Twelve years after the failed Defiance Games Kickstarter, Wargames Atlantic is paying back every backer and finishing a redemption arc.
If you’ve been around the tabletop hobby long enough, you’ve probably heard the name Tony Reidy whispered like a cautionary tale from the Wargames Factory and Defiance Games days. Well, here’s the plot twist no one saw coming: Wargames Atlantic, the company he went on to found under the name Hudson Adams, is refunding backers from a 2013 Kickstarter that technically isn’t even connected to the current company.
That’s right. Twelve years later, those Defiance Games supporters are getting their money back, plus a 150% store credit option if they’d rather have plastic soldiers instead of PayPal transfers.
Defiance Games: From Plastic Dreams to Plastic Nightmares
Tony recently made a post to clear the air on the whole situation. Back in the late 2000s, Tony Reidy tried to take on the big dogs like Games Workshop by bringing affordable hard plastic historical kits to market. His vision for Wargames Factory was smart and ahead of its time: all-digital sculpting and tooling before anyone else was really doing it. Unfortunately, the tech and partnerships weren’t ready, and things went sideways fast when China got involved.
Factories botched molds, shipments lagged, and quality issues piled up. Then came the business deal that handed control to a Chinese partner who, to put it mildly, ran off with the ball and the goalposts. Reidy was left out in the cold, and his company name was repurposed overseas.
Still reeling, he tried again with Defiance Games, but the hits kept coming. Delays, mounting debts, and a failed Kickstarter left him broken, personally and financially.
He filed for bankruptcy, disappeared from the scene, and became the kind of name you saw in old forum threads whenever someone wanted to warn others about crowdfunding heartbreak.
From Reidy to “Hudson Adams”
Fast forward to the late 2010s. Reidy, now operating as “Hudson Adams,” quietly launched Wargames Atlantic. The goal was simple: do it right this time. Build great kits, treat partners well, and avoid all the pitfalls that buried the old dream.
And he did. Wargames Atlantic became one of the most trusted names in the industry, pumping out quality plastic kits for sci-fi, fantasy, and historical gaming at prices that made even veteran players grin. Most people never suspected “Hudson” was the same guy once buried by internet rumors. But behind the scenes, he’d made a vow to make good on the promises of that doomed Defiance Kickstarter one day.
That day has just arrived.
Wargames Atlantic: Paying It Back, 12 Years Later
Let’s be clear: Wargames Atlantic has zero legal responsibility to refund those backers. It’s not the same company, and the Kickstarter wasn’t under their banner. Yet here we are, with them stepping up anyway to right a wrong that most people would’ve long forgotten.
That’s the kind of move that makes people sit up and pay attention. In an economy where companies are cutting corners just to stay afloat, Wargames Atlantic is literally paying off old debts that don’t even belong to them. That’s more than customer service, it’s character.
The refund process is refreshingly straightforward. Backers can email kickstarter@wargamesatlantic.com with proof of their pledge and get their refund directly or opt for a 150% voucher to the store. So, if you pledged $65, you’ll get nearly a hundred bucks to spend on new minis. That’s the kind of gesture you rarely see anymore.
Final Thoughts From Us: Defiance Games, Wargames Atlantic
When our editor and founder, Rob, messaged Hudson for the first time years ago, he told him right up front, “I know who you are.” And instead of brushing it off, Hudson owned it.
Over the years, he’s quietly employed talented people who might not have gotten those same opportunities elsewhere, built one of the most diverse model ranges in the business, and created a company that feels genuinely connected to its community.
From the outside, it’s easy to see this as a redemption arc, but it’s really more than that. This move puts the Wargames Atlantic Defiance Games situation in a league of its own for accountability and goodwill. WGA didn’t need to do this, but they did, and that speaks volumes.
Refunding the Defiance Kickstarter isn’t just about money. It’s about closing a chapter with integrity, showing that people can grow, learn, and still do the right thing even when no one’s asking them to.
If you ever doubted that good things could come out of the messy corners of wargaming history, this is your reminder that sometimes the good guys do come back, and they bring sprues.
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