Age of Annihilation - Backer Trend and Discussion

['Scaper94]

Originally Posted by brak88

Just a strange mix of try to get brand new people, toy collectors and/or resellers, old die hard players and long time players back into the game that doesn't seem to be pleasing enough sadly. But maybe with just how different this seems to be compared to other offerings, especially in having it be more of an investment into future expansions lines aspect over a one and done collectible aspect, maybe we will see it go through regardless or something. I don't know.

But it Seems like a lot more behind the scenes designing and work was thrown into this compared to other Haslabs and it'd be sad to just thrown all that away over a million dollars from an over 9 billion dollar company, even if they aren't the best right now. It also seems a little backwards to think that maximizing sales for this will equate to even more outside sales in a retail sense later on, vs. buying it now . I know there's been a lot of people wanting to see smaller packages, but I dunno.

Seems like a lot of counterproductive things in place to me. This hasn't even hit a fifth of what they thought this was possible to hit at 16k backers. I think there's more to this than what's being said about it truly being it's only shot, but I guess we'll see in two weeks. Can the wording in anything said in that regards possibly be misconstrued as this is the one and only shot at getting Age of Annihilation: Vanguard Edition instead of just new Heroscape in general?

As the clock continues to tick, I've been increasingly noticing that the execution of (and the marketing for) the haslab doesn't really know who the target audience is supposed to be. Is it intended for families, like the original RotV set? Is it for wargamers who are interested in Warhammer but just don't have the time to get into the game? Is it for fans of Star Wars Legion? Is it for wargame hobbyists who enjoy painting models? Is it primarily for the existing Heroscape fanbase?

The answer to all of these can certainly be "yes." However, in trying to appeal to all of these audiences, Hasbro/AH seems to have turned away a lot of interest: families likely would rather purchase a cheaper family-friendly game that's already on the shelves, casual wargamers may be seeing the unpainted minis as a hindrance (though unpainted is the standard in 2022), fans of Star Wars Legion would probably rather place their money in the game they're already familiar with, wargame hobbyists might be interested in the figures but are turned away by all of the "extra" plastic content, and the existing fanbase isn't large enough to sustain the entire revival (along with being divided on the overall tone shift).

A lot has been said ad nauseam about the poor handling of the marketing for this haslab campaign, so I won't rehash what has already been stated in circles. The statements and information given to us about the target audience vs. the execution of the campaign and who it is trying to reach just don't align, and I'm not seeing this point brought up very much. It's a critical piece of the equation that, I feel, is being often overlooked amongst the noise of the low backer count and the hands-off marketing. The lack of a clearly-defined target audience reminds me of the adage: if you chase two rabbits, you won't catch either of them.

[TheIsamu]

Has anyone begun looking for good models to proxy the units we know the rules for yet? Might be a good idea for a thread. I know theres no reason for Hasbro to release rules for units there not going to release but here's hoping they get leaked so we can at least salvage something out of the campaign and theres a few that have been reveled that look worthwhile to include. I think Tyranids might be a good sub for Maladrix and the honor guard but those models aren't exactly cheap.

[ryguy266]

Originally Posted by GaryLASQ

At first, I thought we could all try to predict what day (date) it would be fully backed at 8000. Now it looks like we should all try to predict what the final number of backers (aka pre-orders) will be. *sigh*

I'll start with a prediction of 4,897 total. Whoever is closest (+|-) wins!
Prediction entries end after 2022-11-04.

∞10²¹ @Shurrig
9000 @randum
8500 @caps
8025 @Heirloom
----
6300 @IAmBatman
5700 @Good Pig
5000 @chas
4897 @GaryLASQ
4648 @rym
4250 @Dragon4201976
4100 @Knox
3542 @AMIS
0001 @Hogg the last contestant on The Price Is Right

4400 for me!

[nyys]

Originally Posted by EricTheGreat1999

still under 50 backers a day, not enough to reach 4000 backers by the time funding is finished

Well it just jumped by 15ish in the last couple hours, something is happening.

[Killometer]

Originally Posted by Garenex

3498 for me.

Kinda tempted to go with 2 to steal Hogg's thunder.

[brak88]

Originally Posted by TheIsamu

Has anyone begun looking for good models to proxy the units we know the rules for yet? Might be a good idea for a thread. I know theres no reason for Hasbro to release rules for units there not going to release but here's hoping they get leaked so we can at least salvage something out of the campaign and theres a few that have been reveled that look worthwhile to include. I think Tyranids might be a good sub for Maladrix and the honor guard but those models aren't exactly cheap.

I've mentioned it, but you could make a thread if you want. It'd be fun to playtest figures in their current iteration at the very least and give feedback

[Rÿchean]

Originally Posted by nyys

Well it just jumped by 15ish in the last couple hours, something is happening.

