Meridian Miniatures Kickstarter thread.

[Andrew May]

My name is Andrew May, for those of you that don't know me I am a miniatures sculptor working on my own "Steampunk army" miniature range. I've decided to come to Kickstarter to fund the release of the whole range of miniatures at once. These can be used as either two distinct armies or with a little imagination fit into many different settings. Most of the miniatures are already sculpted so there's little ambiguity between what you're pledging for and what you will actually receive, for what isn't sculpted there's similar figures already cast, with no concept art or renders to cross your fingers over.

My miniatures have all been sculpted with optional heads making them extremely flexible in their application to many game worlds, take a look at the painted samples below to see how versatile they really are. That being said I primarily designed the miniatures to fit with the world setting of the wargame "Steam & Aether" that I am currently writing. See the images above to see them kitted out as British and Prussian soldiers.

This is only the first wave of releases to support my new business and coming games system. I plan to release all of my rules on free PDFs updated with each release. And expand to more factions and machines over the coming months. Thanks to every one that has helped contribute towards my venture and to those backing this project.


Campaign can be found at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2004599158/meridian-miniatures-steampunk-army
keep up to date with facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Meridian-Miniatures/278329682295664

 

[Andrew May]

Here's a scale comparison shot, a few backers have asked for one so I felt I had to oblige.

 

[Andrew May]

Bearskin heads up today, perfect for Redcoats, VSF Cossaks, Napoleonic Steampunk etc.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2004599158/meridian-miniatures-steampunk-army

 

[Andrew May]

We broke 50% this morning, great work everyone, thanks so much. We still need to double the amount so share the campaign, tell all your friends and you can all get the army that you want!

 

[Andrew May]

Hi everyone, things are ticking over nicely here and I've been polishing off the next lot of heads for you all.

Tomorrow I will be adding shots of some "compilation" head sprues and and unlocking heads as an add on and pledge level.


I've got a few tricks up my sleeve but was wondering what else you would like to see as add ons? I'm only one person so I have to be realistic about fulfilment but let me know your ideas, any call for things like t-shirts etc?

 

[supervike]

Sorry, I'm not really into that Genre, but you are very talented! I know alot of folks that like the steampunk, and I wish you well.

 

[Andrew May]

Well share away, Supervike!

Hey everyone, due to the amount of requests, I've decided to unlock the headsprues as pledge levels and as add ons.


So first up I have created some "compilation sprues", take a look below.

These should appeal to anyone wanting to convert their existing miniatures or add variety to the ones that they are pledging for here.


Secondly I've updated the main selection of heads with the update additions.

Each variety comes in multiples of 6. If you've not pledged yet and were holding out for heads then I've added 2 separate pledge levels so you can get your sprues (minimum of 3 on the head only pledges). Should any of you want more or to add them onto your existing pledge then you can increase your pledge by £3.30 per additional sprue or multiples of £30 for multiples of 10, it is best to do so now as it will raise the total pledged and bring us all closer to our goal of getting the project funded. Know anyone that might be interested in the separate heads? send 'em on over.


Thanks again everyone.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2004599158/meridian-miniatures-steampunk-army

 

[Andrew May]

Hi guys, those of you that visited Garry's blog http://wp.me/p3yUK6-12 yesterday will have seen one of these already but I've another one to show off.

Just to show again, how versatile the figures can be. Half of these figures have already been posted to my brother for painting, they should be ready soon, maybe even later today if we're lucky. The rest are on my desk, I'm going to have a go at them tomorrow but being so busy you might have to wait a few evenings before I've got anything to show.

 

[Andrew May]

FULLY FUNDED!!!
What a great thing to wake up to! Thanks so much to everyone. Lets see where we can take this now, plenty more up my sleeve!

 

[Andrew May]

My brother, Stephen has been hard at work with the paintbrushes.

 

[Andrew May]

I've just finished adding variation to the figure's heads. Most of the "bare faced" heads are here, to which I've added moustaches, frowns, square chins, wider noses and all sorts to prevent you from having an army with all the same faces!

 

[Andrew May]

Great news tonight, we've passed our first stretch goal. These figures will be sent out for free to anyone pledging at colonel level or higher. Anyone else can add them on by adding £5 to their pledge.


Thanks so much everyone.

 

[Andrew May]

n lieu of a sunny summer's Sunday I've had the brushes out again.


