So... Heavy Gear

[pyratejohn]

Originally Posted by Paul

The big upsides: e23 gets a new line of products to release in case Congress enacts anti-GURPS legistation tomorrow. Gamers get a wicked cool setting with active support. SJ Games gets [FNORD] for future projects.

I'm hoping we can insert into that [FNORD] the following. "An ally that will help with miniatures (read Ogre) production".

[AOTA]

I have several Heavy Gear books and I'm very interested in a new edition. Good Luck with it.

[MechMerc]

Originally Posted by pyratejohn

I'm hoping we can insert into that [FNORD] the following. "An ally that will help with miniatures (read Ogre) production".

As for HG minis; DP9 is currently focused on their HG Miniatures wargame "Heavy Gear Blitz!" which already has a large miniature range.
These are completly new sculpts of their classic range (almost all, just a few left to go) as well as some totaly new vehicles.

The game is really good and with only a few typos. The current rule book "Locked and Loaded" has complete rules AND complete source books for the factions. They took the last edition's 4 thin books and merged them into 1 giant book.

I recomend checking it out if you like Heavy Gear, mini wargaming or both!

Merc

[robkelk]

Originally Posted by Paul

The big upsides: e23 gets a new line of products to release in case Congress enacts anti-GURPS legistation tomorrow. Gamers get a wicked cool setting with active support. SJ Games gets [FNORD] for future projects.

And DP9's games get a heck of a lot more exposure than they're getting currently, just from the halo effect... Yep, win-win all around.

[GoblynByte]

Originally Posted by MechMerc

As for HG minis; DP9 is currently focused on their HG Miniatures wargame "Heavy Gear Blitz!" which already has a large miniature range.
These are completly new sculpts of their classic range (almost all, just a few left to go) as well as some totaly new vehicles.

The game is really good and with only a few typos. The current rule book "Locked and Loaded" has complete rules AND complete source books for the factions. They took the last edition's 4 thin books and merged them into 1 giant book.

I recomend checking it out if you like Heavy Gear, mini wargaming or both!

Merc

I would love to do that, but Heavy Gear minis are sooo expensive. I tried for a time with the original larger scale, then more when they first moved away from the blister packs in their first scale change (If my count is correct Heavy Gear Blitz represents the fourth change in scale of their mini line...which is frustrating to say the least). I just can't handle it the cost.

Hmmm...that brings up an interesting question. Heavy Gear books have always been on the expensive side. I always assumed this was because they were 'imports.' I wonder; will they be equally expensive through SJGames (assuming they do POD in addition to the PDF, of course).

[GoblynByte]

Bottom line, I don't think there is a dedicated sci-fi RPG setting that has had as much development in such a short time as HG. Sure, Battletech got a lot of fleshing out, but it's been around for, what, 20+ years? Shadowrun as well. It's a well developed setting but has been around since the mid-80's if I remember correctly. Heavy Gear came out (as an RPG at any rate) in the mid-90's and really didn't hit fulll tilt until the late-90's. And it started losing steam not 5 or 6 years later. Such a well developed setting in such a short time span speaks a lot for the creativity of the writers. But the real gem is not in the wealth of information but how brilliantly the setting is constructed.

I mean, I actually got emotional when [fnord] was assassinated! Imagine the the build up of a metaplot, mostly written in the margins of the RPG books up to that point, that is requied to actually cause an emotional response...impressive!

[Mark Skarr]

Originally Posted by GoblynByte

I mean, I actually got emotional when [SPOILER!]Imagine the the build up of a metaplot, mostly written in the margins of the RPG books up to that point, that is requied to actually cause an emotional response...impressive!

No, you fool! What have you done! Not everyone knows that, and the core books probably won't include that! Life on Terra Nova, 3rd Edition didn't mention that, they actually spoke of the involved as if the event hadn't happened yet! (Trying to be vague, in case GoblynByte edits their post)

[MechMerc]

Originally Posted by GoblynByte

I would love to do that, but Heavy Gear minis are sooo expensive. I tried for a time with the original larger scale, then more when they first moved away from the blister packs in their first scale change (If my count is correct Heavy Gear Blitz represents the fourth change in scale of their mini line...which is frustrating to say the least). I just can't handle it the cost.

The cost really isnt too different from other games (one from UK for example) over the whole. But then not everyone can afford those games either.

There has only been 1 scale change for HG.
They started at 1/87 scale with RAFM but that was too big.
So they switched to 1/144 scale which is their current scale.
However, the new sculpts are slightly beefier 1/144 (mostly arms and guns to better fit the art) but the old sculpts look and work just fine. They even sell weapon packs so you can fix the guns on the old figs if you want.
There was a 1/350 "fleet scale" HG game but that was a different game all together.

Merc

[Jbuckmaster]

Originally Posted by GoblynByte

I would love to do that, but Heavy Gear minis are sooo expensive. I tried for a time with the original larger scale, then more when they first moved away from the blister packs in their first scale change (If my count is correct Heavy Gear Blitz represents the fourth change in scale of their mini line...which is frustrating to say the least). I just can't handle it the cost.

Before yet another person gets completely false information from a forum post: Heavy Gear has had exactly ONE scale change when it switched to DP9 in-house production. The figs first produced by RAFM were 1/87. When they changed to in-house miniatures, it was switched to 1/144 to actually let you field the figs on hexmaps. Every single miniature produced since has been 1/144 scale. You can use the older DP9 figs in blitz and the new Blitz figs with hexmaps.

I don't know where that rumour got started, but I'm rather tired of it, especially since I mix all generations of the figs by DP9 and I'm the Line developer.

As for cost, gears weigh about 2-3 times what a normal 25-28mm fig does. the cost is reflective of the metal needed to produce them. It does mean they cost more per fig, but they are rather large and the detail, quality of casting and ease of assembly are comparable or better than the leaders in the industry.

-John

[Mark Skarr]

Originally Posted by MechMerc

However, the new sculpts are slightly beefier 1/144 (mostly arms and guns to better fit the art) but the old sculpts look and work just fine.

The biggest problems with the first-round 1/144th figures is how delicate they are. MonkeyFist has had to go in and either rebuild half of my weapons, or out-right replace them. (I have several Hunters with bolt pistols)

Originally Posted by MechMerc

They even sell weapon packs so you can fix the guns on the old figs if you want.

Or to customize your Gears the way you want. MonkeyFist has made Dimitri (a modified King Cobra) and my old Dueling Cheetah.