Dear Steve, again I would just like to say how much I like your figures. I purchased some of the human figures from the kickstarter. At the moment I am currently expanding my batsman army. If it was not for the number of existing 6mm figures I had I could also be tempted by your 3mm offerings. I was wondering if you had any plans to develop the 6mm fantasy range further that you could share. I think I have seen ancient chinese. Are there any other races or expansions to existing ranges currently planned?

I definitely have plans for 6mm fantasy still. Way, way too many plans, totally unsupported by demand or reason. A number of things have caused delays on my end. My casting machine died, the fix was expensive. The whole Brexit thing and setting up the Etsy store, a nightmare. Son to be made worse in July when the EU goes the same way (bye bye 1/3rd of gross sales!). The fact that there is no way for me to collect VAT through Kickstarter kind of also puts a ceiling on future campaigns. I work all the time now, which looks like it won't change for at least the next 12 months. Limits my mental bandwidth for working through the challenges with the business, finding concept artists, sculptors, etc.. Lots of challenges really.

I have an extensive Bronze Age line that needs 10 more molds to be made before it can be released. A real nightmare disaster of a project, punctuated by mold mishaps and sizing issues from the sculptor. This has been going on for...I mean years now at this point. I have had cleaned masters to send back to the moldmaker since December, but it is always last on a long list of shit I need to do. Even if I sent them tomorrow, given their usual timeframe, that is easily 3-4 months before I get the molds back. I don't have the will to kickstart these. its something like 22 molds in total. The losses on this project will be staggering, which subconsciously is probably why I have been dragging my feet pushing it over the finish line.

I have 4 additional units sculpted for the Crusaders, as well as a huge and awesome siege tower that needs to be resin-cast. I also have a bunch of monster-sized units I want to put out for them, but these are going to be 3d printed, as the centerpiece type stuff usually sells poorly. I intended to get a sort of Desert fantasy themed army done along with them and wrap into a follow-up Kickstarter. This plan is more than a bit delayed though, by a lack of concept artists and by the sculptor's time. The main issue being that in parallel I am trying to finish up the Renaissance line, but the sculpting for that will take through the end of the year at the current rate, if not beyond. So I think I will have to shift the Desert army to a different sculptor, but there are the usual worries of compatibility etc.

I currently have an Elven army that has been re-sculpted by Martin Baker so it fits in better with my existing offerings. They were meant to be my second Kickstarter, I had 4 production molds pre-made in preparation to trial a new moldmaker, but they just aren't productive for me, not really viable with my hand-tightened machine. So my window to Kickstarter these has sort of passed in favor of other projects...but I struggle with just releasing them straight to retail as I know I will make approximately 80% less off of them. I suppose I could try to run one giant 6mm fantasy expansion Kickstarter, but the Elves don't really mesh thematically with the Crusader expansion or with a Desert-themed army.

6mm Ancient Chinese warring states will get a KS in the Fall. That is a really big one. at least 17 molds. I have no idea how it will do, but I think the minis are really cool. If I were smart I would sell the stl's as part of the KS, but I just can't bring myself to go there yet, despite my knowledge that home printing is the likely future of the hobby.

All of the above is sort of punctuated by the sad realization that if someone is interested in small scale mass battle fantasy, they are going to be playing warmaster, and probably either printing the units themselves or buying the units from a printing service who crowdsources their sculpting and doesn't have to worry about moldmaking.

Long-long term, maybe 2 years out, I did have plans to slowly release an updated 6mm fantasy line that was strip-based. Basically re-sizing and re-detailing the 3mm armies I am gradually releasing. Doing the math on the quantity of molds that would require, and the sheer time...I think it is a bit far fetched. By the time I get to it, they will likely only see the light of day as a hybrid release. Main units done in metal, elites and everything else in 3d printed resin.

All of that is just the 6mm fantasy/historical side of things. I also have 3mm fantasy, 3mm historical, fantasy naval, 6mm scifi, and 3mm scifi irons in the fire so to speak. Too many things really.

I can't even guess at a release schedule at this point beyond May/June will see a large-ish 6mm scifi Kickstarter.

