Wild West Exodus Kickstarter
Anyone who follows my work over at Hand Cannon Online may have noticed I did a writeup for a Kickstarter last week titled Wild West Exodus. Up to this point I’ve stuck to a single tabletop wargame (Warmachine, of course). But something about the WWX appealed to me. I think it’s partly from watching a lot of Spaghetti Westerns featuring Clint Eastwood. Combine that with some Civil War themes and notable characters from American history (Grant, Lincoln, Sitting Bull, etc) and color me interested. Also look for the Firefly-themed Merc crew. Now add in some really good-looking minis and I was willing to read through and watch the videos.
Next was the rule system being D10 based, rather than D6 and the used of the influence tokens to try and hedge your bets on important rolls. While it appears the early “Charlie” rules that are currently available are a far cry from the beta rules to be released near the end of the KS, it seems like a simple ruleset.
For me and those I’ve talked with, this game is going to appeal at a low-model-count, skirmish level. A boss, and underboss, couple sidekicks and a group of hired hands should be plenty. This will provide a western shootout feel rather than an epic battle between massive armies. To add to this shootout look and fell, there appears to be an early emphasis on terrain, both linear obstacle and buildings. The KS even includes a set of custom linear obstacles and multiple choices for buildings. They have also added in what are essentially small tanks and hover-bike motorcycles, but I don’t see those fitting in well with the skirmishes I picture in my head. Still the terrain of a town with buildings and such should limit their movement, meaning a tank may be able to hold the main street, but individual models can still be all over the alleys, building and linears for protections.
I’m excited to see how this one plays out. The KickStarter is already well past its initial goal and lots of extra and add ons have been put up. Now it’s just a matter of deciding the optimal level to get in at. Also go check out Nog’s blog for some details on the minis themselves as they sent him a test sprue to paint up.