Support The Gaming Gang as we look to provide genre convention coverage in 2013. Score some cool goodies, one of a kind rewards, or even hang with the Gang behind the scenes at your favorite con!

If you can't help fund the project please show support by liking us on Facebook and/or following TGG on Twitter.

Launched in August of 2010, The Gaming Gang (TGG) has become a destination site for the latest news regarding tabletop gaming, video games, comic books, movies and TV, and well as review and opinion. Our main focus is on tabletop games (Miniatures, Wargames, RPGs, Board Games, Family Gaming and more!) but over the past twelve months we've expanded our coverage by bringing in contributors who tackle many other areas of crossover appeal to our audience.

Currently TGG features over 3000 articles, 300+ reviews, 180+ podcasts and nearly 50 videos!

As with most people who dig the sorts of things we do, all of the Gang have daytime jobs and responsibilities which financially prevent us from hitting every show or convention we receive invites or media credentials to attend. Even if we held the most amazing and successful project of this kind there'd still be positively no way we could make it to every event we'd like. That said, TGG was invited to report on over 30 various cons last year (large and small) and we were only able to scratch the surface of a fraction of those shows.

This year the requests are coming fast and furious once again!

That's why we've turned to Indiegogo in order to keep our website up and running (we'll use the goal funds to pay for the site hosting through the end of 2013) as well as making it out to more shows, with more correspondents and higher quality coverage. I tackled enough events all by my lonesome to know there's only so much a single person can do and even with two people, at a larger convention, so much is going on most of it flies under the radar. The best scenario is three or four individuals providing coverage because that allows us to fan out a bit while still getting plenty of audio and video of the event.

As with many of the conventions we'd like to bring to you, the cost to travel and stay at that location varies depending on the location; heading to Pennsylvania is one thing while jetting to Germany is something else completely. By creating the various stretch goals you'll telling us what you'd like for us to cover and what's important to you. Plus, if there's a con you're heading to, and you'd love to have TGG in attendance, this is your opportunity to ensure we're there!

You've probably seen other projects of this nature where the aim was to attend a single particular show for "X" number of dollars as the goal. Rather than take that approach we'll utilize our project to pay for the hosting of The Gaming Gang website through the rest of 2013 as well as build a convention "warchest" - as it were in - order to provide you with as much fun and excitement from as many events as possible!

It’s very true my personal stance, since founding TGG in 2010, was to make the website completely self-sufficient so you’d never see donation badges on the site or hear about pledge drives on the podcasts. To this point we’ve never asked for a single dime from anyone coming to the site. Unfortunately, I recently underwent treatment for early stage cancer of the kidney and the medical expenses to this point have completely wiped out any funds which were set aside to attend conventions this Summer and Fall. Thankfully, I’m doing well and the prognosis is for a complete recovery; the toughest part of the treatment is behind me and there are no concerns about being able to attend any of the shows in which we reach funding goals to attend by myself and other gang members.

Also, to keep the website up and running through the remainder of 2013 will cost just over $600 so this project will also go a long way to keep the site humming along until things settle down for me as far as medical expenses. Even if we don’t reach our initial goal, whatever we raise will go a long way toward making sure The Gaming Gang doesn’t ride off into the sunset! 

So without any further ado...

Simply enough $600 will cover the cost to keep The Gaming Gang website up and running through the end of 2013. This is sort of the "mini goal" of the project as the average monthly operating cost of the site is $100 or more. Hitting this level insures TGG stays solvent until I've got a handle on the multitude of medcal bills which have begun to arrive.

This is what we're aiming to achieve as the main goal of the project and everything beyond that will be icing on the cake! Unfortunately we're already going to miss out on Origins Game Fair. Yes, 2013 will be the year we DIDN'T go to Origins. *Sigh*

Yet there's plenty of other goodness out there and if we're able to achieve our base funding the Gang will provide coverage for...

San Diego Comic-Con - July 18-21, 2013 in San Diego, CA

MaricopaCon 2013 –  Aug. 3-4, 2013 Mesa, AZ (not much of a stretch since I live here...)

Gen Con - August 15-18, 2013 in Indianapolis, IN

Chicago TARDIS (Doctor Who Convention) - November 29-December 1, 2013 in Lombard, IL

Receive a personal "Thank You" postcard (designed by our own Dion Long) signed by Jeff and mailed directly to you as well as having your name placed on the Founder Member Roll Call.

Sorry Dion doesn't have the artwork available as of yet...

