At Gen Con, ICv2 spoke with Hawk Wargames’ Director David Lewis about their urban combat 10 mm miniatures game Dropzone Commander, which generated some buzz last summer, (see "Four Games You May Have Missed").  In addition to discussing game play and new releases, Lewis shared information on the company’s upcoming organized play plans, and a new retailer introduction pack.
 



Hawk was showing off the new Resistance faction release and its expansion book, Reconquest: Phase 1.  "It’s not just a codex for them," Lewis said.  "It’s got stuff for all the races in there, a lot of new background, new scenarios, new campaign information; so it’s an expansion for the game.  The book has a new art direction in it; there are over 100 pieces of artwork plus the usual photography.  It’s a lot of work."  The 190-page, full color, softcover has an MSRP of $23.00. 
 
When asked what makes Dropzone Commander different from other miniatures games, Lewis said, "The playing style is very different, it’s all very dropship focused.  What’s going on in the air is just as important as what’s going on on the ground."  The game is very tactical and scenario focused.  "The game is also very tournament focused.  I’m very anal about game balance."  The whole game is true scale (10mm), all the units will fit into their dropships, and the buildings are correctly proportioned for full integration into the game, since many objectives involve capturing buildings, or blowing them up.
 
"We’ve been in the U.S. for a couple of years, but we’ve recently expanded into a broader range of more affordable products," Lewis said.  "We have plastic starter sets for all four of our core factions; the two player starter set that has everything you need for two players to get playing; and we’re updating all our blister pack packaging very soon with colored artwork and pop-out stat cards to make it look better on the shelf.  We’ve got integrated scenery products, cityscape and ruinscape, a whole 6’ by 4’ table for $45.00.  So the game is a lot more accessible than it was at launch, and we’re looking to expand into a lot more retailers in the U.S."
 
Hawk Wargames will also be introducing organized play this fall.  "We have a store-based Escalation League coming out very soon.  That comes with special aged pewter pendants that you can only get through the retailer/ store based league.  Week one:  buy starter sets; week two: expand; it’s essentially a guided campaign for retailers."  Lewis said the league will be announced as soon as he has time to finish writing the background for each region, in the next few weeks. "It should be available long before Christmas."  He added that the new single player plastic starter sets should release to trade by mid-September.  "We’re really planning a pre-Christmas push to introduce a lot of new players."
 
Lewis highlighted a new retailer introduction pack, an integrated box set, releasing soon as well.  It will include all the core products at an additional margin for new retailers, with a limit of one per location.  "In there will be all the core products:  the two player starter sets, the one player starter sets, the core rulebooks, all the very first things that a retailer would want to bring in."