Dropfleet Commander - Newsletter #5

Some more news on the upcoming Kickstarter...

TABLE OF CONTENTS • Dropfleet Commander - Newsletter #5 • Shaltari • Pledge levels for the Kickstarter • UCMF Atlantis • Thank You IN THE NEXT NEWSLETTER The Kickstarter More images Dropfleet Commander - Newsletter #5 Tuesday 27th October 2015 System checks have been made, the fusion drives are fired up, and by the end of this week we’ll be launching our Kickstarter Campaign for Dropfleet Commander! Today we have some more in-depth information about the pledge levels we plan to offer backers, as well as showing off some design aesthetic for the Shaltari fleet, as well as some background and images of the UCMF Atlantis, the Kickstarter exclusive model only available at certain pledge levels. Shaltari The Shaltari tend towards less bulky (or ‘clumsy’) human designs, preferring sleek but powerful arches and curves. Their focus on speed and manoeuvre has eliminated the need for turrets, leading to many of their weapons having set facings. This is rarely a problem for Shaltari fleet commanders as their experience of void combat invariably exceeds that of their enemy, having been accumulated over many lifetimes of battle. Coupled with highly accurate, devastating armaments and advanced energy shields, the Shaltari are as formidable in space as they are planet-side. Pledge levels for the Kickstarter We want to make the Campaign as open as possible for everyone who would like to be a backer, but we also don’t want to create vast amounts of pledge levels that are confusing in terms of what rewards are available. We are offering levels that, we hope, are clear and concise, but also that provide backers with the flexibility to choose something that’s best for them. When the campaign is over we will be sending out a survey so that backers can choose any options, bolt-ons or variations they like (e.g. if a backes has added a fleet, which faction it is from). - Lieutenant Dropfleet Commander Rulebook and a Starter Fleet This level includes the full colour rulebook for the game and one plastic starter fleet. You can also add any bolt-ons to your pledge that might be unlocked during the Kickstarter. This level will also receive any ‘All Backer’ free rewards. - Commander Dropfleet Commander 2 Player Starter Set This includes the 2 player starter boxed game, including the UCM and Scourge fleets, complete full-sized rulebook, dice, templates, tape measure, launch asset tokens, starter battle mat and cluster tokens. As above, you can also add bolt-ons to your pledge, and receive ‘All Backer’ free rewards. You will also receive all 'Commander Level' stretch goal rewards for free. - Captain (Limited) Double Dropfleet Commander 2 Player Starter Set + Model This limited pledge level includes two copies of the 2 player starter set (as detailed above). This gives two players the option to have a much larger fleet to start with, with each player getting all of the game accessories found in the 2 Player Starter Set. It is also a great way for single player backers wanting to get two large fleets, as this option is a saving on the planned retail price. As with Commander and  Lieutenant, you can also add bolt-ons to your pledge, and will receive 'All Backer' free rewards. You will also receive all 'Commander Level' and 'Captain level' stretch goal rewards for free. This pledge includes the limited edition UCMF Atlantis model. This is one of a few Kickstarter exclusives, and is a UCM Battlecruiser that is only available to backers of this pledge level or the Admiral Pledge level and will never be available anywhere but via these two levels. - Captain Double Dropfleet Commander 2 Player Starter Set This pledge level includes two copies of the 2 player starter set. This gives two players the option to have a much larger fleet to start with, with each player getting all of the game accessories found in the 2 Player Starter Set. It is also a great way for single player backers wanting to get two large fleets, as this option is a saving on the planned retail price. As with Commander and  Lieutenant, you can also add bolt-ons to your pledge, and will receive 'All Backer' free rewards. You will also receive all 'Commander Level' and 'Captain level' stretch goal rewards for free. - UK Admiral The Dropfleet Commander Everything Bundle This pledge level is limited. UK Admiral gives you everything you can get from this Campaign; one of every unlock, every reward (including the limited edition UCMF Atlantis model), and every bolt-on from the start to the finish (a full list will be updated during the campaign). The Admiral Pledge level also includes something that is only available to these backers: Beta access to the game. Hawk Wargames will be running Beta Test Days, and the UK Admiral Pledge allows for all backers of this level early access to test the game out. You will also receive a numbered beta copy of the rules signed by the Hawk Wargames Team. The UK Beta Test Day, will be held in South London, near to the Hawk HQ, and all UK Admiral Backers will be invited, along with one extra guest each, to come and play some games and give us feedback on the system before it is released, along with meeting the design Team. This will allow backers to actually be a part of giving feedback to the game before it goes to print, and help us to put the finishing touches to Dropfleet Commander. - US Admiral The Dropfleet Commander Everything Bundle This pledge level is limited. US Admiral gives you everything you can get from this Campaign; one of every unlock, every reward (including the limited edition UCMF Atlantis model), and every bolt-on from the start to the finish (a full list will be updated during the campaign). The Admiral Pledge level also includes something that is only available to these backers: Beta access to the game. Hawk Wargames will be running Beta Test Days, and the US Admiral Pledge allows for all backers of this level early access to test the game out. You will also receive a numbered beta copy of the rules signed by the Hawk Wargames Team. The US Beta Test Day, will be held in the USA (location and exact date tbc), and all US Admiral Backers will be invited, along with one extra guest each, to come and play some games and give us feedback on the system before it is released, along with meeting some of the design Team. This will allow backers to actually be a part of giving feedback to the game before it goes to print, and help us to put the finishing touches to Dropfleet Commander. UCMF Atlantis The UCMF Atlantis is a Kickstarter Exclusive UCM Battlecruiser, only available to Admiral and Limited Captain Pledge Level backers. We are planning to create other Battlecruisers in the future, but this specific model will only ever be available via the Kickstarter. The Atlantis will have a special set of rules, which players may use in friendly games. However, this unit can be used as standard version i.e. the Atlantis model may be used in standard games as a Battlecruiser, using Battlecruiser rules. This lets players take part in fun scenarios and create their own narrative games, while still using their special edition models in normal and competitive play. The exclusivity comes from the model itself. The Atlantis has had an illustrious career fighting for the UCMF. Despite being a prototype battlecruiser and not being ultimately the final design chosen by the admirals due to the huge cost, it is still in service, and has distinguished itself in many battles, most memorably during the Irkallu Depths incident. Thank You At Hawk Wargames, we are always grateful for the support we are given from Dropzone Commander players, and the wider wargaming community. We have been humbled by the support that everyone has showed so far since the announcement of Dropfleet Commander, and hope that we can deliver a fantastic game and range of miniatures, with your help and your support in this Kickstarter Campaign. We are planning for everything to kick off this Friday, with backers receiving regular updates on the campaign from then onwards. We will be continuing our updates and summaries of how the Campaign is going to our newsletter subscribers during the Kickstarter Campaign, though there will be more regular updates on the the Updates section of this Kickstarter. We hope that, with your backing, we can make Dropfleet Commander a success. - The Hawk Wargames Team