HeroScape Age of Annihilation (remake): failed to fund :(

[Kurgan]

I want to start off by saying I was not planning on backing this project (HeroScape: Age of Annihilation), but not because I am against the game (far from it, I hope the fans get what they want!) but because HeroQuest was my game, and by the time I had heard of this one I was playing video games more than board games back in the day so never really got to see it in person or play it.

It seems to have a large and loyal following and Avalon Hill/Hasbro has done plenty to push this revival of HeroScape at GenCon and elsewhere, but it's been brought to my attention that they need to raise a lot more money in just 3 weeks or the project will fail!

That would be a shame for them I think...

https://hasbropulse.com/products/heroscape-age-of-annihilation-vanguard-edition

If I'm understanding this correctly, it's a self contained game (the miniatures are unpainted but otherwise it's fully compatible with past releases of HeroScape from the 2000's) for $249.99 (plus shipping) a pop. Each "backer" is really a buy. An individual can buy up to 5 sets and they need to reach 8,000 "backers" to go into production by Nov 16, 2022.

In total that's nearly $2 million (double what HeroQuest needed, only two years ago). Yes, there's inflation, and I don't know what they're doing differently this time if anything... perhaps the materials cost more to produce now and there is more plastic in the box than with HeroQuest (it uses those hex tiles to build terrain rather than a folding board). With a recession on maybe the timing is just wrong?

Anyway, best of luck to the fans who wanted this and the company producing it. I wonder if they could extend it out say six months or something? What a pity if they fail, in my humble opinion.


Edit: If I've got any of this info wrong, please, corrections are welcome...

Edit: Sorry guys, but the crowd-funding campaign with Haslab failed. The thing won't be produced. I feel bad for all the fans who wanted it. I hope they can learn from this and make it up to the HeroScape community somehow. On a good note the community seems strong and (at least for the moment) old sets can be had for reasonable prices.

[Kurgan]

More pics from the site... very similar fundraising campaign to HeroQuests's 2 years ago...

And of course there is an official Avalon Hill discord now where you can talk directly with those fans and designers too. Again, not my community but if you find this info useful, go forth and share your feedback with them. Good luck!

[Kurgan]

More... the page has way more info... videos and pictures.

JOIN THE GREATEST BATTLE

You are back on the remote planet of Valhalla, a once peaceful world now torn apart by evil. Dynastic rulers known as Valkyrie are fighting to control the wellsprings, mystical fountains that bestow mighty powers – but can also bring on the curse of frightening visions of total destruction. Esoteric warriors from across time and space battle for power and glory. Will they save their world, or face utter annihilation?

HEROSCAPE: AGE OF ANNIHILATION transports you to the next era of the popular expandable miniature wargaming system. It includes stunningly detailed miniatures that allow you to create your own rich world. Using modular tiles, you build sprawling battlefields on which to play out conflicts between powerful and unconventional factions pulled not only from Earth but also from other planets across the galaxy.

The game features:

71 finely detailed miniatures, in molded colors that denote their affiliations.
46 army cards, providing game rules for your miniatures.
An expandable hex-based modular tile terrain system, including 74 base pieces and 68 wall terrain pieces, 9 jungle terrain pieces, with which you can build varied, multilevel landscapes for your battles.
5 original factions designed for this game, each with unique skills and strategies. Play as the Dryan Lifeborne Order, the Nemesis War Brood, the Dawn Raider Syndicate, the Clockwork Combine, or the Ironclad Collective!
Customizable armies in which each figure is given a point value, allowing you to choose which units to include in your army to suit your own playstyle.
20 game scenarios specially created for AGE OF ANNIHILATION.

Pairs with a companion app complete with army builder and battlefield design tool.

Every component of this incredible game system is fully backward- and forward-compatible. If this HasLab campaign is successful, we may continue the expansion of the HeroScape universe.

