At Essen Spieltagen 2023, we sit down with the amazing Para Bellum team. The wargame company – which may not remain a wargame company exclusively for long – has a booth right across Games Workshop, maybe their most prolific ‘rivals’; a detail no one at Para Bellum seems to mind. We sit down to discuss miniatures, but end up talking about a lot more.
LifeBytes Magazine: When I first saw Conquest three years ago, the first thing that struck me was the quality of the sculpts. Right now, several companies are doing amazing work. How do you stay ahead of the rest? How do you maintain a distinctive edge?
Para Bellum: The main thing we do is put the art first, not the engineering. We try to be as loyal to the concept as possible. There are a few hard rules to the concepts, but we aim to keep them as loose as possible without any strict guidelines. Whatever the artists create, we try to recreate in plastic. If we can't do it in plastic, we try in resin. If we still can't, we know the concept is just too difficult to execute.
How often do you need to revise the concepts?
If it takes more than five revisions, I shift it to another artist.
That sounds like a good idea.
There's only so much you can ask from one person. We find someone for whom the project is a match, and then shuffle it around. It's a lot easier with an in-house team because you start to understand who excels at what and can assign tasks accordingly. We usually have between one to five revisions, sometimes six if we're close but something's not quite right.
It's great to hear about your process. Your game is primarily a rank-and-file game, right?
It's actually both rank-and-file and skirmish. That’s why we have square bases for rank-and-file units and round bases for skirmish units.
That's a really cool concept because you can easily switch bases.
Exactly. In the beginning, we launched fully as a mass battle rank-and-file game, but we always intended to offer more. We also plan to develop a dungeon crawler with rules for both our war game miniatures and its own miniatures, allowing for a lot of versatility.
How are you developing the setting? Are there any recent advancements to the storyline?
Yes, we're a bit nervous because the changes will affect people's army lists, which can be risky. But we want the world to evolve and the players to have a voice. We have what we call a Living World on our website, where players can log in, earn points, and vote on the storyline. The more engaged you are, the more votes you earn to influence the main characters' actions and their consequences.
That's a fascinating approach. How do you handle the balance between community input and maintaining your vision?
Once you create something, it belongs to the reader and their interpretation. I'll never say someone's interpretation is wrong. I create the world, its societies, economics, trade, and social structures, while others flesh out the individual characters.
There's a trend towards miniatures that don't need assembly. How do you balance that with the needs of your game?
Our engineering requirements often mean our miniatures are more modular and slightly more static. This is necessary for rank-and-file formations but limits us on the skirmish side, where more expressive poses are desirable.
Other companies have a lot of different games in various universes, which can be confusing for newcomers. How do you manage this?
We focus on a unified world with multiple game types under one umbrella. The urge is to release different games, but we prioritize coherence in our world and settings.
Are you working on a role-playing game?
Yes, we're working on it. Our world was conceived as a war gaming world with role-playing in mind. Realism is crucial to us.
Do you think changes in the industry will impact your approach?
If changes occur, we'll adapt. Despite industry shifts, we remain focused on our core principles and the needs of our community.
Will you make your miniatures compatible across different types of games?
Absolutely. Many of our war gamers are also role players. We will ensure that our miniatures and rulesets are compatible across different types of games, providing analogs where necessary.
That's great to hear. What other future plans do you have for expanding the Conquest universe?
We have a lot of exciting plans. Besides the dungeon crawler, we're also looking into adding more factions and expanding the lore. We want to keep the world dynamic and engaging for our players. This includes more narrative campaigns and events that directly involve the community, influencing the storyline based on their participation and choice.
How do you engage with your community to ensure they remain interested and invested in the game?
We have multiple channels for community engagement, including forums, social media, and our Living World platform. We also attend conventions and host tournaments to interact with players directly. Feedback is crucial, and we take it seriously. Players shape the game as much as we do, and their input helps us make necessary adjustments and improvements.
What challenges have you faced in maintaining a high level of quality and innovation?
One of the biggest challenges is balancing creativity with practicality. We strive to stay true to the artistic vision while ensuring the miniatures are functional and playable. Another challenge is staying ahead in a competitive market, which requires constant innovation and attention to detail.
How do you see the future of tabletop gaming evolving, especially with the rise of digital alternatives?
While digital games offer convenience and a different kind of experience, there's something unique about the tactile and social aspects of tabletop gaming. We believe both can coexist and even complement each other. We are exploring ways to integrate digital elements into our games without losing the essence of tabletop play.
Any final thoughts or messages you’d like to share with our readers?
We’re incredibly grateful for the support from our community. It’s their passion and dedication that drive us to keep creating and innovating. We’re excited about the future and can’t wait to share more adventures in the Conquest universe. Stay tuned, and keep playing!
Thank you for your time and insights. We look forward to seeing what’s next for Para Bellum and Conquest.
Thank you. It's been a pleasure discussing our journey and future plans.
Dirk Vandereyken
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