First off, we've just given her name to the Commander of the Iron Empire Army (may be a bit tongue-in-cheek, but we like old B-movies), so meet General Ilsa Wolfenstein.



In the upcoming Toughest Girls of the Galaxy Kickstarter, you will find her facing, in an epic duel, Daddy Kurganova, the only male figure of the entire TGG project, and the father of our 3 Kurganova sisters.

WE'RE DONE!

We've been working like crazy on the final elements of the TGG presentation, and we are sending it for Kickstarter approval tomorrow. As soon as we get the clearance from the Kickstarter team, we will launch!
We've also created a special treat for you for this launch: a very special opening video for the Kickstarter...

DEALS, TOO!!!

We've been spending the last week crunching numbers like crazy and talking to many people in the industry who had successful Kickstarter in the last few months to make sure we'd be able to give you the best possible experience. 
The result of all this is that we've been able to set up great deals for you for the TGG KS without harming the viability of the project!

RAGING HERALDS AND DROP SHIP PROGRAM

Our Raging Heralds project has now been launched, and today, we are contacting all who applied to personally thank them and let them know what the next step is.

We've set up a new page especially for the Kickstarter Drop Ship Programme, and we've added Taiwan since our last update!

→ BANNERS!

Well, as you know, to make this work, we need YOU!
A smart reader suggested that we provide banners to help spread the word on the Kurganova Shock Troops Kickstarter. So, DONE!
You can grab the banner below and link it to this Kickstarter page (http://www.ragingheroes.com/pages/kickstarter-news) we've set up (until the Kickstarter is actually live).
You can put it on your blog, or as your signature in forum posts, or anywhere else you can think of...



Or the French version:

→ Oh, and in case you haven't yet done so... please FRIEND US!

We've mentioned it before, but may we also strongly suggest that you ask us (Asharah Raging) as a friend on Facebook, (for communication purposes, "Friending" Asharah is more effective than "Liking" the Raging Heroes page). At this point in time, Facebook is probably the best way to get real time info on what's going on with our Kickstarter and other projects.
Asharah Raging is already up 420+ Friends since we've started communicating on this!
You can also follow us on Twitter. We're not very effective Twitterers yet, (but working on it); and all our Facebook posts do get an automatic Twitter update.

PS/ Want to make sure you know when we get started? Just sign up for our newsletter.
Want to help out? Please leave a comment below - just remember to use your actual email address so we can contact you (don't worry, it won't be visible online).

To make this happen, PLEASE, PLEASE, SPREAD THE WORD!

And a big heartfelt THANK YOU to those who already are!!!

Written on May 17, 2013
1 comments — Add your comment

As we're just a few days away from launching the Toughest Girls of the Galaxy Kickstarter, we wanted to give you a bit more inside information about what to expect.

WHEN DOES IT START?!

Right now, we're wrapping up the last details: wrote up the Kickstarter blurb (still being edited), video's almost completed (the real-time renderer ain't acutally real-time, we noticed...), crunched one more time the numbers for the stretch goals and brought the shipping costs as low as we dared, and this week, asked our concept artist to create just a few more characters/units for the end of the week, because we felt the TGG Army just would not be complete without them...

What we'll do is put up a countdown on our frontpage as soon as we have Kickstarter approval and know that nothing can alter the start date. (Anybody who wants to suggest a good one for me to use, let me know below).
Why a countdown? 3 words: Early Birds Specials!

Comments? Questions? We're listening…

And if you want to know what got us started on the Toughest Girls of the Galaxy, check out the Kurganova sisters...

QUICK RECAP

Here's a quick recap of the type of miniatures you can expect:

If all our stretch goals are unlocked, you will have access to over 20 heroines in high quality casts of white metal, and over 30 unit boxes...

Each unit box will contain 3 to 5 multi-part miniatures made in spincast resin.
For regular units, there will be 2 different boxes of Troups and 1 Command Group/Special Weapon box.
Every single miniature part in these boxes will be different from one another, allowing for an amazing number of combinations.

