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The world that is to come needs your help – Please, read and comment!
🕑 Added 2021-05-17 20:03:07 +0000 UTCHi guys! ⚔️⚔️
Thank you all for the support you showed us yesterday with the teaser trailer of the Second Season in our Patreon! As we told you, today we announce the new armies, the factions and the new content that will come from this next June 2021! This post is going to be a bit long, but please read it and comment below! We really need your suggestions!
So, without further delay... Here we go!
NEW ARMIES AND FACTIONS
THE EMPIRE OF SUN
The Empire of Sun, named like this as a reference to the Spanish Empire around the XV century and because of his famous quote “the empire on which the sun never sets”, is a proper ‘forged’ federation based on some European empires from the XV and XVI centuries, and it is composed by four imperial districts, the four factions of the Empire of Sun, all of them ruled by the Emperor Leopold the Great.
- 1. Imperial District of Esperia
The Imperial District of Esperia is the western land of the Empire of Sun. Composed of two big cities, Calista and Aradia, and a few villages and small towns, the inhabitants of this imperial district are great explorers and warriors, very disciplined in terms of battle formation and really good sailors.
Esperia is a clear reference of the Spanish empire around the XV and XVI centuries, so we’ll have our own fantasy vision about ‘conquistadores’ units and spanish ‘tercios’!
- 2. Imperial District of Caladria
The Imperial District of Caladria is the cradle of the imperial culture, and it is the place of some of the prosper and wealthiest cities in the whole Empire, Venissia and Narantia. Great inventors, thinkers and philosophers that take part of the top echelons of their society.
Caladria is a reference to the Italian city-states during the Renaissance, with a special focus on Venice and Florence. Have you ever seen the great Italians unit from Dogs of War? Well... You can expect this and much more from Caladria!
- 3. Imperial District of Volhynia
The Imperial District of Volhynia is the eastern land of the Empire of Sun, and also the smallest one. A cold weather and the steep lands define the culture of the citizens. The inhabitants could be rude and harsh in the eyes of the foreigners, but they have a great heart and a strong connection with their communities.
Volhynia will represent the polish army around the s. XVI and XVII, with one the greatest cavalry units ever created, the winged hussars.
- 4. Imperial District of Sunland
The Imperial District of Sunland is the heart of the Empire of Sun. Sunland is the biggest district of the entire Empire, located in the center of the federation, and also is the place of the imperial capital, Lunnenburg. Sunland is the most populated area, so it also has the biggest and most powerful army. It is also the birthplace of the Emperor, Leopold the Great.
Sunland isn’t based on specific place in the real world, it is more like a compendium of different places and armies but anyways, most of the units could be linked to the german armies and mercenaries around the XV and XVII centuries. It will be the faction with more units and the most fantasy related to other games.
THE BARBARIAN HORDES
- 1. The Lost Tribe of Novgorod
An ancient tribe lost in the mountains centuries ago has returned under the strong leadership of the Prince Rurik the Fearsome. With a supernatural strength and a mystical power, the Varyags Warriors are one of the most terrible unit in the entire world, armed with heavy armors and big weapons and shields. The Prince Rurik is reuniting all the old tribes around the world, dammed and banished by the Empire of Sun and forced to live in the poor lands around the corner of the world, into the Kievan Rus’, the barbarian horde lead by himself.
The Varyags warriors will be the powerful core units from the Kievan Rus’. They destroy everything, they kill everyone in the battlefield… They bring the chaos to the land. 😉
- 2. Tribes of Hardrå
The northern Hardrådes are probably the most barbarian warriors in the world. Divide in small communities, the Tribes of Hardrå, these warriors have experimented the harsh cold from the frozen lands of the north, broken some times for the volcanos that make their land totally useless for farming or just for grow anything. This dead land forces the people of Hardrå to find everything they need in the Northern Sea.
If you like the classic barbarian style, the fearsome Vikings, and you want to see some ice creatures, this faction is meant to you!
- 3. The Tanukhids
The City of Tanukh can’t be consider a barbarian place. Located in the middle of the Desert of Gülmira, this place is the center of the knowledge, science and technological advances outside the Empire of Sun. Richest merchants and big warlords rule this land with their powerful armies and their imponent war mammoths.
Arabian, saracens, persians… The vast forces from the arabian world will hit our battlefields along the second season.
…
Does anybody say haradrims? We haven’t said haradrims *cough haradrims cough*.
