (obviously for the final boxed set they will be 11x11"). We are very excited to show these to you and see the next month as an opportunity to hear from you directly: your thoughts, questions, and your ideas. What an amazing way to ensure that the very same players of Torn Armor also get to have some input into the rules themselves. You have to love the crowd-funding platform.
And remember guys and gals, this is a journey we are on together. Jack and I are pounding those virtual sidewalks right now, getting the kickstarter out there, being interviewed, and sharing the Torn Armor story across as many gaming blogs as we can find. But we would love to get your support in this: using your usual social media channels  please ensure that you share the word.
~ Jack, Natalya, and the Torn Armor team


UPDATE 2


Good evening backers! 
Some of you may know that it is my intent to provide regular updates and keep in touch with you all. I had planned tonight to send out the rules - and I'm still going to do that - but today I received a request to talk about unit setup at the beginning of the game. This is topical, because it ties in with the rules, so let's talk about that question for a moment:
A question from one of our backers: Falk Kalamorz "Natalya, can we get a detailed update about army building and how force selection works for the scenarios? I am asking because I am considering adding a couple of extra add-on units to my pledge but I don't know what limitations there are (e.g. I don't want to buy a second Light War Golem only to find out that here is a 0-1 limitation on it)."
Answer: The truth is "yes, and all of the above." =D Some scenarios might restrict the types of units you can play. For example a scenario might state: "each side gets 150 GP to purchase units; neither may purchase any assault units." Starting scenarios tend to be a little more 'tutorial based' and restrict unit types and counts, but this is not typical.
Most of the time a scenario will outline something like "each faction gets 200 GP to purchase units." And that's it. Each player can select any unit, any type of unit, and any count of units - even if they are the same type - as long as the purchase value is not exceeded. If you want to field 8 Vanaran monk units and their collective value is less than the scenario limit, then go for it! If you want to field 3 skirmisher elementals, then you can do that also. You can even field 3 "Calains" if you are so inclined :)
Does this mean that when we unlock the behemoth assault units that you could place 3 war elephants on the table? Why yes, yes it does. And I will be doing exactly that.
~ Natalya


UPDATE 3


Good evening backers,
In celebration of us passing the $10,000 mark, let's share the game rules and a couple of unit cards so you can use them as a visual reference:
Example Cards (attached).
Firstly, just let me say that the wonderful thing about crowdfunding is the ability to connect with an audience much earlier in the process. You get to see what we are doing way before it is locked in stone, and we get to receive your questions and feedback. I see that as a very valuable part of the process.
So these rules are the end point of our playtesting and closed-group Q&A, *BUT* I do not consider them to be final. I want your feedback, I want your input. If you have questions, it is an opportunity for us to add clarification. If you have a suggestion, send it our way and perhaps we can incorporate it. This is your chance to have a say right at the beginning!
We'll collate all of your comments and will refine the rules as needed after the Kickstarter has ended. 
This is a non-illustrated 11x8.5 PDF. The final rules will be 11x11 and rich in example images and artwork. We can't go into that stage yet until we have all of your feedback and tweaks have been made.
The unit card examples attached may not be the final format, appearance or content, but they give you a good sense for the layout and you can use these as a visual guideline as you are reading certain sections in the rules. The final cards will be dry-erasable. 
So, without much further ado, enjoy!
~ Natalya
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UPDATE 4


Okay, a special update ... this is the start of WAR!
So every Tuesday to Thursday, and Friday to Monday we are going to run a contest. The contest will change every time. 
You 'play' by posting your faction in the comments to each update and then posting 'proof' of your contribution. It may be something like "refer a friend," "get a new pledge to the $5 level," or "find the coolest picture of a minoatur out there on webernet land." It could be anything.
You post your result - your contribution - into the contest thread. You are pitching in for your FACTION (not yourself). So don't forget to tell us who you are fighting for.
Here's the kicker: we'll total up the points each Thursday or Monday night; the winning faction unlocks a hex on the An Gearesdan map in their color. The faction with the most hexes unlocked at the end of the kickstarter gets a special, unannounced unit that will be FREE in every pledge (regardless of faction) of $100 or more. 
This will be a flavorful addition effectively for free and will NOT be game breaking; it will be comparable to existing units. The losing faction will get their unit as well, but it will not be free, it will be an add-on.
CONFLICT #1
Rumor has it that there is an active moongate in the heart of An Gearesdan island. This moongate taps into the Between, a mystical netherspace linking far away places across mere foot steps, and even spanning entire worlds. To control such a device would render an empire invincible!
Both the Sisk Empire and the Maychians learn of this discovery at the same time ... which one can make the first beachhead and start their path inland?
Your Task:
With an emphasis on no spamming here guys and adhering to forum protocol and rules: Head out to your chosen forums and blog sites. Make sure they're relevant to the gaming hobby: miniatures, painting, boardgames, table-top roleplaying games ... you know the score. Then make a thread or post in an existing one about the Torn Armor game and kickstarter. Someone else has a thread created? Post in that, it still counts. Have your own thread going from a couple of days ago, post in that and let us know - that counts, too. Don't spam - no one loves a spammer - make the posts thoughtful and contributory ("I'm going to demolish your stinking war golems!" counts :) ). That's it ... create a buzz (and believe me, you guys and gals have been AWESOME in this respect). 
When you do this, post the link below with your chosen faction. One site per person, one post per person, but feel free to post in multiple locations. Posts to RPG.net, CMoN, Paizo and BGG count as double. Don't spam. Adhere diligently to all forum/blog rules.
May the best side win! 
~ Alyssa



