Spartan Games cease trading

[Fenton]

As it says Spartan games have ceased trading with immediate effect

[Leon]

I saw this news a short while ago and was very surprised by it.  I've never had much interest in the products but Dystopian Wars was hugely popular around 5 years ago and they had a Halo license as well at one point, so they were a fair sized outfit.  I see that they've cancelled their Kickstarter as well.

[Fenton]

Did they lose the Halo licence?....I remember it being expensive for 15mm

[Leon]

Did they lose the Halo licence?....I remember it being expensive for 15mm

I've no idea I'm afraid, there's been so many companies picking up large IP licenses these past few years that I've lost track of them all!

[Womble67]

Very sad news it's always sad when a company closes I never had any of their products or rules or anything but  many people will be scrambling to finish off collections

Take care

Andy

[petercooman]

"In addition to challenging trading issues, one of the directors has suffered from a long period of poor health which became significantly more serious earlier this year and although now back in the business, requires ongoing treatment.  That has inevitably taken a toll on the amount of time available to the business so, along with other challenges, has significantly contributed to this difficult decision."

Sad News but nothing compared To someone in ill health. Hope he gets well soon!

[AndyT]

I'm guessing that the Halo licence would have been expensive but the Halo game itself didn't seem to set the gaming world alight.

Spartan always seemed to be focusing on "the next game" rather than finishing what they had started and whilst I really loved their miniatures, their rules were over-complex in my opinion.

Great shame though. A lot of people have lost money due to unfulfilled Spartan kickstarter orders too. I've only lost 50 quid for a pre-ordered item bought direct from Spartan which I assume will not now be produced.

I see Tor Gaming have also shut their doors today.

[Leman]

Ye gods, and with Steel Fist now up for sale it seems that the wargaming world is going through yet another dramatic change.

[clibinarium]

I think Steel Fist is doing OK, the fella running it just doesn't enjoy the admin and packing part of the business and was only doing it as a side line.

[toxicpixie]

Tor are shutting as well. Judging by his statement it's not a crash, just not worth flogging a dying horse when he could stop with honour, as it were.

As I understand Spartan they massively overextended on Halo, spread themselves way to thin trying to recover and just couldn't keep afloat.

There's a few gone under in the States as well - the gaming table people went owing a lot of people a lot cash for tables according to the court papers and claims :/

[petercooman]

Tor are shutting as well. Judging by his statement it's not a crash, just not worth flogging a dying horse when he could stop with honour, as it were.

As I understand Spartan they massively overextended on Halo, spread themselves way to thin trying to recover and just couldn't keep afloat.

There's a few gone under in the States as well - the gaming table people went owing a lot of people a lot cash for tables according to the court papers and claims :/

Who? Geek chic?

[toxicpixie]

Yep.

https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/board-games/news/geek-chic-one-of-the-first-big-custom-gaming-table-makers-has-gone

Judging by their prices, their deposit/payment whilst making pricing structure, speed of building and the number of people waiting there was a lot of money tied up in "on the way tables" when they went under :/

[Roy]

Steel Fist Miniatures is in a healthy position, as I am aware.

As clibinarium said, the chap has a full-time profession and Steel Fist is merely an avenue for him to relax and sculpt. The success of it all has really meant that he's had to make the decision that he has, probably.

As to Tor Miniatures. I have some of their Ridend 'feudal-medieval goblins' and they're great little sculpts. Never got around to painting or playing with them, though, so BNIB. When I ordered them the parcel got lost in the post, then the replacement order was missing items, then when I did receive everything there was extra stuff included and I was bothered in case the chap had made an error - he hadn't, it was a 'sorry about this' gesture but without any message to explain. It went on for so long and with all the mix-ups, and me being concerned he might think I was trying to con him, I just forgot about the game and found something else. Just checked to see if the few Ridend items I'm missing are available to buy from him, as I might just yet make a Lion Rampant army for them, but it looks like all the items on the official webstore are 'out of stock'. Pity that, as they're fun little miniatures.

[toxicpixie]

Yeah, I really like the aesthetic of the Tor stuff but I've way too much else to fail to do to have ever got any!

[Orcs]

We played Dystopian wars at club, it was a fun game, but too many counters for my liking

They seemed to fall into the GW mode of each subsequent army/fleet gradually got more and more powerful so it became unbalanced.

Shame though