…
- 4. The Eastern Khazars
From the Mountain Lands of Khazaria they come… Mid human, mid beasts… Located in the eastern lands of the world, the Khazars, an ogre tribe from the mountains have decided to join the Kievan Rus’ and destroy that imperials piece of food…
The biggest, the rudest… They’re hard, they’re bad… You’ll love them!
NEW CONTENT AND LORE
As many of you know, we’ve never considered ourselves as a store or a place to buy miniatures. Since a few months ago, we have been thinking a lot about what to do and how to improve our Patreon, because we don’t want to just “sell” miniatures.
So here we are, one year after everything began, to present you the map of the world that we want to build with all of you along the next months and years! (It still has no name, so we’re open for suggestions) 🎉
(Here you have a link to download this map in 4K resolution: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10UqkA6BkjDafMHSyuZ2Q3LYP6m5Ro5ec?usp=sharing)
From now on, everything in the Patreon will be follow by the lore we want to recreate here. The polls, the post, the releases…
Every city and each faction will have a specifc and particular role, and you will have the power to decide how the Empire of Sun and the Barbarian Hordes will be developed. We’ll also try to add a cool fantasy map related to the releases so you can feel the lore more intense.
But this world needs to be built!
So, we have been thinking about creating a space, maybe through Discord or in our Facebook patrons’ group, where you guys could share your views, suggestions, your own stories and everything that you want to fill this empty world. If you want to tell us a story about a citizen from Sunland who has lost his family in the war, or the lost story of an ancient city, the chronicles of a great battle or a famous hero, you’ll be more than welcome and they’ll be included in the lore.
This new world will be the base for upcoming projects and future armies, and all of them will be part of a common story, which is the main goal of all of this. Undead pirates? Dwarves? Elves? Lost races from a new discovered land? Everything will be possible.
Please let us know in the comments what do you think about this and how we can implement this idea to create a new world together!
NEW PATREON FEATURES
From June 2021, every release will be composed of TWO UNITS, instead of one. Our idea is to decrease the importance of the musician and the bannerman from the command groups (now they are single unique characters most of the time), and leave them just as a modular banner and musician hand that you can assemble in the core unit, to have more time to develop more miniatures to fulfill two units. Of course, these two units per release will be related and will be part of the same army and faction.
So, in term of numbers, you can expect something about sixteen miniatures each month, with some exceptions (mounted units).
And that's all folks!
Thank you so much guys, as always, for make it possible.
We read you! ❤️
Comments
Highlands_Miniatures
Hola Daniel! Por supuesto, tendremos ejércitos enanos, elfos, orcos y muchos más! Sin embargo, queremos plantear esto como un proyecto a largo a plazo, por lo que tenemos que ir poco a poco desarrollando los ejércitos. Durante los próximos meses desarrollaremos las facciones "bárbaras", que incluyen árabes y ogros, y las facciones imperiales. Cuando los hayamos desarrollado lo suficiente, seleccionaremos dos nuevos ejércitos y empezaremos a trabajar en ellos! :)
Veremos otras razas como pudieran ser orcos?
Highlands_Miniatures
Of course! One of our goals for this second season is to bring more diversity to our miniatures, so we'll have mixed units for almost every release, starting with it for the next july release! :)
Michelle Linder
Into the detail, especially the Varyags warriors. Will we be seeing some female figures in the furure? I'm considering running an "all girl" campaign at some point and would love to explore your world.
New member here, looks like I joined at the right time!
Dennis O'Brien
Hmmm, in regards to where to host your world - have you considered World Anvil? https://www.worldanvil.com/ There is a pretty detailed series of tutorials about it on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmurZz9emqGmNQIWOowVjTcXblQhqFduZ
Karsten Krahe
A very ambitious project. I am curious to see how it unfolds. I can’t say I’m overly thrilled by the information we have so far, I don’t much care for the factions mentioned (except maybe the Viking like faction) and I’m saddened to hear we will be losing the unique command models which is something I loved about your Patreon. The attention to detail. I also don’t know whether these models will have any relevance to anything I’d want to play without a specific game system to go with it. All that being said I do like the idea of world building your own universe and honestly I have thrilled at every release you’ve done so far so I’ll be sticking around to support you. If anyone can surprise me and prove me wrong it would be you guys. For now I’m busy printing and painting knights and undead anyway and that will keep me busy for some time. I look forward to what I’m sure will be an amazing Kickstarter and will continue to back you for the coming year no matter how I feel about the direction. I’d like to see where this goes. Hopefully year three will have something for me again. Or maybe your awesomeness will completely change my mind. Anything is possible.
