BOOM Patrol - Arcade-style Tank Battling Action!

Name a Character! / Designer Diary
3 months ago – Wed, Jul 24, 2024 at 01:14:11 PM

Help Name Private TSU SHI!

We've gotten a couple "Call Sign" name ideas for our fishy telepathic tank commander – but we are waiting for yours! He can read your thoughts... and if he guesses your next Command card – he gets a free Fire Away! So, get your suggestions in on the update page or the main campaign comments section!

BOOM Patrol Designer Diary

If you missed our LIVE stream last night, we talked about life, games, GENCON news – and a lot about BOOM Patrol. Some of that discussion centered on the history of the game and what makes it special and unique. Here are some highlights in a design journal from Nicole:

We (Anthony and Nicole) first showed the game to Curt at a game design show called Metatopia, almost 5 years ago. It came out of Anthony’s love of wargaming and a desire to take complex and expensive games and make them more approachable and affordable. Chris O’Neill was working on making small Atari games and Anthony, brainstorming with him, showed how a single card could be moved like a tank very convincingly. That was the spark that led to designing a tank combat game. Then, with bits of game materials from a printer’s designer box – and taking inspiration from the 1970 movie Kelly’s Heroes, the game itself started to take form. The movie chronicled Clint Eastwood and Donald Sutherland as American soldiers in WWII France, who go AWOL with a bunch of others to get their hands on a secret stash of gold across enemy lines. So, the aesthetic was very WWII, in his signature vector art style which put one in mind of the propaganda posters of the time. The chipboard tanks were assembled with a plastic rivet and had furniture pad circles to elevate them (as the treads).

One of the biggest design challenges was balancing the importance of the gold in the game. At the outset, inspired by the movie, Anthony hyper focused on trying to make gaining gold the focus and fun part of the game. And finally I said, “Hey, there’s something that is already super fun in this game. We’re freaking TANKS!” Then the fun of it all started to blossom. Interestingly, later in the process, Curt and Gaeton had to return to this topic and elevate the gold’s importance or be forced to discard it from the game. “But I was very reluctant to do that,” Curt said, “that was the core of Anthony’s vision. So we ended up finding ways to make the gold a viable alternate win path, even specializing some of the Captains to take advantage of it. We came full circle – and landed with a perfect balance.”

“The game evolved and developed a lot in the last two years,” Curt continued. “We needed to pull it a bit further from the WWII thematic and into a more energetic, approachable world. So, we re-themed to a spectator sport, with animal tank crews, commentators – and lean harder into the video game feel that game already had. One of the major changes was how dangerous the Buildings were. Originally, 50% of the buildings were hazards, so that made crushing one a risk. Players were more tentative, often probing by shooting buildings and then racing to capture whatever was revealed. It really slowed the game. It needed to be punchier – so we made the Buildings more “power-up” style. Not only did it drop play time almost in half, but it was just fun to plow through the field.”

The result is something I know Anthony would have loved and a game that I think you will have an amazing time playing.

BTW Dice Goblins... our friends at GateKeeper Dice and Games also have a campaign running with two days left - including a Smirk & Dagger guest designer die. (I will secretly tell YOU that it is a transparent black and gold fleck design that should be pretty cool.) Check it out here:

That’s all for this update. Thanks so much all!

Talk soon, Curt

Streaming Tonight with Nicole, Name a Critter, and lots of News.
3 months ago – Tue, Jul 23, 2024 at 10:39:55 AM

Big News Today, Backers.

Join Us Tonight, Streaming LIVE!

Tonight, Tuesday July 23, at 8pm EST will will be LIVE in the studio with Curt, Gaeton and designer, Nicole Amato. We will be talking about the game, the cool things we love about it, the development path, the art - you name it. Be ready to jump into the conversation and chat with us, ask questions and hang out - 'cause we're all pretty cool to talk with. PLUS Gaeton and I will also be talking about GENCON next week and what you can expect. There might even be a few surprises. So stop by and say, "hi!" We'd love to see you. // Watch on Twitch, You Tube, Facebook or Twitter. (links to each are on the bottom of our campaign page)

The MEGA Stretch!

