The Broken Contract Kickstarter

Restraint Drone plucking a Breaker helplessly out of a rioting mob. 

Right now there is a Kickstarter running for the Broken Contract Miniature Starter Set. This set is part of a passion project I've been working on for the last year and a half. Broken Contract is a miniature adventure game. It is equal parts boardgame, miniature wargame, and RPG. It tries to capture the excitement of an action-adventure movie in game form without getting too cerebral. The goal is for the players (2-8) to immerse themselves in the characters and events as they unfold. It uses an extensive list of actions with simple D6 rolls to perform them to allow for everything from leaping chasms to diving under closing doors without elaborate abstraction interfering with your mental image of the events.

The game's story set in a dystopian future where workers are simply resources to be exploited. From time to time, workers rise up and lash out against their corporate masters. The year is 2308AD and mankind has spread to the stars in search of new resources. Corporations have supplanted nations, and all of humanity is tethered in some degree to them. Broken Contract, for now, is focusing on one such corporation, FerrumSky. On the far off planet of Hathor we meet a cast of characters bound to FerrumSky in the iron mines of Orin Settlement. 

Four of the Characters from the Kickstarter. Officer Hickley, Adesi Haddonis, Nells Turnbull, and Trest.

This Kickstarter is trying to raise money to manufacture that introductory cast of characters, and it has succeeded in meeting the initial funding goal which is FANTASTIC! Still, we're trying to push it even further so that we can fund a bunch of terrifying, oppressive, flying drones, because why kind of dystopian future would it be without things like Surveillance Drones, Sonic Disruptor Drones, Gas Drones, Terrorwave Drones. and Restraint Drones? Yes. I have Drone dreams, and we need help making them a reality. Check out the Kickstarter and think about giving us a boost toward that dream.

Thanks!

-Nick

Scenery for Sale! Lovingly Crafted Scenery Here!

Some things have come up and I need money quickly so I'm going to try and purge my scenery collection for virtual cash. Some of these pieces have been with me for as many as 10+ years. Some of them were documented originally on my old blog, Redemptors of Golinar, when I moved to Chicago in 2006. But here I sit in my new home of Milwaukee and I need cash for a multitude of bills, so they have to go.

Small Shanty: This shack was built for an Ork themed shanty town when I first moved to Chicago in 2006. Plasticard, rock, sand, and something out of the inside of an old computer. $25.00.

Storage Tank: Built in Buffalo, NY in 2002 or 2004, I'm not sure exactly when, but this piece has seen many battles over the years. CD-R spindle, Plastruct, brass tubing, card, and a Leman Russ handle. The foamcore base was added in early 2009. $35.00

Chimney Stack: Built around 2006, this piece is built out of foamcore, cardstock, sand, and a fax paper tube. $25.00

Shanty Garage/Mek Workshop: This piece combines an "Ork tent" with little workshop off of the back. The piece features an Imperial Guard dozer blade, Citadel barrel, some off brand modular piping/ladder, Plastruct, sintra, corrugated cardboard, sand, and even paper towel soaked in glue. $40.00.

The Great Pinnacle: This piece stands just under 16" high in truly epic grandeur. I love this piece even if its a pain to store. Its actually large enough that a Stompa could use it for cover. It was built in Chicago in early 2009. I even found the blogpost from when I "finished it." I actually later went back and added weathering powders when I got them in like 2012.  Foamcore, foam insulation, sand, and a lot of spackling. $35.00

Gateway Spires: One of my favorite types of pieces to build are the pieces of scenery that create a pathway. I love the visual of it. Anyway, the taller of the two spires stands 10". Built in early 2009 in Chicago out of foamcore, foam insulation, sand, and spackling. $25.00

Mid Spire: This spire is a little smaller, still coming in at 11" tall. It features two mated foam spires on a built up base. Built in Chicago in early 2009. Foamcore, foam insulation, sand, and spackling. $20.00

The Pinnacles Set: Buy the whole Pinnacles set for $75.00 so they don't have to be separated from their friends.

Desert Scrub Forest: The scrub forest. Natural broom bristles, foamcore, foam insulation, sand, and spackling. $25.00

thirdxparty@hotmail.com if you want to pick some things up. Prices do not include postage.

