Overstock Add-Ons

Hey everyone,

As noted on the Kickstarter page, we ended up with some overstock items. Also, as mentioned, we wanted to offer these to our Kickstarter backers as a way to get their hands on some of those little bits they wish they had ordered more of.

Why are we doing this?

Well, to be honest, to help with shipping costs.

How does selling more product help with shipping costs?

The Chuhuac Kickstarter campaign cost more than planned and we find ourselves at a bit of a loss for the shipping costs. It will take a bit for us to cover then early $2000 in shipping costs for the Kickstarter alone. As Loud Ninja Games has yet to open for regular retail sales, we have not brought in any additional revenue since the Kickstarter. So, to help speed things up and cover some of those shipping costs, we can sell the overstock items and apply the sales directly to overall shipping costs. A few additional items added to the orders won't tip the costs of their shipping tremendously.

So, how will this all work?

Rather than write out a list of everything we have left and create a mad dash for the goods, we figured we would invite you all to email us at loudninjagames@gmail.com with any requests for additional products. These will be supplied on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. Once we have a chance to sort out the orders, we will then send off PayPal invoices (sorry this is the only way for us to take payments at this time). Once payment has been made, the items will be added to the sorted orders.

How long will we be doing this?

Requests for last minute add-ons will continue until all stock is gone or February 1st, 2014, whichever comes first.

So, can we give you any hints as to what we have left?

Yes, the main things we have available are RAP 001 Troopers, RAP 002 Heavy/Leaders, RAP 008 Sirrush APC. We also have some of the RAP 005 Commandos and RAP 009 Jet Bikes. 28mm fans will be happy to know we have quite a few RAP 010 28mm Squad left. There are other items available but in very limited quanitites and we are completely out of RAP 007 Battlesuits.

What will I be charged?

For these add-ons, we will be charging the Kickstarter rates. So this is a great chance to get some items before they hit retail and regular pricing. Many items may not remain structured or priced the same in retail as we now have a better idea of their production costs and will be adjusting pricing to come in line with those. Included below is a list of codes and their Kickstarter prices (some items may not be available) -

·         RAP-001 Troopers (6 fig) - $6.00

·         RAP-002 Leaders/Weapons (6 fig) - $6.00

·         RAP-003 Command Section (4 fig) - $5.00

·         RAP-004 Herdmaster (1 fig) - $1.25

·         RAP-005 Commandos (6 fig) - $6.00

·         RAP-006 Troopers Assaulting (6 fig) - $6.00

·         RAP-007 Battlesuits (2 fig) - $10.

·         RAP-008 Sirrush APC (1) - $10

·         RAP-009 Attack Bikes (3 fig) - $10.00

·         RAP-010 28mm Squad (6 fig) - $25.00

Remember to please send your requests ONLY to loudninjagames@gmail.com. Requests not sent to that email will not be considered.

Thank you all for considering adding to your orders to help us cover the costs of shipping!

-Eli

They Didn't Eat The Mailman

51kg of Space Raptory Goodness

These hurtled across the pond. Sent on Monday, they are on my doorstep by Wednesday the same week. I haven't even opened them at the time of this update. I find myself gripped by a mix of excitement and apprehension.

As the "young people" like to say, "Stuff just got real" :)

More soon,

-Eli

It's Not a Skirt!

It's a Zkoot!

By Eli

My background in gaming starts as an RPG guy and this has stuck with me all along. I usually end up on the GM side of things and as such world building, character developing and background fluff are sort of second nature to me. This comes out in my miniatures projects as well whether it is my own gaming or designing stuff for release by LNG.

When developing the Ikwen, it was important form to manifest some sort of cultural elements in their designs. One of the easiest ways to do this in miniatures is through distinctive articles of clothing. In the Ikwen this came out as a sort of ceremonial cloth worn around the waist called a "Zkoot". 

Every Ikwen receives a Zkoot at birth. It is the first and last thing they will ever wear. The Zkoot is tied into their belief system and the Ikwen believe that they record the events of their life to be proclaimed when they enter the afterlife and join their ancestors. To die without a Zkoot is to be denied the afterlife. 

Zkoot are worn tied around the waist in a way that allows a wide panel to hang between the legs. This panel displays patterns and symbols that identify the family ties, community and even nationality of the Ikwen wearing it. The Zkoot is worn at all times except when being washed or repaired and even then certain rituals must be upheld in the way it is maintained including restrictions on materials, folding and storage. Holy men among the Ikwen do not wear the Zkoot around their waist. Instead they wear their sacred cloth draped over their head and shoulders, shrouding their faces. In this way, interaction with the holy men is not with them but directly with the lineage displayed on the Zkoot and thus the ancestral line of the Ikwen.

