Another Firefight AAR

[Melnibonean]

I had another game of Warpath: Firefight a few days ago so I took a few photos and did an AAR on my blog at:

http://this28mmlife.blogspot.com.au/2017/05/more-pesky-space-dwarfs.html

I'm curious to know why this game isn't more popular. It plays really well, gives a really nice game and it's very affordable. I'll admit it is a bit restrictive in relation to factions and the range of figures is limited but there are ways around that with a little imagination. Please let me know your various thoughts.

[Major_Gilbear]

Really nice report, thanks for sharing!

As for why WP:FF is not as popular as it could be, I think the problem is the usual Mantic-related issues. Namely:

• Mantic wanted to make a mass battle version of Warpath, but a huge number of customers wanted a skirmish version of Warpath. Mantic decided to do both, in one KS, but essentially neglected WP:FF until the very end of the KS when everybody had mostly finalised their KS orders semi-blind.

• The KS was set up to sell big armies for all the main factions, but I think the emphasis should have been on just a few armies to start with (say three, with a further three armies following later under a different KS perhaps). In fact, I think WP:FF should have been launched first, then the mass battle version later on (when you can really leverage the plastic releases up to that point).

• Rather fewer models are needed for WP:FF, but nobody knew what the rules were, and so a lot of people who pledged at a core level and then didn't budge much.

• The KS still hasn't finished shipping, with all the vehicles apart from the Enforcer flyers still to come in the next wave. Many customers wanted to mix and match a variety of vehicles, but Mantic only wanted to sell singles at RRP or do bundle deals for three of the same.

• By leaving the rules development for WP:FF too late, trying to fit in too many armies upfront in a KS, and then splitting the KS deliveries in two over such a long time... Well, I think the publicity gained from the project has waned completely, very much in line with backers' enthusiasm for the project.

I think Mantic would have done better to offer a longer playtest of more finished rules for real feedback first, then have more focused but smaller KS campaigns to fill out the armies. Not only do people get their stuff more quickly that way, but the excitement of new releases is maintained for the release of several different armies (not to mention that it's easier to run/ship a smaller KS campaign).

Anyway, Warpath happened to be my last Mantic KS. For my part, it convinced me to not back another Mantic KS again, and to just wait for whatever I want at (eventual) retail, if I even still want it then. A pity, but then again I'm tired of always playing catch-up to these projects that never get properly finished before the next KS launches. 

[Melnibonean]

Ah well... I never knew any of that. I only first heard of the WP:FF a couple of months back and I'm not worried about using Mantic figures/models. I use what I want including recycling figures I already have or that I can get cheap.

I'm not a fan of Kickstarters so I tend to ignore most of them.

[Hat Guy]

Great to see the game still going! Now that I'm back I'll push it a bit more and maybe break out the Saurains again.

[Melnibonean]

Great to see the game still going! Now that I'm back I'll push it a bit more and maybe break out the Saurains again.

They ain't gonna like my bug list based on the Plague.