UPDATE 5


Okay, the video talks about all sorts of things (including why I am wearing cyberman ears), but I'll keep the email itself on track =D
I was asked to explain the dice in the game, so here it is:
There are 25 dice in the game. 5 sets of 5 different colors.
Dice have "hit sides" and "miss sides." There is no "1," "2," "3," etc. You either hit or miss with these and they have a custom hit marker (the shape of two swords crossing). If you see a blank side on the top, you missed, it's as simple as that.
The green dice have 2 hit sides and 4 miss sides. That's a 1 in 3 chance of hitting and it's the default for the units in the core set. Remember, units roll multiple amounts of these dice when attacking, so - for example - an attacking hoplite unit might roll 3 dice *per spear* against an AC of 2. There are still 5 miniatures alive, so that unit rolls 15 green dice in melee, and the odds are that they'll get 5 hits. Unless it's me rolling *groans*.
White dice are worse than green dice, they have only one hit per die. White dice would be used by inferior or cursed (via spells or special abilities) units. I.e the same hoplite unit above is rolling green dice for everything, but for one turn it is cursed; now it rolls white dice to attacking and defending until the curse is lifted.
Conversely, blue dice are better: they hit on 3 sides, thus 50% of the time. Boosting spells, equipment, or elite units will roll blue dice.
Red dice have 4 hit sides, black *gulp* have 5. In the core set there is a spell "Arcane Bolt" that rolls 1 black die. let's face it, odds on it's going to hit (but in this instance it only causes 1 damage).
Talking of which, we have planned future expansions that will use "power-dice." These will be the same colors, but 'flecked' with silver. These have the same hit chances, but one or two of the sides have 2 successes on them: so same odds of getting a miss, but a 'hit' can score more net results. For example, 2 green power dice can actually net 4 hits (because 1 of the 2 hit sides on each has 2 hits marked on it). Special units, spells, magical items and etc in a future expansion will introduce power dice. 
Imagine black power dice. That's kinda awesome.
So - that sums up the dice in the game. I hope that you found it to be informative and entertaining! Stay tuned for some incredible collaboration news with a named industry giant ... you're already loving what you are getting? Wait until this new hits =D
~ Alyssa



UPDATE 6


So the Battle for An Gearesdan went badly for the Sisk and they certainly got a bloody nose. The superior numbers of the Maychian faction managed to out do the Sisk hoplites and won the first battle ... so onto the next.
For Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday ... have someone on Twitter tweet about Torn Armor and have a link to our Kickstarter. The number of followers that person has is the key. The tweet to the greatest number of followers is what we are looking for ... and that's the greatest amount per FACTION (not per person). So if someone from the Maychian faction gets a tweet out there to 200 followers, and then the next day another Maychian backer gets a tweet out to 400 followers, "400" becomes the leading score for the Maychian side.
If you have lots of followers yourself, then feel free to use yourself. Have friends with lots of backers? Get them to do it instead! Know Wil Wheaton or Felica Day? Yeah, you've probably got that in the bag. And ... um ... let's talk =D
And feel free to put in as many entries as you like, so if you see the opposition manages to get a higher tweet than your side, you can always come back with an even bigger one =D
Post a link to the tweet or the person that did the tweet, record their backer count, and pledge your faction!
Come on Sisk ... now is the time to fight back!
~ Nataya



UPDATE 7


I had a conversation today with a few kickstarter gurus and the great news is that at this stage of the project, at this level of funding, we're 90% likely to fund. Honestly, that just gets me all kinds of pumped up. It's all down to you, our wonderful backers!
This is a fantastic game, it brings something new to the table, and our production plan for the next 12 months is nothing short of awesome. YOU are making this possible.
To thank you for this we have several things in the works.
  • You've been asking for a "rules only" option: we're adding that tonight. $35 will get you the rules, the maps, the scenario book, unit cards, spells and equipment. FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the world. Use your own minis and dice and you are good to go!
  • You've been asking for a "minis only" option: we're adding it tonight. $50 will get you all 39 miniatures, $75 will get you the two minotaurs as well. FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the world. 

That's three new pledge levels that you have been asking for, and we're going to bring them to you!
This weekend we're going to show Gameplay video #2 (straight run through, no introductory discussion, and a true gauge of the game's quick play style). 
~ Natalya & Jack



UPDATE 8


Good evening every one!
The Battle for An Gearesdan
So a few updates to talk about tonight, including the "Day 3 Battle for An Gearesdan." Day two saw the Maychians pick up more territory, but there's still plenty of time here for the Sisk to turn things around!
For Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we're going to do something special. It's 'special,' because it is a precursor to the Reaper collaboration we have established. The official announcement is yet to be made and I suspect that we might be a few days out on that, but it IS happening, and I am thrilled. So let's ensure that you - our early backers - know what is going on and get a chance to invite your friends.
Reaper Miniatures has given us the greenlight to add their Clockwork Dragon as a Torn Armor unit; complete with unit card. When we hit 60k, we'll even create a new map set and special scenario. Of course, this gives us an excuse to introduce the "flying units" and "breath weapon" rules =D
The best part of this? The first 500 backers to pledge $75 or more (the game or any combination of add-ons and pledge levels) gets the Clockwork Dragon FOR FREE with no extra shipping. 
So how does this tie-in with An Gearesdan? Well let's ensure that your friends know about this before the official announcement, right? We can only give away so many of these, so if you want your friends to get their dragon, let's share the news.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it ...
Get a friend (or more) to pledge to the Torn Armor kickstarter. Have them post in this update and mention your name and what faction THEY are fighting for. You might want to choose your friends wisely ;) Your friends can pledge ANY AMOUNT (even $1), but if they're in the first 500 backers and pledge $75 or more, then they'll also get the dragon.
The kicker? For every friend you bring on-board that also pledges $75 or more, we'll throw in $10 worth of add-ons for you AND YOUR friend (you choose what you want independently), free of charge. You can use this $10 towards something that costs a greater amount.
But act quickly, because we're running this phase of the battle for just the next 3 days!
Reaper Miniatures: a very cool company
As an aside, let's remember that the roots behind Kickstarter is to facilitate new and innovative products into breathing their first gasp of air. It requires a good company, a great idea, and awesome backers. It simply requires "good peoples." Reaper are such a company and the Clockwork Dragon could not have happened without their openness and support. They are an incredible bunch of people and a great company. Show them your love and when you consider buying miniatures, remember how awesome they are :)
And lots of new things!
A few new things to introduce you to:
  • I've been asked a few times to show the maps ... these will be online shortly. Thank you for asking.
  • I've been asked to share some words on the background to the Torn World and why these two factions are fighting. You've got it!!! I think we got so caught up in the Kickstarter that we forgot that you guys and gals need to know this type of thing. Consider it added within the next 24hrs.
  • We posted a new play-through video on our kickstarter page. Jack won again, which in hindsight makes the Sisk look weak. Rest assured that it's simply that I roll terribly (I do in table-top games as well :( ). So we're going to do another one this weekend and will switch sides =D
  • You are going to see a new pledge level get added tonight called the "Retail Special." It's going to be insane value and is intended for brick'n'mortar establishments, but is not restricted to that. You'll want to take a serious look at the value wrapped into it :)