In total, the TGG is intended to offer you a choice of over 150 individual sculpts.

FACTIONS' BACKGROUND

We can't say too much before we release our future game, but here is some info on the 3 factions in the TGG Kickstarter:

The Jailbirds Division: (we nicknamed them the Rambettes, and they were the ones that started it all.They are a bunch of low-life bad-ass big-attitude girls who all ended up in planetary prison held by the Kurganov government. In the game, they will be used as small penitentiary contingents led by the Kurganova Shock Troops, or as a full autonomous faction (because, as you can easily imagine, many of them have escaped captivity).
They are commando-style units with nothing to lose, and they specialize in acquiring enemy equipment for their own purposes.

The Kurganova Shock Troops: Led by the ultra-powerful Kurganov family, the Kurganova Shock Troops are a highly organized and disciplined army with underlying Eastern European themes. They also benefit from the support of strong cyber-enhanced paganic magic.

The Iron Empire: The Iron Empire is made up of exiled people that have somehow stumbled upon necromantic knowledge from alien pharaonic gods. They combine Prussian and Germanic influences with some kind of Aegyptian cyber necromancy that allow them to raise the dead and create bio-mechanical aberrations.

THE UPCOMING GAME

It is still early to talk about the game as it's not the goal of the TGG Kickstarter. However, you should know that we've been working on a game system for quite some time now. It will be very scalable, allowing to play small skirmishes to large tabletop battle. Most of all, it will be very cinematic and centered about the high deeds of heroes and other characters.

Our goal is to immerse you in the same excitement and action that you'd get in the great battle scenes of movies like Braveheart, Lord of the Rings, or Starship Troopers...

This TGG Kickstarter will allow you not only to have female miniatures that can be played in many game settings, but also to make sure you have access to full Raging Heroes armies at the moment we launch our game.

JOIN OUR BRAND NEW "SPECIAL HERALD" PROGRAMME

Some of you have asked us how they could help pitch in and spread the word about the the Toughest Girls of the Galaxy Kickstarter.

So we created the Special Herald Programme:
- Wanna be the first to receive the latest news from Raging Heroes and for the TGG Kickstarter?
- Wanna interact directly with Raging Heroes and the other Special Heralds through a private Facebook group and private chats?
- Wanna relay these news on your favourite forum / blog / social network (facebook groups, google +, Reddit, Twittr, Pinterest, Tumblr, the russian facebook, podcasts, etc.), answer questions (thread animator) and become the resident expert on the TGG KS?

Then please complete this form! We'll get back to you ASAP!

KS SHIPPING PROGRAMME UPDATE

We've had a few more retailer sign-ups already for this innovative drop ship programme, so here's the updated list.
Please note that for pledgers, using this drop ship option is purely voluntary and you do not have to decide until the first shipment is ready to leave our offices.

Listing as of May 1, 2013:
 • Australia (Perth): Tactics
 • Czech Republic (Praha and Brno): Ogří Doupě
 • Denmark (Copenhagen): Faraos Cigarer
 • Denmark (Esbjerg ): Bunkern
 • Germany (Berlin): Battlefield Berlin
 • Germany (Hamburg): TableTopShop
 • Germany (Trier): SpielBar
 • Netherlands (Rotterdam): Gamers Of The West
 • Singapore: GamersaurusRex
 • Sweden (Umeå): Fantasia
 • Ukraine (Vinnitsa): Spellscape
 • United Kingdom (London): Dark Sphere
 • United Kingdom (Salisbury): 7th Heaven
 • United States (Massachusetts): Hobby Bunker

→ BANNERS!

Well, as you know, to make this work, we need YOU!
A smart reader suggested that we provide banners to help spread the word on the Kurganova Shock Troops Kickstarter. So, DONE!
You can grab the banner below and link it to this Kickstarter page (http://www.ragingheroes.com/pages/kickstarter-news) we've set up (until the Kickstarter is actually live).
You can put it on your blog, or as your signature in forum posts, or anywhere else you can think of...