I agree, something is happening.

We hit 3K early Saturday, and for whatever reason weekend days sort of suck, not just this past weekend but each weekend except launch weekend.

We only picked up like another 30 backers through the weekend but here we are mid day Tuesday and up to 3110. So we picked up 70-80 backers in the last 36 hours or so.
_______________

Can we just please wait until it is over to say it is over??....please?? There is not point in being doom and gloom about it while it is still going on.

If (when if you prefer) it fails, we will have plenty of time to sort the fall out after.

Autopsies are done after something is dead, not while it is still fighting for life.

[TREX]

I'm sure I'm not alone in my thoughts on this campaign and the surrounding atmosphere of it. Being a long time scaper, haslab should have my money. There have been a handful of avoidable turnoffs for me. Some from hasbro, and some from the community at large. First I'll say that, I've been around here, hanging out since begore the game had died. I never went anywhere. The real big reason I haven't bought this package is its very bloated with a substantial price tag. I don't want any terrain, extra castles, don't need extra samey dice markers, etc. There should have been a smaller buy in, and go up from there. Heck, they could even keep the "all in" option they have now as well. They didn't think it was needed to do the work there. The second big reason I didn't back this is: it's been great to see a bunch of familiar old faces around, but alongside the familiar and fun faces, there has rolled in a wave of toxicity and negativity from other sources. The amount of it has really turned me off from it in a whole. If a longtime scaper that loves the community like me feels this way, imagine how a new onlooker would feel. I wish this thing and the community around it the best, but lately it's not looking like what's for me. Hopefully the community can get back to the place I like to be around. Strangely enough, I've been hanging out on here on the regular for 12 years straight or so now. Having heroscape come back shouldn't be what drives me away. So if you guys get upset if and/or when this doesn't fund, think about these kind of things, that are turning people away.

[GaryLASQ]

Originally Posted by Garenex

3498 for me.

Originally Posted by Master Roshi

123456789

Originally Posted by ryguy266

4400 for me!

All set.

[brak88]

Originally Posted by TREX

I'm sure I'm not alone in my thoughts on this campaign and the surrounding atmosphere of it. Being a long time scaper, haslab should have my money. There have been a handful of avoidable turnoffs for me. Some from hasbro, and some from the community at large. First I'll say that, I've been around here, hanging out since begore the game had died. I never went anywhere. The real big reason I haven't bought this package is its very bloated with a substantial price tag. I don't want any terrain, extra castles, don't need extra samey dice markers, etc. There should have been a smaller buy in, and go up from there. Heck, they could even keep the "all in" option they have now as well. They didn't think it was needed to do the work there. The second big reason I didn't back this is: it's been great to see a bunch of familiar old faces around, but alongside the familiar and fun faces, there has rolled in a wave of toxicity and negativity from other sources. The amount of it has really turned me off from it in a whole. If a longtime scaper that loves the community like me feels this way, imagine how a new onlooker would feel. I wish this thing and the community around it the best, but lately it's not looking like what's for me. Hopefully the community can get back to the place I like to be around. Strangely enough, I've been hanging out on here on the regular for 12 years straight or so now. Having heroscape come back shouldn't be what drives me away. So if you guys get upset if and/or when this doesn't fund, think about these kind of things, that are turning people away.

Yeah, it's a pricey buy in, and I don't need or really want more marker, dice, or basic terrain. But for me, even though there's no paint job, I'm getting new, tested to work by themselves and with old figures, miniatures for the game, with professional cards, at $3.84 each, after tax and shipping, delivered to my door. And some of those new minis are really huge. Everything else is basically "free".

I dunno. Maybe another way of looking at it.

[My Darling Panzer]

Originally Posted by Heirloom

No, see Encarmine’s statement below from early Oct (unless you think he’s lying…):
“Just to clarify some chatter happening in some social media channels: IF the Haslab campaign fails to fund during the 45 days, there is NOT a plan to produce Heroscape for retail after the Haslab. The relaunch of the game would be cancelled in it’s entirety. People who are saying that we would release Heroscape regardless are incorrect.”

This has already been brought up in other posts, but they would of course say that; otherwise people would hold off backing.

In all honesty I do think they won't have a Plan B revival, but I am very much wishing they do. The failed Rancor HasLab isn't a great comparison since this is supposedly not a one-and-done deal. There would be further money-making opportunities with figure, terrain, etc expansions.

[TREX]

@brak88 , the point I raised wasn't that it wasn't a decent value. The value is fine when you break it down. Its that it's bloated with a bunch of things I don't want or need. I'm the kind of wargamer that has to justify what I pick up due to usability and storage space.