Hammer's Slammers

[Musketeer]

You should do a miniature game based on vehicles and squads but at a smaller scale than W40k & SST. Make it so people could collect a regiment of armor if the wanted, like the old Epic of GW but in a new enviorement with new rules.

I can think of no better area to focus than the universe created by David Drake. If you have not read his Hammer's Slammers http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/189238969X/sr=8-1/qid=1148679637/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-6790382-8640706?%5Fencoding=UTF8 series of books and stories about a armored mercenary regiment of the future you are missing out big time! It is military sci fi at its best and I have been reading it for 20 years. The closest I could see to it was Fasa's Centurion in the Renegade Legion universe.

There is a small UK based company doing a very little for this series at present. http://david-drake.com/hswargame.html

As I see it they have the PERMISSION of the author but no rights... They look to have done a nice job but they have absolutely NO exposure in the United States and they have nowhere near Mongoose's distribution.

Benifits are:

Detailed universe with a "real world" military design. (Drake is a Vietnam armor vet)

Scale not commonly encounterred / abiltiy to do a larger unit and concentrate on larger unit actions.

TANKS!!! (Come on, you know you want them!)

Unlimited Factions! This is a mercenary universe. Make up whatever organizations and races you want! Plenty of design leeway.

Established reputation in the hard core military Sci-Fi crowd.

 

[Aramanthus]

Minitures and an RPG would be very cool! I'd be either of them!

 

[Mark A. Siefert]

There is a small UK based company doing a very little for this series at present. http://david-drake.com/hswargame.html

As I see it they have the PERMISSION of the author but no rights... They look to have done a nice job but they have absolutely NO exposure in the United States and they have nowhere near Mongoose's distribution.

No offence, but I think Old Crow/GZG have done a pretty good job with their Hammer's Slammers offerings. I find them more than adequate for gaming purposes.

http://www.hammers-slammers.com/

Pireme is working on a supplement, to their "Hammer's Slammers Handbook," titled "Hammer's Anvils," that they hope to release later this year, and Old Crow is just about to release 15mm hover jeeps.

Really, does Mongoose have to scarf-up the rights to every sci-fi licence when smaller companies are already on the case?

 

[Hiromoon]

.....ok Mark, it was a suggestion. I wouldn't mind, myself, a 28mm version of Hammers Slammers.

 

[Mark A. Siefert]

.....ok Mark, it was a suggestion. I wouldn't mind, myself, a 28mm version of Hammers Slammers.

Old Crow and GZG already make 25mm tanks and figs for HS... or are we going to get nitpicky about 3mm?

 

[Musketeer]

A good idea is worthless if it is not distributed properly.

It looks like the folks working on the game have done a good job making it but just do not have the horsepower to bring any attention to it and distribute it. If the system is sound then perhaps a limtied partnership between Mongoose and the current publisher? Mongoose can provide the distribution muscle and possibly develop the game further.

I like the looks of the game but the bottom line is people in the USA will never get a chance to play it because it is not on a single shelf here. Has anyone even seen it on shelves in the UK?

 

[derek]

A good idea is worthless if it is not distributed properly.

G'Day

Um? Here we are on the internet. What's wrong with that?

Cheers

Derek

 

[Musketeer]

A good idea is worthless if it is not distributed properly.

G'Day

Um? Here we are on the internet. What's wrong with that?

Cheers

Derek

Sorry but that just isn't good enough for something like a game. In addition the cost too bring everything to the States one order at a time will make it prohibitive to many gamers. Many others are just not aware of it.

The internet is a good part of marketing a product but it can not be the only solution for a game.

I like the whole concentp of the game and have been reading Drake since Hammer's Slammers was first published. At the same time I am not going to order it from the UK due to the cost and lack of other gamers here who would play it.

 

[derek]

Sorry but that just isn't good enough for something like a game.

G'Day

Rubbish, before the internet, with web sites and game companies like GW the only way I could get wargaming rules and miniatures was via mail order and for a lot of items that fall out side of a few lines like GW, FOW and various card games that is still the case. Yes even here in far away Tasmania we have gaming shops but their bread and butter is mostly GW fare and card games.

Also for the most part wargaming is a cottage industry, not every wargames company is a GW, Battlefront or Mongoose Publishing who can distrubute their product to the four corners of the globe. So the internet or advertising in wargaming magazines is probably the only way these small compaines have of selling their games/miniatures to you.

Cheers

Derek

 

[Hiromoon]

.....ok Mark, it was a suggestion. I wouldn't mind, myself, a 28mm version of Hammers Slammers.

Old Crow and GZG already make 25mm tanks and figs for HS... or are we going to get nitpicky about 3mm?

Why not? Heck, people get grumpy over 2mm between 30mm and 28mm.