The Interviews
Lastly, I've been interviewing a lot recently, and everyone is a blast. We tend to share these on our Facebook page, but I'm going to start including them here as well so you can check them out.
First up "FyD Forja y Desván TV."
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FyDforjaydesvan
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwJdzwM5af4
It is in Spanish (but they translate as they go along). They're a great group of guys and it was a great deal of fun discussing Torn Armor with them.
You'll want to pay attention to these interviews by the way, because sometimes I drop in little things that you will really want to hear ... :)
~ Natalya Alyssa Faden


UPDATE 9


This is a Spanish translation of the 3/11 update. English speaking backers can make reference to the English version posted last night here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1471855235/torn-armor/posts/425768
¡Buenas noches a todos! 
La batalla por An Gearesdan 
Hay un par de actualizaciones sobre las que hablar esta noche, incluyendo la del "día 3 de la batalla por An Gearesdan". El segundo día vio a los Maychians conquistaron más territorio, pero aún hay un montón de tiempo para que los Sisk le den la vuelta a las cosas. 
Para el martes, miércoles y jueves vamos a hacer algo especial. Se trata de algo 'especial', porque es un antecedente de la colaboración con Reaper que hemos establecido. El anuncio oficial todavía no se ha hecho y sospecho que podríamos estar a unos días de que ocurra, pero está sucediendo, y yo estoy encantada. Así que nos aseguramos de que ustedes - nuestros mecenas iniciales - sepan lo que está pasando y tener la oportunidad de invitar a tus amigos. 
Reaper Miniatures nos ha dado luz verde para agregar su Clockwork Dragon como una unidad de Torn Amror; completa con su carta de unidad. Cuando llegamos a 60K, incluso vamos a crear un set de un mapa nuevo y un escenario especial. Por supuesto, esto nos da una excusa para introducir las "unidades móviles" y reglas "arma de aliento" 
¿La mejor parte de esto? Los primeros 500 mecenas que aporten 75 $ o más (el juego o cualquier combinación de los complementos y los niveles de mecenazgos obtiene el Clockwork Dragon GRATIS sin cargos adicionales por envío. 
Entonces, ¿Qué tiene que ver con An Gearesdan? Bueno, vamos a garantizar que tus amigos sepan acerca de esto antes del anuncio oficial, ¿no? Sólo podemos dar una cantidad limitada de ellos, así que si quieres que tus amigos consigan su dragón, comparte la noticia. 
Tu misión, si decides aceptarla ...
Pídale a un amigo (o más) que se comprometan como mecenas al Kickstarter de Torn Armor. Pídales que publiquen en esta entrada y mencionen tu nombre y la facción para la que ellos luchan. Es posible que desees elegir a tus amigos con prudencia. Tus amigos pueden aportar cualquier cantidad (incluso 1 $), pero si están entre los primeros 500 mecenas y aportan 75 $ o más, entonces también obtendrá el dragón. 
El gancho? Por cada amigo que traigas a bordo que también aporte $ 75 o más, vamos a añadir 10 $ de add-ons para ti y tu amigo (vosotros eligís lo que quereis de forma independiente), sin ningún cargo adicional. Puedes utilizar estos 10 $ para algo que cuesta una cantidad mayor. 
¡Pero actúa con rapidez, porque esta fase de la batalla durara sólo los próximos 3 días!
Reaper Miniatures: Es una empresa muy guay. 
Aparte, recordemos que el sentimiento original del Kickstarter es facilitar a nuevos e innovadores productos su primera bocanada de aire. Se requiere una buena compañía, una gran idea, y unos mecenas impresionantes. Solo se necesitan "buenas personas". Reaper es ese tipo de empresa y el Clockwork Dragon no hubiera sido posible sin su sinceridad y apoyo. Ellos son un grupo increíble de personas y una gran empresa. Demuéstrales tu amor y cuando pienses comprar miniaturas, recuerda lo maravilloso que son 
¡Y un montón de cosas nuevas! 
Un par de cosas nuevas para mostrarte: 
  • Me han pedido varias veces que mostrara los mapas... estos estarán online dentro de poco. Gracias por preguntar.
  •  Me han pedido compartir algunas lineas sobre los antecedentes del Torn World y por qué están estas dos facciones luchando. ¡Lo vais a tener! Creo que nos quedamos tan absortos en el Kickstarter que nos olvidamos de que vosotros chicos y chicas necesitáis saber este tipo de cosas. Consideradlo añadido en las próximas 24 horas. 
  • Hemos publicado una nueva partida en la página del Kickstarter. Jack volvió a ganar, que a posteriori, hace que los Sisk aparenten ser débiles. Estad seguros que es por que tengo unas terribles tiradas (también me ocurre en los juegos de mesa). Así que vamos a hacer otro este fin de semana cambiando de bando. 
  • Vais a ver un nuevo nivel que publicaremos esta noche llamado "Retail Special". Tendrá un valor de locura y esta pensado para los negocios de ladrillos y argamasa, pero no están restringidos a esos. Tendréis que echarle un vistazo detenido al valor añadido que tiene. 

