[SG2] 15mm Scale & Price

    We have a regular gaming location which is inside of a hobby store.
Those who come in to the store while we are playing (SG2 of course),
enjoy
joining, and would like to collect some of the miniatures. 
Unfortunately,
the cost is somewhat prohibitive for some of the younger folks (school
age
kids) who have limited funds.  The prospect of buying figures, paints,
and
then spending hours painting before even getting the chance to play is
somewhat difficult to pass along.
    If the 15mm items were packed as Jon says, about 8 to a pack, then
the
prospects of spending $8-$10 per pack would not be that bad (compared to
GW)
for most people.  The value to cost ratio would be better, the smaller
size
means a faster production/paint time.  A player can assemble a very
interesting (not to mention sizable) force with a minimum amount of
investment.  These same people would be even more willing to purchase
additional items to expand their forces or even help enhance the
experience
of the game such as tanks, APCs, or what have you.

    So in a nutshell, the overall cost/value ratio is what would
motivate
many of the people that I come into contact with regularly.  Right now
the
overall 'converts' from the GW game to GZG are still picking GW figures
over
the SG2.  They will normally buy one of thier new 'battle packs' that
contain 16-20 plastic figures for about $23.00 US.  That would give them
four (5) man groups to use in the SG2 game.  It has not been that
uncommon
for an 'older' (20-40 year old) to come in and find us playing, get
interested, view the selections, find the GW more cost effective and
dump
close to $150.00 in a single day!  Just to come back and play SG2 with
us
versus GW games at the same store!

    As for Jon mentioning 15mm vehicles not being produced (or at least
not
in high numbers of variety), I think that the above statement is a very
good
reason for the opposite.  15mm vehicles are 1) easier to produce
although
lack some details (possibly), 2) cheaper (less material required), 3)
and
vehicles would be less costly to purchase, thus making 15mm more
acceptable
since the wider range of the game rules and possibilities is opened up
to
using them.
    'Realistic' gamers know that there is to little room to maneuver
vehicles on a 25 - 28mm board, although the figures and terrain are more
appealing visually.  When someone walks by a table with a section of
tanks
and gobs of foot troops, you get their interest quickly (using the old
addage that more is better).  When you are playing a squad level game,
the
figures are often obscured from hiding behind terrain and other
obsticles -
thus making them less likely to be seen ( a table filled with trees and
bushes is not to exciting to look at IMO).  The games at GENCon and
ANDCon
were all like this.  The more figures on the table (including vehicles),
the
more the spectators, all the more the sales at the booths.
    It would then be easier to justify why your troops are equipped with
missile launchers (and they actually can use them), or the plasma
weapons.
Cracking PA with a GMS is not what I would call a good cost ($ wise) to
performance ratio.

    _IF_ Jon decides to make 15mm figures (granted this is a wish list),
I
would love to see some power armor and vehicles hit the line.  There
would
only need to be about four or five different poses from each of the
nationalities to make it really interesting looking.
    In conclusion (yeah, I know - FINALLY!), the 15mm scale has been an
overwhelming success with me (right Kevin Walker?), and the scope of the
proposed 15mm project should still be targetted at people who are also
new
to the game, and are off list.

Scott Spieker