Because of the connection with the afterlife, the absence or loss of a Zkoot is a serious crisis for Ikwen. Those born outside of traditional family bonds or who are orphaned often have no Zkoot and live marginalized lives. Those without Zkoot or "Hadzakoot" are often looked on as untrustworthy, false, even corrupted as they are seen to have no accountability. It is no surprise that Hadzakoot are often involved in criminal dealings and other undesirable lines of work. It is possible for a Hadzakoot to acquire a Zkoot in some cases such as adoption, special religious rituals and high-level political decree. It is considered an incredibly solemn and selfless act to bequeath one's own Zkoot to another Ikwen and thus surrender ones chances at an afterlife.

Ki-Ki-Zkoot

There are few instances where the Zkoot plays directly into the actions of Ikwen as in the case of the Ki-Ki-Zkoot, a sect of fanatic warriors. Ki-Ki-Zkoot have always existed among the Ikwen but have always risen in numbers during times of great conflict when there is a need for those who are willing to do the things that would shame their lineage.

Ki-Ki-Zkoot surrender their sacred cloths in a ceremony in which they pass them on to an unfortunate soul, bringing them into their families to replace them. While this frees the fanatic of his obligations to his ancestors, it also indentures the recipient of the Zkoot to the great responsibility of not only fulfilling his obligation to his new family but also honoring the warrior who's place he has taken. The recipients known as Yotzkoot often go on to be civic leaders, frequently rising as priests, teachers, or other mentors to their communities. 

Once they have shed their Zkoot, these fanatics are unfettered by societies rules and expectations. They are now ready to fight an unrestricted battle and it is expected that they will do anything and everything to win short of suicide. While sacrifice and extremes are the stock and trade of these fanatics, to waste their lives and the opportunity needlessly is still looked on as taboo. Ki-Ki-Zkoot are often scarred and marked, showing their savagery in open displays. They often carry multiple weapons, including melee weapons.

Mugoda

Every society has it's rebels and those who buck convention. Among the Ikwen, these are the Mugoda or "Shadowy Ones". These Ikwen live by a different set of rules within  proper Ikwen society. They are a sort of under-society that exists to function where a society needs them to - breaking rules, while adhering to their own. In many ways the Mugoda are the organized crime syndicates of this alien culture. 

Like the Ki-Ki-Zkoot they exist to do things that polite Ikwen society does not look fondly upon. Unlike the warrior fanatics, these Ikwen have not surrendered their Zkoot but instead wear theirs proudly and garishly, attaching charms and trinkets, trophies and other embellishment to what is normally a very modest attire. They also pierce their skin with obvious signs of wealth and wear jewelry. To the Mougoda, it's best to live life well because the afterlife is not going to be pleasant. Mugoda afterlife is an eternity of low service and drudgery. It is also worth noting that dealing with Mugoda is allowed by common Ikwen belief as the layer of detachment absolves one of any real guilt. 

The Mugoda figure prominently in the Ikwen's fight as their underworld enterprise allows them access to materials and resources not available to those among regular society. This has allowed them to stockpile weapons and armor, fighting with gear that is often far more sophisticated than the rest of the Ikwen militias. In this way, these criminal syndicates provide a much needed backbone to regular militia, though often at a cost.

Progress Report

A recent update from my pals over at 15mm.co.uk informs me that the production run for the Chuhuac "Space Raptors" Kickstarter is as approximately 70% of total production. Even cooler, some of the smaller production runs are completely done. This means it won't be long before I am buried in metal space raptors and going mad trying to get them out in the post.

Soon....very soon...

-Eli

Ikwen Weapons Concepts

Developing the Ikwen weapons has been a bit of a trick. 

The Ikwen range is designed to represent one side of a conflict against an undetermined foe, making them ideal opposition force for any range of miniatures as they are not designed to fight any specific force. This is not special, in itself, but what makes their weapon design tough as a militia force is that they have no pre-made world from which they would have sourced their irregular arsenal. When considering how to arm them, the decision was made to give the Ikwen weapons that were analogous to the weapons seen in terrestrial militia forces, but not human weapons. A balance between form and function had to be reached and with the help of artist Todd Ulrich, I think we did just that.