Obviously, The Gaming Gang Guide to Great Game Mastering PDF (yes the title was conceived firmly tongue-in-cheek) is simply my thoughts on making any roleplaying game a memorable experience for the players in your own gaming gang and I’m sure plenty of folks won’t agree with my personal gaming style I’ve maintained over thirty years of running RPGs – GMs who simply grab some dice without any sort of gameplan in mind, and believe they craft memorable experiences, will probably despise how I run a game. Yet, I believe there are some tips which can be utilized by GMs (regardless of their experience) to ratchet up the excitement level of their games as well as provide sessions your players will remember years from now and look back on fond memories of hours of fun with their pals.

Of course I’m not an author nor was I looking to put together some vast treatise on the state of role playing in the 21st Century but just wanted to share some thoughts on how I normally put together games in which a lot of people seemed to enjoy.

The PDF and audio book are presented as a bundle.

Get your copy of a limited edition mini-poster of the cover artwork for Victory Point Games'Dawn of the Zeds autographed by our good buddy, the title's designer Hermann Luttmann! And if you haven't played the game already, shame on you. It rocks!

Knights and Magick from long defunct Heritage USA. There was just something about the rules which were easy enough yet had extra flavor to the make battles unique and interesting.

Now I’m happy to say you can get your hands on the complete classic rule set from TGG! Although we’re talking about the original edition of K&M, the digital PDFs are bookmarked and completely searchable, making them perfect to bring along on the go with a laptop or tablet. Of course, you can put them on your phone too but I think you’d have some issues with the screen size… Higher level pledges are for the soft cover and hard cover editions.

This 197 page rules set hasn't seen the light of day since it was originally published in 1980 and we're actually working on an updated and streamlined edition of K&M for release in late 2013 - early 2014! You'll also receive all the Soldato rewards too.

Your choice of a TGG Badge Wallet or Custom Dice Bag! 

If you're a convention goer then you know sometimes those badges you get can be pretty flimsy, especially it you just pin it to your shirt, and  easily get lost. Show you're a veteran of the con scene - as well as a supporter of TGG - with your very own badge wallet! Plus, you can keep your valuables safe around your neck too! These badge wallets will only be available through this project.

Gamers love their dice bags as there's nothing worse than digging through your pockets for your tried and true lucky D20. Keep all your loaded *ahem* dependable dice on hand and easily accessable with out custom Dice Bag! As will all our custom accessories, this is only available through our project and will never be produced again.

Youll get your choice and receive the Soldato rewards as well.

Nature of the Beast Special. A strategy card game which really deserves a lot more coverage is Eye Level Entertainment's Nature of the Beast and we're able to provide you with the latest boxed edition: Prairie vs Polar signed by Eye-Level's very own Mark Anticole for a $40 pledge. You'll even receive the hard to find 24 card bonus pack which was only available to PvsP Kickstarter backers!

You can check out the video of what's in the box as well as our review. I have to say if you haven't checked out Nature of the Beast you really need to give it a try!

Nature of the Beast is a non-collectible card game. That means no need to buy booster packs. We give you all the cards. No rarities. Just a sweet self-contained game for two people (or four if you buy another box).

Race to fill your playing field by shifting your animals around. Animals’ movement is governed by differing combinations of arrows on each card, so as you play the puzzle changes!

Winning means playing smart to fill your field, not playing ‘whack-a-mole’ against your opponent. With each attack, you risk driving your army into the sinister region of ‘Dark Nature’. While an easy path to more power, this can lead to the destruction of your army if allowed to go too far!

The ONLY game where a hamster can take out her opponent’s playground with a gasoline can!  Nature of the Beast is a serious strategy game that you can actually get a couple chuckles from while playing and it won’t cost you a fortune to play.

This special reward also includes the Soldato rewards as well!

At the $40 dollar level get your choice of a TGG T-Shirt or Baseball cap. At $55 you get both! These accessories will be produced for this Indiegogo project only. Once we get near the completion of the project we'll send out the color options available for all our custom accessories.

Of course, the Soldato rewards are included too.

Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle Gen Con Special! Limited to 20 backers. The Wizards of the Coast D&D Next preview will be available at Gen Con 2013 as an exclusive con item and will be found nowhere else. That is unless you decide to back our project for $45! 

Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle is a D&D Next preview and mini-campaign comprised of four thrilling adventures designed to advance characters from 1st level to 10th level. The book also contains everything a Dungeon Master needs to run the adventures, including D&D Next game rules developed during the massive public playtest, monster statistics, spell descriptions, magic item descriptions, and background information on the coastal town of Daggerford, where the campaign is based.