71 miniatures

64 Single base miniatures
7 Double base miniatures

46 army cards

74 hex tile terrain pieces

6 Grass tiles (24 Hex)
4 Grass tiles (7 hex)
2 Grass tiles (3 hex)
6 Grass tiles (2 hex)
10 Grass tiles (1 hex)
2 Rock tiles (24 hex)
2 Rock tiles (7 hex)
1 Rock tile (3 hex)
5 Rock tiles (2 hex)
4 Rock tiles (1 hex)
2 Sand tiles (7 hex)
1 Sand tile (3 hex)
5 Sand tiles (2 hex)
4 Sand tiles (1 hex)
20 Sparkly Water tiles

68 Laur wall terrain pieces

20 Single thin wall connecters
10 Small thin wall pieces
10 Big thin wall pieces
2 Big thin wall arch
2 Big thin wall ruin A
2 Big thin wall ruin B
2 Big thin wall ruin C
20 Connecter bases

9 Laur jungle terrain pieces

3 Laur tree pieces
6 Laur underbrush pieces

12 combat dice

1 20-sided die

10 glyphs

26 wound markers

12 tiny wound markers

16 order markers

Updated rulebook

Campaign book

HeroScape Age of Annihilation is a game of thrilling warfare where the players create not only the armies they bring to the table but the battlefield itself. The rules included in the Vanguard Edition feature two versions: the Basic Game which is excellent for learning the fundamental rules and introducing the game to new players, and the Master Level Game which offers further strategic depth and customization.

Download the beta ruleset here.
Build your scenario. Draft your army. Unleash epic battles!

When you back this HasLab campaign, you’ll also receive two exclusive figures only available through this HasLab campaign: the Thyraxis Dragoon and Scavorith, Lord of Ruin. These figures will not be available after the conclusion of this HasLab campaign, so back now to enlist these vicious combatants!
Scavorith, Lord of Ruin

Surging into battle, Scavorith menaces its foes with up to three attacks in a single turn - but risks wounding itself!


Thyraxis Dragoon

With a maddening chitter that echoes through the battlefield the Thyraxis Dragoon can alter enemy activations and disrupt battle plans!
MODULAR TERRAIN FOR ULTIMATE FLEXIBILITY

Build and stack countless battlefields

Assortment of hex tiles for quick assembly

HeroScape features a unique battlefield creation system using modular hexagonal terrain pieces that allow for a battlefield only limited by the amount of terrain you have. These pieces feature terrain such as grass, rock, sand, water, ruins, trees, and other realistic types of landscape. Tiles of different sizes can be connected and stacked on top of each other to expand not only the base area of the war zone but its height as well. Best of all, the design of the battlefield will affect the game! Units can gain bonuses or penalties based on differences in terrain height, the types of terrain may influence unit movement, and much more. Creating a unique battlefield is an exciting part of HeroScape.
THE FACTIONS OF HEROSCAPE AGE OF ANNIHILATION

Five original factions vie for control of Valhalla’s wellsprings, each aligned with one or more Valkyries. The units included in Age of Annihilation offer distinct warfare tactics giving each faction a unique feel on the battlefield.

Find the full Annihilation Compendium of Army cards here.
DRYAN LIFEBORNE ORDER

Mystical weavers of the magical energy of both life and death

Dwellers in the dark forests for countless eons, the Dryan are one with the spirits of nature and the etheric beasts who also call these ancient quiet places home. Each a master of the arcane, the mages of the Dryan Lifebourne Order fight as individuals rather than squads. Though few in number, they bolster the ranks of their armies by calling on familiars to unleash a ferocious feral rage upon their enemies. Together, a handful of Lifebourne magi can be worth dozens of well-trained soldiers.

Xenithrax the Soulweaver

Marachott, Mind Whisperer

Ewashia, Mistress of Tides

Girushia, Grove Keeper

Haluchott, Corruptor of Beasts

Halushia, Scion of the Wild

Onshu the Welkineye

Chana the Zenithwing

Kita the Springrunner

Raakchott, Desecrator of Death

Vrono the Brambletoth
NEMESIS WAR BROOD
Skilled and strategic bioengineered insectoid warriors.

