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Need 6mm enthusiast opinions

 Post subject: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 9:29 pm 
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I posted this in a few other places, figured I would post here as well since this is like 6mm central command.

I now have 4 armies released in my 6mm fantasy line, Woodland/Wood Elves, Orcs, Undead, and Vikings/Norse. Sales on the 6mm fantasy stuff are generally pretty low, I really release the stuff because I have a passion for the hobby and for 6mm in general. What do people think would stimulate 6mm as a viable fantasy scale? A dedicated ruleset and background fluff? More variety in army selection?

Within the next month or so I will be releasing Beastmen and Minotaurs with Giant Mammoth centaur monsters in support (about 15mm tall). At the same time I release these I will also release some 15mm tall Frost Giants for the Vikings that didn't make it into the mold the first time around.

I am trying to decide what to release next. I was going to go with Lizardmen, but then I was thinking I should round out the Orcs and Wood Elves first. I was also toying with commissioning something a bit different, like a werewolf faction in 6mm, something akin to the Devourers from Confrontation (just really tiny). Any opinions would be welcome.

Another thing I am wrestling with is command figures. When I first released the orcs I had a lot of requests for them, and I do see them being necessary, but they are just such a money sink my wallet cries as I literally have no chance of making even a quarter of the investment back on them. I was thinking in future releases I would incorporate the command figures with the infantry packs to save on moldmaking costs.

Release formats is another issue I have been thinking on. I have been releasing full armies all in one go up to now...lately I have been wondering if I should change that and just release a smattering of basic infantry for a wide variety of races, and let sales dictate which army to flesh out first. So, for example, instead of releasing 9 or 10 packs of one army for the next release, I would instead release 2-4 packs for 3 different armies all at once. What do people prefer? I always thought people like to see a full range before deciding on investing in an army. Anyway, thanks for reading, just sharing some of my thoughts with the community.

Woops, just realized I never sorted out my signature, here is the website:

www.microworldgames.com


Last edited by thedespot29 on Wed Jul 14, 2010 10:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 10:10 pm 
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Do you have a website?

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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 10:10 pm 
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For me a dedicated ruleset would be most important, with good background fluff helping. What might also help would be minis that could be used in other game systems, not just fantasy. I personally don't know of any 6mm fantasy rules, but I can think of generic fantasy minis that could be used in Epic.

Good luck on your endeavor. I'm glad when a 6mm miniatures company can survive.

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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 10:17 pm 
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Warmaster are the rules that spring to mind.


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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 10:23 pm 
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Looking at your website, is there a gallery that shows your 6mm armies in their full splendour?

I would imagine such a gallery showing full army shots might help drive interest.


As to characters, regrettably they might have to be a loss-leader for you, to help drive other sales?

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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 10:28 pm 
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My first thought is "let's see the minis".

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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 10:31 pm 
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adam77 wrote:
Do you have a website?


http://www.microworldgames.com

Dwarf Supreme wrote:
For me a dedicated ruleset would be most important, with good background fluff helping. What might also help would be minis that could be used in other game systems, not just fantasy. I personally don't know of any 6mm fantasy rules, but I can think of generic fantasy minis that could be used in Epic.


http://www.microworldgames.com/product_ ... cts_id=104

$11.00 Or[c]osaur/Mukakil? Seems to be a good price point.

I feel a little sheepish commenting at the length below...especially because your figures have been on my "would like to buy" list for an awful long time with no actual cash outlay. Nevertheless...

I think your release stategy has been good -- I can feel myself weakening each time I see a new complete army... I don't think dribs and drabs would make that much difference to me. As to the next armies: Lizardmen would be very cool, and good in the Warmaster context. Demons are another very neat Warmaster Army, and also fairly genre-independent (i.e. I can imagine a significant interest amongst E:A players).

I'd think about a higher price point for a larger batch of command figures -- especially at 6mm scale, it's important to provide some diversity to the formations in order to catch the eye.

I'm not sure I'd be that concerned about rules themselves so much as finding a venue to show your figures in play: batreps and pictures from a Warmaster game, or from an Impetus Fantasy/ DBF Game (two fairly different mounting systems) would be particularly helpful. One crucial problem I see with the microworldgames.com website (which is, by the way, shared by most of its competitors) is the fact that it's hard to visualize the figures actually in play... and so you miss out on one of the strongest arguments for 6mm scaling -- it's actually possible to paint up and play with the scale fairly easily and quickly.