 

[Mark A. Siefert]

A good idea is worthless if it is not distributed properly.

So, in order to the "distribution" that you think is appropriate, Mongoose has to swoop in , snatch up the Hammer's Slammers IP, and p-ss on the people at Old Crow and GZG who put their hard work into miniatures and rules that David Drake has already given his blessing to?

How magnanimous of you...

 

[Musketeer]

So, in order to the "distribution" that you think is appropriate, Mongoose has to swoop in , snatch up the Hammer's Slammers IP, and p-ss on the people at Old Crow and GZG who put their hard work into miniatures and rules that David Drake has already given his blessing to?

How magnanimous of you...

You may also note that if Drake dows not give permission to Mongoose then they couldn't do squat. Drake though seems happy with what the people at Crow and GZG have done for his books. At the same time don't you think he might want to see some broader exposure for the game?

AS far as your shot at me, you really should try reading all posts before getting personal. If you had you would have read the following:

It looks like the folks working on the game have done a good job making it but just do not have the horsepower to bring any attention to it and distribute it. If the system is sound then perhaps a limtied partnership between Mongoose and the current publisher? Mongoose can provide the distribution muscle and possibly develop the game further.

 

[Mark A. Siefert]

Very well, I was hasty and I apologize. I'm just very protective of small game companies. A lot of good stuff comes from them.

 

[Musketeer]

Very well, I was hasty and I apologize. I'm just very protective of small game companies. A lot of good stuff comes from them.

nO problem, and I love the idea that a small company came up with theis system and brought it out. Wouldne't it be great though if a liscensing agreement between the original developers, David Drake, and Mongoose could be created where Mongoose acts as the distribution for a system developed by another company, perhaps even develop it further?

I would love to play this game but there is no point. I would be the only one in New York playing it unless I bought plenty of untis for everyone. Even then the appeal would be limited as only people who OWN the game are really going to learn it. Mail order is nice when you know what you want but in store demos, cons, and word of mouth at the shops is some of the best advertising for a game. If a game is all mail order its appeal is limited. I just want to see a broader base of players.

 

[Aramanthus]

Can you get a copy of it here in the states? I'd like them (Old Crow) to work on an RPG. If not them, then let MOngoose do that part.

 

[derek]

Can you get a copy of it here in the states? I'd like them (Old Crow) to work on an RPG.

Not too likely as Old Crow produce miniatures, vehicles actually. The personal are produced by Ground Zero Games and the rules are published by the people who publish the Miniatures Wargames Magazine. The best bet would be to ask that question of them

http://www.oldcrowmodels.co.uk/
http://www.gtns.co.uk/gzgstore/
http://www.miniwargames.com/

As I understand it this all came about because the author of the rules is a big hammers slammers fan and ran excellent looking display games at Salute.

http://www.salute.co.uk/slammers3/index.htm

He even went so far as to commission blower tanks and apcs, etc through GZG as well as undertaking lots of kit bashing and conversion of exsiting kits and miniatures.

Obviously he took it all one step further and seeking David Drake's approval getting a new line of miniatures and vehicles produced and getting a rules/resource book published.

If not them, then let MOngoose do that part.

The published game is a miniatures game not a rpg, so I suppose that would be up to Mongoose and David Drake to decide if the rights don't already belong to someone else.

Cheers

Derek

 

[Aramanthus]

Thank you for sharing that with us Derek! I really apreciate that! An RPG would be very very cool if based in the Slammers Universe!

 

[CudaHP]

Biggest thing I see in this thread is that David Drake gave them permission but lot licensing for the line.

Realize a biggy here could be that due to his publishing contract, it might not be legally possible for him to license miniatures or game type products. I am certain I do not know.

For Mongoose to even consider getting involved I am certain they would want a fully binding licensing contract with Mr. Drake and his publidhing company.

Very importantly the current "cottage" manufacturer may not have the wherewithall to be able to pursue such a licensing situation.

 

[John Treadaway]

Hi

I thought (as co-author of the Hammers Slammers handbook being - in part at least - discussed here) that some of you might like to hear what Dave Drake - author of the Hammers Slammers books - has to say on this subject (and I quote):

"Dear People,
With all respect, I would sue the ass off anybody who
attempted to steal my material the way the fellow at the top of this
list suggests. What planet is he from?
Dave Drake"

Hopefully that will help put this forum 'conversation' into the correct context.

John Treadaway

 

[mthomason]

"Dear People,
With all respect, I would sue the ass off anybody who
attempted to steal my material the way the fellow at the top of this
list suggests. What planet is he from?
Dave Drake"

To be fair, I don't see any indication that either the original poster or anyone else here was suggesting illegal use of anyone's intellectual property.