Limited Edition Models

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Matt wrote in the Planet Mongoose Section of the board:

Limited Edition Miniatures - A Question for our Fans
We use a digital modelling process to create ships for A Call to Arms. The benefits of doing things this way are huge. It is fast, so we can create a ship in the UK office, email it to our casting facility in the US, have them 'print' it out and stick it in a mould, all in one morning. When we create, say, a turret for one fleet, we can use that same model for the turrets of every ship in the same fleet, ensuring that all turrets are exactly the same.

The other thing it allows us to do is variants. We experimented with this with the old Babylon 5 range, when we re-modelled the Hyperion and got rid of that nasty mounting point. We found we could do three variants in very little time, simply by adding the odd missile or troop carrying compartment. Very quick, very easy.

In fact, so easy, that would could flood the retail system with hundreds of ships in just a year - which would not make retailers very happy (they do have limited shelf space, you know!).

So, this brings us to the question of limited editions. And a thorny question it is.

Traditionally, limited edition models are made available for just one event or promotion. Companies do it to draw your attention to a certain item or promotion and get you to do something about it right there and then. Attend this event. Buy that bundle deal. Pre-order this other. You know the drill.

You miss the event or promotion, and your only recourse is to try to track the model down on eBay, hopefully for less than £50 for a 28mm character. I think you know what I am talking about...

Attractive to the companies, not so good for the general gamer.

We have another way to approach this, and I wanted to sound out loyal Planet Mongoose readers before we go ahead and implement it.

Suppose we create a variant ship in A Call to Arms: Noble Armada. Lets say we do a short article in Signs & Portents that details the Decados Command Frigate, a modified Mantis. The rules are easy - the stats stay the same as the basic models but, for a +25 point upgrade, it gets the Command +1 trait and Hull 5. We have an 'official' rule that states you can use the normal model for it in tournaments.

Nice and simple. Just what we did for B5.

However, it occurs to us that some players out there might quite like the idea of a specific Command Frigate model. Perhaps it has a more spacious bridge, with some added armour panels, really beefing it up.

Now, this is quite a minor ship (be honest, how many would you really buy - two at the very most?), so it is not really worth sending it into the distribution chain, especially if we have a dozen other variants planned. We might be somewhat reluctant to have it as a direct mail order model only ourselves - it clogs up our own product pages, if it really is a minor ship it may sell slowly and take forever to recover the costs of its production, and so on. It would only work as a limited run model.

So, suppose we instead called it a limited edition model - but limited it by time, rather than production numbers? So, the 2011 A Call to Arms: Noble Armada Limited Edition Ship might be a Vicious-class Missile Frigate for House Li Halan (say). However, you have multiple opportunities to get hold of one - they would be on sale at any convention we appeared at or tournament we ran, they would be given away for free on certain A Call to Arms related pre-orders, you can get one simply by answering a questionnaire in Signs & Portents. If you are into the game, there should be at least something that year that will interest you enough to get hold of the model.

In 2012, we shut down production of the Vicious and do something else. The Space Squid-class Destroyer, maybe.

It would never be a model that is a 'must have' in the game. It would always be a variant or otherwise something really minor in game terms but 'interesting.'

Would that be a solution? Limited edition models can still be produced, but they are not done in a way to cut people out.

If you agree with this approach, or disagree totally, please swing by our forums and let us know. After all, if you can tell us what you want, we can make sure it is in the pipeline and that you get a better game at the end of it!

Personally, I like this idea a LOT. I like that I can get these limited edition models, if I want, without having to attend an event. I don't get to any conventions and being able to pick up something like this other ways would definitely be a good thing.

Thanks Matt.

 

[godsgopher]

I'm very much in support of "Limited" Edition castings. I have always been annoyed that the "game company who shall not be named" and others only distributed such models at events 2-3 thousand miles (no exaggeration) from where I live, or with very pricey bundle deal or something I ether already own, or had no interest in.

A few thoughts though. If casting these limited editions is so easy and the major limiting concern is that the demand for them will be too small of a quantity to justify offering them to your distributors, then what about Direct Order from Mongoose Publishing its self? Obviously if Mongoose underestimates demand for a given model then it could easily be offered to the distributors for sale. Speaking for myself, I love unique stuff, and would be glad to pay a higher price, assuming its within reason, for a copy of one special model. Doing it this way would allow you to offer many variants and other unique vessels while still enabling your distributors to carry them so your not hoarding all the good stuff, your merely strongly suggesting they don't carry them due to very limited demand.

p.s. Matt, You know I still want that flying wing designed variant of the Li Halan Cruiser. And this customer is willing to pay!

 

[lastbesthope]

I'm in support of this, and I've said as much on the parallel thread I started

LBH

 

[Builder]

I quite like the idea, the only problem with it I can see is that if a player comes into the game in 2012 then they are stuck right back onto the ebay problem of trying to get the ship.

As a fix, and I don't know if this is possible, do a limited window twice a year (starting after the first or second year) when you can order previous limited run ship's and interest has to be logged before hand.

A little clunky, and the players would have to be willing to wait and go through the trouble but they could still then get hold or it, as could any older players who find that they want another if theirs get broken or something.

 

[Clanger]

What would be nice. For the Stealthships they are cast in a light blue or light green clear hard plastic. Making the stealth ship look "stealthed".

They "ransom" roleplaying games / suppliments with if we get xxx orders we will produce. This could be done with the special mini's.

