Conan [Monolith Boardgame] - KS over and funded

[Giger]

Deluxe box is a no brainer for me, can't wait for the campaign to start.

[Eithriall]

Sincerely, i've play-tested the game and it rocks. The game system, specifically designed for the game, fits magnificently with the thematic. And the rules will be available before the KS starts !

Each heroes has different powers and equipments to complete each others. Cooperation's got a real meaning as the heroes have no succeeding turns to play. They play together in the same turn, in no particular order, with the limitation of their fatigue. They can mix actions. Ex : the thief Shevatas can unlock a door, so Conan rushes and attacks...but if Shevatas want to do another action (ex : throwing blades) and if he has enough energy, so he can act.

You can spend more energy re-rolling some dices but with the risk to being so exhausted that you cannot defend yourself properly if attacked...It's very tactical and very immersive.

And the overlord, (the player with all the bad guys) is not just here to push minis on the map. He's got a real role to play depending of his objectives regarding of the chosen scenario. The activation system is excellent and really allows to make "the pressure" rise  

And when you just look all the unbelievable stuff already done (artworks, maps, miniatures)....with the very best guys at what they do (Adrian Smith, the ex-sculptors of Rackham, etc...) and with the guarantee of being immersed in the Hyborian Age as Robert Howard have created it (fully respectful of his works), you can just realize that it's an exceptional projet.

Monolith has already paid 200.000$ in development expenses....before 1 single box is produced. How many boardgames projects are so huge ?

If you pledge this one, you'll be sure to get what you see, the rules you've read and a really stunning board-game. It's not so frequent.

I've also heard the minis will be in hard plastic but finally with a better plastic quality than Zombicide...similar to the game The Others.

[Varangian]

A small reminder...

The list of illustrators :
Adrian Smith, Kekai Kotaki, Georges Cl4renko, Xavier Collette, Brom, Paolo Parente

The list of sculptors :
Yannick Hennebo, Stéphane Simon, Grégory Clavilier, Jacques-Aleandre Gillois, Stéphane N'Guyen, Thomas David, Mikh, Rafal Zelazo, Gaël Goumon, Thomas David (many ex-Rackham guys...).

BROM!!

That's all for the moment.

Actually, in regards to the KS packages. That sounds pretty reasonable. I'm really looking forward to it!

[Eithriall]

BROM!!
That's all for the moment.
Actually, in regards to the KS packages. That sounds pretty reasonable. I'm really looking forward to it!

Without the KS the price of a box equivalent to the deluxe version should be 250$ in a local store.

I've been lucky enough to see one "Brom" Conan sculpted mini and it's just awesome....

[FramFramson]

For some people $170 and $250 are equally unaffordable for a single board game. I understand the game has high development costs, but ignorning the high cost of entry seems foolishly optimistic. It seems like it would have been a smart move for them to offer a wider range of options - that would give greater returns, not lesser ones by opening up the project to far more customers which as of now are being cut out entirely. Maybe they feel that exclusivity will drive sales, but very few people who would have bought the whole game would drop that in favour of only buying a handful of minis given the option. Nor is forcing people who want the minis to buy the box likely to work, because as I mentioned, the price point is high, crucially it's well above the level of pricing that is easy to justify casually on game purchases (that threshold is probably around $70-$100, obviously varying very wildly by individual).

I'm sure there's an argument that that is complicated or messy, but sometimes running a business is like that and if you want a successful one it's not a great idea to shut out potential revenue, especially given the miniatures are already sculpted and cast. RAFM seemed to have no problem offering individual minis from their KS-funded boardgame. If they think the returns won't make it worthwhile, that's just a matter of calibrating prices correctly to cover your costs and margins.

Personally, I'd have been happy to have the option of spending $50 or $60 on a few of the sub elements. I don't expect the moon or anything for free - I've paid $30 for a miniature before because I wanted it (I don't want these that badly, but some of them I'd have paid $15 for).

[Eithriall]

The deluxe box is for core gamers.....as many of the KS with minis on Kickstarter. Common customers buying in local stores or on the net never pledge on KS.

But this project will not be only a box full of minis sold for his weight. It's a nice game with a very good system and a very high replay level. And Monolith wants all to be perfect for the KS and after...Rules have been play tested for months by more than 400 unique players and all the scenarios are tested the same way.

They've hired the best guys at what they do and I'm not sure an equivalent project (with a strong licence as Conan is) has ever be done before.

But don't forget the first pledge level for the base box (which will be available in local stores for 70 or 80 $). A very affordable price for that type of game considering 50 or 60 minis announced and a good part of the stuff announced for the deluxe version.

[FramFramson]

A pledge option of $70 would be big news, because your own previous posts on the subject in this thread indicated something very different. And specifically they referred to the base box and not the deluxe.

The aimed price of the base box should be between 100$ and 150$ with more than 100 figurines inside...

- Now, the possibly bad news. It seems that the initial stated goal to sell the base box with more than 100 miniatures at 100$ may not be reached. Nothing is decided yet, but the box as it was described till now, may have an higher price. There may still be a 100$ pledge, but it would be a lighter box.