If you can't make it to the show, we'll get you a copy (as well as the exclusive Gale Force 9 mini) and ship it directly from Indianapolis. Don't let this opportunity pass you by! This pledge is only available to backers in the U.S. and also includes the Soldato level of rewards as well.

World of Darkness Pack. A limited number of specials are available for the World of Darkness Pack! Only 20 available at a $45 pledge. Receive the PDFs of two of the latestWhite Wolf releases (Mummy: The Curse and Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition) for less than you'd pay to purchase them online!

Mummy: The Curse

Imagine being both dead and deathless at the same time. Imagine being cradled in the arms of death for years, sometimes decades on end, but all the while knowing that you will eventually not only arise again, but awaken to an unfamiliar world that mostly fears and hates you. Now imagine that your purpose, your entire existence, is bound within this cycle -- that you are chained to it for all eternity. You sleep, you wake, your serve your Judge's will in the lands of the living, and you return to the death-sleep once more. The ancient culture that empowered you is gone, lost to the sands of time... yet you endure.

In Mummy: The Curse, a Storytelling game set in the World of Darkness, you play one of these beings. Those who know they exist, from the cultists who serve them to the dark forces arrayed against them, call them the Deathless.

We call them mummies.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition

Werewolf the Apocalypse roared into hobby games in 1992, inspiring a generation of fans to stand up and howl their defiance at a corrupted world in a battle they knew they were doomed to lose. WtA presented the Garou: creatures at once both man and wolf, and filled with a Rage against the evils that would destroy and corrupt both the natural and spirit worlds. Capable of transforming into a variety of forms and blessed with Gifts that enabled superhuman and supernatural powers, the Garou fought many foes, always knowing that in the end they would fall. But what stories would be told and what songs sang of their exploits!

This epic tragic story, combined with the unwavering dedication of an unparalleled fan base, is the reason this book is being published. Werewolf: The Apocalypse – 20th Anniversary Edition brings the entire World of Darkness experience full circle and will serve as the perfect anniversary milestone to celebrate two decades of gaming the epic sagas of the Garou.

The World of Darkness Pack reward also includes everything in the Soldato level as well.

This is limited to ten backers as TGG's very own master of the graphic arts, Dion Long, will provide you with a custom character sketch for a $60 pledge. Just provide a brief description of the character, and a photo if you'd like it to resemble yourself, and you'll receive the digital image emailed directly to you! You don't even have to be a roleplayer to enjoy your very own one-of-a-kind 8" by 10" piece of artwork. Plus all the Caporegime goodies!

If you'd really like to show your support of TGG, you can score all of our custom designed accessories (T-Shirt, Badge Wallet, Baseball Cap, and Dice Bag at the $70 level of backing plus receive everything at the Soldato level as well!

Dawn of the Zeds Reward. Limited to ten backers is our Dawn of the Zeds 2nd Edition the $75 Pledge Level with includes the Soldato rewards, a convention badge wallet or dice bag, as well as a copy of my Game of the Year for 2011 in all it's newly updated boxed glory. 

You can see what's in the box with this video and check out the review of Victory Point Games' original edition here!

Arising once again from the grave, from designer Hermann Luttmann and lavishly illustrated by Vinh Ha, arises Dawn of the Zeds Second Edition as you've never seen it before. In this States of Siege solitaire game of horror and survival, your strategies will be put to the test. The world has gone crazy – a deadly virus has turned ordinary people into vicious, zombie-like killers. The undead, nicknamed "Zeds," are now converging on your corner of the world. You have been left to your own devices to stop them while the National Guard organizes a relief column and fights its way to you – but that could take days, or even weeks, before they arrive.

At the town of Farmingdale and its surrounding villages, you must coordinate its defenses. Regular citizens may emerge as heroes as you work to halt the Zeds' advances by (re)killing them, discovering and implementing a cure to this vile scourge, and preserving the area and its inhabitants as much as possible. In addition to this madness, the crazy Doctor Marteuse has been working in the underground tunnels and unleashing his uber-deadly Super Zeds, a nasty bunch of beasts that give havoc a whole new name. Bring him to justice, destroy the infectious Zeds, and save your city from peril!

In a game that requires the utmost test of skill and nerve, will you survive long enough? Will you be able to fight hordes of Zeds while protecting the townspeople? Test your heroics and unearth Dawn of the Zeds, a game that will keep you on your toes!

Frontline General: Spearpoint 1943 Special. This includes everything from the TGG Caporegime reward as well a a special Frontline General: Spearpoint 1943 bundle provided by Collins Epic Wargames. You'll receive both the Spearpoint 1943 Western Front core game as well as the Origins 2013 nominated map expansion!

