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Trench Crusade: Communicant anti-tank hunter

Created by James Sherriff

32mm grimdark miniatures set in the horrors of the Trench Crusade. Important note: * THE PRE-ORDER STORE IS NOW CLOSED

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Packing Party!
14 days ago – Thu, Mar 14, 2024 at 10:58:08 AM

Blessed pilgrims, welcome to this quick update! Brought to you by the Synod of Strategic Prophecy in association with Beelzebub…


A couple of weeks ago I received a message from my mate Curtis up in the Lead Belt (Nottingham, UK). It had come to his attention that I was attempting to sort, bag & pack a ridiculous number of miniatures for fulfilment and, being a splendid fellow, he kindly offered to help! Roll on yesterday and I found myself driving a couple of hours up the road to his studio where we were joined by some equally awesome fellows for a Packing Party!

Let the packing commence!

It was a really great day – super productive and we also a good time chatting and networking, as you do. From what everyone said, much fun was had whilst also managing to sort and bag at least a couple of thousand miniatures (I haven’t managed to count them yet – all I know is there is a LOT)! The reason we have to bag everything carefully, apart from ensuring all the miniature parts and bases come together, is to keep the shipping costs down since the fulfilment centre charges extra for each item packed per parcel. It may work out as pennies per item, but when that is multiple items per order, and there are 2.5k orders, trust me that soon adds up!

Don't they look happy. Happy packing goblins.

So, I would like to give a big shout out and huge thanks to Curtis, Monk, Scott, Pablo, Dave & Ratty for helping me with this mammoth task. Also a shout out to Rob for very kindly letting us use his studio space. Thanks chaps, you really did us a solid and have literally saved me several days of packing!

Feel free to check these wonderful human beings out on their socials and give them a follow, if you are so inclined:

Curtis: https://www.instagram.com/ramshackle_games/

Monk: https://www.instagram.com/googlyeyedskull

Dave: https://www.instagram.com/adhcreate

Pablo: https://www.instagram.com/thestilltower/

Scott: https://www.instagram.com/scottweightman/

Rob: https://www.instagram.com/thehonestwargamer

Left to right: Curtis, Scott, Pablo, Monk and yours truly. Never a finer bunch of reprobates have been assembled.

As per the last update, shipping is ongoing but this Packing Party has really helped to move things along. So thanks again Curtis and his crew! Big love guys.

And big love to all our patient backers! I am biased, of course, but your patience will be rewarded. :)

Cheers!

James
 

Heresiarch by Mike Franchina

Shipping update
about 1 month ago – Fri, Feb 23, 2024 at 02:18:53 AM

Greetings, pilgrims!

This is just a quick shipping update to let you know where we are.

As per the last update, the First Wave was being done manually by me (in my living room) just because of the delays – I have been sending as many out as I can, prior to the fulfilment centres having available slots again. It’s been a huge amount of work but we are getting there!

I have one final batch of minis I need to collect next week and these will be going to the US fulfilment centre as soon as I have done quality control and ensured we have everything bagged correctly per SKU (stock keeping unit – basically a way for the shipping centre to identify each item).

Really sorry it has taken so long to get here, but the pledges are being sent out now and over the course of the next couple of months (depending on where you are in the world, plus we have been sending in backer number order for fairness). Some people will have received theirs already, others are in the post and more are on their way! 


Brazen Bull concept

Here is the latest concept art by Mike Franchina for the Sultanate faction in the upcoming Trench Crusade game – the Brazen Bull.

“It is with artillery that the Sultan makes his arguments known.”

Due to the protection afforded by the Iron Wall, the Sultanate has always maintained excellence in artillery. However, the siege guns and heavy mortars that defend Those Who Believe on the ramparts of the Wall are far too cumbersome for small expeditionary forces. Thus in the year of the Hijrah 821, Sultan Bayezid III commissioned a new creature of war to act as living field artillery.

To fulfil this decree the Jabirean scientists of the Royal Artillery House have laboured for centuries to perfect the divine art of takwin. In their secret laboratories they performed countless experiments, learning many precious and costly lessons in the process. They have devised many things, but none more clever or ingenious than the Brazen Bull, called Boğa by the soldiery of the Sultanate.

The Brazen Bull is a monstrous being of immense power and vitality, capable of tearing even the bastard child of a devil clean in half. The Sultan’s armourers equip the Bulls with heavy artillery that even the superhuman Janissaries cannot lift, let alone use in battle: flame cannons, volley guns and holy blades blessed by the Word of the Great Protector.

