Desert of the Dead, fantasy wargaming miniatures!

Fri(evening)day update!
over 4 years ago – Sat, Jan 25, 2020 at 01:33:54 AM

Hey all

Later update today, everything is super busy when dealing with so many sculptors and lots of things are on the brink of being finished but need a few more tweeks. Still some more to show you today! Keep in mind some of these are not exported yet so aren't the final polished versions! I don't have time to make the bigger pics so apologies for them being the smaller ones you might need to enlarge.

Next week will be the backerkit lockdown. Some renders of lower production number items will be completed after this date and feature in the next couple of weeks of Friday updates. While I would have loved to have had everything sculpted for the closing of the pledge manager I know from experience that we will end up with better results if we avoid rushing.

Back next Friday!

2 weeks until lockdown. Loads more renders :D
over 4 years ago – Fri, Jan 17, 2020 at 02:30:55 AM

Hi all

Had a few messages asking about masks on the elves. Once we started sculpting we realised that putting a mask on every miniature made the regiment extremely boring. On that note we moved to using masks on characters and special regiments where required and I am much happier with the results. An example of a regiment that kept their masks is the first render of today! Check out the Elven Slayers :D

Want more elves? OK then!

Now two birds with one stone as we have undead and halflings represented.

Skeletons are in too!

The Anubti wasn't to peoples taste so we have gone back to the start with it. We cleaned up the art to help the sculptor.

More adventurers are landing in our inbox

Monsters crawled into the emails too!

There was a lot of love for the mercenaries last week and we have more today!

A keen eye will notice that we thickened the shoes to stop them from snapping.

With two more updates until backerkit lockdown I will keep bringing you as many renders as possible over the next two Fridays. Lockdown will be 10PM UK time on Friday 31st.

Back next week :)

A tale of mercenaries, halflings, ogres, elves a sorcerer and the dead
over 4 years ago – Fri, Jan 10, 2020 at 02:33:44 AM

Hi all

An update with all of the above featuring this week!

RUMBLESLAM players, the team is finished (and renders can be found in previous updates). Found a detailed angle pic on my desktop I don't think I shared before.

The last model of the 5 to be done was the Beetle and with it now sculpted David can move on to the two superstars.

Any more adventurers?

Sure!

Back next week!

New Year Update with ELVES! Delivery timeline.
over 4 years ago – Sat, Jan 04, 2020 at 02:07:20 AM

Hi All

Hope you are all full of Turkey and sweets, I certainly am!

Lets open up with some renders.

We have started working with a host of new sculptors during this project. Jose, who is new to the project has been sculpting our flame elementals.

Bhushan, also new to the campaign has been hard at work on the Ogres.

Matt finished the details on the Burning Goddess and is now sculpting a total of 45 elves for the end of the month!

Miguel fresh off a load of new Carnevale sculpts is working on the Oasis Mercenaries. I hope to have some of them to show you next week!

Gibran and his team have been finishing off the Dead and the Halflings so they can go all in on Elves for January. Here we have some more of their work from the last couple of weeks. Some of these images are not final stage and have some editing and blending to do on things like the ears and fingers!

We have even more people working on the monsters from the campaign, exciting and busy times indeed!

Timeline of production and delivery

I thought it would be a good idea to look at the production and delivery timeline today and see where we are at. Transparency with these details is key in our kickstarters. Almost all of the undead are now sculpted and printed with many already having production moulds made. The rest of the project has been spread over a host of sculptors with a target of EVERYTHING being sculpted by the end of January. While that is possible I expect it to actually complete middle of February as I would rather the models are right (going back and forth) than we just OK things to rush them through.

Backerkit lock down will still be the end of January as we need those final production numbers to plan out the staffing required to complete moulding, casting, picking, packing, shipping. This will begin at the end of March as planned at most take 2 months to complete. It might be a lot quicker but its important to be realistic and you never know what problems you might face in the production process. We will mark each order shipped on backerkit as we send it out so you will know when your items are on the way :)

The MDF designs are all finished and should be cut and ready for picking at the end of February.

A couple of answers to questions that keep arising via messages.

When will these models be available at retail?

Likely towards the end of this year / start of 2021. There is a lot of work to do with getting them painted and preparing retail packaging. Our Halflings will hit the webstore soon and their project completed almost a year ago.

Is there a third campaign coming?

We have another project for more fantasy minis which has a planned launch of May. It won't go live unless we have fully shipped this campaign though! A spoiler? OK then :P

Back next week with more Elves, Monsters and production updates.

Back in the office! Break from updates over Christmas.
over 4 years ago – Fri, Dec 13, 2019 at 08:12:24 PM

Hey all!

I had a great time at PAX last weekend and met some of the backers from both this campaign and our Halfling project! Great to shake hands and show off some renders from my phone that haven't been on show here yet :D

WHERE ARE THE ELVES?

I hear you! I have previously stated in comments but here it is in update form just so we are all clear on where they are currently hiding. The Undead and Halflings were always job one and two on the list. They are both nearing completion and when done all of the sculptors get to leap into the elves. There are people working on them but there isn't a great deal to share yet.  I had hoped the Gorgons would be done a few weeks back but they still aren't quite right and I want them fixed before the big reveal. We aren't elfless this week though. Check this beauty out! She isn't completely finished but I am too excited about this model to not share it! 

Matt started sculpting for us a couple of weeks ago and is already responsible for some great models! He did this Burning Goddess and the Oasis Giant which I shared last week. The giant has had a lot of praise in the office since we printed it.

More renders? OK

 The cactusman that divided opinion in yesterdays update.

Here are another couple of variants that are safe for work :D

A lot of people have been asking when the Halflings from our previous campaign will start to be available in our webshop. SOON!

Jason Frowde has done a great job painting up our Shieldmaidens army. Which includes a cavalry unit that wasn't part of the Kickstarter.

Keep your eye on the TTCommunity website to find out more about when these will be available.

MORE RENDERS?! OK!!

This camel chariot has actually gone back for a few changes but was still good enough to show! The reins will go, they are a pain to cast and not really required. The riders will have their mouths covered with cloth as there should be quite a lot of sand kicked up by that camel. The camel is going to move forward a little to give it room to kick its legs back and it will be reposed to look a little more active.

Christmas is coming and as such things slow down a little in the office with staff having time off etc. Rather than scramble for bits to post a decent update each week we will have a fortnight break from routine and return again on Friday January 3rd with an update to celebrate the new year in style.

Here are some previews to get you excited in the mean time (As if Christmas wasn't enough)

Wish you all a fantastic holiday season! I will still be in the comments and messages if you need me!

Back soon :)