Is our Hobby Changing? (1 Viewer)

[Empire MM]

Hi,

I am posting this more as a collector than as a manufacturer but the two do go hand in hand, that is unavoidable.

Over the holiday, I have been contemplating our hobby and observing changes and I wondered if fellow collectors had any thoughts on these observations ? I do feel we are seeing a change to our hobby but do wonder if I am being paranoid {sm4}{sm4}

It feels to me that we are seeing a diminshment of creativity from some manufacturers and almost a lazy approach being taken in attempts to gain new collectors to their brands. I know that I could stand accused of the same with our Colonial range but, I would counter that with saying the poses are creative and that the figures feature additions not seen before, thus being creative and adding to collections.

It feels that a number of manufactruers are releasing range upon range of pieces in a me too attempt. One area of ths being the number of choices of Roman pieces hitting the market of late. This would be Ok if there was some variety / different periods / themes but, to me at least, they are all mostly the same. We have, in a way, also seen this with the 7 years war......

I have now noticed one post that asks if one manufacturer has amended the scale of some new releases to fit with another manufacturers??? What??

Adopting, adapting and improving is a far better compliment than straight copying in my opinion.Maybe sales are diminishing in our hobby and is this a reason why?

Personally, I like to see innovation, such as Britain`s Vikings, JJD`s boat and our Belgians etc.

Like I said, just my observation and opinion that I would share with fellow collectors were we all down the pub having a pint.^&cool

Cheers {sm4}

Malcolm. :salute::

 

[marco55]

I have to say on the scale side that if I am collecting say the ACW from one manufacturer and you come out with ACW if yours doesn't match up with what I'm collecting then I'm less inclined to buy yours.I would like to see more animation and poses,Conte and TCS have done well in this area.
Mark

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Malcom,

Good questions. I will say that I have been trying to find some Belgian Troops for a long time with a diorama in mind so with your Infantry coming out I am thankful that there is a source. So for that innovation I am appreciative as I am sure are other collectors.

But the issue of scale is am always will be the heart of the problem for many collectors. I don't mind mixing my figures together in some of my displays especially the Durbar because people do come in a variety of sizes but there are many folks out there who view this as a mortal sin{sm2} So for the smaller makers to give the waters of TS land a go it makes perfect sense for them to scale their figures as closely as possible to other bigger makers. TG and others do this and they sell out quickly so its a perfect business model.

If you are like most of us and collect on a limited budget then you will want interesting looking figures or subject matter like your Belgians to make a splash in your collection. So keep up the good work and I am sure you will keep our attention.

Dave

 

[The Military Workshop]

Malcolm,
Your PM inbox is full. Might want to cull some of the old messages.:wink2:

 

[hotel3alpha]

Empire,

I think it is. I'm just a fan and a collector nothing more. However, if I was a manufacturer I would have to go where the money is...plain and simple. I am sure every soldier maker has their favorite line, but they too have to pay the bills and if the community wants Vikings (or whatever)...then Vikings it is. Now in regards to scale etc. I don't buy my soldier based on trying to match this or that. They either go together as a set or not. But that is me. If someone else request X manufacturer to make X line of soldier to match another manufacturer, I would be like "dude, go pound sand". But, again that is me. I would find it wholly unreasonable to have a manufacturer re-tool their entire production to meet my diorama needs at home...c'mon man. And your right, the Viking Boat is incredible...like wow!

Now as far as variety goes. Sadly, I am seeing manufacturers making the same figures over and over again in second and third releases. To me, that de-values the original and it makes the hobby a little repetitive and guess what? Boring! And I am talking about not just toy soldiers, but Star Wars, GI Joe, etc. If you really wanted to tap the next generation of collectors you may want to think about going in reverse in history to the latest conflicts on back to the oldest. That way you connect with collectors who maybe have served in recent conflicts or who are looking for something "new". For example, I have yet to see anybody produce the new US stealth helicopter or even a Black Hawk. Now, I know I am talking about the US here, but in the UK there are modern/regular units that I am sure have not been highlighted. So, to my theory if you get a potential collector to bite off on something in recent memory, then maybe they will continue to delve back into a particular history that they like and run with it. Just a mere thought from a nobody.