Encasing its mighty frame is exquisitely decorated bronze armour of thrice hardened scales, covered in talismans of protection and the Grace of the Creator. On the battlefields beyond the Iron Wall, the Brazen Bull is an awesome and terrifying sight. It is a single-minded, fearless walking bulwark, a tower and shield which the war parties of the Sultanate rally behind. Such is the power of their weapons that the very earth shakes with their pounding, disrupting the enemy advance even when they fail to slay their target.

Links

If you want to be kept in the loop about the Trench Crusade game (designed by Tuomas Pirinen, in case anyone missed that!), here are some links for you:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trenchcrusadeofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trench_crusade/
 

Sign up for the mailing list here: https://www.trenchcrusade.com/

Thank you as always for your support and patience. We are almost there pilgrims!

Cheers,

James

Shipping update
2 months ago – Thu, Jan 25, 2024 at 02:01:18 PM

Greetings, pilgrims!

I hope the New Year is treating you well. This is a quick shipping update and a straight up apology from me - I seriously underestimated how much time would be required to do the First Wave manually (please see previous updates for more details).

The First Wave is being done manually by me (in my living room) just because of all the delays - I really wanted to send as many out as soon as possible, prior to the fulfilment centres having available slots again (which is February/March). I massively underestimated how long it would take me to sort through all the First Wave miniatures - quality checking, picking, bagging, making boxes, packing, address labels, customs forms... I bit off a bit more than I could chew! ;)

One box of several hundred Trench Pilgrims, with rifles and tilt shields/ailettes (which are annoyingly difficult to pickup!)
And lots of other boxes of miniatures that have been checked, sorted and require bagging with their assorted limbs, weapons and bases!

So sorry for the delay! Some people will have received their's already, others are in the post and more will be sent next week. Then I am heading down to Zealot Miniatures to collect the final batch of miniatures and will be sending those to the fulfilment centres to get the Second Wave (and by far the largest wave!) sent out in February and March.

Really sorry about all of this. As mentioned previously, if it wasn't for SioCast delays, this would all have been done and sent out a month or more ago. 

Thanks as always for your support and patience! We are almost there!

Cheers,

James

Playtest rules for the current miniatures
3 months ago – Sun, Dec 31, 2023 at 09:01:23 AM

Brothers & Sisters! As the year draws to a close, we bring a small gift - playtest rules for the miniatures from this Kickstarter campaign!

Mercenaries 

These are available to hire for the Trench Pilgrims warband. They consist of:

  • The Witchburner General
  • Communicant anti-tank hunter
  • Mendelist ammo monk
  • Combat medic
  • Observer

These mercenaries are slightly different to hire, since you cannot pay for them in gold ducats, but must instead earn Glory Points with deeds of valour. These are explained in the Playtest Rules (see Glorious Deeds).

As per previous update, if you have any questions and/or feedback, please join our Discord (kindly hosted by 28 mag) here: Trench Crusade Discord.

Wishing all of you a very Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year!

Mike, Tuomas & James

Happy Holidays! Enjoy your R&R while you can...
3 months ago – Tue, Dec 26, 2023 at 02:02:27 PM

Hallowed pilgrims! Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year to you all!

It is our pleasure to present to you the first draft of the Trench Crusade Playtest Rules. Thank you for supporting the game!

This first draft covers the basic rules, most common weapons, armour and equipment, one scenario, keywords used in the game as well as two warband lists, namely the blasphemous Heretic Legion and the crazed Trench Pilgrims! We suggest you start with the Quick Start section of the rules to familiarise yourself with the basics.

You can download the rules here:

TRENCH CRUSADE PLAYTEST RULES 

To state the obvious, these are not the final rules. They are missing explanatory diagrams and gameplay examples, campaign and exploration rules, supernatural powers, most of the warband lists and scenarios, terrain and miniature painting sections and much, much more. However, they should allow you to sample the game and learn its basics as we await the full release.

Neither layout nor the art presents the final quality, and due to the constant cycle of playtesting and revisions, there are bound to be mistakes as well as plenty of rules that are going to change in the course of development. Please bear this in mind as you acquaint yourself with these rules. Feedback is welcome, and the best way is to join the Trench Crusade Discord channel and post your questions and comments there. We will strive to answer them to the best of our ability.

We plan to release more playtest rules in the near future (including rules for all the models released in the initial Kickstarter), as well as more scenarios, warbands and rules for campaigns. We will also revise the core rules when they change during development and share these with the community as well.

The best way to keep abreast of all the latest developments is to sign up to our newsletter at: www.trenchcrusade.com

I hope you’ll enjoy your time with Trench Crusade. I firmly believe it is the best ruleset I’ve written in my 27-year career as a professional game designer.

Tuomas Pirinen