The NEMESIS WAR BROOD have evolved over millennia of constant assault on their home planet into a skilled martial culture. Their crude appearance belies a shrewd and highly advanced intelligence and disciplined battle strategy that have allowed them to protect themselves from their enemies and uphold their society. The units in which they live are kept hidden from outsiders, and it is believed that the members of the War Brood who are encountered on Valhalla are part of a specialized warrior caste who expertly employ the most sophisticated military tactics on the battlefield.

Oathbound Legionnaires

Oathbound Phalanx

Festering Honor Guard

Queen Maladrix the Conqueror
DAWN RAIDER SYNDICATE
Fiercely independent mercenaries who feed on both the spoils of war and the challenge of battle.

Led by a charismatic council of captains, the members of the Dawn Raider Syndicate answer to no Valkyrie, refusing to pledge allegiance to any of Valhalla’s warring factions. A disparate group driven by their own personal motivations, they work for whichever side pays them more. Often first found lurking in the shadows of an advance, they engage hard, make their impact felt, and fight like madmen.

Crimson Widow

Fia Bonny, the Void Siren

First Officer Bok-Bur-Na

Admiral EJ 1-M

Exiles of the Sundered Sea

Dreadnauts of New Tortuga

Dorim the Bulkhead Brawler

Knaves of the Silver Scimitar

Cornelius Breech, the Derelict Prince

Kilian Vane III
CLOCKWORK COMBINE
A diverse peace-loving society forced to embrace war.

The Clockwork Combine is a pluralistic culture born in pacifism and pragmatism, who have by necessity had to learn the techniques and principles of war in order to save themselves from total extinction. Clever and intelligent, the members of the Combine – farmers and artists as well as engineers and scientists – came together to develop amazing technologies that allowed them to deploy troops quickly, manage aggressive aerial insertions, repair equipment while under attack - and ultimately triumph in battle.

Air Marshal Zed Nesbitt

Imperator Kayne

Wing Commander Tuck Harrigan

Vorid Glide Strikers

Vorid Burrowbreaker

Knight Primus Adelbern

Knight Adjutor Oberon

Ordo Borealis

Frostclaw Paladins
IRONCLAD COLLECTIVE
Cold, calculating soldiers who employ sophisticated cybernetics to play the game of war.


The Ironclad Collective wage war using the precise logic of their data cogitators and the hard steel of their weapons systems. Over generations they have focused relentlessly on perfecting their methods of destruction. Every battlefield movement is calculated, every strategy is dissected before the first shots are fired. Members of the Collective reflect their harsh and unsentimental philosophies of war in grotesque death masks that trigger nightmarish fear and despair in their enemies – surely among the cruelest of psychological terror tactics.

Iron Lich Viscerot

Hellforge Mandukor

Necrotech Wraithriders

In addition to the five factions, Age of Annihilation includes seven Kyrie, the winged natives of Valhalla and champions of their respective Valkyries. Some are good while some are evil, and they may join battle with factions of similar beliefs. Below are concept images for the included Kyrie, with rendered examples to come soon.

Misaerx

Qhyrion

Xiamara

Glinerva

Mielki

Kilkorax

Loviatäk

Throughout the campaign, special HeroScape figures will be unlocked as backer milestones are reached. These stretch goals feature some of the most iconic characters of HeroScape – its bravest heroes and most ruthless villains updated to further the story of HeroScape and continue the greatest battle for all time.

Sgt. Drake Alexander: Unlocked at 10k backers

A veteran hero of many battles, Sgt. Drake Alexander was brought to Valhalla by Jandar and has proven time and time again to be one of the most brave and noble warriors to take the battlefield. Now Drake soars through the air thanks to the Zetacron’s tech upgrade.