Las entrevistas
Por último, me han estado entrevistando mucho recientemente, y todo el mundo es una maravilla. Tenemos la costumbre a compartirlas en nuestra página de Facebook, pero voy a empezar a incluirlos aquí, para que podáis verlas. 
En primer lugar "FYD Forja y Desván TV". 
Está en español (pero traducen sobre la marcha). Son un grupo de gente genial y fue muy divertido hablar sobre Torn Armor con ellos. 
Tendréis que prestar atención a estas entrevistas, de todas formas, porque a veces suelto algunos detalles que seguramente queráis escuchar... 
Natalya ~ Alyssa Faden 
    Comment

    UPDATE 10


    Hello fellow gamers, miniature enthusiasts, supporters, and new-found friends,
    First up, I seriously considered breaking this into smaller messages, because we have A LOT to talk about, but then I concluded that you'd label me as a vanaran-spammer, and I certainly wouldn't want that.
    So, without further of a do, let's jump into this bad boy here.
    This is a moongate (the artist is a sterling fellow: Pierre Carles). We are unlocking this image because we passed 200 backs today and we will continue to do the same for the rest of the Kickstarter. This moongate will be created as 3d battlefield 'terrain;' or - more accurately - an objective marker. You will get to see the wonderful images of this process over the next few weeks.
    The moongates of Torn were created in the first age of man and their secrets are almost completely forgotten except to a few learned scholars. Certainly how to *USE* them is a mystery. What is know is that they allow someone to access a place called "The Between," a meta-physical realm that allows someone to enter a gate, walk a short distance, and then emerge from a paired gate many, many miles away. Perhaps the other side of Torn. 
    Over the eons and ages the gates have fallen into ruin, but some still stand .. and those are prized objects indeed, for the side who knows how to use them gains the power of 16,000 years ago.
    MINI-STRETCH GOALSWe're now very, very close to 20k, so let me tell you what our plans are here. At 20k, 30k, 40k and 50k we will introduce a new unit, new artwork AND new miniatures. They will be available as add-ons AND automatically included in the "all stretch goal" pledge levels. Of course to do this we will not be able to do them in plastic injection and 5,000 at a time, so we'll introduce them as resin and/or pewter pieces. Personally, being able to bring you new units every 10k makes me very excited, I hope you feel the same way.
    First up at 20k? These fine fellows from the Fourteen Kingdoms. They will be a MERCENARY unit.
    INTRODUCTION TO THE TORN WORLDI'm beginning to throw around Torn World names here, so let's get you up to speed. Remember ...
    Playtest rules download link:
    http://tornworld.com/assets/tornrules.pdf
    A SHORT STORYAnd related to this, we have a short story in the works that will help immerse you in the Torn World: it's people, places, races and cultures. It will be available as a freebie to all backers. 
    MAPSThe Introduction link above will also show you a map of the Torn World, so let's talk maps for Torn Armor for a moment. My good friends in Spain asked for me to post them, and post them I shall! Starting tomorrow (3/14) I'll start posting all of the core maps for you to take a look at. We will also be running a competition for YOU to design a map, and we're going to add new maps linked to the number of backers we have ... everyone that gets the rules (i.e. not minis only) will get the extra maps free of charge. I like maps. I plan on doing lots of them.
    3D TERRAINWe will unlock 3d terrain starting within the next few days. It will be available as an add-on for way below MSRP prices. Images will be forthcoming, but it all looks fantastic. The plan is to introduce crates, fences, ruins ... and maybe a tower or two in the future ... :)
    BEHEMOTHSYeah, you know this is why you read this far. I AM UNLOCKING THESE.
    They will stand 100-120mm tall (to the eyes) on the battlefield. They are Behemoth Assault units and they are incredibly sexy. The original 100k stretch goal was to get them done in plastic injection, but we're in this kickstarter here and now, so let's talk business. They'll be created through Valiant in resin (some parts Pewter on the war elephant) and will be available in any number for $40 each. They kick much booty and I'm personally fielding 3 of them. Just saying.
    Seriously, I am THRILLED to be able to unlock these for you ... THRILLED.
    ALTERNATIVE MINIATURE POSESIt has been asked for and I'm going to make it happen. Watch the kickstarter and I'll start showing additional images of alt poses for some of these units :)
    CLOCKWORK DRAGONLastly, but by no means leastly, the reaper dragon for Torn Armor will be announced by the good guys at Reaper and I'm not 100% on their timing for that. We sent to them the final press release copy on Tuesday together with the banner we're going to be using for their homepage ... it's going to hit anytime :) 
    Not sure what the dragon looks like?
    This will be a MERCENARY unit, but at 60k we will unlock a special scenario written just for it. 
    The first 500 pledges of 75k or more will get one FOR FREE and it will also be available as an add-on (price $15). 
    YES, you will be able to pitch multiple dragons onto the battlefield if you like. I know I will be. With the 3 war elephants I mentioned above. 
    Until then ...
    Thank you my friends ... we are on quite the journey here :)
    ~ Natalya


    UPDATE 11


    Another great day - thank you all! To the new backers ... yeah, I see you back there ... THANK YOU for being part of this. It's an amazing game, incredible miniatures, and you have just joined a great little community. 
    I didn't want to scare people away here, but I have lots to talk about, so I'm going to do this in a few parts. 
    • The mini-stretch goal at $30k
    • The Battle for An Gearesdan
    • The Reaper Press Release (with a video of the dragon!)