Highlands_Miniatures
Of course! The vampire knights on foot will be part of our future first Kickstarter that we're working on about Medieval and Undead heroes and special units! :)
Lilian
or just use crossbows....
Jon Letham
Avoid Gunpowder weapons and have them use some sort of alternative propellant to give it a fantasy feel. Weapons that use Magic capsules or something that release raw magic energy in a focused beam or something.
fox pals
Btw guys any chance you could do a unit of blood knights on foot in the future? I know you're finished undead but would complete the army (and NO ONE else is doing blood knights on foot). Gaelic/Celtic ancient irish elves in future pleeeeeasse!
Sounds really cool! I'd love to see elves! Really excited about the Dogs of War kind of units.
Christian Raap
My chaotic dreams are getting true, love your 2nd season
Really hoping for a giant and some great looking (not) Chaos Warriors and mounted option :-)
Orges! Amazing.
Brandon Blewett
You folks have played Mount & Blade haven’t you? 😂 I’m getting big vibes from the naming. So excited to see the units for this theme.
Jesse White
Would love to see dwarves, or maybe chaotic, big hatted dwarves. Happy with command as long as we have the right arms to build them.
Daniel Peterson
Very excited to see this ambitious project set in a parallel, fantasy version of the historical Renaissance, and particularly so in the hands of such talented miniature designers. I really like the emphasis on the "Spanish Conquistador" subtheme of "the Empire" which has been sorely neglected up until now, despite them being the most indomitable foes of the ever-popular Aztec-Mayan themed Lizardmen that have enjoyed their own Renaissance in this new age of 3d printable miniatures with amazing figures coming from other Patreon sites. I am very glad "the Empire" appears to primarily remain "human", as well- designed figures from all regions of the Renaissance Era will be very well received by historical, as well as fantasy gamers and collectors. I agree with Andrea, above, that it would be great to see some "Naval" aspects to this world as well, not only to bring gold-hungry Conquistadors to distant, uncharted lands, but to also recreate the epic Mediterranean battles between Renaissance War Galleys, and of course, we cannot forget the pirates of this period, but the ones hopefully fashioned more on "Elizabethan Sea Dogs" rather than the later period, cliché' pirates from a certain Disney franchise.
Andrea
The biggest project I have seen so far on Patreon! Fantastic! I'm looking forward to see the miniatures of Caladria (Italian city states) and those of Novgorod. I agree with the choice to increase the miniatures at the expense of the command groups. It would be interesting if you could make some units suitable to be embarked on ships (always of Renaissance inspiration)... Go ahead and good work!
Toggers
all i can say is OMG WOW !!!
It is a great project. If it were possible, I would not include gunpowder, it would make everything more original.
fox pals
Celtic Irish "tuatha de danann" high elves and gaelic themed wood elves please in future. Dark elves could be "fomorians". Raiders from the sea in Irish myth. Would be a different take on elves but still with a noticable warhammer feel. There's alot of lore there to mine
Jason Davenport
This is such a great idea! Please add magic, and elves, and dwarves, and demons, and all the goodies!! PS your knights came out great! I haven't had a chance to paint them yet, but definetly next on the list.
Leath Ar Nak
Ooh! Ilove me some Germanic and Italian mercenaries!
rick hall
Yes all in for fantasy. I'd love full army of..... insert your favorite fantasy race here!
Eugene Meidinger
Yes I 'd certainly love to see some fantasy creatures at some point.
Steven Clark
I admit, I love world building, especially fantasy worlds and backgrounds. I'll admit your current area of focus is not my area of expertise... In fact, you just finished one of my Areas :P (Bretonnians...so medieval English and French) Still, I'd love to see some Beastmen from you, or Orcs, or Lizardmen... and High Elves, maybe Albion, or Amazons, Nippon and Cathay inspired themes, Dark Elven slavers... There's so much room and scope. All of which will come later, so I will watch with interest and chip in with ideas when and where I can!
David Taggart-Atkinson
This is EPIC!!!!!
CooperSM2
Yes! This, please ^
Vincent
As a Scotsman I appreciated the bagpiper you released some months ago. I would love to see a full unit of Highlanders or Clansmen wielding either claymore and targe or broadswords. Possibly they originate from the island west of Wittenberg on the map and maybe that island is named Dál Riata. They usually come to mainland Sunland as mercenaries and therefore will fight for whichever army pays the most, or just amongst themselves. Highland Miniatures needs Highlanders!