Sonlen: Unlocked at 12k backers

The mighty archmage and his dragon companion return! Once a formidable pairing in the service of Ullar, Sonlen now rides to battle on the back of his now grown-up dragon companion.

Q-11: Unlocked at 14k backers

Vydar has brought yet another Q killing machine to Valhalla. Q-11 is the latest model to come from an implacable line of death machines, armed with weapons of destruction all over its mechanical frame.

Shiori: Unlocked at 15k backers

A ninja warrior who has experienced countless battles across Valhalla, Shiori is back with a vengeance. As silent as the night and as deadly as the blade, her Ninjitsu Mastery special attacks allow her to attack multiple times.

Raelin: Unlocked at 16k backers

Once known as Raelin the Merciful, the Valorous, or the Kindhearted, the hero we once heralded has vanished, only to be replaced by a cruel and merciless disciple of Utgar. Riding to battle on a massive, winged war lion clad in steel, Raelin brings only despair to those who face her.

[cornixt]

The cost is surely one of the reasons for the slow uptake of backers. It's a miniature and scenery game. I wonder if it might have been better to replace the hexagon tiles with card equivalents and left the 3D terrain as an optional upgrade. I know it takes away some of the experience, but it's better than no experience at all.

[QorDaq]

I've got a variety of thoughts on this one, but I'll endeavor to go against my inner nature and remain succinct.

I too would like to see this fulfilled for two reasons; 1st for the fans that really want this to succeed, and 2nd for the possibility that were this campaign successful, it could be a good sign for the future of continuing support for Hobby gaming from Hasbro.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that the approach to getting this game into production was very well thought out or executed.

My reasoning, however, is based on assumptions and minor frustrations I have as a HQ fan.

1) I wonder if Hasbro (Not necessarily Avalon Hill), greenlit this project with the thought that they "Could have asked for more from the HQ campaign," and now are hoping to soak the HeroScape backers for all they can.

Granted, there is a lot more plastic (Than HQ), and while the miniatures are not pre-painted like they were in days of yore, the tiles are. If simple in comparison to doing the minis. Even so, painted tiles (acknowledging that it would suck if the tiles weren't), add to production time and cost.

Add to this the already oft discussed changes in shipping and warehousing costs when compared to projections made in 2020, and there could be very legitimate reasons for the current pricing'

However...


2) The decision to make the game based on backer numbers instead of amount pledged is problematic. I have no way of knowing what the percentage of backers are, who are purchasing more than 1 copy, but it seems odd to require 8,000 unique backers instead of a minimum of 8,000 total orders.

I can only anticipate that this is either some bizarre effort to throttle the scalper market, or a somewhat disingenuous lack of transparency on what their actual sales goals are. Not that Hasbro need offer any transparency there, they don't owe anyone in the public that info. It just comes across as a little sneaky somehow.

Now, it could also be that Hasbro has much bigger aspirations for HS than they do for HQ. In that case the 8,000 unique backers may represent an internal gauge of worthiness to consider supporting HS in the long-term.

I am certainly glad that the HQ campaign wasn't reliant on a particular number of backers.

But it does give me pause...


3) And this one is more my own insecurity about the future of HQ than anything else, but it feels like out of the gate HeroScape got a lot more time (Marketing) and support from the outset, before the campaign could prove itself successful or not, than HeroQuest has from day one.

Seriously, HQ has been treated a bit like an after thought (in my opinion) when compared to the time and exposure HeroScape has gotten. Initially this concerned me because I was worried that if successful HeroScape could actually kill the future of HeroQuest. By this I mean that, a big company (like Hasbro), who is looking for the next big seller (their absolute right as the IP owner), may compare sales of two sort of similar and niche products to see which is more valuable to the bottom line. Now it has left me unsure of the meaning in the numbers, as here we are roughly halfway into the HS camapign, and they're not even at half the minimum backers Hasbro is asking for.

So yes, it has occurred to me that HeroQuest *Could* be treated as a proof of concept. "Can we get nostalgia sales off of a hobby game?" Asks Hasbro, and we answered, "Yes, yes you can. Take my wallet."

