ACTA RIP....

[Joe_Dracos]

I think the main issue with the molds could be solved by using the down time to get some newer... more appropriatly sized molds (especially for the Posiedon). If the max length of the models were, say 4 or 5 inches long I would still be happy. Scale means nothing, do you seriously believe that the patrol boats with 5 damage are scaled with the dreadnoughts with say 100+ damage (a certain narn vessel comes to mind)?

 

[Reaverman]

I think the main issue with the molds could be solved by using the down time to get some newer... more appropriatly sized molds

The 'Old' moulds would be solved, if MGP had the pewter masters. Then all they needed to do, would be make new imprints on new rubbers 8)

 

[Joe_Dracos]

Replace molds then with Masters to make new molds 8)

 

[Xorrandor]

maybe i am just far too cynical
I have to say my thoughts are that SST production will start in 2009, and thats as far as my thinking goes

I tend to agree. The statements re mothballing seem to refer to general mini production - it didn't specifically say anything about ACTA. I'm reasonably certain that what is being alluded to here is prepainted SST minis at some point in the future.

Matt said that they need 2-3 games to keep the miniatures production profitable. So, I doubt SST would be the only thing to come back. ACTA seems like a reasonable line to resume, especially with a year's pent-up demand to satisfy.

 

[MustEatBrains]

Unless they just start bringing back miniatures that they are allowed to outsource; the problem seems to be that the license agreement with WB forbids that.

So, what I would expect to see in 2009 are possibly SST miniatures cast by a 3rd party, as well as some GoMC1 and maybe some supplemental figures for the RPGs.

 

[tneva82]

I tend to agree. The statements re mothballing seem to refer to general mini production - it didn't specifically say anything about ACTA. I'm reasonably certain that what is being alluded to here is prepainted SST minis at some point in the future.

You think they expect SST to outsel ACTA big time? As the problem seemed to be that while ACTA models made profit it didn't do enough profit to cover expenses. Ie you need either line that does lot more profit or multiple product lines that do profit.

Since I don't think SST would be noticably bigger profit maker I don't think either one would be profitable enough then if ACTA isn't now and therefore if Mongoose comes back to miniatures it does that with ACTA, SST and preferably third model line as well to ensure profits overcome expenses.

 

[Xorrandor]

Unless they just start bringing back miniatures that they are allowed to outsource; the problem seems to be that the license agreement with WB forbids that.

So, what I would expect to see in 2009 are possibly SST miniatures cast by a 3rd party, as well as some GoMC1 and maybe some supplemental figures for the RPGs.

If they want to get SST minis cast by a third party, they can do that tomorrow; same for the other options you list. The only reason to wait until 2009 is if they want to do production in-house, and the only game where they must do that (legally) is ACtA. (Unless there is some clause in the SST license that also prevents outsourcing.) So if no SST miniatures are outsourced, that's a good sign for ACtA: it means Mongoose thinks they can revive their production, and want to keep SST in their pocket for improving volume.

 

[BuShips]

I think the balance point to this is whether the stoppage of miniatures production will help Mongoose's bottom line. If the loss of the miniatures support for CTA can be offset by a successful set of counters, then the main rules will continue to sell.

It remains to be seen just how much importance was attached to the game by offering a miniatures line and how that tied in with sales of rules. If the sales of rules drops off too much then the fee paid by Mongoose to renew the license would need to be reevaluated.

I'm sure that this is the gamble that Mongoose is having to make. For one thing, it WILL tell them just how much the miniatures were tied to the game system. It's like operating on conjoined twins. Only after the operation will you ever find out whether you made the correct decision.

 

[emperorpenguin]

Well I just broke the news to my FLGS and the Dublin Games Guild. Not a bunch of happy chaps tonight.
Any interest in B5/SST has been lost. I'll be back to playing 40k next week

 

[ShopKeepJon]

I think the balance point to this is whether the stoppage of miniatures production will help Mongoose's bottom line. If the loss of the miniatures support for CTA can be offset by a successful set of counters, then the main rules will continue to sell.

It remains to be seen just how much importance was attached to the game by offering a miniatures line and how that tied in with sales of rules. If the sales of rules drops off too much then the fee paid by Mongoose to renew the license would need to be reevaluated.

I'm sure that this is the gamble that Mongoose is having to make. For one thing, it WILL tell them just how much the miniatures were tied to the game system. It's like operating on conjoined twins. Only after the operation will you ever find out whether you made the correct decision.

Actually, the real question is whether or not the losses involved in operating the miniature production facility outweighed the profit from selling ACTA figures.

If the cost of operating the facility was so high that it was completely wiping out the profit from ACTA, then there is no gamble. Mongoose will be doing better without it...

