A request

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Gunfreak
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A request

Post by Gunfreak » Wed Apr 06, 2016 1:18 pm

So reading about the GNW in Norway. It looks to be a skirmish gaming dream.

But there are no appropriate skirmish figures for swedes or danes.
By skirmish figures i mean dynamic firing loading. Kneeling both loading and firing.
While advancing swedes are well and good it does look strange during a skirmish game to only have advancing. And matching are right out.
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barr7430
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Re: A request

Post by barr7430 » Fri Apr 08, 2016 11:15 pm

Gunfreak, I share your enthusiasm but the average price to get a single figure into production is about 300 pounds or 3000 NOK, to get a set of 5 into production we are talking about 7500 NOK, to get enough ready to encourage people to commit to buying into a range you need to multiply that by about 10 - 75000 NOK. The rub comes when you try and recoup that money in sales (incidentally, that does not include production costs only design and moulding creation). To recoup that kind of cash you can be talking about selling close on 1500 packs of figures. That is pretty rare. Warfare had succeeded in selling over 12,000 packs but that has taken very careful decision making, prudent financial management and informed choices when it comes to design. Until I got hold of the range 5 years ago it was bleeding out cash all over the place. Manufacturing companies (particularly small ones like Warfare) have to be very careful how cash is invested. A bad choice means profit which has been built over years and which is used to issue new models can be wiped out in a heartbeat. Unless we go the painful crowding funding route (an organizational nightmare) - we have to limit our aspirations to the possible.

We'll keep the figures coming but unless some business angels sprinkle lots of cash in my hand we'll have to continue with careful decisions.
"If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you are probably right"

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Friedrich August I.
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Re: A request

Post by Friedrich August I. » Sat Apr 09, 2016 6:05 am

Wise Words Barry, wise words!
I know exactly what you are talking about as me and Steve have the same careful "step-by-step" movement to do. We all have our wishes and know what we like to have. My wish to get the Napoleonic Saxons done by Steve almost ruined his business as NOBODY is/was interested into the Miniatures.
Small Manufacturers have to walk a difficult path.

To comfort you "Gunny" give the GNW Range time to blossom and one day your dream for skirmishing Swedes, Danes and such will become true.
„Macht Euch Euren Dregg alleene“

"Sort your filth out by yourself!" The King of Saxony Friedrich August III., at his abdication 1918, referred to the quarrels in the parliament and the squabbling within the provisional government.
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barr7430
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Re: A request

Post by barr7430 » Sat Apr 09, 2016 8:51 am

Thanks Gunter. I know, you know!

The following requests have already hit me re GNW:

Cossacks
Turks
Danes
Ski Troops
Snapphanne
Saxons
Swedish Firing line
Russian pikemen kneeling
Boyars
Streltsi
Polish Winged Hussars
Polish Pancerni
Polish Infantry

None were in the original plan which is still to release:

Swedish Cavalry
Swedish Personalities and generals
Swedish Artillerymen
Swedish Grenadiers
Ragged Swedes
Swedish casualties
Russian Dragoons mounted
Russian Dragoons dismounted
Russian Grenadiers
12 additional Russian codes(60 different figures)
Russian Artillerymen
Russian Personalities and generals

This thread demonstrates the gap between commercial reality and wargaming aspiration. Very often, the well intentioned requests focus on a specific individual need for a gamer or club. Although the manufactured product may be exciting to sculpt and paint, the commercial potential beyond selling a few (or at most a few dozen) packs is at best unknown and at least totally impossible.

It may sound like this thread is pouring cold water on new ideas but the truth is actually the exact opposite. Clever reworking of existing sculpts, dollies and poses maximises the opportunity to produce new stuff.

With regard to the 'crowd funding' route I do not favour it as I have seen and heard of too many melt down situations with the 'ideas guy' drowned in a tidal wave of admin and over subscription. Highly stressful, frustrating for the cash contributors whether 20 euros or 2000 euros.

I was able to access a degree of funding from a small group of about 12 people to help with the start of the GNW range and that was successful. I have not yet re approached the original group to see if they wish to continue to fund. We raised a reasonable amount initially with Warfare being of course the largest funder and matching ++ the combined contributions of all other funders. That allowed us to get 21 packs of Swedes done. The Russians and anything subsequent are solely funded by Warfare(ie me) currently.

My real job gets in the way often and at the moment, communication wise, I am barely keeping my head above water.

What has the GNW achieved in sales? Well, the sales have be encouraging but not outstanding. The range is still 'in debt' ie initial outlay costs not recovered but cushioned by the big success of other Warfare codes. I will continue with the development process as planned. We are creating some wonderful stuff at the moment.

So, as Gunter says.. Gunfreak... stick with it, buy bits and pieces as you need as this allows us to keep going. If a couple of hundred other people do that every two or three months you may well get your Norwegians! 8)
"If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you are probably right"

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Re: A request

Post by Adam Hayes » Sat Apr 09, 2016 9:04 pm

One of the advantages of skirmish gaming is that the limited numbers of figures required, means they are a realistic proposition for doing conversions from whatever figures are available. When the initial plans go off the rails and you find you needs hundreds of figures ( never been there myself :wink: ) then you need to badger the likes of Barry to produce those 1719 Norwegian Marine Militia Cadets, or whatever. Now, about those Turks...
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Re: A request

Post by turrabear » Sun Apr 10, 2016 4:32 am

Can understand where you are coming from Mr h Had a look at some of the requests.cossacks hopefully will be part of the range as they did play a large part in the Russian Swedish phase of the war.also a Swedish dragoon drummer would be handy as the swedes did deploy a large amount of dragoons. Just a thought.
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Re: A request

Post by quindia » Tue Apr 12, 2016 3:35 am

Heh.. I was bothering Barry with the same thing for the Ireland campaign a week ago! All in good time...
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