I love this game for a lot of reasons. It brings out my inner child. I make dumb tank noises as I play. It's got a genius movement mechanic. It cares more about fun than precision. It feels like some of my favorite video games on the table top. There's so much that just makes me smile when I play. 

But this is more than just a game. This game is a labor of love for us all. Even before we started, I was committed to making this game a reality regardless. But I really want to fulfill the entire vision of the game we all had planned - and for that, I need your help. As it is, the rather expensive molds to make all the Deluxe plastic pieces are going to be my gift to the project - and to all of you. So, to the over 1000 people who are watching the campaign but haven't jumped in, help us add these great additions to complete the game:

I really want these 4 neoprene upgrades to hit every copy of the game. The cardboard works great, but the anti-slip backs of neoprene means that they won't budge. The borders of the playing field will stay put, even if nudged. And it isn't a big neoprene mat you have to store elsewhere - they fit right in the box. Perfect.

Name our Newest Captain!!

This is Gaeton's favorite Captain, and for good reason. This devious little fish, Private Tsu Shi, has psychic abilities. If you can guess the next Command card to be revealed by your opponent, you may immediately Fire Away! Hahahahaha. It's so meta. It's so fun. And it definitely delivers on the wackier fun of the battle.

But he needs a "Call Sign" name. And you can help us name him.

We had originally called him "Go -Go," but when Leah's art really leaned into the evil psychic genius of the arena, we thought we'd bring in the community to help. I mean, look at the crazy all-seeing eye! The evil fins. The piranha icon on his bowl. The fez! And the thought of a tank being commanded from inside a bowl. (Hence the team handle, "Bowl Fulla Trouble". Go nuts. And tell us your name ideas - or upvote your favorites.

More New Captains!

Okay, not only do I LOVE Leah Fuhrman's illustration for this character, but Hare-Brain has a really cool ability. He can "hop" his tank anywhere within Mid-Range, even on top of nearby buildings, Gold or other goodies on the field. (Just have to maintain your orientation). It's crazy. It's fun - and it is one of those things that screams 'video game' as you play.

Capt. Rebecca Patience leans into one of the alternate strategies for her win. Her orders are to move forward one card width and then roll to find Gold. Any Crit rolled equals a Gold Bar and she is rolling the Carnage die - which means she is hitting one or two Gold more consistently. Pair that with crushing buildings and camping next to the Vault to earn more Gold and you've got a nice engine while you take the occasional pot shot at opponents.

So, we were thinking of who in the animal world would be good at healing - and a salamander named Sally did the trick. Patchwork can heal three damaged Command cards OR a single Crit! Very little in the game allows you to remove Crits, let alone more than once. Not only does that keep your Gear and Gold safe - it can prevent awarding Medals to other opponents by destroying you. Other than "Boxy" himself, this is perfect for 'turtle' players.

Plus the Stretch has custom molded dice, two more building tiles with the Flash Bang hazard and an new Gear card that allows you to turn your turret as far as you like - which is VERY handy. // And Buck & Skully, the commentator duo, as a fun standee to preside over the action.

As always, I thank you. We are nothing without our fans and appreciate all your support. Talk again soon! Curt

First Stretch Goals Unlocked
3 months ago – Mon, Jul 15, 2024 at 01:47:37 PM

Hello Sportsfans!

First, another big "thank you" for your support and for funding this project on day one. As a result, BOOM Patrol will be rolling across tables in early 2025, and I couldn't be more thrilled! Since then, we've steadily advanced through two Stretch Goals, and we've got a lot more planned - and are gonna need your help to get there!

New Captain!

"That's right, Buck. There is a new competitor entering the field, and her reputation precedes her. Captain Ree Lode of The Trash Pandas is notorious in these games, as much with her own pit crew as her opponents."