Or the French version:

→ Oh, and in case you haven't yet done so... please FRIEND US!

We've mentioned it before, but may we also strongly suggest that you ask us (Asharah Raging) as a friend on Facebook, (for communication purposes, "Friending" Asharah is more effective than "Liking" the Raging Heroes page). At this point in time, Facebook is probably the best way to get real time info on what's going on with our Kickstarter and other projects.
Asharah Raging is already up 420+ Friends since we've started communicating on this!
You can also follow us on Twitter. We're not very effective Twitterers yet, (but working on it); and all our Facebook posts do get an automatic Twitter update.

PS/ Want to make sure you know when we get started? Just sign up for our newsletter.
Want to help out? Please leave a comment below - just remember to use your actual email address so we can contact you (don't worry, it won't be visible online).

To make this happen, PLEASE, PLEASE, SPREAD THE WORD!

And a big heartfelt THANK YOU to those who already are!!!

Written on May 08, 2013
5 comments — Add your comment

We are really pleased to finally announce the winner of our Second Raging Heroes Sweepstakes:

It is Martin Przybylek, from Germany!

In his own words, after being notified that he was the winner:
"I am soo happy right now :) You guys are great! Best customer service and best minis!"

We want to say a BIG THANK YOU for all your support and your sharing: we gained almost 400 new Likes on our Facebook page with this Sweepstakes and many new Facebook Friends for Asharah Raging as well.
And since for every 2 Likes, we added an additional Euro to the prize, Martin won 200 Euros worth of Raging Heroes miniatures.

So what did he get himself?
1 x Blood Vestals (Command Group) - Fantasy
4 x Blood Vestals (Troops) - Fantasy
1 x Blood Vestals Command - SF (Standard Edition/metal)
1 x Blood Vestals Troops - SF (Standard Edition/metal)
1 x Brunhilde with Shield on War Steed
1 x Eleriel & Alaniel 28mm - Standard Bearers
1 x Skaarlys

But that's not all!

As you know, Sweepstakes participants could share the Sweepstakes with their friends. Many of you took this opportunity, and one person went above and beyond the call of duty: Kevin Berhendt, also from Germany, had 7 contacts enter the Raging Heroes Sweepstakes.
 
We thought this was worthy of a prize, so we created a brand-new prize category called Runner-Up, and awarded him 75 Euros worth of RH minis.

What he said: "Thank you, I can't believe it!". Don't yet know what he'll pick...
What he chose:
1 x Blood Vestals Command - SF (Collector's Edition/resin)
1 x Skaarlys
1 x The von Königsmark Limited Edition Box

We will get another Sweepstakes started up in the near future, but right now, we're focussing on the upcoming Toughest Girls of the Galaxy Kickstarter...

Written on May 06, 2013
0 comments — Add your comment

Someone on Facebook asked us this Sunday morning: "What's new today?" And this was our reply:

Saturday's work: updated several details on Lady von Stroheim's sculpt, created two new troopers for the Kurganova Schock Troops, rendered the opening trailer text for the KS video in After Effects, worked on the set up of a SciFi cargo bay environment in a new 3D software (again for the video), paid suppliers and sorted out bills for the accountant, replied to emails, began setting up the RH newsletter (on pre-KS launch), selected 10 new poses for the various upcoming TGG troopers.

But, you wonder, what about Sunday? Well, here goes:

Mostly worked on the first (and much more complex) half of the opening video for the Kickstarter today: remixed all the sound effects and music; did a brand-new edit; completed all the missing shots but one; integrated After Effects renders of the TGG concepts; and identified a few quirks that will be corrected tomorrow.
This part of the video is now virtually ready for final output, once we replace the temporary 3D renders of the sculpts for the final ones !

Made another two new troopers for the Kurganova Shock Troops.
Worked out several exciting (well, exciting for us) workflow-related stuff (can't say more, sorry,eyes-only).

Finally, caught up and sorted out the remaining paperwork for 2012 year-end accounting.
And, thanks to Wolf Wings' commitment, got two new drop locations for Kickstarter pledges in the Czech Republic: Ogří Doupě, in Praha and in Brno. (More on this topic here).

