Honour Bound announcement (1 Viewer)

[Ana Donzino]

Hello everyone,

As we do every year, we made a whole year review after the Chicago show. We had been noticing some issues that we needed to solve before going on. We didn't know anything of this when we met with some of you in Chicago. That's why we didn't mention anything to you personally. The following decisions were taken with our associate partners after our arrival from Chicago.

We have encountered two major problems with our company: Inflation continues to rise in Argentina making materials and salaries more and more expensive and the quality and availability of materials is unreliable and unpredictable. We have found that unlike in China where the more you produce the cheaper the cost, in Argentina with the problems listed above the more we produce the more expensive it becomes.

Rather than move production to China, we have decided that Honour Bound will go through a complete transformation from the current method of production and product line to a new line of uniquely customized super-detailed vehicles.

We will re-design our website so collectors can go through a process of building their own tanks from a variety of options to create their own unique vehicle. The new super-detailed vehicles will be completely customized to each customer’s exact specifications including camo, stowage, markings, weathering, crew, accessories, figures and bases or dioramas.

With the new 'Gold edition' on the way, we won't make any more tanks as produced until now. Remaining stock will be available for purchase but production of the current vehicles will cease.

We will continue to produce figure sets apart from the super-detailed vehicle line. The figure sets will keep the quality that they already have, and they will cost the same as now. Customers will be able to order and pay for their customized tanks through their local dealer, or through our website.

Thank you so very much for all your support of Honour Bound the past two years. You know that we appreciate it very much.

Our stock of current vehicles is available for order from now.

As soon as we have the new super-detailed line details sorted out I will post them here. And that will be soon, since we are planning to launch the new Gold Edition by mid november, with the Tiger tank.

Thank you all,

Ana

 

[Rob]

Sounds Great Ana,good luck with your new plans and i look forward to buying some of your 'Gold' Vehicles.

Rob

 

[Peter Reuss]

As of right now all of the vehicles are available...but who knows for how long!

 

[The Breaker]

I like the idea of choosing the camo, markings and weathering but the word "Gold" makes me think the price will be higher than $195.00...yikes. The sad thing is the product is so good I'll still buy one.

 

[nmrocks]

I wish you well in your new venture, unfortunately, it sounds as if your making the best of a bad situation (location).
You make one hell of a product, while it sounds like thats going to continue it just stands to reason that if your cutting production even more the prices will rise significantly.
Looks like it's not a good idea to start a business in Argentina.
I guess the old adage in business is true"Location, Location, Location"
Ray

 

[Beaufighter]

I am in shock! However, I know that you have done your research so I will continue to look forward to the figure sets as well as that special customized vehicle. I returned home this morning & promptly went to the "museum" aka the Bear's Lair, Wolf Den, Bunker, Hangar, etc. to view my display especially my HB Winter Sherman & JAG-absolutely love them! Is the Beau Geste line changing at all by the way? Best of luck to the HB Team.

Tally Ho,
Beaufighter

 

[Ana Donzino]

No, Beaufighter, Beau Geste is not changing at all. We don't mass manufacture for that line and work upon order, and that system has proved to be the best for us.

The new Honour Bound gold edition will work like Beau Geste, even more specifically. We will build each tank with the special specifications of its owner, so each one will have a unique vehicle made entirely for him. The quality will be higher. We'll finish the tanks one by one, and Gabriel and Daniel will give them the final touch, and personnally control its quality.

I'll post all the details as soon as we have all the procedure sorted out.

Thanks,

Ana

 

[Canadian Samurai]

Aside from issues of higher prices, I think this sounds like it could be quite a positive development. I think mass-customization is the way of the future of our economy - it gives consumers exactly what they want.

 

[wadepat]

No, Beaufighter, Beau Geste is not changing at all. We don't mass manufacture for that line and work upon order, and that system has proved to be the best for us.

The new Honour Bound gold edition will work like Beau Geste, even more specifically. We will build each tank with the special specifications of its owner, so each one will have a unique vehicle made entirely for him. The quality will be higher. We'll finish the tanks one by one, and Gabriel and Daniel will give them the final touch, and personnally control its quality.

I'll post all the details as soon as we have all the procedure sorted out.

Thanks,

Ana

Hi Ana,

I am curious to know if you have some idea of the turn around time required between a custom vehicle being ordered by a collector and that vehicle being completed and ready for delivery? While the customization of a vehicle might well be an exciting development, surely it must increase the time necessary for delivery.

Also, will there be a limit to the number of specific vehicles you produce? That is to say, will you only customize a specified number of a given vehicle and then cease production of that vehicle?

I know you have not yet established your entire plan. I am only curious regarding your present thinking. You know how all of us crave the latest and most detailed information!