    So let's do the first bit. I said that if we got to 230 backers today, I'd reveal the concept for the 30k mini-stretch goal. For those not in the know, a mini-stretch is when we'll give you a stretch goal miniature even while we're still funding. Yeah, we're that cool.
    Last night we unlocked the Fourteen Kingdoms Winged Hussar (his graphic is going on the KS tonight). He will be available as an add-on (3 per unit at $15 overall), and will be FREE for you wonderful "all stretch goals" backers. Yeaaaaaah, and you thought you'd have to wait until we funded ... that's not how we work over here people! We love you guys, we want to pile heaps of miniatures upon you!
    So here's what we are going to unlock at 30k! And it's a beautiful thing ... not one, but TWO miniatures:
    They will cost $5 each as an add-on and will be available for free as part of the "all stretch goals" pledge levels. 
    Captain "Buckles" O'Rourke
    Buckles is the captain of the ship Arbalest. She is the daughter of the infamous privateer and pirate hunter Captain "Patches" O’Rourke and his wife "Daggers". Buckles is a hare, one anthropomorphic rabbitfolk, and is her lineage can be traced back to Maychia Comal. Buckles herself, however, has no loyalties to her ancient ancestral home. As a mercenary and privateer, she sells her sword and skills to the highest bidder. While not evil (in any sense of the word) she also doesn't feel the bang to necessarily "do the right thing". When she isn't sailing the high seas and fighting off pirates she is the owner of a rough-and-tumble tavern located off the docks of the port city St. Loyalty. And always at her side is her first mate and best friend Sebastian.
    Sebastian
    Sebastian is a sentient capuchin monkey, first mate aboard the ship Arbalest and best friend to Captain Buckles O'Rourke. He is a foul mouthed, has a sharp wit, an even sharper mind, and is one of the best marksmen in all land. Sebastian serves as Buckles eyes and ears, as well as advisor and translator. He is always found at her side.


    UPDATE 12


    This is the official press-release forthcoming from Reaper (seriously, you HAVE to love those guys ...) They gave us the go-ahead to post this first, so here we go! (the Spanish translation for this will follow)
    Torn World Announces Collaboration with Reaper Miniatures 
    Torn Armor is pleased to announce, in collaboration with Reaper Miniatures, the inclusion of the Serath Clockwork Dragon miniature figurine as part of the Torn Armor game line. This massive miniature, popular with gamers, includes a Torn Armor unit card for use in the game.
     “I’ve always loved this miniature, because it’s clockwork. And a dragon. It’s iconic,” said Alyssa Faden, President of Torn World. “It doesn’t get any simpler. It gets right to the cool.” 
    Torn Armor is a squad-based board game that combines elements of miniature wargames and board games to create a fast-paced play experience. Players choose their armies using unit cards, take turns setting up the game board, and resolve skirmishes using a unique game system. The Core Box includes 39 highly-detailed miniatures, four double-sided color battle posters, four terrain cards, eight magic item and spell cards, rule book, and 25 dice.
    “We were so excited about Alyssa’s enthusiasm, we immediately backed the project,” Ed Pugh of Reaper Miniatures added. “We looked for a way to support her game more concretely. This miniature is it.”
    Torn Armor’s Kickstarter is underway now. You can add on the Clockwork Dragon, its stat card for the game, and eventually unlock the special scenario as a stretch goal.http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1471855235/torn-armor
    About Torn World: Torn World is a publisher of board, card, and role-playing games based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 2011 by Alyssa Faden and Jack Cull, Torn World produces quality games and miniatures. For more information, visit the Torn World website at www.tornworld.com. 
    Reaper Miniatures is a leading hobby and adventure industry company that designs and manufactures pewter miniature figurines, paint and accessories. Founded in Ft. Worth, Texas on July 4th 1992, Reaper Miniatures quickly established itself as a leader in pewter miniature design and production. From its inception, Reaper Miniatures has worked closely with artists, sculptors and writers to create a community of endless adventure for consumers around the world. For more information about Reaper Miniatures, please visit www.reapermini.com.



    UPDATE 13


    This is the Spanish version of my previous update.
    Torn World anuncia su colaboración con Reaper Miniatures
    Torn Armor tiene el placer de anunciar, en colaboración con Reaper Miniatures, la inclusión de la miniatura del Dragón Mecánico Serath como parte de la línea de juego de Torn Armor. Esta enorme miniatura, muy popular entre los jugadores, incluye una carta de unidad de Torn Armor para poder utilizarse en el juego. 
     “Siempre me gustó esta miniatura porque es mecánica. Y es un dragón. Es casi icónica,” dijo Alyssa Faden, presidenta de Torn World. “No puede ser más fácil. Es simplemente genial.” 
     Torn Armor es un juego de tablero de escaramuzas entre escuadras que combina elementos de wargames y de juegos de tablero para crear una experiencia de juego frenética y trepidante. Los jugadores escogen sus ejércitos mediante cartas de unidades, se alternan preparando el terreno de juego y resuelven las escaramuzas empleando un sistema de juego único. La Caja Básica contiene 39 miniaturas muy detalladas, cuatro pósteres de batalla a todo color impresos por las dos caras, cuatro cartas de terreno, ocho cartas de objetos mágicos y hechizos, el reglamento y 25 dados.
     “Estábamos tan ilusionados con el entusiasmo de Alyssa que apoyamos de inmediato el proyecto,” añadió Ed Pugh de Reaper Miniatures. “Buscamos un modo de respaldar de una manera más concreta su juego. Esta miniatura es la respuesta.” El Kickstarter de Torn Armor ya está en marcha. Podéis añadir a vuestro aporte el Dragón Mecánico con su carta de características para el juego y, eventualmente, desbloquear el escenario especial como objetivo a alcanzar. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1471855235/torn-armor
    Sobre Torn World: Torn World es una editorial de Portland, Oregon, especializada en juegos de tablero, de cartas y de rol. Fundada en el 2011 por Alyssa Faden y Jack Cull, Torn World produce juegos y miniaturas de calidad. Para más información, podéis visitar la página web de Torn World en www.tornworld.com. 
     Reaper Miniatures es una de las principales compañías de diseño y manufactura de miniaturas de metal, pinturas y accesorios.Fundada en Ft Worth, Texas, el 4 de julio de 1992, Reaper Miniatures se consolidó rápidamente como una empresa líder en el diseño y producción de miniaturas de metal. Desde sus inicios, Reaper Miniatures ha trabajado de cerca con los artistas, escultores y escritores para crear una comunidad que proporcione aventuras sin fin a consumidores de todo el mundo. Para más información sobre Reaper Miniatures, por favor visitad www.reapermini.com.


