When it came time to work on the sculpting for Goatsong, I asked the other members of the team what scale/height we would be working in. A simple enough question, of course, and an important one to answer before starting work on any miniatures range! It turned out the assumption was that Goatsong would simply follow the same sizing as Bushido. Reconsidering that question in the context of the game's design lead to us asking more questions, and our answers would go on to form the result you've seen by now.
Goatsong was designed as a board game. That isn't to say it doesn't have the depth you'd expect from a GCT skirmish game, only that it is quite literally played on a board. With hexes already set at 40mm internal (edge-to-edge), this meant there was no reason to use multiple base sizes. We could use 40mm bases for all miniatures in the game. One of the challenges with Bushido is the limited space atop a bevelled-rim base for foot placement and, therefore, posing. By avoiding the bevelled-rim base, we were able to maximise the usable space atop the base. This allowed us to increase the miniature size, whilst also having space for wider stances.
Why increase the miniature size? I wanted to turn that question around. Why not? There are plenty of miniatures out there inspired by both Greek history and mythology. Goatsong is unlikely to see a great deal of sales to people looking for even more choice in that setting. Why not take the opportunity to be a bit bolder; to establish an aesthetic for Goatsong, rather than conforming to an existing concensus?
The initial warbands consist of both humans and demigods. I felt there was an opportunity to differentiate the demigods through their size. As they're not full gods, the heroic proportions of comic books (not tabletop miniatures) seemed more appropriate than making them truly monstrous. As such, the human proportions are based on a height of seven and a half heads, with the demigods measuring nine.
Given that we were not prioritising sales to players of other games, we had another opportunity. Bushido has been around for around 15 years at this point. It is possible to look back and identify aesthetic eras informed by the concept artists and sculptors who have come and gone over that time. This is almost unavoidable in a project with such a broad scope, which is reliant on freelancers. With Goatsong we had the time to consider the direction in advance, to plan an aesthetic specific to the game, and the limited scope would enable us to realise it.
Given the setting of the game, we decided that the pottery art of ancient Greece would make an excellent inspiration for the aesthetic of the two-dimensional assets of the game. The cards, character art, and title design could all take inspiration from this and other aspects of the Grecian culture.
I had long been wanting to explore more stylised sculpts but had struggled to find the time. Bushido would rarely allow for such experiments outside of various kami and yokai, but Goatsong was a blank page. We discussed how we could take inspiration from the simplified character art style and bring that into three dimensions. I did a few experiments with what is called a planar style: the forms of the sculpt are simplified, more defined, with harsher edges than you would normally see in miniatures. Whilst there were some reservations amongst the team, it was decided that we move on to testing the style on one of the characters.
I had to admit at this point that I had neither the time, nor the confidence, to take on sculpting for a whole new game, let alone in an experimental style. We enlisted the services of Sergei, and he did an excellent job of interpreting my direction and the concept art provided by Mara. The renders seemed quite harsh but, one the test peice was printed, the miniature looked great on the table and the team were convinced. I think that without the increased size this style would actually have been too subtle for many to notice.
Whilst Sergei worked on the rest of the miniatures for the initial release of the game, and Andy continued to refine both the rules and the card design, I arranged for a select few members of the Bushido community to get advanced access to the test peice for painting, and provide feedback on their experience. It was fascinating to see the various approaches. I think the ceiling for painting these is quite high, with lots of opportunities for smooth blends and sharp highlights, but I'm also happy that the miniatures respond well to a gentle drybrush catching the sharp edges and a wash or contrast paint taking advantage of the well-defined recesses.
Fast forward about one year, and the full set of miniatures for the initial release are complete. Sergei has done an amazing job, and I look forward to seeing his work on the remaining miniatures which Andy has been designing. I hope everyone likes where we've ended up and that this rambling article is of some interest!
I'll see you in the arena,
Ben