Leonard Turčan
I will love whatever you'll come up with. That being said if parts of the Empire could host other races, like in Nuln or Cities of Sigmar. I come from a place where dwarfs elves and fairies were common beliefs (also almost anything that can be found in the Witcher books/games and than some) and some of them were considered friendly (fairies gave our folk hero three magic artefacts after he danced with them)
Jon Letham
Anything that fits the Dogs of War look is a win IMO.
Jon Letham
Agreed. The Warhammer Empire look was always a turn off for me too. Conquistadors I can get behind.
Mark
Also, pirates!
Mark
Fourth, if you're doing a fantasy Islamic world, there's a lot of diversity to explore. Six regions/styles to think about as semi-independent countries within a greater Islam-inspired army are Morocco/North Africa/the Berbers, Egyptian/Syrian Arabs, Bedouins, Seljuks/Turks, Persians, and Central Asians/the Silk Road city-states.
Ben Twineham
How fantastic!I can't wait to see how each subfaction develops. I think involving your patrons in the development process is great, and I look forward to doing my part!
Mark
This is very ambitious! I especially like the breakdown of armies into civilizations, empires, countries, and regions -- it adds a lot of nuance. A few suggestions... First, if you're designing a fantasy version of Kyivan Rus, you might want to think of it as three sub-polities / armies with common design elements (Slavic) and region-specific influences (Byzantine for Kyiv, Baltic/Finnic pagan for Novgorod, and Mongol for Vladimir/Muscovy). Second, a better name for a fantasy Poland might be "Mazovia" (Volhynia became a Polish land relatively late and was an outlying province). Unfortunately, the best alternative name -- Sarmatia -- has already been claimed by another fantasy game. Third, the historical Aragon and Castile had differences that can be amplified in a fantasy setting. Aragon was more of a confederacy of different sub-principalities (including Valencia and Catalonia) and was a naval / trading power in the Mediterranean. Castile could be portrayed as more monarchical, more religious, and more land-army oriented.
Wim D.
I love the idea, and I think it's great that you want to involve the community in the creation of the lore. Personally I can't wait to see what you'll do with the Spanish-inspired troops. I really like their overall aesthetic, it would be great to have realistic miniatures for them.
Miłosz Kiliński
That's so freaking cool. Been waiting for these miniatures for ever! Can't wait :D
The X vs Y concept is great. Tho I hate the Empire "puffy shirts" look, I can't wait to see the Barbarians/Chaos evil guys !
I am sure a story need to make some corrections. Everyone knows that Novgorod, Lord Great Novgorod is a free city. Relations with Kiev’s princedom are not easy. Nogorod entered the state "Тhe barbarian Hordes" after the capital moved from Kiev to Moscow. Also there was a long war between Moskow and Novgorod, you know the result. Good characters will be Sadko (legendary merchant-musician), Alexander Nevsky (prince, historical character), it is worth mentioning the noble boyar Shishkov, whose merits in the defense of the city from the Swedes (imperials of the sun) have been known for centuries
amazing !
Phil Walling
This sounds amazing. I love the idea of a developing lore, setting and characters. The factions as you have laid them out sound very characterful. I am really looking forward to seeing how this all develops You are both doing such an amazing job.
I am still more a fantasy guy than a historical one, but getting two units instead the musician/bannerman being separate is a nice move. Can't wait for new release, good job.
Angel Sainz
Fron the 8 new groups presented, I really like 7 of them. They sound really amazing. Dogs of War? Classic barbarians? Hussars? Yeah! All amazing except for Sunland. I never liked the Empire aesthetic... I hope a terrible plague kills most of them and the Empire of the Sun has to rely on the (I’m sure amazing) Tercios
Sounds great! I really like the idea of Sunland and Novgorod.
Ryan Smith
This sounds like it is kind of set up like a table top version of age of empires and I love it!! Big fan of different empires than different races. Almost like historical meets fantasy!
Charles Feduke
Absolutely love the direction y'all are taking this and based off of the brilliant work from the previous year these new factions are going to be amazing.
I'm really happy with the introduction of a lore background with your beautiful models, and the ideas you came up with sound very original, compared to other (often bigger) designers who just say: "yeah let's do something with chaos dwarves/rat-men/sea/Egypt/Greece/Vikings this month". I think it's really cool that you are designing your own universe around it, and to have that as the starting point and have limitless possibilities from there on. I also LOVE the fact that you will keep the historical inspirations, so I'm very happy with this!!! <3
Arsenio Gárate Jauffred
Eea que bien! 👏🏻🙌🏻