    UPDATE 14


    The Battle for An Gearesdan wraps up its third phase and it had previously looked like the Maychians were going to win in a clean sweep. Could the Sisk find the resolve and fortitude to fight back against their superior numbers?
    Why yes, yes indeed.
    Tribunus Laticlavius "Roger Bunting" and Primus Pilus "Andrew Selic" took the next part of the island in a clean sweep, their legions taking a firm hold with zero Maychian resistance.
    Now the Maychian faction has a slender 2-1 lead, who will take the next part of the island?
    PHASE FOUR: "IT WAS DOWN TO THE PLUS."
    So I noticed from our pledge referrals (where the backer came from) that we get a 6 more pledges from Facebook than we do from G+. I get that; the Torn World team is more active on Facebook. *BUT* G+ is the new up and comer, he's the hip and happening guy ... surely he could show the old and venerable Facebook a thing or two, right?
    Your Challenge: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
    Post on G+ about any of the following subjects (we're linking to Facebook posts to illustrate, lol, see the irony?)

    You can take and post whatever pictures you like from those locations - let people know the awesome things that are going on in this kickstarter!
    Post on G+ (your wall or a gaming forum in which you have permission to share such things), share your link below and tell us what side you are fighting for: Sisk or Maychian!
    ONE ENTRY PER BACKER :)
    Now ... are G+ users Sisk, or are they Maychian?
    ~ Natalya


    UPDATE 15


    So that was quite the day, wasn't it? :)
    Thank you to our new backers and welcome aboard! It looks like we are within striking range of 30k and at that point we'll unlock the second mini-stretch goal, Buckles & Sebastian:
    Quick updates:
    • We are hoping to get some shots in of the 3d terrain this weekend. When they arrive we will of course share.
    • We saw some photographs of the sculpting work from John Robertson today. We'll put these into a future update :)
    • Models are going out to painters: in the next couple of weeks we'll share these with you ... we are quite excited to see what our small army of painters can come up with!
    • We'll be adding extra dice to the add-ons section over the weekend due to popular demand!
    Friday is Map Day
    We promised that if we hit 25k today that we'd unlock a new double-sided poster battle mat for use in the game. You did it, so we're adding it! This will be added to the core set (plus "rules only") automatically, you need do nothing more! At 35k we'll add another, 45k yet another ... that's how we roll.
    Below are two battle posters (1 side from each, so in the core set there are 6 more map sides available to you ... now up to 8 more due to today's stretch goal). As part of the game set-up players get to place additional terrain tiles on the board according to scenario rules. This further customizes the gaming environment.
    There are 4 terrain cards: 2 x rocks, 2 x trees and all battleboards and terrain cards will be also available as add-ons shortly!
    Each battle board side represents a type of terrain (buildings, farmland, forest, etc) and are designed so that they can be butted up against each other to create larger playing areas. A single battleboard poster is 22.51”x34.68”.
    In the core set we have:
    • Forest
    • Fields
    • Farmhouse
    • Grassland
    • Chapel / Church
    • Beach
    • Road
    • River / Bridge

    We will run a little competition/quiz to see what new maps you would like to add to this (although we'll also create some variations on the same themes so you can create small villages, various shaped roads, etc).
    We are also excited to announce that we will be running a "design a battleboard" contest next week, so get your tactical heads on and start thinking about what would make for an interesting layout! 
    Thank you every one for your support and have a great weekend!
    ~ Natalya & Jack



