(or here’s a list of what launched yesterday that might deserve a closer look)

Project: Asking for Trobils Reprint & More

Designers: Erin McDonald (Asking for Trobils, Evil Intent), Christian Strain (Asking for Trobils, Evil Intent)

Artist: Christian Strain (Asking for Trobils, Campaign Trail, Evil Intent)

Publisher: Breaking Games (Dwellings of Eldervale, Joking Hazard, Rise of Tribes)

Genre/Mechanisms: expansions, pick-up and deliver, science fiction, worker placement

Player Count: 2-7

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “Asking for Trobils is a worker-placement boardgame where the player is trying their best to rid the star system of Trobils (space pests). In the new Companion Expansion, Companion cards are randomly paired with a Shard card and placed in a new player board that includes a Dial. The Dial helps show players where to place Shards and points to the active Quirk of the Companion. The Trobil Makers Expansion adds a new Location to the board called the Sagan Colony, new Trobil cards, purple Shard resources, Trobot tokens, and a small board. The eighth Ship that was promised with an extra punch board in the original game will also be provided.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $46, just the new expansions

All-In (w/shipping): $135

Campaign Ends: 12/10

Game Ships: May 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 133% with 21 days to go.

Project: Creature Comforts

Designer: Roberta Taylor (Octopus’ Garden, Sherwood Showdown)

Artist: Shawna J.C. Tenney (Bugs on Rugs, Winner Winner Chicken Dinner, Wizards of the Wild)

Publisher: Kids Table BG (Haunt the House, Problem Picnic: Attack of the Ants, Wreck Raiders)

Genre/Mechanisms: animals, children’s game, dice rolling, end game bonuses, farming, set collection, worker placement with dice workers

Player Count: 2-5

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “Gather resources and craft comforts to turn your forest den into a cozy winter home.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $51

All-In (w/shipping): $59

Campaign Ends: 12/10

Game Ships: Dec. 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 448% with 21 days to go.

Project: DVG – Soldiers in Postmen’s Uniforms

Designer: David Thompson (Undaunted: Normandy, Undaunted: North Africa, War Chest)

Artists: David Thompson (Castle Itter, For What Remains: Streets of Ruin, Pavlov’s House), Matt W. White (Castle Itter, Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear – Operation Barbarossa 1941, Conflict of Heroes: Storms of Steel – Kursk 1943)

Publisher: Dan Verssen Games (Hornet Leader: Carrier Air Operations, Thunderbolt Apache Leader, Warfighter: The Tactical Special Forces Card Game)

Genre/Mechanisms: action points, dice rolling, point to point movement, solo/solitaire game, tower defense, wargame, world war II

Player Count: 1

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “A skirmish-level solitaire game that takes place in the Free City of Danzig on the first day of the Second World War. Under your command, the defenders must fend off relentless attacks from the Danzig Schutzpolizei and two German SS units.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $70

All-In (w/shipping): $160, includes two additional games

Campaign Ends: 12/9

Game Ships: Apr. 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 126% with 20 days to go.

Project: Gods of Metal

Designer: Christopher Brown (Slaughterville)

Artist: Nicoleta Stavarache (Dungeon Alliance, Lifeform, O.P. Arena)

Publisher: Laughing Rogue

Genre/Mechanisms: card game, cooperative game, deck building

Player Count: 1-4

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Each player will take the role of one of a Band Member chosen by the God of Metal seeking to defend the Universe against the demonic forces seeking to gain entry. The Overlords wants to destroy these lands by sending minions to attack the land’s defenses. To win and save everything, the players must work together to defeat the Overlords.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $35

All-In (w/shipping): $35, same as above

Campaign Ends: 12/17

Game Ships: Apr. 2021

Funding Status: Currently at 30% with 28 days to go.