Todd took my notes and together we came up with what you see above. With the exception of the blades (Huli) the other weapons are very much cousins to weapons we know. Assault rifles, submachineguns, shotguns, and the rest of the cast are here. All familiar, but looking like they were made in a factory far away. This will allow them to fight any force of miniatures enemies and not have to worry about having weapons that are too human or too alien.

In a lot of ways the weapons were picked based on how they would look in the hands of miniatures. I can see Ikwen swinging around their Huli or lugging around the suitcase-like reloads of their rocket launchers while they scurry around, snapping off shots with their rugged assault weapons, all in a desperate play to fight whoever players pit them against.

More Ikwen Concept Art

While I had planned to hold off on showing more Ikwen concept art, I decided what the heck. So, in the spirit of holiday cheer and good fun, here are some more pictures of LNG's upcoming new alien species range due out in 2014.

Enjoy More Ikwen...

A note on weapons: With the exception of the blades, the weapons in the concept art are not the final weapons that will be used in the sculpts. These were placeholders used in the concepts. The final weapons will look to have a more alien origin.

The Future of LNG

I realize, with the Chuhuac Kickstarter yet to be fulfilled and the range's retail release still pending, that it may seem odd to discuss the future of Loud Ninja Games, but there is a future and I would like to talk about that. 

Despite the stumbles and slumps in getting things going, the mindset here has always been for us to turn Loud Ninja Games into another place you can find new and interesting miniatures in an ever-expanding product line. To this end, we have been working to develop future ranges and expansions on the Chuhuac. I have also given thought to the best way for me to present our products to the public and to make sure they are available across the widest area possible. 

So, let's take a look at some of what is in store. 

RETAIL FUTURE 

Before there was a Loud Ninja Games, I had established a working and friendly relation with Gavin Syme ate 15mm.co.uk.. In many ways Gavin has been a major influence in my growth as a sculptor and my development into a miniatures entrepreneur. When it came to considering how I wanted to go about selling my line of figures to the gaming public, he was the obvious person to turn to. The end result is an agreement between Loud Ninja Games and 15mm.co.uk in which Gavin and crew will become the retail source for my line in 2014. 

Why did I go this route?

It comes down to simple resources and customer service. 15mm.co.uk is an established company with myriad ranges across a number of subjects and scales. They have in-house mold-making, casting, packaging and retail facilities. Add to this my trust and existing working relationship as well as their knack for serving worldwide customers with quick and fair shipping and it really wasn't much of a decision.

Why not do it myself?

As much as I'd like to, I really cannot and would rather not have to mire myself and my family down trying to manage inventory, sales, packaging and shipping. 15mm.co.uk will be able to keep stock on the shelves, shipping going smooth and a clean and well-managed retail site. I'll still maintain creative control as well as marketing and promotional interests and in return I'll collect a percentage of the sales. Loud ninja Games is still a brand and I'm still in control of that brand, but I've got a big brother (so to speak) in the industry that can help me make it work.

FUTURE OF THE CHUHUAC
The Chuhuac are a range of minis I have wanted to make forever. I have a host of ideas for them, most of which came to fruition in the Kickstarter. Still, there are more troop types and vehicles I would like to add to this range.

Now, allow me to be a bit tentative here, if I may. Just because I would like to make something, doesn't mean the opportunity will present itself or that it would be a good idea. I'll have to see where the market goes with these dino dudes before making any final decisions. Of all the designs I am sure would be well-received, a flying vehicle like a dropship or gunship and a light tank are at the top of the list. After this, new troop types may be in the future and even more vehicles, but that really comes down to how things shape up for the Chuhuac.

Here are a couple of WIP images of what we are planning for our vehicles...

The light attack vehicle in its most basic shape.

And, the gunship/dropship in some very early WIP renders.

FUTURE RANGES
My vision for the LNG brand has never been about a one-shot with the Chuhuac and then let it ride. I've had host of new species ready in my notebooks for ages and all of them are at least runners up for inclusion in this line as miniatures. The exact order in which they will be released, really depends on how things shape up for the company. Smaller, easier to release ranges and one-offs are always doable while larger, more involved ranges will absolutely have to bide their time or wait for a windfall. I can, however, show you the NEXT release, already in early development.

Meet the Ikwen...

I don't want to say too much about these odd alien humanoids, but these images show off some of their more interesting features. Please, don't pay too much attention to the weapons as they are really just placeholders for the final weapons. More on them as they develop, but they will be released in 2014, hopefully in the first half of the year.

So, there you have it. LNG is definitely thinking forward and the new year will bring new shiny toys from us to you.

Thanks,

-Eli