You can check our or review of the core game here and video of what's in the expansion box here!

Frontline General: Spearpoint 1943 is a fast-paced two-player tactical card wargame set in WWII. Spearpoint focuses on WWII frontline combat, chaos, tension, and fun. 100 Unit Cards feature an assortment of historical German and US squad level infantry, artillery, armor, and aircraft. 50 Command Cards give support and intel to players. 25 Damage Cards apply unique Damage Effects if a unit becomes damaged. Combat is quick and tense and resolves using four included D10 dice. Standard and Situation games play in about 30 minutes including setup.

This also includes the Soldato rewards as well.

(Limited to Sponsors Only) Advertise on The Gaming Gang for a month at a lower rate than usual. You can chose your ad space area and even include multiple ads in rotation. Two sponsor spaces per month (July, August, and September) are available on a first come/first serve basis. This level does not include any rewards other than sponsorship and inclusion in a special section of the Founding Gang Members Roll Call.

Become a TGG Underboss - Everything from the Flag Bearer level and the opportunity to "Hang with the Gang!" Heading to one of the shows we're planning to cover? Then set aside an evening during the show to enjoy dinner and drinks with the team. Plenty of laughs are in store for a memorable experience and, if you're a gamer, plan on kicking it over a game or two. This reward is limited to two individuals per show. Once again this is on a first come basis so please check the updates as to what cons are still available. As we unlock coverage for more shows (fingers crossed on that) we'll make more evenings of "hanging with the gang" available for those cons. We'll pick up the tab for dinner and up to a $30 bar tab.

Become a TGG Capo Bastone - Exclusively for miniature gamers, have up to twenty 28mm-32mm miniatures of any genre not only professionally painted to tabletop quality but also featured in The Gaming Gang's A Regular Joe's Guide to Miniature Painting series of videos. Jeff will take viewers starting from the process of prepping the miniatures all the way through basing and protecting your finished figures. Please note this includes the shipping of the miniatures (as well as insurance) both to and from Jeff and is only open to supporters located in the U.S. Due to the nature of this reward you must allow 90-120 days from receipt of the unpainted miniatures to the return of the completed painted figures. Also miniatures to be painted to particular gaming title specs (i.e. WH40k or Flames of War) reference materials and exact paints must be included in original shipment. All other figures which are open to creative interpretation only need to have guideline images forwarded either in the shipment or through email. Also includes everything from the Flag Bearer level of rewards.

Be the Capo Di Tutti Capi of The Gaming Gang! Limited to a single event, three of us will travel anywhere in the U.S. to spend a day of gaming with yourself, your friends and family. We'll shoot video of the experience and give you plenty of camera time to share your collection, favorite games and just about anything within reason. A custom one of a kind DVD will be created for your personal collection as well. If you'd like we'll even bring the games and grub - how would you like to play games months before they're available on store shelves? You'll even get to keep the games!

We'll take care of the travel, hotel, and rental car; all you need to do is be ready to have an awesome time! This also includes all rewards up to the Standard Bearer level, you choice of two of our game rewards, as well as plenty of extra goodies to make the experience well worth your while! Please keep in mind due to the convention season your custom day of gaming will need to be scheduled after August 31st, 2013 and may not conflict with any scheduled convention we're attending in force.

That may be what you're wondering but due to the time constraints to get the project up and running, so it doesn't end right in the middle of this summer's convention season, we were a wee bit pressed for time to get started. 

Wizard World Chicago - August 8-11, 2013 in Rosemont, IL

Pax Prime - Aug 30-Sep 2, 2013 in Seattle, WA

BoardGameGeek Con - November 20-24, 2013 in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

Las Vegas Comic Expo - September 28-29, 2013 in Las Vegas, NV

New York Comic Con - October 10-13, 2013 in New York City, NY

GeekGirlCon - October 19-20, 2013 in Seattle, WA

Yes, this is the big one where we'd actually leave the good ol' U.S. of A. and make our way to Essen, Germany for Die Internationalen Spieltage taking place October 24 (my birthday dontcha know) - 27, 2013!

Of course not! You’ll see plenty of coverage of other events much closer to our homes throughout the convention season. We’re always on the lookout to bring our audience lots of goodness from shows of all sizes! The more successful this project is the larger our "war chest' will be to finance travel. 

All we’re doing is letting folks know if we hit certain levels of funding they can look forward to seeing video, hearing audio, and reading coverage of the specific events we’re already listing. These are by no means are the only shows we’ll tackle!

Feel free to contact Jeff with any questions you may have or post them here as we'll look to follow up ASAP!