On Facebook, there was also this comment from a reader: "I know a few Kickstarters I've wanted to back have posted announcements for theirs I've no idea where, and by the time I got their newsletter a few days later all the pledge levels I would have backed have been filled."
So we replied:
Announcement will first be on our blog, immediately followed by Facebook and Twitter, on our brand-new Tumblr (check it out if you haven't yet), and Google+ (now that I've just set it up).
We intend to do a count-down to make it easier to follow.
Just not yet sure how we'll handle the newsletter to make it most effective, though, so suggestions are welcome!

PS: If you'd like your local shop to join in to our Kickstarter pledge drop point programme, feel free to ask them to come onboard. If there's an interest in joining in (or in finding out what's in it for them), send them over to fill out this form and we'll get the ball rolling, or just have them send us a quick email and we'll be in touch with them.



Written on April 29, 2013
2 comments — Add your comment

As the Toughest Girls of the Galaxy Kickstarter launch is almost upon us, today we share news about our planned shipping programme, and about how many new sculpts you can expect.
And because every good post deserves an image, here's a day in the life here at the studio.
Yes, with barred windows, too...
Read on below!

NEW: Alternative Raging Heroes Kickstarter Drop Ship Programme

OK, so no, we haven't launched yet, but we work and breathe KS non-stop (really, we've even had dreams about it…). And one thing that focussed our attention earlier this week is regarding shipping dates.

Delivery dates are a big concern on many a Kickstarter. Even more so, KS with long delivery schedules tend to penalise the people who've pledged the most, as they're usually the ones who have to wait the longest for all the items they pledged for to be ready to ship.
We think that this is hardly fair to pledgers, and it also does nothing to enhance a manufacturer's reputation.

Furthermore, one of the side effect of a Kickstarter is that resellers feel pretty much left out of the process.
So we thought about how a solution which would benefit everybody: you, Raging Heroes, and the retailers too! We discussed it with several of our resellers, and one of the best proposal that emerged is to offer pledgers the opportunity to come directly to their store to pick up their Raging Heroes Kickstarter items.

This has several benefits:

 • By doing so, we can spread out the shipments over several deliveries to the shops.
 So you get your hands on parts of your pledge rewards as soon as they become available. 

 • And since picking up a pledge ought to be a festive event, we are working on a way that those pledge pick-up times coincide with a special event at the shop, for which you'd gain access to a special Limited Edition Raging Heroes item, under certain conditions. Details are still being worked out on this one, we're getting helpful input from retailers to help make this good for everyone!

 • So, this means that you will pay the same amount of shipping fees regardless of whether you're shipped to your location or to a shop. But if you eventually choose a shop pick-up, then we'll break out your pledge rewards in several waves so that you can get your hands on your pledge items as they become available.

Interested?


Then talk to your local shop and see if there's an interest in joining in (or in finding out what's in it for them). If that's the case, send them over to fill out this form and we'll get the ball rolling, or just have them send us a quick email and we'll be in touch with them.



Note 1: We're still working out the details for this programme, so there may be a few details still missing. We will keep you a advised as we progress. Please note that the shop does not have to be a Raging Heroes reseller yet to participate in this programme.

Note 2: If you are a retailer and want to talk about this further or perhaps have some ideas about this, please do drop us a note!


Note 3: Several resellers have already agreed to be part of this programme:
 • Australia (Perth): Tactics
 • Czech Republic (Praha and Brno): Ogří Doupě (added April 29)
 • Denmark (Copenhagen): Faraos Cigarer
 • Denmark (Esbjerg ): Bunkern
 • Germany (Berlin): Battlefield Berlin
 • Germany (Hamburg): TableTopShop
 • Germany (Trier): SpielBar
 • Netherlands (Rotterdam): Gamers Of The West
 • Singapore: GamersaurusRex(added May 8)
 • Sweden (Umeå): Fantasia
 • Ukraine (Vinnitsa): Spellscape
 • United Kingdom (London): Dark Sphere (added May 1)
 • United Kingdom (Salisbury): 7th Heaven
 • United States (Massachusetts): Hobby Bunker (added May 1)

HOW MANY Toughest Girls of the Galaxy are we sculpting???