This sort of thing can happen without a company really noticing. They see that a line is apparently making a profit and don't notice right away that hidden costs are hurting them. For example, I had a friend that ran a courier service employing quite a few people. One day he lost his biggest account. A large company just decided to not use his service any more. He was really worried about the effect this would have on his company. But, when all of the analysis was done, he discovered that he had been spending so much of his company's resources on this one client that his company was actually making more money without them...

I wouldn't be surprised if this is what was happening with ACTA and their underutilized production facility.

What we want now is to find a way to keep ACTA alive without miniatures. I think it would fly (so to speak) with really good counters. Since these would require specialized equipment to produce, I don't know how practical this is. It just seems like the only way to keep new players coming into the game.

ShopKeepJon

 

[BuShips]

ShopKeepJon, I think that was said as much by Matt's announcement. He stated that the foundry needed 2-3 lines of minis to be viable. Since it was deemed that SST and ACTA wasn't enough to carry the load, the decision was made to close down the minis production.

On another topic, I dropped this in as a potential stop-gap. I'd call them maybe "Ship-Disk" counters. I combined an overhead graphic of an Omega with a key that I made over the weekend to fit over my 2" bases.

It's certainly one way to move this forward and provide additional customer support and revenue to Mongoose as well. I kept the background white for maximum contrast but a "faded" star field could be nicely fitted in. If necessary, the letter colors could be tweaked to retain functionality.

 

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Those look good Bu.

 

[Grimbart_Kriegsaxt]

More of them please

 

[BuShips]

I dropped them in here for discussion of options for Mongoose. I think the best method is to 'recycle' the studio models and take overhead plan photos. They could be then inserted into the counter design and thus save a considerable amount of graphic work for someone at MGP.

Consider these a possible way to go.

darklord4 said as much earlier on the forums. I had thought of it when I heard of the mini shutdown and had just made a set of keys to drop over my base stems.

 

[Xorrandor]

Regarding ship disks, see also Button Wars from Guild of Blades. Like Button Men before them, they use cheap pin-on button technology to make very nice game pieces. Not as many sizes as one might want, but very easy to deal with.

And you can wear your entire fleet to a convention!

 

[ShopKeepJon]

ShopKeepJon, I think that was said as much by Matt's announcement. He stated that the foundry needed 2-3 lines of minis to be viable. Since it was deemed that SST and ACTA wasn't enough to carry the load, the decision was made to close down the minis production.

I know...

I posted my explanation to help the "but they were making money on ACTA" crowd understand the situation...

ShopKeepJon

 

[darklord4]

I think the best method is to 'recycle' the studio models and take overhead plan photos. They could be then inserted into the counter design and thus save a considerable amount of graphic work for someone at MGP.

Assuming they don't drop them all on ebay before they get some good pictures...I saw several prototypes there...

 

[DaBogmu]

Those look good Bu.

wow awsome Bu.

 

[Twin-Linked Aldades]

Though I must say those disks look nice, it just doesn`t feel the same for me (well, us, I`m just the talkative guy of the group lol), being a miniature gamer, and hence wanting to play with lumps of metal (guess thats why i ain`t to fond of GW, not a disser like some, but I just love the `weight` of a metal army, instead of fearing that my plastics would be blown away by the draft if someone opens the door), and only used counters of the jump points. We play(ed) with vessels we had, if no-one had a certain model, it wouldn`t appear on our tables.

We`ve been discussing this ad end in the group now (all hail the internet) and most are cutting their losses, thanking Mongoose for the (short) insurgence of a great setting, and shrinking back into the darkness of Z`Ha`Dum till the next big war breaks out.

Fleets are being ebayed, all keeping only their favorite and abandoning all their side project fleets opposed to panic buying for a game that, as we feel, will dwindle down between now and about a year, only to get dusted off once in a while for the occassional game of `remember when this was still a widespread game?` and moving on to find other dada`s to play.

We wish Mongoose the best of luck getting their stuff together, however, we`re not making any illusions about the `miniature` part of the game being ressurected. I feel MGP made to many bad calls in the past that in the end tightened the noose over the production facility and ACTA became a casualty of war. But it was a great ride while it lasted and for that we are grateful overhere.

Sure, we would swing back and might even `save` some of the groups souls to return should the range ever come back unmothballed, but for now...

... the captain is still on the CnC, but it`s every Narn for himself...

 

[BuShips]

Regarding ship disks, see also Button Wars from Guild of Blades. Like Button Men before them, they use cheap pin-on button technology to make very nice game pieces. Not as many sizes as one might want, but very easy to deal with.

And you can wear your entire fleet to a convention!

Good idea, other than possible glare from the lamination when under room lighting. Do they make "flat" button plastic?