Here's the Prussian family portrait:

Stephen, my brother has been at it too and produced these colourful interpretations:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2004599158/meridian-miniatures-steampunk-army/posts/518511

 

[Andrew May]

Hi everyone, we're nearly there with 7 days remaining!


I took some time to review the project over the weekend and did some calculations so I can give you guys as much as possible. I had initially planned out the rewards to cover the best/worst outcome, what I envisaged was taking lots of small pledges with any and all goals unlocked being added on unevenly in different quantities across a random spread of backers, thus potentially costing me lots in mastering with many production moulds.


What has actually happened is lots of you have pledged the higher amounts, allowing me to put most of the stretch goals in moulds together, with many of you getting them for free so I'll be able to send them out in "sets" with only a few of you adding on random lots (so far).


So, I've unlocked all of the finished specialist sets, so that all of the higher level backers will really be getting their money's worth with 9 free figures included in your reward, even those pledging at sergeant level getting the casualties pack free with your reward.

The rest of the goals in their WIP state have had their goal level reduced too so there's every chance that even more freebies will be heading your way.


As always, those that have pledged below Colonel level can still get your hands on the unlocked goals by adding £5 per specialist set that you wish to add to your pledge


Thanks to everyone involved, go out and spread the word, let's see what we can achieve in the next 7 days!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2004599158/meridian-miniatures-steampunk-army/posts/521589

 

[Andrew May]

Hi everyone, I've put together a rifle and harpoon gun sprue as requested (obviously these are photoshop mock-ups) as add ons. Just treat them the same as a head sprue add on, and let me know that it's what you want on the survey after the campaign.

I'm sure these will be a real boon to all of you converters out there, especially the harpoon guns. Either use them in conjunction with the bodies add on or chop and change the barrels of your troops to make some real undersea fighters!


http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2004599158/meridian-miniatures-steampunk-army

 

[Andrew May]

Over £8.5K now and half way to £9K!

Again, these are work in progress figures so I'll keep you up to date as to their progress.


Thanks everyone, keep the pledges rolling in at this rate and we'll soon have a General to add to the ranks.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2004599158/meridian-miniatures-steampunk-army

 

[Andrew May]

I'm happy to say that the first batch of master castings for my Kickstarter miniatures arrived today. It includes all of the standard troops and 75% of the head sprues. Griffin moulds did a fantastic job as ever so I'll be sending back some masters to make production moulds from while I get the greatcoated figures finished.

 

[Andrew May]

http://steamandaether.blogspot.co.uk/


Over the last few months many of you will have followed my miniatures project here and over on Kickstarter. Over that time I've been musing over and planning out the background story and game world for my ongoing project. To compliment the miniatures that I have sculpted I wanted to create a new setting, separate from traditional Victorian Scifi and still different from the newer and established steampunk settings. So with the the concepts and story all set out I decided to approach a professional writer to coalesce my imaginings into a solid backstory. Mark Latham has done a marvellous job for translating my ideas, approaching the subject matter with great enthusiasm. I'll be publishing the backstory over the next week starting today. I hope everyone that decides to follow it enjoys what we have created. The next stage is the continued development and playtesting of the Steam and Aether ruleset, if you want to stay abreast of what I've got coming then please follow the blog and I'll keep you all updated.

In the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, peace descended on a troubled Europe for the first time in living memory. It was an age of reason, of enlightenment, and progress. An age where the ingenuity of mankind scaled heights previously unimagined. And yet, it was not science or intellect, nor even conquest that was to change the world. It was the discovery of something older and far more mysterious than anything humanity could have dreamt; something that had lain dormant since the dawn of time…

 

[Andrew May]

The final part up today (although a small additional part will be added tomorrow).

With so many horrors, and with France still very much in a state of Aetheric flux, it seems foolhardy for any nation to contemplate expeditions into the wasteland. And yet the Prussian central ministry and the Royal Geographical Society of Britain have put together several expeditionary forces to foray ever deeper into old French territory. And they are not alone—several of Britain’s more partisan regiments have disobeyed orders and entered France in search of riches. Mercenary warbands from rival nations delve into the wasteland unaided. And all this, for the merest opportunity of fame, fortune and the advancement of science beyond measure.

http://steamandaether.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/part-5.html

 

[Andrew May]

As promised.
http://steamandaether.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/additional.html