 

[starbreaker]

I quite like the idea, the only problem with it I can see is that if a player comes into the game in 2012 then they are stuck right back onto the ebay problem of trying to get the ship.

As a fix, and I don't know if this is possible, do a limited window twice a year (starting after the first or second year) when you can order previous limited run ship's and interest has to be logged before hand.

A little clunky, and the players would have to be willing to wait and go through the trouble but they could still then get hold or it, as could any older players who find that they want another if theirs get broken or something.

Seconded. Having LE figs that are only available for a limited time period cuts new players off from earlier releases, which is an enormous turnoff for some people. Only thing worse would be ones that were only available at a few limited venues, like gaming cons, but they've already realized that's a Bad Idea.

Doing yearly LE production runs is the way to go.

 

[godsgopher]

I'm a little confused as to why these variant designs have to be "limited" at all. Usually things are limited because they are a deliberately made collectors item, or because expected sales are going to be so small that an ongoing production line isn't practical. Matt has specifically said that Mongoose can shoot off the computer generated design to there mini maker and have them in the molds the same day, so obviously there is no production limit. Now these are going to be low volume items compared to most ships, so I would say only have a few hundred made at any one given time, none the less there is no reason for them to disappear off the sale page baring a serious computer storage failure, as remaking them is a snap.

Perhaps the only "limiting" factor should be there availability from mongoose. Keep them a direct order item, unless there is a major demand for them.

 

[Rick]

I get the impression that these would be a limited run, not to make some ships unobtainable outside of the promotional time frame, but as a cool-looking "special", almost like a production 'custom' model.
Not sure I'm explaining it well, lol!
Imagine if Mongoose did a variant model of a Decados Mantis frigate that could be fielded by Hawkwood as well, for example. Now imagine the model had pretty much identical stats to the original Mantis, but the model had a Hornet frigates front end on it instead of the small wedge - and some backstory saying why it might have happened. Virtually no change in stats, you could easily use a normal Mantis, but for those who would like to own one, Mongoose could produce a model of it.
It's just an example, but you see where I'm going, hopefully. A lot of us make converted models out of the models we buy, because it's something unique - now Mongoose are thinking about doing small production runs of them and I'm all in favour!

 

[locarno24]

A few thoughts though. If casting these limited editions is so easy and the major limiting concern is that the demand for them will be too small of a quantity to justify offering them to your distributors, then what about Direct Order from Mongoose Publishing its self? Obviously if Mongoose underestimates demand for a given model then it could easily be offered to the distributors for sale. Speaking for myself, I love unique stuff, and would be glad to pay a higher price, assuming its within reason, for a copy of one special model. Doing it this way would allow you to offer many variants and other unique vessels while still enabling your distributors to carry them so your not hoarding all the good stuff, your merely strongly suggesting they don't carry them due to very limited demand.

Agreed. A miniatures equivalent of print-to-order, I guess. This falls in very much with the approach of the subordinate bit of the-company-that-shall-not-be-named; i.e. people like us who properly get into a game will want those interesting extra twiddly bits in their fleet. The fact that a ship can now be 105 points rather than 100 gives you scope to add frills that priority points didn't allow.

Captured ships (suitably modified), battle-damaged hulks, prototypes (an early generation stealthship - or a partly successful Hawkwood attempt to copy the idea), odd variants like the idea of the squadron command frigate or a ship repurposed to another job (e.g. a carrier modified to be a mobile drydock or whatever). Equally, given the increase in size of fighters now they're one (slightly) bigger model rather than a base of six means that you could put do an 'aces flight' - one visibly customized fighter from each house.

Access to this stuff really makes a fleet personalized, and that's what turns them from 'just' game counters to the fleet of Lord Such-and-such. We know it costs a touch more, but equally we know we can make something really unique. You don't have to buy the Reaper-class Shades of Grey, for example. A normal Reaper is as near as damnit as good, and they come in a pack of several. But it is a bit different due to its history.



What would be doubly awesome is specific characters with some backstory. If, for example, there was a linked scenario set in Signs & Portents (anyone remember the ISA/Centauri campaigns Masked Malice& Malice Avenged?) then the 'character' ships in said scenarios would be an awesome release to accompany it.

As noted, we all hate the 'custom release for this event' because if we can't get to the even - often through no fault of our own - we can't get it. Yes, you get a model which then becomes worth $50+ on ebay but Mongoose doesn't see that money. I'd far rather do it the other way around - have a 'special release' (ideally not limited) of the ships from some famous engagement, then have the next event include a set of scenarios built around the ships just released - since I can buy them in advance, I can turn up with said models built and painted and use them on the day....

 

[kaltorak18]

As someone in the US, and thereby unsure of how often I'll get to tournaments, I would definitely appreciate models that were available from Mongoose's store for purchase. I plan on highly investing in these miniatures for games amongst my friends, and I'd love to be able to use some of the special minis that are released.

I think I'll create another thread about my questions on US tournament status.

 

[godsgopher]

Has there been any further decision regarding issuing these limited edition vessels?

 

[lastbesthope]

My mind was wandering randomly today whilst watching the F1, and it stumbled over Noble Armada and I give you one word, homologation.

You can't use a special edition mini in a game of NA unless you manufacture X of them

LBH

 

[godsgopher]

Thank you LBH, that was "informative" yes I see so many things so much clearer now

What?!