David Dunn at DLD is actually better at resins than Armourcast IMO. He can make things that look like *model kits* (I'm talking the styrene type) out of resin. I think his day job involved model manufacturing for Hollywood at one point. Armourcast sets a high standard, but David is better.
Traveller Minis!
- Thread starter hunter
- Start date
Look at the costs of 25mm resin vehicles right now and figures. A single figure runs $1.50-3.00 US. Vehicles, even small ones, are often about $12.00 US, but it isn't infrequent to see MBTs in the $40+ range. $19.95 won't take you too far.
Now, you can do like some manufacturers (like Ground Zero) and offer larger order discounts (Platoon Packs).
The idea of doing a ship + crew is interesting, but the ship might well be in the $8-10 range, and 5 figures might well push your bundle up to $20-25.
Most of these manufacturers need to amortize costs over the life of their moulds and expected sales. Sculptors aren't cheap and neither are the raw materials. The price of white metal, at least in the UK, has jumped something like 85% in two years.
It's getting to be an expensive hobby.
Now, you can do like some manufacturers (like Ground Zero) and offer larger order discounts (Platoon Packs).
The idea of doing a ship + crew is interesting, but the ship might well be in the $8-10 range, and 5 figures might well push your bundle up to $20-25.
Most of these manufacturers need to amortize costs over the life of their moulds and expected sales. Sculptors aren't cheap and neither are the raw materials. The price of white metal, at least in the UK, has jumped something like 85% in two years.
It's getting to be an expensive hobby.
BetterThanLife
SOC-14 1K
If you stick to the "Traditional Traveller 15mm" then things like air/rafts aren't all that big.
I am not redrawing all my deckplans into a new scale for a line of minis. Especially when about 30 of them were purchased commercial products.
Lord Iron Wolf
SOC-12
I know that miniature costs has gone up. China, the main source of tin has gone from mining and exporting it to using it for its industry. Pewter prices are shooting through the roof.
15mm is a wonderful scale for miniature wargaming and if you're going to do striker, snapshot or another miniature game, it is the way to go. Pardon me if I sound snarky but this is an observation from nearly 30 years. Traveller is a Role Playing Game and 15mm has failed miserable in the US as a scale for role playing figures. (20mm too for 2300AD.) -I don't know what it is worldwide.- It has to do with individual characters and the detail necessary for them. 15mm is good for skirmish where the fig is a counter not a character.
The packs I suggest would be for referees to flesh out scenarios. Hell, toss in an adventure book for 10 bucks and you have something pregenerated for the ref. Resin vehicles are mostly outsize for the figs they are going with. Many could be reduced down to 2/3rds their size and be more accurate (GZG). The cost should be less at a reduced size too.
As far as taking 15mm scale to 25mm scale just take it to a kinkos or somewhere else with an oversize blueprint maker and tell them to enlarge it to 167% and you're fine.
15mm is a wonderful scale for miniature wargaming and if you're going to do striker, snapshot or another miniature game, it is the way to go. Pardon me if I sound snarky but this is an observation from nearly 30 years. Traveller is a Role Playing Game and 15mm has failed miserable in the US as a scale for role playing figures. (20mm too for 2300AD.) -I don't know what it is worldwide.- It has to do with individual characters and the detail necessary for them. 15mm is good for skirmish where the fig is a counter not a character.
The packs I suggest would be for referees to flesh out scenarios. Hell, toss in an adventure book for 10 bucks and you have something pregenerated for the ref. Resin vehicles are mostly outsize for the figs they are going with. Many could be reduced down to 2/3rds their size and be more accurate (GZG). The cost should be less at a reduced size too.
As far as taking 15mm scale to 25mm scale just take it to a kinkos or somewhere else with an oversize blueprint maker and tell them to enlarge it to 167% and you're fine.
Oddly, Bhoins, I have the same feeling. Since very deck plan but 1 that I own is in 25mm, and I already have something on the order of 1000 25mm sci-fi figures, I'm not likely to abandon that for 15mm. I am likely to buy more 25mm
OTOH, there is (nowadays) a sizeable business case for 15mm - larger forces for less. Grav tanks are $10 instead of $25, a squad can be bought for the price of a couple of figures in 25mm, etc. I just *personally* wouldn't be interested. Certainly there are more options in 15mm than ever before and it is nicer for figure scale/ground scale aspects.
OTOH, I have yet to see 15mm that are as good for 'characters' as 25 or 28mm. You can do a lot more lovely detail and shading on 25-28mm. This still tends to be my preferred scale for that reason alone.
DLD Productions has excellent 15mm vehicles and figures as does Brigade Models and Ground Zero Games do as well, all of which could work well for Traveller stuff.
15mm can be made look as good as 25mm, by about 1/4 of the painters who can make 25mm look good. It's just a lot harder to do.