    UPDATE 16


    Okay, that subject-line will have a few of you confused :)
    Before I explain let's acknowledge that was a pretty stunning weekend. For all of the new backers: WELCOME. We do things slightly differently here with the Torn Armor crew. We're gamers, geeks, nerds and miniature addicts. We have no shame in this. We are also super-proud to have you on board and deeply appreciative of your pledge. You will find that we are approachable, talkative, and responsive. So if you are lurking quietly in the corner over there (and there's nothing wrong with that!), feel free to jump into the fray and let us know what you like, what you want to see more of, if there are things in the rules that confuse you (or you'd like to see added!) and so on. 
    THANK YOU for joining us.
    Next up ... that crazy subject line. Well we did promise to reveal a third behemoth unit, right?
    "Moriarty's Bell"
    The gnomes of Torn are a very rare race; very few of them are seen about the world. Those that do exist are fixated with developing their life's dream: an invention to beat all inventions. Something that will indelibly place them into the annals of time. Every gnome chases a different dream, a different device, many spend decades tinkering with pieces, parts and gadgets all related to that masterwork creation.
    And so enters "Moriarty's Bell." 
    This is a gnomish clockwork assault platform.
    We're getting the concept artwork drawn up as I type this, but just imagine Wild-Wild-West, Steampunk, and Back to the Future. Imagine steam engines, metal crab arms, rivets, levers, more steam engines, wheels, and gnome spellcasters hurling random magic from the gantry. From the top something called a "Ploozmoo" belches forth violent magical energies, and down below Moriarty himself sits on his control platform, wrestling this contraption into the fray. With wild hair, a "British" pith hat upon his head, hussar jacket flapping open about his torso, and wild mustache perched under bulging eyes.
    Ladies and gents, I announce to you: "Moriarty's Bell."
    From a game perspective this will be a "Assault Behemoth" (called an Assault Platform). It will have two spell casters on the gantry and a wild gnomish spell-belcher (called a Ploozmoo). It will have the advantage of range, and the ability to attach spells to the unit (unheard of for assault types). But it will have the disadvantage of the ranged attacks and melee attacks being weaker than normal, and ... well ... this is gnomish ... if the ranged attacks miss during a round, it will take the entire of the next round to fix the problem, and if the melee attacks miss, then Moriarty's Bell actually hurts itself.
    We cannot wait to show you the concept artwork (and final artwork!) on this one. We will add it as an add-on when the artwork is in and final.
    Mini-Stretch Goals
    A quick word about the mini-stretch goal race that we introduced last week. For those not in the know, we do not have to be funded here at Torn Armor in order to introduce new goodies! Pffft, that's how every one else does it! 
    At 20k we introduced the Winged Hussar. At 25k we added more maps. At 30k (passed last night!) we added Buckles and Sebastian. Seeing a pattern?
    So at 35k we'll add even more maps (which is why this week is going to be a design-a-map contest :) ), and at 40k we'll unveil the next mini-stretch goal ... hmmmm ... what will it be? 
    Well, when we hit a certain number of backers we'll tell you, and this magic count will be announced Monday morning!
    A QUESTION FOR YOU!
    Some of you might know that Torn World is developing a line of metal characters through Center Stage Miniatures. From these there are four that we'd like to add as resin heroes to the Torn Armor kickstarter. We can do it right now - BOOM - into the stretch goal pledge level they go, but ONLY if you as backers are okay with this. We want your opinion.
    We have Telza the gnome, the Blackwater mage, and two sky pirate goblins. They already come with Torn Armor unit cards, so what do you think? Shall we make this thing go absolutely crazy and throw them into the mix? Hmmm?
    Add-ons
    Lots of new add-ons to come, so watch this space. Dice, maps, a miniature tote, and 3d terrain. ALSO, we are seriously looking at waiving shipping fees for add-ons. Watch this space - we'll make lots of noise about it when it happens.
    New homepage
    We spent part of today refreshing the kickstarter homepage - let us know your thoughts. Personally we like it, but do you?
    Rules
    Don't forget that we have the rules posted on the Kickstarter homepage and we really want your feedback. Did you understand them, did anything seem confusing, would you like to see anything added? We can't promise to implement everything, but we will listen to every piece of feedback given to us ... that is, after all, one of the reasons why we are running this kickstarter!
    ~ Natalya & Jack
    The Video:


    UPDATE 17


    Dear fellow gamers,
    A couple of updates tonight:
    • The Battle for An Gearesdan last round results
    • The next round challenge!
    • The 40k stretch goal announcement

    The Battle for An Gearesdan
    Over the last few days we asked you to post and share to G+. We're over there, we have a presence, but apparently it's the "cool kids room that no one has heard of." Thank you to everyone that did do some sharing - seriously, your word "on the street" means more than anything.
    The Maychians took it again and the island is slipping under their control. But we have plenty of time remaining in order for the Sisk to pull it back. Which ties in perfectly to the 40k stretch goal we are announcing tonight :)
    So what will the Sisk do to combat these odds? How about they wheel in another hero - the Sisk Syntagma Tribuni Angusticlavii!
    The 40k Stretch Goal
    Seriously, thank you to ALL of you for your pledges, your backing, your feedback and your constant support. Without you we would have nothing. 
    We hit 330 backers at the time of writing and we did say "if we can hit 330, we'll show you what we are adding at 40k." So here it is, the Felis Maychian Akongo and the Sisk Syntagma Tribuni Angusticlavii. Free to all "all stretch goal" backers, and also available as add-ons.
    Both are leaders, both are powerful, and both inspire the troops!
    The Battle for An Gearesdan: Day 4
    Something new as the leaders enter the fray ... 
    The scouts are sent out across the island, the rangers forage ahead and report on the lay of the land ... what do they discover?
    YOU TELL US!
    For Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we are running a "map your own battlefield" event. No social sharing, no spreading the word (but please do if you want people to know about this event!) Break out your pens, crayons, markers or MS paint ... it's mapping time!
    The Challenge:
    Okay, so here's a single empty map template for the Torn Armor game. If you could fill this with grassland, trees, boulders, buildings and other goodies ... what would it look like? What would be the story behind it?
    This is your canvas. You can join multiple maps together to create a larger battlefield if you like. One submission per backer (although you can replace previous submissions if you like).
    Now show us the battlefield that sits in your mind: the trees, the walls, the ruins, the hills ... whatever you see. Remember that each hex is 5" across and contains an entire assault unit or 3-9 miniatures as a unit.
    Break out the pens boys and girls ... battle mat creation time. You can print this and draw on it (simply with icons or letting is fine!), bring it into MS Paint ... whatever suits your fancy.
    Send submissions back to us here at Torn Armor by 9PST Thursday night. You can post them to your social sharing wall and link us to it, put them on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TornWorld) or PM Natalya for email details!
    At 9PM we will send all of the challenge entries to an industry name - someone not associated with the project, but a huge miniatures fan and skirmish gamer! - and he is going to judge the maps along the following lines:
    • Creativity
    • Can the maps be used alone (if you have several templates)?
    • Balance and fun between the different sides/factions
    • How easily can your maps be butted alongside other maps and join nicely (for example: out coastline has one side that can do that, our woods maps can do it on all 4 sides).

