Well, the title has given away the big news.
Gunslinger is changing for the better but first we need to talk about the Patreon for this month.
As an introductory offer for the next iteration of Gunslinger (more details below) we’re offering this month’s membership at a new lower rate but still with the same 10 figures release as previous months. This month you’ll be getting six Kojoti Security figures searching for intruders, and a brand new Character team introducing you all to the High Risk Contractors. Fans of a certain series of games will probably recognise the facemasks and high-collared body armour, but for hobbyists everywhere, this team will give you the perfect centre-piece for your table, four hardcore nutcases armed to the teeth and ready to go to war.
“Some Jobs are best done in the dark. That’s not our style.”
Taylor – High Risk Contractor
To take advantage of this offer and see the future of Gunslinger early, join up on the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/flytrapfactory/posts. Figures will be out just before Christmas, perfect for giving you a new force in the new year.
It’s been a very exciting past few months here at Gunslinger. We’ve released over 54 figures via Patreon, started creating and detailing the fictional world of 2030 with our first two factions, launched our first Kickstarter project (which has already slammed through the funding goals) and gained a great set of Patrons. We’ve managed to launch into a saturated market and make a reasonable impression.
However, a vital part of Gunslinger is operating in a sustainable way that doesn’t negatively affect all of us involved – Anton is the sole sculptor at Flytrap for all of its projects, while Dan, Bing and myself have day jobs and other commitments to maintain (such as Desk-Ops and this very blog). Gunslinger is but one of many projects Flytrap Digital is working on – between the SOG Kickstarter, WARPOD and Phase 3 of Kojoti, there will be roughly 50 models being released in December, all sculpted by Anton. While the Patreon mostly pays for itself, Flytrap’s ability to produce Kickstarters such as DROPTROOPER and SOG helps the company (and more importantly the people running it) to keep on top of things and plan ahead, especially in such turbulent times.
After seeing the impact of the last few months, the team at Flytrap has realised the plan for Gunslinger needs adjusting to make sure we can keep bringing you the quality of figures we’ve promised since the start while still allowing us to feel fresh and excited for the project, rather than slogging through for the sake of a plan formed months ago or constantly worrying about its future.
The Plan
From January 2024 we are retiring the existing Gunslinger release model and moving forward with a new one. This involves switching to a lower price point ($9.50 a month) and producing six figures a month (rather than the current 10+) with a new theme for each release (rather than sticking to one theme for three months).
This change of plan provides a few major benefits for you, our customers:
- We can work much more sustainably each month, allowing for greater focus, iteration and testing on each figure released to minimise issues for the customer once the figures are out. It’s more time for us to double-check the figures are fully printable, work out any minor tweaks and prepare sets that are the best they can be.
- Rather than being locked to a particular theme for a quarter, we can vary our releases to deliver more interesting and unique teams for our setting and your tabletop. If a theme is not to your liking, you won’t have long to wait before a new and exciting set is on it’s way
- We are also able to work faster, with the aim of soon being able to preview next month’s release before Patrons are charged on the first of the month, making sure that you know what you’re getting when you hand your money over.
There are a few key areas we are not changing:
- The Core Tenants of Gunslinger mentioned in the initial mission statement are still in effect
- 80% Realistic, 20% Cinematic, 100% Playable
- Onwards and Upwards
- Operate with Integrity
- The HYRDRA system will continue, with each month giving you a set of heads that are compatible with any models going both forward and back in the catalogue.
- Every figure released is designed to be a cinematic and exciting piece, working both at 28mm on your tabletop or rescaled to larger sizes such 54mm for your desk or display case.
This is an opportunity to re-focus our output on one of our unique points – tying the unique and exciting figures in tightly to the setting of Gunslinger 2030. Each set will provide an insight into the ever-evolving world, joining one of the many narrative threads we have planned to push it forward, connecting each and every release and giving them a purpose in the overall setting. If you don’t wish to use our setting in your games, our new figures are based off units in the real world and so are ideal for many different game types, including some outside of the traditional ultramodern setting. We’ll also be including a generic head in each set if you want to make the force your own, as well as information on some of our inspirations to help you get them to the tabletop.
