F**k it, we ball!

Last summer, at the tender age of thirty-seven and at what was arguably the most depressing point of my career, I had a slightly unhinged idea.

Not unhinged in itself.Unhinged for me, and for the carefully constructed mental scaffolding that usually governs my decision-making.

I decided to activate the Gimli Protocol.

“Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?”

That, right there, is the Gimli Protocol.

So I opened the drawer where I had been quietly hiding everything I had developed over the years for my game ruleset, faithfully postponed year after year with the classic excuse:“It’s not perfect yet.”

I then began a slow, meticulous, and slightly obsessive process of analysis, reworking, cutting, stitching, and synthesising… until I finally ended up with something that felt complete.

Not perfect. But finished.

And at that point, I made a decision that, whether for better or worse (let’s optimistically say better), will mark a turning point for both me and Durgin Paint Forge:

starting June 2026, you’ll finally be able to play my game.

Can I recruit a mixed Company? Yes!

There will be plenty of time to take you by the hand and guide you through this long journey (hopefully a very long one). For now, though, I think it’s wiser to proceed in small steps.

I want to cook you very slowly, low heat, lots of patience, so that the collagen of your doubts can soften properly and melt into a rich, glossy Hype Bourguignon.

Which, as everyone knows, is the most important ingredient for a successful dish. Or, in this case, a game.

The starter set

Right now, Valerio, Carlos (in a more contained but still dangerous form), and I are working on the two ranges that will kick off this new chapter.

On one side, of course, there are my beloved Dwarves, with a substantial refresh of the entire Iron Crows range(“Can I still use my old models?” — yes. Obviously. Always.)

On the other side, in March, we’ll see the debut of the very first kit of a completely new faction:

The Knights of Moss Hill.

I won’t spoil anything, but if you imagine a child born from a questionable union between Bretonnia and the Goblin from Labyrinth, then raised in a swamp…you’re very much on the right path.

open beta

The game rules will officially debut in June 2026, when I’ll release the open beta of the ruleset, along with everything you need to play the new kits.

As development progresses, rules for the older kits will, of course, be released as well.

All game-related material (Core Rules, Hero Manual, Scenario Book) will be free to download.

Always. No tricks. No paywalls. No cursed scrolls

past and future

With very few exceptions, I don’t plan to restock older physical kits.

At this stage, it would be impossible for me to guarantee production of new kits and restock past ones at the same time. Unfortunately, the shutdown of GRX and two years of limbo forced me into some hard decisions.

That said, older kits will remain available as digital files, and they will be fully supported from a gameplay perspective.

From this year onward, my focus will be on updating the four existing ranges:

• Dwarves of Kazhuk Izril

• Second Government of Inneath

• Elves of Inneath

• Orcs of Inneath

This will happen both through remakes of existing kits (for example: this month you’ll see the new Iron Crow Warriors!)and through brand-new characters and entire new factions, with the Knights of Moss Hill opening the floodgates.

three ways in

Support for the game will come through three channels: digital, 3D print, and classic resin kits.

Especially in this early phase, while production ramps back up and trust is rebuilt, releases will follow this structure:

1️⃣ Digital Preview on Patreon

New kits will first be released on Patreon, in digital format, ready for 3D printing.

Each kit will be designed to be modular, allowing you to build 4–5 unique characters using a solid number of options:

• aesthetic options (alternate heads, visual equipment variants)

• gameplay options (specific loadouts that directly reflect the model’s rules on the table)

  
  

2️⃣ Printed Models (for non-Patreon, non-printer folk)

If you’re not interested in Patreon, or don’t own a 3D printer, you’ll still be able to buy professionally printed models.

I’m currently discussing a long-term collaboration with the wonderful folks at Plastic Pulp, aiming to provide a reliable reference point for high-quality prints that meet my standards.

3️⃣ Resin Casts (for the patient and the traditional)

About 4–5 months after the Patreon release, resin casts of the new characters will be made available.

These will be exclusive editions: unique variants derived from the original kit, not available digitally (and vice versa).

Production will be handled by Valquiria Studio, which already produced the resin casts for The Offcuts.

Yes, they arrived.

Yes, they are gorgeous.

"How much will the game cost?"

Short answer: it depends on the medium you choose.

If you’re on Patreon and you have access to a 3D printer, every month you’ll get a kit that, if you want, already allows you to build a solid chunk of the models needed to play.

For example, between January and February, the Iron Crow Warriors and Iron Crow Sentinels kits for the Dwarves of Kazhuk Izril will be released. By combining them, you’ll be able to create a wide range of Iron Crow–themed Companies with plenty of variation.

Total cost for two months of Patreon subscription: €20.

If instead you prefer to have a standard Hero Company printed for you (6 models), prices should stay under €50.

As for resin Hero Companies, the cost will depend on how you approach it:

• “Ready to Play” bundles will range between €60–80

• If you prefer to build your Company by picking individual kits, prices will be around €12.50–15 per kit

And of course, there’s always the most elegant option of all, especially if you’re a veteran of these lands and already have models at home:

just put them on the table and play without spending a single euro.

The Offcuts are a perfectly playable Company in their own!

Green

You may have noticed that something has been changing visually as well.

A soft green has been slowly creeping into my renders.

In Italy, green is associated with hope, but when you’re broke, we also say you’re “al verde” (literally: at green).In other countries, green is the colour of money. And finally, green is the colour of pesto, the sacred gastronomic icon of my homeland: Liguria.

After two incredibly difficult years, I felt it was time to visually lean into something different. Green represents my current situation quite well, but also my hopes for the future.

So I’ve decided that, little by little, green will replace the yellow I’ve used so far, becoming the new iconic colour of this journey.

A Ligurian, broke but hopeful, who never stopped believing he could make a pile of dollarsselling adorable resin little guys.

(In my head, I swear this sounded way more poetic.)

That’s it for now.

In the next update, I’ll be able to show you the first kit of this new chapter and explain a few more details in depth.

I hope 2026 brings you calm and joy.

As for bringing you the Dwarves: I’ll take care of that.