Project: Hibachi

Designer: Marco Teubner (Carcassonne Junior, My First Stone Age, Safranito)

Artist: Kerri Aitken (Boomerang: Australia, The Long Road, Tichu)

Publisher: Grail Games (Medici, Stephenson’s Rocket, Yellow & Yangtze)

Genre/Mechanisms: action/dexterity, animals, cooking, economic, set collection

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “A dexterity game, but tactics, timing, and money management all play a part. Players are Japanese teppanyaki chefs who must use their hibachi grill to please hungry customers. To do this, players take turns each round throwing discs (poker chips) onto the board. Where the chips land determines which ingredients the chefs can buy or sell and which special actions they might be able to take. One at a time, the locations on the board are resolved as the chips are turned over to show their hidden values.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $41

All-In (w/shipping): $55

Campaign Ends: 11/30

Game Ships: Nov. 2021

Funding Status: Currently at 95% with 11 days to go.

Project: Macaron

Designer: Ta-Te Wu (Cat Rescue, Promenade, Tien Zi Que)

Artists: Holly Chiu, Rachel Kim

Publisher: Sunrise Tornado Game Studio (Cat Rescue, Promenade, Tien Zi Que)

Genre/Mechanisms: card game, renaissance, trick-taking

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “Players are French pâtissiers preparing macaron gift boxes. In every game, a number of rounds will be played, and each round ends when thirteen tricks have been played or a player has prepared at least eight boxes.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $27

All-In (w/shipping): $52

Campaign Ends: 12/1

Game Ships: Apr. 2021

Funding Status: Currently at 62% with 12 days to go.

Project: Mission Catastrophe

Designer: Matt Walters

Artist: Sergio Chavez (Dwellings of Eldervale, Rise of Tribes, Sanssouci)

Publisher: Cardboard Alchemy

Genre/Mechanisms: action points, dice rolling, modular board, science fiction, variable setup

Player Count: 1-6

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “In Mission Catastrophe you’re a member of the alien crew on a doomed ship. You’ll need to use the ship modules, your unique role ability and the Operations Cards you obtain to collect supplies and find the remaining working escape pod before the ship takes so much damage that it explodes. Fixing the ship is an option – it may even be an imperative – but spend too much time on repairs and you’ll be watching one of your crew mates escape while you float in the cold vacuum of space.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $63

All-In (w/shipping): $87

Campaign Ends: 12/10

Game Ships: Aug. 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 119% with 21 days to go.

Project: The Specialists

Designers: Marco Canetta (The Doge Ship, Railroad Revolution, ZhanGuo), Stefania Niccolini (The Doge Ship, Railroad Revolution, ZhanGuo), Dimitri Perrier (Anludim, Big Monster), Anne-Catherine Perrier

Artist: Christine Alcouffe (Paper Tales, Pharaon, Yōkai)

Publisher: Explor8 (Anludim, Big Monster, Pirates Under Fire)

Genre/Mechanisms: contracts, dice rolling, drafting, movies/tv/radio theme, set collection, variable setup

Player Count: 1-4

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Prepare your plan and your equipment, watch the location that you want to rob, recruit skilled specialists and be ready for anything Use your specialists to make a fortune while staying one step ahead of the rival gangs, perform Heists all around the world, but don’t forget the golden rule: never rob twice in the same city”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $83

All-In (w/shipping): $83, same as above

Campaign Ends: 12/12

Game Ships: Mar. 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 366% with 23 days to go.

Project: USS Freedom

Designers: Aiollus (Aeolis, Theosis), VantoN

Artists: Mike Katoglou (Deus Ex Machina), Vaggelis Manousakas (Aeolis, Theosis), Rafael Dioli (Aeolis, Skytear)

Publisher: Dreamcraft Games (Aeolis, Theosis)

Genre/Mechanisms: action/event, campaign/battle card driven, cooperative game, fantasy, grid movement, miniatures, push your luck, science fiction, space exploration, tile placement, variable player powers, worker placement with different worker types

Player Count: 1-6

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “Sail into the vastness of space aboard the starship Freedom in its three-year quest: A fully replayable campaign that consists of 36 standalone sessions lasting 60 minutes each. In every session, you get to pilot your ship in any direction, so you choose the challenges you will engage and write your own story. No two campaigns are ever the same.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $100

All-In (w/shipping): $100, same as above

Campaign Ends: 12/4

Game Ships: Dec. 2021

Funding Status: Currently at 95% with 15 days to go.