Another casualty

[FierceKitty]

Steve Barber are selling off their excellent 10mm moulds. What is happening to the One True Scale?

[Big Insect]

I understand that Steve is looking to consolidate his activity and that the disposal of his 10mm range maybe just be the start of him focusing on his core 'market' - 28mm.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Bloody Giantism

[pierre the shy]

What is happening to the One True Scale?

Appears that its not all bad news on the 10mm front Kitty, AiM 10mm ranges are starting to come back online this month: https://blog.darkhorsehobbies.com/armies-in-miniature-aim-official-release-announcement/

[FierceKitty]

Yes, and FoGG are coming back, which is good news for Chinese armies.

[mmcv]

Yes, and FoGG are coming back, which is good news for Chinese armies.

Some bronze age and renaissance figures in the works too last time I spoke to them, amongst others.

[DecemDave]

Sounds like there is some hope then.  I'd welcome anything (metal or printed) that is pre 1500 and not just yet another range of EIR and Gallic/Brits.

As I can take years (if not decades) to "complete" projects, having manufacturers pop up, run for a year or two then fold is a disaster.   

[fsn]

[Orcs]

As I can take years (if not decades) to "complete" projects, having manufacturers pop up, run for a year or two then fold is a disaster.   

I have now got to the point where I only buy a new army when I have the funds to buy everything I need on the first order, to stop that happening, as I have been burnt in the past.

[DecemDave]

I have now got to the point where I only buy a new army when I have the funds to buy everything I need on the first order, to stop that happening, as I have been burnt in the past.

I try!    But here is what happens.  Project 1 completes.  Then I realise that if I just added this and that I could morph that army into this army....  Example: Not that pendraken is at risk but if I was to plunge into the AWI and "do" say Bunker Hill, I would within a year or two want to expand with Indians and French and later uniforms and naval parties and......   There are 60+ packs of Brits alone.      
There is no hope for me really.  Equity release maybe. 

[Orcs]

I try!    But here is what happens.  Project 1 completes.  Then I realise that if I just added this and that I could morph that army into this army....  Example: Not that pendraken is at risk but if I was to plunge into the AWI and "do" say Bunker Hill, I would within a year or two want to expand with Indians and French and later uniforms and naval parties and......   There are 60+ packs of Brits alone.      
There is no hope for me really.  Equity release maybe. 

    

[Leon]

It's a shame to see so many companies having to do this (Magister and Arrowhead as well) and there's obviously a variety of reasons for each.  I think Arrowhead was a retirement, Magister is a lack of time due to their day jobs, etc.

I think something that might play more of a factor for Steve Barber is the profit margins of the various ranges they do.  As you come down through the scales the profits get massively reduced, so if you've got ranges from 10mm upto 40mm and you're looking to consolidate a bit, then the 10mm would be the first to go.

As a quick example, a 28mm figure can be manufactured for around 35p-40p (labour + materials) and you're retailing them at £1.50 minimum so you're at 75%+ gross margin straightaway.  If you're making Fantasy or Sci-Fi where you can sell at £4-£8 then margins are well over 90%.

A 28mm mould would contain 15 figures @ £1.50 each giving ~£22.50 per spin.  A 10mm mould contains around 30 figures (one pack for us) so £6.00 per spin.

The labour costs remain the same regardless of what you're producing so it all gets a lot tighter with the smaller scales.

[Orcs]

His ranges are very nice and fit nicely with the Pendraken stuff. I just hope someone reliable picks them up