My main point being, we have evidence of a willingness to produce HQ, even new products, without reinventing the game and just slapping a name on the box. That's good. But we have been given very little information about where this thing is going. And each new product is minimally teased for months before we get solid info.

Whereas, HeroScape is not trending like HeroQuest did, despite it's better exposure. I have no idea what that'd mean to the budget folks at Hasbro, in the context of the worthiness of supporting hobby games.

-------------------------------------

I assure everyone bothering to read this far down (so much for succinct), that I understand that even if HeroScape makes it to market, we don't know what that landscape looks like down the road. It could also suffer from similar minimal information and slow development progress. However, given that HS actually got time during PulseCon, not exactly riveting exposure, but better than a "Proven?" IP like HQ, which got a single humorous, if murky, box art tease as a joke reference to the Frozen Horror tease from last year, it makes me wonder if HQ is taken seriously as a sustainable IP when compared to Hasbro's hopes being pinned on HS.

Regardless, I do want to see HeroScape succeed, and I really hope I'm just being pessimistic because I want all the HeroQuest now, and it feels like it's being spoon fed to us. I just don't want to see HeroQuest get sacrificed in order to promote a bigger title like HeroScape.

For clarity and context, I did own a lot of the original HS content, though if I am honest here, it was mostly for collecting the pre-painted minis and terrain to use with other games. I think I played a dozen games over the course of several years, and often lamented when I'd hear HeroScape fans proclaiming that it was the spiritual successor to HeroQuest, a point that I have heard here and there since this current campaign was announced too.

Maybe that is where some of my angst is coming from.

[Kurgan]

I don't know the game well but I suppose they could use cardboard hexes like BattleMasters and maybe have little color indicators on the edge of the tile or something indicating higher or lower terrain? That could cut costs...

[Kurgan]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, regarding Point #1 though Hasbro would remember well that HeroQuest did NOT reach its final goal. Yes, it was funded VERY quickly ($1 million) but it didn't reach the final two goals for Joe's Dragon mini & Questbook or the stretch goal right below his, the alternate Gargoyle mini... but (thankfully) they gave us these anyway.

The stretch goals on this heroscape set go up to 16,000 backers, which seems like a long shot at this point...

[Kurgan]

Where it stands today...

This crowdfunded project will run from October 1, 2022, to 11:59pm ET on November 15, 2022. If successful, the project will begin shipping around Fall 2023.

goal is 8,000 "backers"... (meaning buys)

I forgot to mention this but there were 2,871 backers yesterday morning before I started this thread.

Edit: grew from 2,893 to 2,901 in an hour. So with an average of 8 backers per hour, they would fall short (with 6,821 of 8,000 needed) by the due date.

8 hours later it's at 2,908... 10 hours at 2,918....

[lucapaschi]

Let me say I don't understand what Hasbro is doing, PR-wise (see HQ card game, FH in the hands of people before it was actually announced, etc), but it would hurt if this didn't fund.
They engaged the community directly on this one (put some known gamers from the relative forum in the re-developing team), so I think they should have had a pretty good idea on what the minimum number of orders they'd get would have been. Clearly they invested much effort on this, much more so than HQ21.
Seems like it's all pretty amateur-ish with these 2021/2022 rereleases! :O I don't get it.
Yes, the cost, people with no money... But I'm sure if HQ would have been rereleased today, it would still blast past the funding goal in the first day. HS can even be ordered through the EU Pulse website with free shipping! If we had easy access to HQ21 in Europe, they'd still be counting the money. Or better, the gold coins.

[Kurgan]

Do we know if it's just Europe and North America (the page says "Europe" "United States" and United Kingdom" but then mentions not shipping to Quebec yet, which implies the whole continent not just the states...)?

Wonder if Elon Musk could retweet the announcement or something when he buys twitter? (just kidding, or maybe that would help get it noticed???)