Data Sphere

Posted: **October 12th, 2014, 10:53 pm**

http://www.dp9.com/content/dream-pod-9-online-store-update-new-lower-prices

DP9 have announced that their miniatures range will be dropped in price by 10%. This goes along with a complete repack of their starter and unit packs, to bring the range in line with it's new edition currently in beta testing.

A surprising article from my browsing this morning. I've always found the Heavy Gear world interesting, and attempted to get into it some time ago but couldn't come at the GW+ style of pricing.

I've already got a desert terrain set-up for my 6mm Dirtside armies, so I may find a couple of starter packs dropping through my mail box in the next few weeks.

Posted: **October 12th, 2014, 10:59 pm**

Splod wrote:http://www.dp9.com/content/dream-pod-9-online-store-update-new-lower-prices

DP9 have announced that their miniatures range will be dropped in price by 10%. This goes along with a complete repack of their starter and unit packs, to bring the range in line with it's new edition currently in beta testing.

A surprising article from my browsing this morning. I've always found the Heavy Gear world interesting, and attempted to get into it some time ago but couldn't come at the GW+ style of pricing.

I've already got a desert terrain set-up for my 6mm Dirtside armies, so I may find a couple of starter packs dropping through my mail box in the next few weeks.

Will the change last? Or just a promotion stunt? Big Front Mission fan, so I always eyed this game, but indeed... Waaaaay too steep to really dive into it.

Posted: **October 13th, 2014, 2:15 am**

Between the high price of entry and a decades-long inability to print a set of rules that didn't result in a new edition 6 months after the last edition, DP9 has been on my, "I'd love to play but can't get any opponents" list since about 1994.

This hasn't stopped me from buying a few minis here and there, mostly for conversion into other objects.

If the price/repack manages to stick (not to mention the new rules actually NOT getting a new edition 6 months after buying all the books the last time), I might be able to get some folks to play.

The rules themselves have always been solid, the problem has been in the Army lists.

Posted: **October 13th, 2014, 4:06 pm**

I've always had my eyes on this game, always fell to the wayside though

Posted: **October 14th, 2014, 10:29 am**

Always fancied BattleTech over Heavy Gear. Too bad the BT rules are convoluted and make games last forever.

Posted: **October 14th, 2014, 11:31 pm**

I'm a big mecha fan.

Break Blade
Front Mission
Armored Core
Gundam
Full Metal Panic
Etc...

I've looked at the game several times and am tempted to try it out, but never found much consensus to try it with people that won't flake (there's this one guy in our group who refuses to deviate from WM/H, as much as he keeps trying... Though, better than the 40k he has, for the most part, left to gather dust).

For now, I'll use Relic Knights as a pseudo-replacement to fill my desire for mecha. The knights are close enough for me to let it slide. I also use TAGs from time to time, but it's simply not the same. I'm still waiting on my customizeable mecha squad tabletop game.

I really think a UC0079 or UC0080 based game could work... The "fodder" would be GMs and Zaku II's. The "elites" (just customized variants, effectively) would be RX-79[G]s and Zaku II variants (such as commander and high-mobility) or even Goufs. Alas, that's an IP that I don't see leaving Bandai/Sunrise any time soon and unlikely to see a tabletop game made for it.

It could be great with squads sizing around 4 or 5 models... evenly matched...

*sigh...*

Posted: **October 15th, 2014, 5:21 pm**

I don't know what the long term pricing plans are, but latest news is that the Kickstarter is going to be the week of the 20th to try to get a plastic box set.
http://dp9forum.com/index.php?showtopic ... 0&p=289723

At the moment they're working on fixing some of the structural problems in Heavy Gear Blitz (the upgrade and option system on models got completely out of hand, to the point where you pretty much wanted to use Gear Garage to work through the options), trying to get the new rules completed for 2015.

As far as a UC0079 or UC0080 game goes, have you checked out
https://www.facebook.com/groups/gundamcollection/
"Gundam Collection 1/400 Tactical Battles"
or
"MSMecha Tactical Battles"
http://msmecha.blogspot.com/2014/01/wel ... ttles.html
depending on which style of rules you're looking for?

I think there's one other fan written rule set, with a name that escapes me at the moment, if you're looking at using the 1/144 models instead of the 1/400 action figure or small toy figures.

When wave 5 of the Assault Kingdom toys came out, I finally got enough Zaku II's and GM's to try a game soon.

