Just picked this up http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5301438.stm
Shame, as I still prefer the enamel paints for my ships.
Shame, as I still prefer the enamel paints for my ships.
bad news for wargamers?
- Thread starter philogara
- Start date
Bubba Ho-Tep
Mongoose
Dang, I have a ton of their models, some I have yet to build.
Thing is, I reckon this is related to why there's been a lack of demand for SST.
As unfortunate as it sounds, I'm suspecting there's just no real market for plastic kits any more. I remember being so happy at unwrapping a huge box one christmas and getting a C-130 kit, but nowadays its like kids just want Pokemon
Instant gratification appears to be the order of the day.
As unfortunate as it sounds, I'm suspecting there's just no real market for plastic kits any more. I remember being so happy at unwrapping a huge box one christmas and getting a C-130 kit, but nowadays its like kids just want Pokemon
Instant gratification appears to be the order of the day.
Lord David the Denied
Mongoose
God bless the degradation of western society...
chaos0xomega
Mongoose
If I was mongoose I would definitely consider buying out Airfix...
Ever consider that it might just be that it is because noone has ever heard of SST?
I didn't even KNOW about mongoose publishing and SST and ACTA until about a month ago when it was recommended to me by some guys on 40konline, and then again by my dad's friend who has been wargaming since his college days.
And I didn't even know about warhammer/40k until 2-3 years ago, when I saw my friend sketching out random stuff.
The problem is probably A- because the stuff ain't being advertised as much, and B- parents aren't sharing their (old) hobbies with their kids. My dad was a really big model builder... did he ever try gettting me to build models? NO.
Plus, there is always the popular gundam model kits which are plastic and attract plenty of attention :wink:
Ever consider that it might just be that it is because noone has ever heard of SST?
I didn't even KNOW about mongoose publishing and SST and ACTA until about a month ago when it was recommended to me by some guys on 40konline, and then again by my dad's friend who has been wargaming since his college days.
And I didn't even know about warhammer/40k until 2-3 years ago, when I saw my friend sketching out random stuff.
The problem is probably A- because the stuff ain't being advertised as much, and B- parents aren't sharing their (old) hobbies with their kids. My dad was a really big model builder... did he ever try gettting me to build models? NO.
Plus, there is always the popular gundam model kits which are plastic and attract plenty of attention :wink:
I've NEVER bought an airfix model kit. I probably built a couple dozen car, tank, ship, and model plane models as a kid/teenager, and most every one of them was a Monogram or Revell.
These days, I've gotten more concerned with model quality, I would probably try to find my model in a Hasegawa kit, they're reknown for their quality, detail, and price to match. But as an adult I don't have to save up allowance for a kit!
That being said, I don't build those kinds of models anymore. My leisure time is spent with gaming models. Interests change over time.
But I think its also true that the kids these days are building model kit less and less. And its not just CCGs, look at the Video games these days. model kits can't compete with that kind of "instant gratification" of switching on your PS2 and going to town on the bad guys. Which is kind of sad, because the skills and patience taught build those kits are lost on today's youth.
Chern
These days, I've gotten more concerned with model quality, I would probably try to find my model in a Hasegawa kit, they're reknown for their quality, detail, and price to match. But as an adult I don't have to save up allowance for a kit!
That being said, I don't build those kinds of models anymore. My leisure time is spent with gaming models. Interests change over time.
But I think its also true that the kids these days are building model kit less and less. And its not just CCGs, look at the Video games these days. model kits can't compete with that kind of "instant gratification" of switching on your PS2 and going to town on the bad guys. Which is kind of sad, because the skills and patience taught build those kits are lost on today's youth.
Chern
Celisasu
Mongoose
It's true of a lot of hobbies really. Not so long ago from a relative standpoint(say since 1950) you had what? Wargaming, board games, comics, and books? Then later on RPGs got tossed into the mix. The VCRs and thus movies could be brought home? Then videogames. Then CCGs. People complain a lot of hobbies are going the way of the dinosaur. The simple fact is that we're spoiled for choices. More choices mean that someone has to lose out. And modeling(and by extension wargaming) tends to be a high cost without immediate return hobby. Hell, I don't like modeling myself, especially painting. I like the gaming aspect of ACTA(hence my support any time someone suggests pre-painted ships).
Greg Smith
Mongoose
Dang. I use Humbrol enamels for all my painting and have done for years. I'll probably have to switch to EE paints as they are the only ones readily available around here (and Revel enamels suck).
It's a great shame, esp. for the poor guys made redundant, but I'm sure Airfix/Heller/Humbrol will be back.
I still buy kits occaisionally, but rarely get the time to make them (too busy painting & playing with spaceships!) However, the hobby is far from dead - witness the booming eastern European manufacturers such as Czechmaster and Eastern Express, and the Japanese firms such as Hasegawa and Fujimi.
The market is smaller than it was, and competition is fierce, but Airfix' recent products bear comparison with the best made anywhere else, and who else will give us models of the Vulcan or the TSR2?
This is Hasta la Vista, not Adios.
I still buy kits occaisionally, but rarely get the time to make them (too busy painting & playing with spaceships!) However, the hobby is far from dead - witness the booming eastern European manufacturers such as Czechmaster and Eastern Express, and the Japanese firms such as Hasegawa and Fujimi.
The market is smaller than it was, and competition is fierce, but Airfix' recent products bear comparison with the best made anywhere else, and who else will give us models of the Vulcan or the TSR2?
This is Hasta la Vista, not Adios.
