074 - Kickstart-onomics

As I write this there are only 8 hours left for Wyrd's kickstarter for their in-development roleplaying game Through the Breach.

I've been on the fence about whether or not to pledge since the project launched at the start of December. The initial rewards were less than overwhelming, and I think overall feeling towards the project in the Malifaux community was lukewarm, but Wyrd have done a pretty good job of adapting, and the last few weeks have seen additional rewards added to all tiers, and a couple of extra stretch goals.

In short, it's a bit more tempting than it was before!

Here's a look at what swag you can get your hands on at each pledge level, roughly converting the dollars into proper money:

£50
2 Softback rulebooks
Fate Deck
Santana Ortega

£100
+ 4 sprues of character models (each will build 3-5 minis)
+ Limited Edition Freikorps model
+ Screen & Character Sheets
+ Hanging Tree boxed set (possibly)

£170
+ Fate Deck
+ Wicked Doll Plushie
+ Hardback double rulebook
+ Hanging Tree

I'd ruled out pledging at the top level from the start - there just isn't enough in there for it to appeal. I'm not interested in the doll, and I don't need additional rulebooks.

The jump from £50 to £100 is interesting though, as you get a fair few extra miniatures. However I still didn't think it worth pledging, for me at this level, because of one of the main extras is a limited edition model that I probably never use.

That changed last week though when a friend agreed to contribute towards the kickstarter if he could have the Freikorps model and one of the plastic sprues. That makes the rest of the stuff in the 2nd tier much more reasonably priced indeed, and as a result I've pledged at that level.

I'm also confident that I'll be able to sell on Santana who, whole being a lovely model and all, is nevertheless unlikely to grace my table if I kept her (I already have Santiago anyway!). She won't be worth as much as she was pre-kickstarter, as the market will be much more saturated come September, but she'll surely be worth at least as much as the other Miss models.

I'm not a roleplayer currently, but I'm willing to give the game itself a try, and even if I only play it a couple of times, the books will be packed full of new fluff, art, and information about the Malifaux world. When you consider they'll probably retail for £45 for the pair, adding another £20 on top in order to get a Fate Deck, a pile of sprues, a possible Hanging Tree, and a Miss Terious (because I pledged $1 early on) isn't unreasonable at all.

It's not the *mountain* of goodies often associated with gaming kickstarters, but it comes in at below retail price if you sell on the limited editions, which surely can't be a bad thing. And on that basis, you have only 8 hours to get involved yourself!

Mike