Posted: **October 15th, 2014, 8:10 pm**

I played a lot of the Heavy Gear RPG back in the late 90's and just love the game and the setting, awesome artwork they even had an artwork book. Now the price has never been a big deal since they were always running promotions but I agree with Section9 since they were always updating the rules. Made me get to a point of wait till they are done then take a 2nd look. Well by the time I got around to that 2nd look they were updating the rules again. But with Blitz, Arena and Death Track I am still very tempted.

Posted: **October 15th, 2014, 10:53 pm**

Interesting Gundam related games. Unfortunately, I doubt they'd ever be popular enough near me for me to invest in those sorts of figures over the HG and MG kits I currently enjoy.

Posted: **October 15th, 2014, 11:09 pm**

Arachas wrote:Always fancied BattleTech over Heavy Gear. Too bad the BT rules are convoluted and make games last forever.

BT has bigger, stompier robots all right.

But DP9 has always had tighter rules, and Blitz is even faster to play with more models per side. If I wanted to play BT or Gundams, well, that's what Jovian Chronicles is for. Big stompy robots IN SPAAAAAAAAAAAACE.

I own a good bit of southern stuff that I could mess with, and I also have some HG minis I bought to convert into 1/100 scale Gasaraki TAs. Gotta rebuild the torsos on all the Gears, but the legs and arms are about right.

I made a horrible mistake of reading all the Aurora webzines Monday while I was out of town, and I really want to get back in and working on some CEF nastiness. I love the hovertanks, but daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum are they expensive.

Posted: **October 16th, 2014, 8:18 pm**

Interesting; I'll be monitoring this.

Lately I've been considering what kinda mod to X-Wing and the coming Armada game could be done to support gundam space battles at fleet scale.

Posted: **October 16th, 2014, 8:35 pm**

Seriously interested in this game for years. But I can't seem to find it local. As if it isn't really big in this country.. which is a shame.

To be frank... DP9 looks really cool, but also really big. I haven't got a clue where to start. The Blitz is kind of Skirmish am I right?

Posted: **October 17th, 2014, 4:49 am**

Scorch wrote:Seriously interested in this game for years. But I can't seem to find it local. As if it isn't really big in this country.. which is a shame.

To be frank... DP9 looks really cool, but also really big. I haven't got a clue where to start. The Blitz is kind of Skirmish am I right?

Yeah, it's a skirmish game of about five to ten models, at the small side of things. It's at that ~15mm scale, where it kind of wobbles a bit between 'skirmish' and big wars, though.

How much 15mm sci-fi or desert terrain do you have?

Posted: **October 18th, 2014, 12:20 am**

Scorch wrote:Seriously interested in this game for years. But I can't seem to find it local. As if it isn't really big in this country.. which is a shame.

To be frank... DP9 looks really cool, but also really big. I haven't got a clue where to start. The Blitz is kind of Skirmish am I right?

The minis are nominally 1/144 scale.

HGBlitz is what I'd call company-scale. 15+ bots, plus actual vehicles and infantry platoons, though you can play smaller games. I think it's designed to have a couple handfuls of bots, vehicles, and infantry.

I'd hold off a bit on buying anything but models that look cool, as DP9 is working on yet another edition of the rules. As a related part of this, they're re-doing the packaging, putting pretty much all the bots into squad/cadre boxes (4-6 bots per box).

Personally, I like the hovertanks, which means I'm playing the bad guys (either CEF aka Earth Force or Port Arthur Korps). Means I'm talking about $400-$500 in minis. Somewhere, I have a hard copy of the old CEF sourcebook, which has fun things like the hovertank artillery.

I also have a Southern force, because the Red Shoulders from Armored Trooper Votoms all have rounded armor plates. Probably 25 gears, plus striders. I should add some infantry and transports, maybe a tank or two. Oh, wait, I can get hovertanks in the Southern forces if I go with the Humanist Alliance.

And the Southern forces also have the cooler-looking VTOL, the Varis, IMO

Northern "Dragonfly" VTOL:

Posted: **October 21st, 2014, 4:07 am**

I always have like DP9 desgins especially the difference in factions. Although I prefer the Northern stuff since I think they just look tougher since they are more squared off.

But yes they are actually prettysmall for what they represent so they are about the size if not a tad smaller but bulkier than Infinity models. Section9 is right it is more of a Company or a small unith type of game since you have about 3 squadrons of gears for a total of about 15, some infantry and maybe a Strider which is much bigger. Again good game with great designs, heck most anime fans will probably just like to look at the artwork.