The quickest way to Medal is to knock out another tank and the more shots you take, the better your odds. The tank crews we've seen so far in this competition can easily get off two shots per round, with a "Fire Away" followed by "Again." But Scrappy has found a way to get off a third shot in a round, salvaging pieces of her own tank and using it as ammo. By sacrificing two Command cards to the damaged pile, her Captain's Orders will fire the cannon - and that can easily be the difference between scoring two Medals - or letting someone else get a pot shot in to steal it away. That makes her and her crew one to watch.

New Building and Gear card

While you are crashing through Buildings looking for Power-Ups, one has to wonder which of them may be Hazards. The latest Building we unlocked is one such Hazard on the field. SKUNKED can hinder your maneuverability by damaging your Command cards. Rolling over top will discard TWO of your Commands - and then EVERY tank in Long Range of SKUNKED (including yours) discards a Command card, almost assuring a need to Repair to get them back. Firing on the Building won't avoid it, but makes it a lot less devastating!

Of course, we've also Unlocked a new Gear card, GUIDED. This is definitely an upgrade to your tank you'll want to make. Every time you "Fire Away" you'll be treating Long Range shots as Mid-Range! It may paint a target on your back as opponents try to destroy your tank - and your Gear in the process - but until then, your attacks are going to be a lot tougher to deal with!

Our latest Stretch is for another tank Captain, Glory Hound. And BTW, each Captain stretch goal is both a card in the standard game and a holofoil board in deluxe! PLUS, I am dying to get to the neoprene upgrade for the Rally Points. The anti-slip back prevents them from moving during play, keeping the arena border locked in. I would really love to see this game be all it can be - so please, tell a friend, give us a share and help us get there! Thanks all! - Curt & Nicole

FUNDED and Off to a BOOMING Start!
3 months ago – Wed, Jul 10, 2024 at 07:06:27 AM

Welcome to the BOOM Patrol Kickstarter campaign! 

We are Funded! Everyone here is beyond excited to have you join us on this rather explosive journey as we bring the chaos and high-octane fun of armored combat sports to your table!

Over the next 16 days, you’ll get to know our Tank Captains up close and personal as we learn more about this wild, arcade-style action sport of making things go BOOM! In fact, we've just announced our first Stretch Goal... a new Tank Captain, "Scrappy" (who got leaked with some other fun bits in our Shelfside playthrough. Hahaha.)

Speaking of which... want to get a real feel for what the game is about? Take a moment to check out this great play-through from the crew at Shelfside, delivered in their signature style, with lots of laughs and side commentaries on play. It's a great watch - and really shows the fun of the game.

Throughout the campaign, we'll also take a moment to learn about the talented people behind this game and the story of its creation. In general, we always like to highlight and celebrate our designers - and this time around, well, it is more important than ever. 

What to Expect Throughout the Campaign

Our journey to the BOOMburg Arena will include the following in update form:

Twice-Weekly Updates: Stay tuned for regular updates that will be dropping twice per week. We’ll keep you in the loop with all the latest news, milestones, and sneak peeks into the development (and, eventually, delivery) of this exciting game!

Captain Biographies: Each update will feature a deep dive into one of our unique Tank Captains. Learn about their backstories and special abilities and get some important tips on how to make the most of their skills on the battlefield.

Community: The beauty of Kickstarter is that YOUR voice is an important one, and we want to hear it! Be sure to join us in the comments, and if a critical question comes up we’ll be sure to include it in one of these updates.

Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It… 

Help us bring Anthony and Nicole’s game to as many gamers as possible!

Even in the first few hours, I have seen so many of you do just that by posting and sharing. Thanks so much! Spread the word! The long-term success of BOOM Patrol depends on bringing people here for the campaign. Through your continued support, we will be able to add further to the game and make it all it can be. A single social media post can make a world of difference, so don’t be shy!

Join the Fun! Help shape the future of BOOM Patrol by joining us in the comments, asking questions, and chatting with one another. 

Now ... Let’s Get Back to BOOMing!