[edit] looking more closely, I do notice that the Gnoll warriors are nicely painted and based, as are most of the Woodland realm folks. That said, I'm not sure that the basing does the scale justice -- for me at least, part of the attraction to 6mm scale is that the basing can be more scenic/more interesting, and in fantasy/pre-industrial, you can actually set out the minis in a fair facsimile of historical formation. The bases displayed on the website instead look like WM 10mm bases, but with less detail.

Back to rules... I'd only go into rules design for its own sake: to fill a niche/void in fantasy rules, and/or a void that can be particularly easily addressed at 6mm. Siege rules and campaign rules come to mind, especially because Z-scale sieges seem to be a reasonable endeavor, and because they were a climactic episodes in a certain venerable trilogy. Or perhaps hex-based rules intended for use with (e.g.) heroscape 1.5" hexes.

Finally, can you negotiate a distribution agreement with Baccus (and/or, show scale comparisons?) This sort of thing might be an excellent 'force multiplier.' And another interesting ruleset might go in a Victorian/steampunk direction: Orc's Drift/Space 1889.


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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 11:50 pm 
Evil and Chaos wrote:
As to characters, regrettably they might have to be a loss-leader for you, to help drive other sales?


QFT


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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 4:29 pm 
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I've been aware of Microworld for a while now.

There's a mod for Warmaster Ancients (which is both 6mm and 15mm) that allows people to play with generic fantasy. (The irony - taking Warmaster which is defined for fantasy, then rewriting it for historical, then rewriting that for Fantasy.)

I (personally) wouldn't buy 6mm fantasy unless I could cannibalise it for Epic. So Daemons, Beastmen, Dwarves handgunners and flamboyant men with rifles.

If I can offer one piece of advice it'd be put the best pictures of your best painted best models on the frontpage. Not just text.


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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 4:52 pm 
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Thanks for your input everyone! Regarding a ruleset...I am really no rules-writer, so I am hesitant to even try to write something. I have been in contact with Ganesha Games, and I believe they will be including army lists for my armies in their forthcoming big battle ruleset.

@ E&C
I have definitely been remiss in finishing up my armies and posting final products, so I will definitely have to get on that, I just never seem to have the time...

@ Carrington
Basing is a tricky issue. I definitely se what you are saying on larger base sizes being more scenic and what not, and that is part of the reason the Polemos series of rules uses 60 x 30 as the base size, so you can do mini dioramas. I put them on 20 x 40 Warmaster bases as they are the most versatile as more bases can be combined to match basing in other systems. I have been thinking about going to 40x40, but then that rules out Warmaster, which I think is one of the more popular ones out there.

The battle report thing is a good idea, and something I want to do, I just have to get my ass in gear painting and force one of my buddies to actually play a game with me.

@ Curis
The shortcomings of the website is a bugbear with me, but right now I can't really do anythign about it. My web developer is MIA, so its just me, and I don't do web design. I have a friend that does, and said he would work on it for a hefty discount, but who knows how long that will take. I would try to get a new professional site done, but I'd rather make more minis than drop a ton of cash on a new website.

Once again, thanks everyone for taking the time to reply. I'm not really all that concerned with being a monetary success anyway, and anyone who is should definitely not go into the miniature business!


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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 5:03 pm 
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Another 60x40 rules set is Impetus.

With the 20x40 bases, I'd be tempted to stick with just two ranks, plus a couple stragglers out front.


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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 5:10 pm 
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@Curis

Any idea where I could peruse the Warmaster historical generic fantasy mod? My google-fu is weak today.


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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 7:06 pm 
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Mephiston wrote:
Warmaster are the rules that spring to mind.


True, but I don't think Warmaster is 6mm.

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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 7:08 pm 
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Figure scale doesn't really matter for WM. It's abstract enough to be 6mm or even 2mm.

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 Post subject: Re: Need 6mm enthusiast opinions
PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 8:36 pm 
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Warmaster's 10mm, technically. However, as others have said, it's quite abstract.

In fact, it's more accurate to say that Warmaster's figures are 10mm. The game is pretty much whatever you want it to be.

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