Posted: **October 22nd, 2014, 7:43 pm**

I am a Heavy Gear player since the 90's I still have my 1st Edition core book. I'm a Peace River player and Into the Badlands was my favorite book published by DP9.

Heavy Gear at the skirmish level is lots of fun. The rules are tight and the army building when you don't go too deep in the optional equipment is unique. Army building also dictates your scenario objectives. ie. Governements don't deploy Tier 1 operators (small team of Gears) to do the same thing a Tier 4 Reserve Platoon is doing. The minis look great but I have to say the resin pieces are way over priced.

Heavy Gear arena is quite the game - using a more granular ruleset the Arena team building rules rock. You pick the type of manager from R&D, Corp, Military, Merc - quite the selection. Then you pick your roster of pilots out of a selection, then you buy Gears and upgrades for your gears. You also try to gain sponsors that open up options for equipment. You not only upgrade your pilots but also the manager.

My issue with Heavy Gear is the company has always been a little unreliable with publishing - too bad the game is so much fun. I also don't like the non standard base size with the current edition - hex or circular bases. I also miss the rules they had for arty and air support.

The folks from Dream Pod 9 come to CanGames and folks get lots of face time with the development team. They are a great bunch of guys and they really love their game. Yet the upcoming Kickstarter is not interesting - no Peace River and the minis are going plastic.

I'll wait to see where they go post kickstarter but I'll keep playing Arena and working my Peace River force.

Posted: **October 23rd, 2014, 5:59 am**

Dozer wrote: the upcoming Kickstarter is not interesting - no Peace River and the minis are going plastic.

Well, one of the major complaints in the FLGS is the pricetag. I'm assuming that DP9 knows what they're doing in terms of assigning costs out correctly (they wouldn't still be in business if they didn't), so going injection-molded plastic might work for them if they can get the sales volume to support lower prices. I mean, the big hovertanks are freaking $40. Granted, the "big" hovertanks (HT68 and 72) are about the same size as a 28mm tank (which are also ~$40), but the wallet rebels at the idea of paying $40 for a 1/144 scale gaming model, when you need 2 or more of them...

But there's an OBSCENE up-front cost to making injection-molded plastics, which is why Reaper and Palladium went to a Kickstarter to fund their Bones and the Robotech Tactics game.

Posted: **October 24th, 2014, 12:19 am**

And Bones is not even the classic injection process, but a simpler one.

Posted: **October 25th, 2014, 1:15 am**

I'm not sure how big the MHT-95 is compared to the other tanks in the range, but they just cleared plastic MHT-95's.

Posted: **October 25th, 2014, 3:19 am**

solkan wrote:I'm not sure how big the MHT-95 is compared to the other tanks in the range, but they just cleared plastic MHT-95's.

Excellent!

I have a copy of the Beta rules, MHT-95 is a very nice tank. A little cheaper than the MHT-72, better armed. But I still want a pair of MHT-68s and one to turn into the artillery version. Old school, but I prefer the CEF forces at the initial invasion.

Posted: **October 25th, 2014, 11:45 pm**

I did HG in the 90's. Still have a bunch of the original models that were in a larger scale and were much nicer.

Almost had it catch on at an LGS I worked at and in the process ended up working for Dream Pod 9 very briefly. Even got to the point where I had a 1/35 resin Kodiak.

The whole thing quickly collapsed and we went back to Warzone 1.0 and 3rd ed. 40k.

Fast forward to three years ago when it caught on like crazy at my current LGS. I bought an army but the scene collapsed after two of the main people running the scene almost had a knife fight at the LGS. I was left with $200 of the new tinier models and no one to play with.

The rules have changed twice since that time and I just dumped all of my smaller scale newer models on the DS trade forum. I am officially done with DP9 forever.

How a company could chase away a total mecha addict like me is utterly baffling.

I have seen a player at local cons with banners and official DP9 shirts and lots of nice tables... with no one actually playing the game. Sold him some of my old stuff. Very weird...

Posted: **October 26th, 2014, 12:22 am**

Guges wrote:I did HG in the 90's. Still have a bunch of the original models that were in a larger scale and were much nicer.

Wish I'd had the $$ to get those back then. I might still have a Cheetah Paratrooper somewhere...

