Work in Progress Wednesday
I'm very excited to invite Josef, the founder of Tablehammer.com, and a Tau community celebrity, El_Mutanto!
The interpretation of the lore and the creation of new models is a keystone of the hobby and one that Tau players have always taken a lot of joy in.
One of my personal favorites from Eastern-Empire
As technology advances there are new methods and new opportunities for hobbyists to take what's in the lore or their imaginations and share it with the rest of us.
One such resource is Tablehammer, a site run and founded by Josef, who has taken some time out of his day to sit with us at NewsCaste.
Hello Josef, as the founder of tablehammer.com, could you introduce yourself briefly and tell us about your background?
Hey! My name is Josef and I am 28 years old. After finishing school with an artistic focus, I spent a few years working creatively before pursuing a career in graphic design. I then entered the event business, where I was responsible for external communication and advertising.
Over the years, I worked my way up to become the operations manager and eventually became a co-owner of the company. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the event industry and forced me to make some quick decisions to protect the company. I decided to step away from the active business and started my own media agency specializing in website design and communication design.
During this time, the topic of 3D printing was becoming increasingly popular, particularly in the tabletop wargaming community. As an avid Warhammer 40k and Star Wars Legion fan, along with my brother and some friends, we had a design background and created our first 3D designs. We started with small additions for wargaming, such as muzzle flashes, and quickly realized that we could create 3D models for the community.
And that's how Tablehammer came about?
Exactly. I founded Tablehammer and started publishing small accessories and add-ons for tabletop wargaming, such as dice holders, muzzle flashes, and other bits. Then, we moved on to designing and creating our first mechs and larger models, which we wanted to collect and release as a faction on Kickstarter.
Today, our shops offer hundreds of different models and kits, and we continue to expand our selection. Due to my graphic design background, the Tablehammer website is always up to date with the latest technology and reflects what is important to us. Our designs have allowed us to make some great contacts. In recent months, we have collaborated with OnePageRules, MrModulor, and other amazing creators.
While I work on concepts, the website, our stores and marketing, the incredible El Mutanto is working diligently on new releases for our patrons and tribers with epic miniature sets.
How did you meet El Mutanto?
After our first forays into the world of tabletop wargaming, we wanted to think bigger and launched our first crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, called "Harvest IV". We wanted to offer wargaming terrain and poseable miniatures, but halfway through the project, we realized that we needed the finishing touch: detailed organic kits like a troop builder, created by an experienced professional.
That's when I found El Mutanto online and reached out to him, asking if he was available as a freelancer for a few models. After completing several sets, such as our "Factory Guard" and "Security Ogres", the Kickstarter campaign was successful, and occasional freelance work turned into a regular commitment with El Mutanto as Tablehammer's lead 3D designer - a role he still holds today.
We have been working together for about two years now and have released several armies, including the "Federation of Tyr" (space dwarves), "Accell Union" (humans), "Human SpaceCorps" (super humans), and "Necroyd Tomb Lords" (space undead). You can find detailed information about our armies on our website: tablehammer.com.
Our next crowdfunding project is "Accell Union", followed by more dwarves and expansions to our popular "Xaiax" faction, which includes our newest model, "Gui'do - the puppeteer".
"Gui'do - the puppeteer" is a model that Tablehammer has created as a leader for their upcoming faction "Xaiax". This new faction consists of highly-technological aliens equipped with battle armor and drones. The design of Gui'do marks a departure from Tablehammer's usual bright and clean aesthetic, in favor of a darker, more dramatic and epic look.
Gui'do doesn't stand on a disc like comparable models, but rather floats god-like above the battlefield using his jetpack. His accompanying drones carry the decorative fabric of his clothing, and his arms are majestically raised to the sides, suggesting a certain level of self-indulgence. His head is hidden below a mysterious hood.
Why is the mini named "Gui‘do“?
The model "Gui'do - the puppeteer" is dedicated to the legendary miniature painter Guido Gunther with whom we have worked together in the past and who painted our sample model.
When is the model available?
Right now! The model is a gift for the new Kickstarter campaign of
Phoenix Forge AU and is included in every pledge level. After the campaign, the model will be available in the Tablehammer-shops on MyMiniFactory and Cults3D and will also be re-released on Patreon and Tribes.
Follow Tablehammer now:
More about El Mutanto:
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