Thanks for reading.
-Nick

Zombicide: Rue Morgue in Milwaukee

In December two "big" things took place. The first thing that took place was that my girlfriend's copy of Zombicide: Rue Morgue came in the mail (Epic! I know.) The second thing was that my girlfriend and I moved to Milwaukee.

As the name 2ndCityWarzone might imply, this blog was born of gamers in Chicago. Originally, there were several of us who regularly blogged. Then the herd thinned further and further as interests and responsibilities changed, and in some cases people moved away. I've kept the torch going the longest and here I am, typing a post for 2ndCityWarzone while sitting in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee in our new place. I'd love to see some of the old guard in Chicago pick the torch back up again so I feel more like a guest blogger than a poser, but I don't have faith that will happen.

One of the first things to get unpacked and set up were my display cases and miniatures, because that's important; in part to make sure everything survived the journey. There were a couple of repair jobs necessary after the move, but nothing significant.

Since getting to Milwaukee I've had the pleasure of getting the grand gaming tour from my old boss at Next Dimension Games, Nate. He's shown me every cool gaming store, hobby store, and comic book store that sells games in pretty much all the nearby suburbs. It was very nice of him to do that and I can't thank him enough.

With the big move I haven't done a lot of gaming. I went back to Chicago once and met with some of my Broken Contract play testers to try out a new demo scenario and just hang out - but that's been it for gaming. I did get my first Broken Contract casts in the mail, so that was very exciting for me.

These models are Officer Hickley, Trest the Gen-Mod, and Talla Kellerman the Technician.

I'm working on painting them now - slowly but surely.

Officer Hickley with some paint on him. He's like 1/3 complete... Unless I change him completely, of course.

I still have a ways to go, but he's coming along. I've also been working on a ton of scenery for the game and have been doing a whole series on it on the Broken Contract design blog.

Model's eye view from within my futuristic "FerrumSky Iron Mine" terrain board.

Long story short, I really want to change my lack of game playing here in Milwaukee, so I created an event on MeetUp.com to try and meet some new people here in Riverwest who might be into gaming. To that end, I'm hosting Zombicide: Rue Morgue at Fuel Cafe this Wednesday night at 7PM. If you're from the Milwaukee area and follow this blog, or just stumbled across this post on BoLS blog feed, feel free to come out and play some Zombicide. I'm really looking forward to playing some games, meeting some people, and playing the new game. The changes are subtle but interesting and Zombicide is always a good time. Hopefully people come out.

Thanks for reading!
-Nick

Now Accepting Commission Scenery Work

Top quality detailing on a Skyshield Landing Pad I did for Next Dimension Games in Chicago. It now resides with the Brohammer Gaming Club in Chicago.

I am currently accepting commission terrain work. Nothing brings our beloved hobby to life like beautiful scenery to play on. I've been building and painting scenery for a long time dating back to my old gaming store Adventures Unleashed in Buffalo, NY during the mid 90's and working for GW in the early 2000's at GW#108 in Buffalo.

I can quickly take the resin and plastic terrain you've been collecting for ages and turn it into gorgeous table top scenery. 

Over the years my scenery and terrain painting skills have adorned Transit Station and Jester's Cap (now Two Kings) in Buffalo, NY, Next Dimension Games in Chicago, AdeptiCon's 40K Warzone Tournament, and photo quality scenery for box art used by Hyacinth Games/Wreck-Age.

I'll gladly combine kits to give more personality to your terrain. This Cities of Death building was based with GW Moonscape Crater to give the appearance it took a direct missile hit.

More GW scenery painted for Next Dimension Games. 40K Ammo Crates on a Realm of Battle board.

Hyacinth Games has commissioned me to paint most of their resin terrain for photo use.

The resin tents and campfire were quickly and affordably painted for Hyacinth Games.

You'll get more for your dollar by having me paint the terrain you already own, but I can building something custom completely from the ground up.

Custom urban arch built as a centerpiece for my home Cities of Death board. This piece has been used in the 40K Warzone Tournament at AdeptiCon in 2013 and 2014.

4'x4' trench board built specifically for the 40K Warzone Tournament at AdeptiCon. It is currently available for sale.

I can do everything from quick game play ready to photo ready depending on your needs and budget. Contact me here: thirdxparty@hotmail.com

Thanks for reading.
-Nick