[OT] Heavy Gear minis (was Re: Locating minis)

A good synopsis, just a few comments/additions:

At 05:35 AM 5/1/99 GMT, Allen wrote:
[snip]
>The product control issue was a RAFM problem. Some of the small bits
that
made
>up the blister packs were missing from some of the production runs. 

It wasn't just small bits; sometimes it was an arm, say... okay, that's
not
that large, but it is reasonably obvious.

>I know the
>store I bought mine from (The Worldhouse, in Toronto) ended up sending
a
whole
>mess of them back because they were all missing bits. This did
essentially
>kill the game in their store as it took RAFM forever to send
replacements.

The other problem with RAFM: too small a production facility to produce
enough minis for all their lines, but not enough capital to improve the
facility!  Rather a tough bind....

>Now, RAFM thoroughly admits that it made mistakes (kind of hard not
to).

Though they were also quite willing to replace any damaged/missing bits,
and I had very good experiences in this; others apparently didn't.

>However, what DP9 didn't say (when it went around blaming RAFM for the
>problem) was that RAFM warned them that this could happen. RAFM warned
DP9
>that the models were too complex and that the logistics would make
things
>difficult. DP9 pushed anyway. RAFM wanted sculpted figures without most
of
the
>add-ons. DP9 wanted people to be able to heavily modify the models. 

Obviously, DP9 has since changed *that* tune.  (Though that's actually
the
first I've heard of the above.	Heh.  Learn something new every day. ^_^
)

[delayed release due to artwork]
>RAFM points to one of the figures (I don't know which) 

The Mammoth and Assault Mammoth striders.

>that was eagerly
>anticipated it. RAFM was selling them at GenCon '97 (or was it '96) in
a
>pre-release state. This apparently bugged DP9. RAFM was trying to prove
a
>point: the figures were ready, the boxes were not. 

I don't think it was as early as '96, but you could get 'em early... I
ordered one direct from RAFM well before they were officially released.

[snip]
>The reason for the new scale, from what I hear, is that the Internet
mailing
>list was asked what they wanted, and they called for a smaller scale. 
I
>suspect this was too narrow a demographic: rabid players who had a
mature
>collection in the larger scale.

Not true -- or, at least, not the way you make it sound.  (A lot of us
aren't *that* rabid, for one. ^_- )  DP9 *did* ask the mailing list what
scale they wanted gears in, well before they canned RAFM's license.  The
overwhelming response was for 1/300 gears for microarmor games.  The
second
place response was for RAFM's scale.  Anything else was a lot further
back.
 Yes, the request for microarmor scale was a response from people who
had a
lot of the old scale -- but the scale DP9 ended up with is too darn
close.
Personally, I have yet to buy any of the DP9 scale Gears, and very much
doubt I ever will.  Of course, I do have a lot of RAFM gears to
assemble...
though not enough Southern gears, unfortunately.  I've also not played
in a
while, though I've got enough unpainted metal around that the gears
don't
add too much to the total.  (Anyone want to sell some Southies?)

DP9's stated reason for going with the smaller scale is to seperate the
figs from RAFM's -- and from RAFM's poor QC issues.  Unfortunately, for
those people who were just getting into the game, RAFM had a handle on
the
QC issues, so they were left with only hearing rumors.	Heck, I didn't
get
into the game until late '97, and RAFM had most of the QC problems dealt
with!  But I guess DP9 thought the bad rep was there to stay (or
something)
and so wanted the scale change for a visual reinforcement of that.
Personally, I disagree, though not as vocally as some others on the
HGML.

[snip]
>In the end, I think the two companies had a falling out and instead of
working
>together they divorced. I don't know how well Heavy Gear miniatures are
doing
>now, except to say that I hardly see the small scale at all. I know a
lot of
>the retailers around here don't like it as the figures are too small
for the
>price. 

>From what I've seen, they're a lot like GW: very good detail, rather
high
price.	Unfortunately for DP9, neither they nor Heavy Gear has the
recognition that GW and GW's games do, so they can't get away with the
pricing as easily.  Do the figs sell?  In some places.	Especially
Canada,
actually, since the minis have the same price in Canadian dollars as in
US
dollars.  Areas that sell 'em in the States, though, are places that
have
the more active Pod supporters running games and demos and whatever...
actually, a lot like other small companies' games. <shrug>

'Till later,

					Aaron Teske
					ateske@HICom.net
LAUNCH DAY!
A totally unprovoked attack on peaceful neighbors. Must be the race 
file. Does strange things.
		--Rick Kucejko, on the War Monger PRT in Stars!