As mentioned earlier, the delay created by the administrative hurdles was a very good opportunity for us to examine how we wanted to run this KS. We've seem many people in the last few months, manufacturers and pledgers alike, having somewhat of a hard time with the process.

So we deliberately decided to take the slower approach to our first KS project. And as you can see from the above delivery programme, we are trying hard to think of everything before the launch.

We've also been making tremendous advances in our workflow. And this means several things.

For this KS, we have planned to produce over 150 new sculpts if the Kickstarter goes to its highest point. This means a bit over 20 heroes/special characters, and a tad over 20 unit boxes.

This is really a tremendous amount of work, as you can imagine. At this point in time, most of our hero characters are sculpted, several units are completed, and the rest of the troops will all be finished by the end of the Kickstarter.

To achieve this, we have developed very specific working methods and enrolled several new extremely talented freelance sculptors. And we are happy to say that we are now sticking very closely to our sculpting schedule! Ultimately, 80% of the sculpts we'll be done by the end of the Kickstarter, and the rest (mainly hero characters) will be done the following month.

When we started this project, we envisioned the "Rambettes" as being a Special Ops Penitential Unit under the command of the much more regular and organised Kurganovas' army. However, working on them, we realised that it would not take so much extra work to make them usable as a full-fledged force. And so the project grew. And grew.

Ultimately, this means that you will now have access to three different forces:
 • The Jailbird Division (a.k.a. the Rambettes)
 • The Kurganova Shock Troops
 • The Iron Empire (our cyber-Prussian style soldiers) - although we'll likely change their name…

Comments? Questions? We're listening…

And if you want to know what got us started on the Toughest Girls of the Galaxy, check out the Kurganova sisters...

Oh, and do check out our new Tumblr, which features stuff we like, inspiration for what we do, and more... Enjoy! 

→ BANNERS!

Well, as you know, to make this work, we need YOU!
A smart reader suggested that we provide banners to help spread the word on the Kurganova Shock Troops Kickstarter. So, DONE!
You can grab the banner below and link it to this Kickstarter page (http://www.ragingheroes.com/pages/kickstarter-news) we've set up (until the Kickstarter is actually live).
You can put it on your blog, or as your signature in forum posts, or anywhere else you can think of...



Or the French version:

→ Oh, and in case you haven't yet done so... please FRIEND US!

We've mentioned it before, but may we also strongly suggest that you ask us (Asharah Raging) as a friend on Facebook, (for communication purposes, "Friending" Asharah is more effective than "Liking" the Raging Heroes page). At this point in time, Facebook is probably the best way to get real time info on what's going on with our Kickstarter and other projects.
Asharah Raging is already up 420+ Friends since we've started communicating on this!
You can also follow us on Twitter. We're not very effective Twitterers yet, (but working on it); and all our Facebook posts do get an automatic Twitter update.

PS/ Want to make sure you know when we get started? Just sign up for our newsletter.
Want to help out? Please leave a comment below - just remember to use your actual email address so we can contact you (don't worry, it won't be visible online).

To make this happen, PLEASE, PLEASE, SPREAD THE WORD!

And a big heartfelt THANK YOU to those who already are!!!

Written on April 26, 2013
8 comments — Add your comment

Wondering what we find inspiring or funny at Raging Heroes?
Curious to see some behind-the scenes stuff?
Well, check out our new tumblr!

You'll see all this, as well as all sorts of things that wouldn't fit anywhere else on our website...
For example, below is an image that we feel could be and inspiration for a Queen of some dark elves land...

Our Raging Heroes tumblr is currently curated by our art director Benoit Guerville; other team members will soon pitch in as well.
Check it out and do tell us what you think!

Written on April 25, 2013
2 comments — Add your comment