Finally, I want to wish you the best of luck in creating a plan that allows you to operate in a productive financial fashion while also producing the finest of figures and vehicles.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[panda1gen]

Ana

I wish you all the best and wonder if I could 'place' a potential order?

I am not sure how practical this is yet but reading about Market Garden I would like to order a troop of three ordinary and one Firefly British Shermans from the Irish Guards commanded by Lt Col Vandaleur - spearpoint for 30 Corps.

Is this the kind of thing you would hope to be able to do in due course?

Best wishes

Kevin

 

[Ana Donzino]

Thank you, Pat. We don't have the details already, but yes, there will be a delivery delay, probably a week or so, depending on the amount of orders. We will have a production capability up to 50 monthly, but this is just an estimate since I haven't begin producing that way already. The series will still be strictly lilited to 150 or 200, depending on the tank model.

Kevin - Thanks. Yes, definitely, the British Firefly Sherman is in our plans. We'll be able to customize the markings, camo, battle damage, weathering, crew, scenery and other things to adjust it to the battle that the customers prefers.

Ana

 

[wadepat]

Thank you, Pat. We don't have the details already, but yes, there will be a delivery delay, probably a week or so, depending on the amount of orders. We will have a production capability up to 50 monthly, but this is just an estimate since I haven't begin producing that way already. The series will still be strictly lilited to 150 or 200, depending on the tank model.

Kevin - Thanks. Yes, definitely, the British Firefly Sherman is in our plans. We'll be able to customize the markings, camo, battle damage, weathering, crew, scenery and other things to adjust it to the battle that the customers prefers.

Ana

Hi Ana,

Thank you for the information. I am amazed that the delay might only take a week or so before the item is completed and ready for shipping. I think the short delay you anticipate is very, very reasonable, especially when each piece will be a unique, customized vehicle. My compliment to you and the Boyz!

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[Rob]

Ana,i wonder if i could ask you if you could give a rough ball park figure of how much Kevins Firefly would be or perhaps one of the forthcoming Tigers.I think this is a great idea and it would be so good to have a rough figure in mind for a Tank when i make my purchasing plans.Any info you could give would be most appreciated.Thanks

Rob

 

[Combat]

My guess is that the end result for the average collector might not be much different from the current system with standardized "buckets" to choose from - summer, winter, autumn camo, a couple different types of stowage, and individual turret numbers if the collector has a preference. Like buying a new car. The tradeoff being that someone who wants a generic Tiger tank may end up paying more to allow others to individualize, for example, a specific Wittman or Carius Tiger. Anyway, it is an interesting proposal and I look forward to seeing how it works out. It does seem like it would be a real headache for the dealers, but that one is not my problem. HB makes the very best vehicles on the market and I'm sure that will continue regardless of the process. Just keep them coming. Also, it would be great if HB posted pictures and/or specified items requested so that we all don't have to recreate the research with each order.

 

[jazzeum]

I wonder if the dealers will be cut out entirely. If you're ordering the specific item you want made directly from HB, will this mean that you have to go through a dealer to get it or do you just buy directly from HB?

 

[Ana Donzino]

Brad,

You will be able to order directly from the dealer or from the website, with all the needed specifications. We have been doing this for a while, with special markings, camos and accessories for many customers through dealers so this won´t be new nor a problem at all.

Ana

 

[Warrior]

I personally think this is a terrific idea; now the customer can get exactly what he wants down to the last detail. We've all been down the " I love that tank, but I wish it was done in ambush/winter pattern, etc" road.

This goes along the lines of the terrific repaints Alex Prieto has been doing, but step further with specific battle damage, stowage, wow.

Now you can get what you want, Panda is already ahead of the curve and has his next purchase planned, getting the exact tanks he wants with no grey area.

Kudos to the Honour Bound team, they have taken the hobby to yet another exciting level IMO and I wish you nothing but the best, you truly deserve it...............

 

[panda1gen]

Ana

I have already had interest from UK collectors about the potential for British armour.....if I ordered a few of the above, could we get a discount?

Kevin

 

[jazzeum]

Ana

I have already had interest from UK collectors about the potential for British armour.....if I ordered a few of the above, could we get a discount?

Kevin

Following up on Kevin's post, I would be interested in British armor as well like a Crusader or a Valentine.

Am I given to understand that if a collector you will make that particular vehicle or is it the situation that you will come with a certain vehicle, for argument's sake a Sherman firefly, and then customize the firefly the way each collector wants it?

Also, do you have a ballpark idea of the cost, an always important question?

 

[Ana Donzino]

Brad - It's the latter. We'll come with a certain vehicle and then the collector will customize it as he wishes. No price already, but I'll have an approximate soon.

Ana