So, please be paranoid and stay frosty. I am in my business, because complaceny kills.

John from Texas

 

[Empire MM]

Malcolm,
Your PM inbox is full. Might want to cull some of the old messages.:wink2:

Thanks for the tip off, I am a natural hoarder {sm4}{sm4}

Now cleared so please, fire away. I am awaiting incoming :salute::

 

[jazzeum]

Yes, the consumer base is getting older, not younger. As a result, there will be less money to be spent and taken in by manufacturers and some companies and people who depend on their income from the industry may fall by the wayside.

 

[marco55]

Yes, the consumer base is getting older, not younger. As a result, there will be less money to be spent and taken in by manufacturers and some companies and people who depend on their income from the industry may fall by the wayside.

Yes,
The manufacturers that remain may be ones that do it as a side job and not their main income.The younger people tend to collect the fantasy/sci-fi side of the hobby.In Europe there seems to be a lot of interest in large scale dioramas hence the go for the smaller 1/72's,15mm,28mm.
Mark

 

[Empire MM]

While it would be idiotic to disagree with the ageing collector base, I do not (yet) feel that pessimistic out the future. I have recently met a collector who I suspect has only just reached his teens, encouraged another young man with an interest to collect (sorry Dad {sm4} ), and I feel we can still bring in younger collectors. We almost have a duty of care to the hobby to do so.

Empire has also just commenced on a relationship with the resin kit manufacturer; Tommys War. This should bring new faces into our hobby from the kit sector, but time will tell of course.

So yes, the hobby is changing and it has to but, to my original question....... do we feel some manufacturers are becoming lazy with their releases and going after low hanging fruit maybe?

 

[Hazebrouck]

Empire has also just commenced on a relationship with the resin kit manufacturer; Tommys War. This should bring new faces into our hobby from the kit sector, but time will tell of course.

That sounds interesting Malcolm. Those Tommy's War figures are beautifully sculpted and seem to attract the modellers/painters on other military modelling forums.

I've often wondered how many of those kids who paint the fantasy war-games figures make the jump to larger figures in historical categories and how you would measure that if you were looking for new markets. Some of them are very competent painters.

Scott

 

[hotel3alpha]

Malcolm,

Lazy with their releases? I don't know as I have been kinda out of the game this past year. But, I guess your observations are your "gut" feeling so run with it.

John from Texas

 

[Empire MM]

That sounds interesting Malcolm. Those Tommy's War figures are beautifully sculpted and seem to attract the modellers/painters on other military modelling forums.

I've often wondered how many of those kids who paint the fantasy war-games figures make the jump to larger figures in historical categories and how you would measure that if you were looking for new markets. Some of them are very competent painters.

Scott

Hi Scott,

The sculpts are amazing, very costly too!

I have noticed a few younger fantasy painters now trying military models, so has Tommy's War. They have also seen people want to buy the product but, much like myself, feel that as we have gotten older, no longer posses the skills or eyesight to do the sculpts justice.

Any opportunity to bring flesh blood to our hobby has to be a good thing for us all.

Cheers,

Malcolm.m:salute::

 

[Empire MM]

Malcolm,

Lazy with their releases? I don't know as I have been kinda out of the game this past year. But, I guess your observations are your "gut" feeling so run with it.

John from Texas

Hi John,

It is a kind of personal observation. There is very little new or imaginative stuff coming to market ( bar a few stand out items as mentioned) in my opinion. Very little that makes me say " got to get that and now!".

I just wondered if other people felt the same?

 

[Empire MM]

Yes,
The manufacturers that remain may be ones that do it as a side job and not their main income.The younger people tend to collect the fantasy/sci-fi side of the hobby.In Europe there seems to be a lot of interest in large scale dioramas hence the go for the smaller 1/72's,15mm,28mm.
Mark

Hi Mark,

That is an interesting view point. Do you really feel that companies like Britain's, K&C, JJD etc could fall and be replaced with part time hobby based manufacturers? I sure hope not.