Fast forward to three years ago [...] The rules have changed twice since that time

And that's been the killer. DP9 has horribly screwed the pooch on their rules repeatedly. I'm hoping that this new version (what the hell are we on for Blitz, v3 now?) will actually be tight.

Posted: **October 27th, 2014, 10:59 pm**

Guges wrote:Still have a bunch of the original models that were in a larger scale and were much nicer.

So do I.

For me, the shift to the 1/144 scale was what killed the game.

Posted: **October 27th, 2014, 11:31 pm**

Guges wrote:I did HG in the 90's. Still have a bunch of the original models that were in a larger scale and were much nicer.

Almost had it catch on at an LGS I worked at and in the process ended up working for Dream Pod 9 very briefly. Even got to the point where I had a 1/35 resin Kodiak.

The whole thing quickly collapsed and we went back to Warzone 1.0 and 3rd ed. 40k.

Fast forward to three years ago when it caught on like crazy at my current LGS. I bought an army but the scene collapsed after two of the main people running the scene almost had a knife fight at the LGS. I was left with $200 of the new tinier models and no one to play with.

The rules have changed twice since that time and I just dumped all of my smaller scale newer models on the DS trade forum. I am officially done with DP9 forever.

How a company could chase away a total mecha addict like me is utterly baffling.

I have seen a player at local cons with banners and official DP9 shirts and lots of nice tables... with no one actually playing the game. Sold him some of my old stuff. Very weird...

Sounds like some nerd-rage over there. :toot:

My god, I've seen a lot in my days (yeah, 24 years and I sound old already), from drive-bys to massive all out street-fights, but knifing each other over a game is another level of crazy.

Posted: **October 28th, 2014, 1:35 am**

Scorch wrote:
Guges wrote:I did HG in the 90's. Still have a bunch of the original models that were in a larger scale and were much nicer.

Almost had it catch on at an LGS I worked at and in the process ended up working for Dream Pod 9 very briefly. Even got to the point where I had a 1/35 resin Kodiak.

The whole thing quickly collapsed and we went back to Warzone 1.0 and 3rd ed. 40k.

Fast forward to three years ago when it caught on like crazy at my current LGS. I bought an army but the scene collapsed after two of the main people running the scene almost had a knife fight at the LGS. I was left with $200 of the new tinier models and no one to play with.

The rules have changed twice since that time and I just dumped all of my smaller scale newer models on the DS trade forum. I am officially done with DP9 forever.

How a company could chase away a total mecha addict like me is utterly baffling.

I have seen a player at local cons with banners and official DP9 shirts and lots of nice tables... with no one actually playing the game. Sold him some of my old stuff. Very weird...

Sounds like some nerd-rage over there. My god, I've seen a lot in my days (yeah, 24 years and I sound old already), from drive-bys to massive all out street-fights, but knifing each other over a game is another level of crazy.

Posted: **October 30th, 2014, 2:17 pm**

I still have quite a bunch of painted RAFM heavy gears. Gorgeous miniatures that got me started in military camo painting.
I plan to take pictures, someday.
For the nonce, all I can offer you is some old shots of my RAFM Pathfinders from Jovian Chronicles.

Posted: **October 30th, 2014, 6:23 pm**

I have close to 200 gears. I'm hoping to use them in a massive game using Gruntz one day.

I've never seen the jovian chronicle ones, now I have a new quest. Those are sweet.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk so I probably misspelled a bunch of shark

Posted: **October 30th, 2014, 7:26 pm**

Angron that's a lot of gears, what factions do you have? Oh and that is one sweet looking exo, is that a Pathfinder? All this makes me want to look t all my DP9 stuff.

Posted: **October 30th, 2014, 9:40 pm**

JBRocky wrote:Angron that's a lot of gears, what factions do you have? Oh and that is one sweet looking exo, is that a Pathfinder? All this makes me want to look t all my DP9 stuff.

Yes, it's the RAFM sculpted Pathfinder!
I have all the other RAFM exos, in various states of painting (or non-painting... ) except the Wyvern- I hope to find one on ebay, someday...
The Dream Pod 9 exos are sculpted with great precision, for the size, but, in the end, they look like toys to me. They don't have character, they can't encute fear...

Posted: **October 30th, 2014, 9:44 pm**

Just North and South. I haven't seen any of the other factions in that scale.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk so I probably misspelled a bunch of shark

Data Sphere

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