    When you send us your designs, also please tell us the faction you are fighting for.
    The winner will win the next Battle for An Gearesdan.
    And we may well contact some of you directly about including the maps into future releases ... :)
    ~ Alyssa & Jack


    UPDATE 18


    Hey everyone,
    So tonight's update is going to be less "dramatic" than last night and more focused on a few areas of progress so you can see the wonderful things that we have in store over the next week :)
    CONTEST
    We're going to formally announce this tomorrow, but every day from 3/20 to the end of the Kickstarter we are going to do a random drawing from our backers and the winners will win free goodies. You'll have to be a backer of course to be eligible, but I am excited to simply be giving miniatures and other goodies away!
    MINIATURES
    Talking of miniatures, the 40k stretch goal was well received =D I am looking forward to unlocking those two characters quite a bit.
    Two other updates on this front -
    Painting: we will have some painted miniatures to show here in the next week and will continue to share additional painted miniatures for the rest of the Kickstarter.
    Sculpting: theoretically the 3d models we have can go straight into production, but we here at Torn love a good sculpt and John Robertson loves a good Greek style miniature; it's a match made in heaven. This is obviously early days, but for those of you who love seeing a work in progress sculpt, here we go (I believe he has updated photos imminently arriving so I will show these tomorrow):
    3D TERRAIN
    We have been talking to the folks over at http://tectoniccraftstudios.com/ about including some of their lovely 3d terrain as add-ons for Torn Armor, and they have kindly started working on some pieces that we think will suit the battlefield quite nicely. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section on the Kickstarter page:
    SHIPPING FEES
    Tor Gaming in my wonderful homeland of the UK have offered to provide a base from which all of your packages can be mailed out to the rest of the EU. We're looking into shipping and import costs now, but I am very hopeful that we can drastically reduce or remove shipping to all EU countries here shortly. Give the guys at Tor a round of applause for being such sporting chaps: http://www.torgaming.co.uk/rd/
    SHAPEWAYS
    We want to share our characters and creations with you and thought that it would be wonderful to be able to do this through a Shapeways Store. Note that not all of the models are suitable for 3d printing, and this is NOT representative of the final quality or production method of the Torn Armor game, but it will allow you to own a mu or vanaran monk (even in solid silver, apparently o.0)
    We will reveal more models each day, right now the little mu is up there and ready for purchase.
    ~ Natalya & Jack



    UPDATE 19


    Hey backers!
    (I feel like I should be saying "Dear Supporter," but "why so serious?")
    A few things tonight just so you know the status on things:
    The Daily Drawing
    I made reference to this last night, but we are going to do a DAILY drawing for the rest of the kickstarter. I have the list of backers, my dutiful and ever wonderful fellow - Jack - is going to roll - what else? - dice to generate a number. That number equates to a backer. That backer wins +$10 in add-ons to use however they wish (no shipping charges incurred). Tonight's drawing is in the video below. Congratulations Harsh Realities for being the first winner!
    Of course, there can only be 14 winners, but fret not, because this young lady *points to self* has plenty in store to give you guys oodles of goodies :)
    The Rules
    A reminder that the rules can be downloaded from here and that we are looking for your feedback. Seriously, this is why we are sharing them and this is why we're crowdfunding ... it's how we can talk to you, and you can have influence on the system before we head into production:
    The Unit Cards
    We posted the unit cards today, but I'm going to post the links here. We've already had some valuable feedback on these and we're looking for more. Something confuses you? An icon seems inappropriate? Not getting how it all works? Let us know!
    Card Miniatures
    We're in partnership with Grey Matter Games to bring Torn World characters to the gaming table in card-miniature format for those who like their minis a little more 2d. This ended up being a great opportunity to turn our Torn Armor units into 2d card miniatures also, so here it is! Now you can snag a pack, get them mounted, print the unit cards, open up the rules and play!

    These are all purchased through Grey Matter Games, but Torn world gets a small cut. Any royalties we get from this we'll pour into the Kickstarter (Jack will up his pledge by a like-amount, so rest assured that if you do buy a pack from Grey Matter, that it IS helping fund the game!)

    http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/112570/TORN-WORLD%27s-Torn-Armor-Set-One?affiliate_id=41076
    Maps
    Well, we said that when we hit 35k that we'd unlock new maps. We passed 35k and new maps it is! We are now including 6 double-sided full color maps, that's 12 maps in total!
    Talking of which ... don't forget that we're running a "design a map!" contest over here:
    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1471855235/torn-armor/posts/431616
    Sculpting Progress:
    Using the words of John Robertson himself ...
    Need to tighten up on sun disk "rays" but just about finished.
    Body: behind RHS shoulder is a little off- will tweak this now and I'll get the main cowl around the head area on today. Also still need to refine the armour plates as they are not quite right yet but it will be easier to do this once it's all semi-complete
    Legs: still need upper shin armour and then upper leg but will start this today.
    Lastly but by no means leastly ...
    I have not forgotten that we are going to add dice as an add-on, a new pledge level so you can get minis/minos/stretch (only), annnnnndd we're going to pull the trigger on the free shipping thing. I have a promo-code out there that was also for "free shipping," so I'm just squaring away that very valuable partner and ensuring that their code now gives something else and then I will announce it formally.
    Promo-codes? Why yes ... you just need to know where to look. Or listen ;)
    And that's all folks! It's crazy just how much we have to talk about each day!
    ~ Natalya & Jack

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