As someone who is 100% full time, I cannot imagine how anyone could operate a truly professional business to compete at the same level as the above and create accurate figures on a part time basis, genuinely.

Malcolm. :salute::

 

[Jack]

I suspect that there is a wide gulf between the number of people who would like to 'see' something different and those prepared to pay for something different.

 

[marco55]

Hi Mark,

That is an interesting view point. Do you really feel that companies like Britain's, K&C, JJD etc could fall and be replaced with part time hobby based manufacturers? I sure hope not.

As someone who is 100% full time, I cannot imagine how anyone could operate a truly professional business to compete at the same level as the above and create accurate figures on a part time basis, genuinely.

Malcolm. :salute::

This didn't come out the way I intended it but let's face it,John Jenkins is JDD,Andy is KC,Britains is in the capable hands of Ken Osen. Britain's went through a rough period some years ago,where will JDD be If John retires and if the younger generations don't get interested then this part of the hobby could be in trouble.Now there usually is somebody that comes along and fills the void but it's hard to see where it will be in 20-30 years.
Mark

 

[marco55]

I would also like to say that I think there are more people in this hobby then there appears to be but they seem to be older well off people.
Mark

 

[Desertkiwi]

While it would be idiotic to disagree with the ageing collector base, I do not (yet) feel that pessimistic out the future. I have recently met a collector who I suspect has only just reached his teens, encouraged another young man with an interest to collect (sorry Dad {sm4} ), and I feel we can still bring in younger collectors. We almost have a duty of care to the hobby to do so.

Empire has also just commenced on a relationship with the resin kit manufacturer; Tommys War. This should bring new faces into our hobby from the kit sector, but time will tell of course.

So yes, the hobby is changing and it has to but, to my original question....... do we feel some manufacturers are becoming lazy with their releases and going after low hanging fruit maybe?

I certainly don't think manufacturers are becoming lazy, infact quite the opposite. You only have to glance back a few years to see the increased diversity currently on offer now-a-days. What I do think though is that collectors are becoming more demanding and expectations are growing particularly with the steady price creep.

As for the so called 'low hanging fruit' they are probably the collectors who manufactureers rely on to keep their businesses a float.

I think the main issue right now for manufactureers is the increase in production costs and trying to find ways to off set this for the average collector.

 

[uksubs]

I certainly don't think manufacturers are becoming lazy, infact quite the opposite. You only have to glance back a few years to see the increased diversity currently on offer now-a-days. What I do think though is that collectors are becoming more demanding and expectations are growing particularly with the steady price creep.

As for the so called 'low hanging fruit' they are probably the collectors who manufactureers rely on to keep their businesses a float.

I think the main issue right now for manufactureers is the increase in production costs and trying to find ways to off set this for the average collector.

Where do you get the high production cost from when fuel and raw materials have gone down in price and I'm being told China is starting on a go slow on the economy?

 

[Fitzgibbon]

The answer to the question appears to be yes, but it has been yes for thousands of years. I wasn't around when Pharoah was playing toy soldiers but I do recall when I found 50 cents steep for Hinchclffe 25mm unpainted...40 years ago...and I refused to paint Airfix 20 mm because the soft plastic wouldn't hold the enamel paint. The technology all round has evolved 'outa sight' and things have gotten cheaper relatively. I still marvel at the low wage structure that permits the hobby to function as it does and remain profitable for those in the business. I could probably do a reasonable paint job on three or four figures in 8 hours but that makes the Labour around Seventy dollars per figure before they leave the floor. I don't believe these prices will survive the belated capital revolution in China....so we who used to paint will likely get reacquainted with a brush and marvel at the techno advances in the paint medium . And the barber will keep on shaving... but not with a cutthroat razor cos they are so old hat . Viva change! There are some really great figures around today that weren't around last year. Is price important? Yes but only when balanced with quality.