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For all your Dark Realm, 6mm scifi and 6mm fantasy needs: http://www.microworldgames.com/

Hi Steve,
Thank you for your response. The desert army in particular sounds exciting. It sounds like it's been a rough time recently between machinery breaking down and tax law changing. You sound a bit disheartened by it. I for one have appreciated your figures over the years and would like to say thank you for what you do. Obviously as a manufacturer and retailer you will know more about selling minis than me but not all small scale gamers play warmaster and not all in 10mm. I know technology is moving on but I cannot afford/ justify a 3d printer and I'm sure lots of others cannot either. I hope you find a useful way forward.
Best wishes for the future,
Ronnie

When I first realized I was finally able to build the 6mm scale armies I always wanted to, I went to Microworld first! I still have my poorly painted Foundationists, making trouble for the Federated Territories! You’re producing the most innovative lines at the moment - as long as you’re in business you’ll have me as a customer!

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http://www.viciousprint.com/6commando

Thanks guys, disheartened is a good word for it!

Just a tough time in general for everyone I guess, also feels like a time of great change in general from a wargaming perspective with the rise of Patreons, 3d printing, etc. Things will stabilize eventually.

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For all your Dark Realm, 6mm scifi and 6mm fantasy needs: http://www.microworldgames.com/

The new 3mm Fantasy dwarf army is now up in the store, glad I was able to squeeze this release in before the end of the year. All models sculpted by Mark Keenan.

Keep an eye out early in the new year for some more 3mm fantasy goodness.

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For all your Dark Realm, 6mm scifi and 6mm fantasy needs: http://www.microworldgames.com/

Nice.

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Vanguard Miniatures

Link, http://vanguardminiatures.co.uk/

Stockist of:

Vanguard Miniatures
BattleGroup Helios
Onslaught Miniatures
Pyrkol Gaming Markers
Gregster's Lab
Microworld Games
Troublemaker Games

WOW !!!!!

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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

Dear Steve,

Any update on New releases or the kickstarter

Thanks

Gerard

Tons of stuff in the works as usual. The main blockers are my own time to release things, moldmaking slots, and not enough people actually wanting things that I get made

In the near term, the first half of some Bronze Age 6mm things will be out next month, assuming it gets warm enough for me to finish casting the initial stock. Sub 30 degrees I will only cast for orders, and we just haven’t had a run of good warmer nights here.

I have 3mm goblins ready to go. I did want to release them like a month ago, but I kind of wanted to paint them first. Same old story, work got busy, etc. I could black wash them, take some pics, and push them out the door. I haven’t really made time to do so yet though because the dwarves didn’t sell amazing, so its not like releasing them is going to give me a big influx of cash or anything.

I would like to do a couple Kickstarters this year, mainly for lines that I doubt will sell well, or well enough, in a straight to retail fashion and that I have dropped a ton of money on. Running a KS now is sort of far-fetched though, given how much I am working in my day job. Post March I hope for a reprieve.

Metal prices...crazy town. Some of the scifi vehicles are going to have to have their prices adjusted sometime soon.

I really do need a painter though.

If there is anything specific you want an update on, let me know.

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For all your Dark Realm, 6mm scifi and 6mm fantasy needs: http://www.microworldgames.com/

As you probably know, I am into sci-fi 6mm, so was wondering if you have new releases on those in a near future

Thanks and regards

Gerard aka Templar2

3mm Fantasy army number 5 is up in both the main store and Etsy, Goblins! All models sculpted by Mark Keenan:

https://www.microworldgames.com/collect ... sy/3mm_Gob

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MicroworldGam ... d=32113112

Siege giants, my favorite:


The Cheerio comparison:

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For all your Dark Realm, 6mm scifi and 6mm fantasy needs: http://www.microworldgames.com/

AHHHHHHH!

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http://www.viciousprint.com/6commando

Our 6mm Bronze Age line has officially launched and the first 14 codes are now up on the main site as well as on Etsy. Lots more to come for the range in the future, including some cool fantasy options.

All miniatures sculpted by Dave Summers and range from 6.5 to 7mm to the eye

https://www.microworldgames.com/collect ... onze_hist6

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MicroworldGam ... d=38065552

A bit of a family shot:

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For all your Dark Realm, 6mm scifi and 6mm fantasy needs: http://www.microworldgames.com/

New scifi releases are going to go up next weekend, in the meantime doing some test prints of new Bronze Age sculpts that were recently complete:

Hammurabic infantry, early bronze skirmisher, and a random Old Kingdom Egyptian spearmen

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For all your Dark Realm, 6mm scifi and 6mm fantasy needs: http://www.microworldgames.com/