Magister Militum - Selling Up

[Orcs]

Just received an email that Magister Militum are looking for a buyer, either of the whole business or individual ranges.

Last casting day is 26th September.

[Sunray]

Thanks for the heads up. I don't use them much as they are light in compat.10mm
Does any other UK outfit stock GHQ 6mm?

[FierceKitty]

Phew. I thought they were solid. I wonder if they're just tired of the racket and want to move on?

[Steve J]

I think I remember hearing that they were attending fewer shows as they have full-time jobs as well and were just finding it too much. I could be wrong of course.

[FierceKitty]

Well, that's less painful to contemplate.

[fsn]

https://mailchi.mp/magistermilitum/magister-militum-news-important-company-update-read-all-about-it-magister-militum-seeks-a-buyer-order-casting-ranges-by-26th-sept?fbclid=IwAR0rjiXOLTrSpbCrAqn9n3NQJuV44LKcPFNxJyv2KN9mUtinqY_ycHaEjjE

I hope someone buys them. Of course, being totally loyal to Pendraken, I don't buy their stuff    but it's nice to browse their ranges if only to see what Pendraken can do - like chariot armies and Byzantines.

[Orcs]

On the release they mention politically elected roles and jobs.

I have only ever used them to top up 15mm biblical figures from the old Chariot range. I did try to use them to mix in with Penraken, but their compatibility even within some ranges was not ideal.

[mmcv]

I hope they find a buyer, I've used it a fair bit for padding out ranges not covered by Pendraken, particularly their Bronze Age range. I'd been eying some of their Dark Age stuff too recently and they've a large representation in my Medieval armies.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Good luck to them.
They have Chariot and various other ranges that I always felt were vital stepping stones for many into 15mm ranges before they find the glory of 10mm

[DecemDave]

I hope they find a buyer, I've used it a fair bit for padding out ranges not covered by Pendraken, particularly their Bronze Age range. I'd been eying some of their Dark Age stuff too recently and they've a large representation in my Medieval armies.

Seconded, although where Pendraken have a Dark Age range, I prefer the Pendraken.  I have a horrible dilemma now with boxes/bags  of ESR napoleonics in the lead pile.  Do I "panic order any gaps and finish";  await developments; abandon those naps ;or just store them until they are collectors "hard to obtain" figures to sell to the desperate??

[steve_holmes_11]

I do hope the ranges are preserved.

I wasn't a massive consumer of theirs, but they offer a sizeable range.

From memory I filled a couple of gaps in my 10mm collection.
 * Napoleonic ottoman mamelukes with lances - a proxy for 16th century Rajput lancers.
 * Fantasy Savannah warriors and archers - generic central African warriors.

I have a half completed Urartu army which leaned heavily on the Chariot range.
I set this aside after a rush of enthusiasm, and am in no hurry to complete it.
Should I ever pick it up, Essex's Assyrians and Babylonians will do the job.

[Ithoriel]

I am torn.

On one hand they are the distributors for Oddzial Osmy's 3mm figures and if no one picks up the distributorship (is that a word?) I may have to be grateful that the seemingly irrevocable increase in my WW2 and Samurai collections may be forcibly halted before I am able to do the whole of the NWE theatre and the whole of the Sengoku Jidai at 1:1 figure scale :-)

On the other, maybe I should stock up now!!

[fred.]

This is surprising news. And reading the press release, I can understand the need to focus on other areas, but as they have several people working for MM it is a bit surprising that the business can't continue to run with some of these people taking a wider role. I suppose this is always the challenge of owner run businesses.

For the ranges they are distributors for, I would hope these could be picked up elsewhere fairly easily. 

For their own ranges I do hope these stay in production, I have bought various bits over the years and their recent fantasy expansion added a lot of unique figures to the 10mm space. 

Their historical 10mm figures don't mix great with Pendraken due to differences in style more than height. But they do have extensive ranges. 

Does feel a bit like the MM team have had enough, as otherwise you would have hoped they could have kept the business running whilst finding a buyer. 

[Sunray]

yes,I too have enjoyed the 3mm scale Oddzial that MM distributed. Perhaps it is indeed time to stock up.

[Ithoriel]

Top up order placed

[T13A]

Hi

Richard Clewer (one of the co-founders of Magister Militum) is the Leader of Wiltshire Council. He seems to have made at least one apperance every week this year on our local BBC TV news programme! So I'm not surprised at the news and I do not remember him mentioning wargaming once. 

Cheers Paul

[Big Insect]

This is surprising news. And reading the press release, I can understand the need to focus on other areas, but as they have several people working for MM it is a bit surprising that the business can't continue to run with some of these people taking a wider role. I suppose this is always the challenge of owner run businesses.

For the ranges they are distributors for, I would hope these could be picked up elsewhere fairly easily.

For their own ranges I do hope these stay in production, I have bought various bits over the years and their recent fantasy expansion added a lot of unique figures to the 10mm space.

Their historical 10mm figures don't mix great with Pendraken due to differences in style more than height. But they do have extensive ranges.

Does feel a bit like the MM team have had enough, as otherwise you would have hoped they could have kept the business running whilst finding a buyer.

MM were very conspicuous by their absence at the 'Attack' Devizes show earlier in July - having been a staple trader there for as long as I can remember (possibly since the show started) but I gather that the demands of 'political' life are not really compatible with trading at shows. I am sure that somebody will pick up the various ranges but I am not sure there will be a buyer for the whole business as it is a bit of eclectic mix of scales, own-brand and supplier merchandise.

But sad to see another long established trader pack things in.

[Sunray]

From a quick decco at the books,they had a drop in sales/profits during Covid- which is suprising as many wargamers became model painters on an industrial scale, but(year ending Jan 22), they were churning £181,332 turnover.
Materials were £47,650 and wages £37,179 gross (just 3 employees?) Other running costs were £62,746.

A modest margin of £33,757.

A lot of their 12,000 odd products are 'prepacked' in the manufacture's blister packs. This incurrs holding high levels of stock as opposed to casting to order and a corollary of lower margins.

[Leon]

I know from speaking to Richard and Zoe that their roles in the council had become too much for them to continue doing the shows so I imagine this is a continuation of that. 

There's some interesting stuff in the summary accounts there, such as only turning a profit in 2 of the last 6 years, a lower than expected turnover, plus an ongoing creditor entry of -£200,000 that would usually be something like corporation tax or money owed to the directors.

[Sunray]

Indeed. Perhaps as you suggest, a cash investment by Director's to launch the Company into trading that has never been recovered. Relevant to turnover levels and profits before tax, a lot of money.

Brexit uncertanity won't have helped in a business where goods are imported from EU for retail, with end of "grace periods".

Three things strike me about the GB wargame market: First, there are traders who are just traders, and then you have traders who have become a "brand"and generated a unique customer loyality and relationship.This forum is a classical example of how that relationship is nurtured. In the 1980s hayday of the hobby, you had the big fish like the Perry twins whose Foundry was the epitomy of being a brand.  That is where Pendraken is now. That loyality is recipocated as was demonstrated in the "BKC crisis" a few years back.

Secondly, I note no existance of any Wargame Trades Federation - like you have in other sectors such as say "angling". Hence no collective body to lobby MPs or promote a unique and very British domestic industry.

Finally, I would also comment that, in general the Wargame traders are all of a certain age. Leon is one of the few 'second generation'. Lawrence Kay at IM would be another. What happens when- as is current with Timecast- the time comes for the present generation want to retire?