Pendraken Feedback

[Subedai]

I also agree, having happily wargamed in the 60s with Airfix WWI French masquerading as ACW zouaves - banana oil et al.

Ahh, the joys of banana oil, not only did it have a myriad uses for wargamers it also smelled.....haruummpphh, enough of that. My first plastic Napoleonic Prussians were made WW I French with small pieces of paper straw filled with plasticene hardened with banana oil for shakos. I hunted for ages to find the right sized straws that sat exactly on the rim of the Adrian helmet.

[Leman]

Fantastic. Ah, the days of wargame pioneering.

[Hertsblue]

Beeswax was our material of choice for modifying Airfix figures. Then given a couple of coats of polyurethane varnish.

[Sunray]

What a lucid informed discussion we have on these pages.  If I can sum up:

1. There is a realisation that Pendraken is a small business. They can't pander to every whim and desire. 

2.  10mm is a small market.   About one punter for every ten gaming in 15mm.   

3.  Its the  good service and personal touch that maintains customer loyalty to the Pendraken Brand.   

4. The Forum is obviously a central dynamic to the business.  It provides a connection to the customer base.   Emerging trends in the market can be discussed and
    debated.  On another forum we have been discussing the 1945 invasion of German from the west.   The fanatical German defence of the Fatherland i and the new kit/better logistics  available to the Allies makes a good contest .   Speaking of new kit, the Comet is shortly to appear on Pendraken lists- is there for example  scope for a supplementary" late war range" of figures and weapons that takes us up to VE Day ? 

[fsn]

2.  10mm is a small market.   About one punter for every ten gaming in 15mm.   

Not extracting the Michael, but is that 1 in 10 gaming in 10mm?

Late war would be of some interest, though to be honest my interest really stops at the Westwall. However, I do remember a hint from Dave about his being interested in 1946, so that would sort of link ...

In general I have to agree with your summary. We love Pendraken because of what it is and what it does, and I don't think by and large we have many (serious) complaints. For every person disappointed that the Nap Brits haven't appeared yet, there's another whose made up with the LoA quill maker. I have written before that I would like to see on this forum or on the web site a sort of "forthcoming attractions" page. List in vague terms the upcoming releases and what stage they're at.

I realise this would be double edged - I'd all be getting excited about the release of the Centurion ARK, but Fenton would be bemoaning the delay to the 2nd Bttn Worcester Sauciers, 1882 which he needed for his "Up the Arsenal (British South-West-East Africa, 1881-1883)" campaign, but at least we could all see what was going on.       

[Sunray]

2.  10mm is a small market.   About one punter for every ten gaming in 15mm.  

The trade estimate based on sales is that for every one 10 mm gamer, there are approximately  ten gamers in 15mm.  I confess I have no trade sales figures or stats, but base it on anecdotal evidence from traders and the historic attachment to both 6mm and 15mm which stems from the days when they were used for AVF recognition.
The first time I ever saw a 6mm T55 tank was in the optics of a Milan.  

[Subedai]

Sunray
The first time I ever saw a 6mm T55 tank was in the optics of a Milan.  

Now that is real 6mm wargaming on a grand scale!

[John Cook]

I would love 1806 Prussains!

Yes indeed ML, but we'd also need 1806 French.  One of the principal problems I have is ranges that are unfinished such that I just don't start anything new these days until the entire range is complete.

[Sunray]

Yes indeed ML, but we'd also need 1806 French.  One of the principal problems I have is ranges that are unfinished such that I just don't start anything new these days until the entire range is complete.

Interesting and valid comment John.   Would it be a prudent measure to suggest that Pendraken fill in the gaps in present ranges before any new ventures ? 

I have to confess that I dabble in figures - get them penny packet, paint them and play them.  The more unpainted metal arrives, the more sits unpainted.

[John Cook]

Interesting and valid comment John.   Would it be a prudent measure to suggest that Pendraken fill in the gaps in present ranges before any new ventures ? 

I have to confess that I dabble in figures - get them penny packet, paint them and play them.  The more unpainted metal arrives, the more sits unpainted.

I think so.  I'd rather see one new venture completed, and released in one go, than half a dozen incomplete with the gaps filled over a period.  Perhaps that's just me as it is how I approach my wargaming projects - I'll stick to one until completed to the point where I have two representative and viable 'armies'.  I do have the advantage of being retired so distractions, like having to work for a living, are fewer. 

[Steve J]

I'd rather see one new venture completed, and released in one go,

IIRC this is the way Dave and Leon are going, hence the lack of regular releases for the month of January etc. Although I miss the monthly updates, I do prefer to see a complete range released so that I can buy all that I need in one hit, rather than in dribs and drabs over a long period.

[toxicpixie]

A note on the webstore re:other ranges to fill out or provide opponents might be good. If the Mongols page had something like Subedai's excellent "mini-army list" for possible opponents above it would possibly have peaked my interest more. I know there's probably a lot of stuff that *could* be used as opponents but I wasn't interested enough to actually look; a quick "have a look at these for possible opponents" message might have got me moving!

Note - I still aren't personally buying Mongols as I've got far too much on and no time or money to finish everything g I'm currently flailing at anyway

[Subedai]

I have come to the conclusion that it is history that is at fault here not the manufacturers of figures. If all the armies from the same war wore the same uniform but in different colours there wouldn't be a problem of unfinished ranges because one size would fit all.

[toxicpixie]

That'd save me trawling the web and spending money on books

[Chad]

I have come to the conclusion that it is history that is at fault here not the manufacturers of figures. If all the armies from the same war wore the same uniform but in different colours there wouldn't be a problem of unfinished ranges because one size would fit all.

This idea could arguably have been applied to the SYW, where 1 figure in each of tricorne, mitre, bearskin and fusilier cap would have covered practically all requirements. Cavalry could have been dealt with similarly. This is the Spencer Smith approach and I wonder how many SYW enthusiasts would have been happy with this? It would certainly have saved on the resources used by Pendraken.

I have used this method for my 1866 Western Theatre armies, because the size of the forces involved are too small in my opinion to justify specific models.

The Napoleonic period is probably the worst case of uniform changes, with major combatants having an average of 3 changes of uniform style from 1792 to 1815. The availability of figures would then be limited by demand and resources required to produce models for each campaign. This is well illustrated by Prussian Reserve Regts of 1813 which had a variety of uniforms. Given that each regiment's uniform was different both from other reserve regiments and often within the battalions of the same regiment and that they effectively only campaigned for less than 3 months from August 2013, there would seem to be little economic reason why Pendraken would invest resources in producing such models, unless demand was sufficient.

Do you go to other manufacturers? Personally, only if the quality of the figures is as good as Pendraken, they are compatable in size and at a similar price. In some cases, the answer to all those points is no; in others the ranges are incomplete so I will have to file my wish list away! 

Do I switch scales? The simple answer is no, because I have neither the resources or time (or indeed the inclination!).

Back to rivet counting. 

Chad