Not Only Patreon
This change in model will also allow us to expand our Gunslinger releases. As much as we have enjoyed releasing Black Sector’s Global Interdiction Group and Kojoti’s Team Chernobog, we have realised that Patreon is not the right place to release such large sets sustainably. However, we would love to return to releasing these larger forces at some point, utilising Kickstarter to run a full campaign to allow us time to do these sets properly, without having to rush our development process.
Additonally, we’re aiming to supplement the Patreon with some smaller releases via MyMiniFactory. From specific characters from the setting of Gunslinger 2030 to packs designed to supplement previous releases (Black Sector does need some carbine-equipped breachers), these releases will be an ideal entry point to the world of Gunslinger 2030, as well as providing some useful figures for a whole host of other games.
The First Quarter
As a taster of what we have in store for you in the next phase of Gunslinger, these are the first three teams we are in the process of developing:
- January will see the introduction of a new faction, Raptor Diagnostics, in the form of one of their Field Operations Teams deployed to Syria, the same region as Kojoti Team Chernobog. While protecting their clients, these low visibility operators take advantage of the latest equipment to keep themselves aware of their environments when operating in hostile urban territory, while also carrying advanced weapon systems to spot and engage targets from the air at a moment’s notice.
- February will show what else Kojoti are up to in Syria using the blowback from some events coming up in this month’s set. While Team Chernobog are rolling around the open desert in pickup trucks taking part in large-scale operations, other teams are working in the dense urban sprawl of Damascus, hunting down opponents of the regime along with targets of opportunity for other clients. For this task, Team Domovoy has formed specialised units of the Kojoti Kill Teams, armed with weapon systems designed for fighting room to room as well as having tools to assist in pushing through walls as if they don’t exist to hunt down their prey. What these teams may lack in finesse, they make up for in aggression, ideally suited for room-to-room fighting.
- March opens up an entirely new narrative thread in the Gunslinger 2030 setting, taking us away from the Middle East and a bit closer to the USA. A former US Marine Colonel has returned to his homeland after finishing his military career. With the local economy on the rise due to worldwide economic shifts, he is taken aback by the control of local criminal elements and pledges to take the fight to them. This involves hiring former allies, veteran special forces soldiers from both the US and abroad to function as a mercenary army, armed and equipped with some of the mountain of surplus the US DoD has lying around in 2030. This is Contiki, and Team Arachnid will be your first introduction to a passion project that Anton has been conjuring up for literally years, even back in the physically sculpted days. It will also be a chance for us to bring some new details to the range that I don’t think we’ve seen elsewhere, all aiming to make this team feel like the varied group of individuals that it is in the world of Gunslinger 2030.
Beyond those months, we are already thinking of where Gunslinger can go next. The world of 2030 is not short on conflict zones – we’ve touched upon the collapse of the Russian Federation in our details of the Burya-156 team, but there are other stories to tell, and other factions to detail. World Powers utilise proxy forces and covert actors to make up for their declining Military budgets, while criminal groups and extra-national organisations establish themselves in this new world by taking advantage of resources once out of their reach. Conflict zones will be worldwide, even stretching to the most isolated continent, as increasing shortages and the worsening climatic conditions sees countries re-evaluating international agreements.
This update should hopefully give you a sneak peek into what’s coming up next for Gunslinger. We’ve learnt a lot over the first 6 months, and we’re excited at going into 2024 with a new plan, some great ideas for sets and some other things in the lab as well. From all of us at Flytrap, we hope you’ll come with us on the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/flytrapfactory. For just $9.50 a month, you can join in and see all the fantastic sets with have in the pipeline, as well as getting the December set for a great price.
Plus, if you like clanky robots doing bizarre and frankly worrying things, the patreon also includes a level that grants access to both Gunslinger AND WARPOD. These guys are Anton’s passion project that he’s been working hard on to make a range packed full of charm (and deadly high explosives). From the brave defenders of Cable Drift (pictured above) to the Warpod Rotorcan, each set is ideal for sitting down, painting up and enjoying all the little details.
That’s all for now, see you later this month for the arrival of Kojoti Phase 3!