OTOH, there is (nowadays) a sizeable business case for 15mm - larger forces for less. Grav tanks are $10 instead of $25, a squad can be bought for the price of a couple of figures in 25mm, etc. I just *personally* wouldn't be interested. Certainly there are more options in 15mm than ever before and it is nicer for figure scale/ground scale aspects.
OTOH, I have yet to see 15mm that are as good for 'characters' as 25 or 28mm. You can do a lot more lovely detail and shading on 25-28mm. This still tends to be my preferred scale for that reason alone.
DLD Productions has excellent 15mm vehicles and figures as does Brigade Models and Ground Zero Games do as well, all of which could work well for Traveller stuff.
15mm can be made look as good as 25mm, by about 1/4 of the painters who can make 25mm look good. It's just a lot harder to do.
The Hinterworlds Rambler
SOC-14 5K
I wonder as to the commercial viability of the project now, after seeing some young lads at the game store playing "Heroclix" or "Dungeons and Dragons"... It looked like a card game with little plastic dudes instead of cards. Heck, they don't even let you paint them anymore, really, unless we're talking about Warhammer. Then you should only paint them as Games Workshop suggests, or I guess you get killed by orcs or something...
siefertma2
SOC-13
With all things it depends on to whom you market your product to. CMGers and GW-fanboys are more than certain to turn their noses up at Traveller miniatures. (e.g. "Awwww...do I have to paint them?" or "Awwwww... there are no skulls or fascist/theocratic/S&M themes to these minis!") However, there are more than a few gamers who are looking for "hard" or "space opera" stype sci-fi miniatures who weren't designed by someone with a bondage fetish.
Fritz_Brown
Super Moderator
AMEN to that, Mark!
BetterThanLife
SOC-14 1K
Well the problem with the "25mm Deckplans" I have seen is that they are actually 45mm plans. The SJG ones are in anycase. FASA, Judges Guild, GDW, SGS and now QLI all produced Traveller Deckplans in 15mm. Now as far as I can tell SGS produced some of its deckplans in both 15mm and 25mm. QLI is available in both 15mm and 25mm. The only other deckplans I have seen for traveller are the SJG 45mm plans, now those, while nice and professional looking don't fit on my table!Originally posted by kaladorn:
Oddly, Bhoins, I have the same feeling. Since very deck plan but 1 that I own is in 25mm, and I already have something on the order of 1000 25mm sci-fi figures, I'm not likely to abandon that for 15mm. I am likely to buy more 25mm
So which deckplans do you have in 25mm?
siefertma2
SOC-13
So has there been any further discussion between MWM or Hunter regarding Traveller minis, or has this faded back into vaporware?
re: HeroClix
The 'HC' civilians/thugs/henchmen look really good for Traveller, nice poses, clothing is mostly 'tolerable', pistols look futuristic, and I've seen individual figs on sale for $.25 each.
Downside: Figs appear to be 30mm or larger. M-16's are scaled about 6-7ft long(my guns bigger than yours). Most of the 'better' figs are all overly endowed females. Paint jobs generally 'bite'.
Not enough 'normal' male figs. Many bizarre figs.
Chuck
The 'HC' civilians/thugs/henchmen look really good for Traveller, nice poses, clothing is mostly 'tolerable', pistols look futuristic, and I've seen individual figs on sale for $.25 each.
Downside: Figs appear to be 30mm or larger. M-16's are scaled about 6-7ft long(my guns bigger than yours). Most of the 'better' figs are all overly endowed females. Paint jobs generally 'bite'.
Not enough 'normal' male figs. Many bizarre figs.
Chuck
BetterThanLife
SOC-14 1K
Looks like it has gone the way of the MT Collection on CD-ROM.
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
I'm pleased to say that there has been some progress! I've seen pictures of the prototype Free Trader miniature and it looks very nice (better than the RAFM one).
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Anyone else noticed the Fat Trader mini picture here?
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
Ooh yes...
siefertma2
SOC-13
Yeah! Somebody ask Marc if he can get us a blow up of that!
My wife spent the last few days searching the net for minis to use in our Traveller game and came away empty handed. Considering that even generic Modern minis would do the job there is a dearth of anything except: warhammer, fantasy, and shogun-era minis out there, at least in 25mm RP scales. /sigh/
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Vargr Breath
SOC-13
Hi
You may also want to try,
http://www.denizenminiatures.co.uk/
in the USA
http://www.historicalminiatures.com/denizen.htm
and
http://www.gisby.org/fw.htm
Dwayne
You may also want to try,
http://www.denizenminiatures.co.uk/
in the USA
http://www.historicalminiatures.com/denizen.htm
and
http://www.gisby.org/fw.htm
Dwayne