Add to that shipping costs which surely must be at least $20 if not more. To say nothing of the possibility that the miniatures some people want may only be offered in the deluxe box - it's not like we have finalized lists.

I still think an option to buy individual minis for $7-$15 (wherever the margin falls) would be a great moneymaker for them that they're foolishly throwing away. I'm not just making that up either - other boardgame kickstarters have offered that option and profited by it.

[Eithriall]

I agree with the different versions in my post because at the start of the project, Monolith thought to produce one type of box (but a big one) aiming a selling price around 100$. As work progresses and the wish to do something very unique and complete (and the all stars team grown up), the aimed price was no more practical that's why they've prepared 2 main pledge levels.

I'm a just a gamer and a Howard fan, but I'm not from Monolith and I can't tell if on option to by individual minis will finally be decided....The details of the KS are not known for now. But as I am on a miniature forum I understand the wish to buy some of the awesome minis shown here.

And there will be more miniatures in future add-ons and thematic packs....By the way, I just realize have forgot to mention some renowned guys working on scenarios and future thematic packs (Antoine Bauza, Ludovic Maublanc, Croc, Laurent Pouchain, Bruno Cathala et Pascal Bernard...).

[Eithriall]

[beefcake]

Conan the king?
That's cool. I like it whoever it is.

[Eithriall]

It seems to be Conan as a mercenary captain....but Conan as King will be done for sure.

And the previous, simply Conan the Cimmerian as the warrior that he had always been :

[Giger]

Next year I reeling in the amount I'm spending on not only kickstarters but on the hobby in general in the attempt to start working through the mountain of backlog miniatures I have however Conan is an exception to this.  The artwork from Adrian is top notch and the sculpts have been spot on to his work, if the miniatures we receive will indeed match up to the miniatures from The Others then we're in for a treat.  I would be interested to know if they will be pre-assembled much like The Others miniatures as I take it they are being produced by the same factory.

[Cubs]

I've got to agree with Fram here. Some of these miniatures are exceptional and will appeal to a lot of potential customers who have no interest in a boardgame (or not enough interest to spend that sort of money on it). I hope it's not an attempt to squeeze extra money out of people who simply don't want the full game, because that simply doesn't work.

To turn down money for no good reason is a great way to saboutage your own hard work and investment. You can't always try to keep a project on the same rails you envisaged at the beginning; things will always change and the best thing to do is take advantage of unexpected opportunities. You can make a much bigger mark-up on individual models than in the set and they'll still sell because people always want to have a budget option.

[Eithriall]

I would be interested to know if they will be pre-assembled much like The Others miniatures as I take it they are being produced by the same factory.

Monobloc for standard size (32 mm eyes) and pre-assembled like The Others miniatures with same hard plastic quality (yes same manufacturer).

I've got to agree with Fram here. Some of these miniatures are exceptional and will appeal to a lot of potential customers who have no interest in a boardgame (or not enough interest to spend that sort of money on it). I hope it's not an attempt to squeeze extra money out of people who simply don't want the full game, because that simply doesn't work.

Once again, I'm not a professional guys, I just try to relay informations but the minis are the most important expense items in the box (artwork, sculpture, quality manufacturing...). And if you can have a box with 250$ of material at a price of 130$ with the KS is it not a great news ?

Fred Henry is a great renowned french designer and believe me, no one knowing him a little (and his obsession of the perfection) can think a single minute this is done to squeeze extra-money. He's a real professional designer and as far as I know his idea is to sell something really complete....extremely polished and accomplished, a real enjoyable game and not only minis. It's not his job. Neither using the Conan licence to do some easy extra money.....as it is unfortunately often the case (and I dont' talk about gaming only).

If you guy are a lot to only want minis, I just can suggest you to push for on the Monolith facebook and the topic in the BoardGameGeek site.  

[Cubs]

Once again, I'm not a professional guys, I just try to relay informations but the minis are the most important expense items in the box (artwork, sculpture, quality manufacturing...). And if you can have a box with 250$ of material at a price of 130$ with the KS is it not a great news ?

No, I appreciate you're just being a messenger here, I'm not arguing with you, just trying to discuss the KS and give my feedback as a potential customer (and a professional!). They need to listen to genuine feedback at this stage a lot more than customers need to give it, because they have a lot to lose if they don't pitch this right.

If someone tried to sell me $250 worth of bee-keeping equipment for $130 I would similarly be reluctant to part with my cash, if I just wanted the boots and a funky hat with a mesh on the front. You get me? If I don't want 80% of the product, if it is irrelevant to me, I am not going to pay that sort of money simply to get the other 20%. But if they make the miniatures available separately they could put a much greater profit margin on those individual sales compared to the entire game, even after taking into account any additional costs involved, and plenty of people would still buy them if they're the sort of quality shown.

Trust me, there are a lot of gaps in my knowledge, but retail is something I understand. It is always easier to sell smaller priced items, even if they have a high mark-up, than it is higher priced bundles, even if they represent a very good net saving. If you can't afford to spend $130 on a boardgame it might as well be $250, $500, $1,000, it's still out of your price range.