10mm German Landsknechte with Zweihänder (Great Swords) Kickstarter is go!

[Stormwind]

@Stuart:

The link is in his signature! =-)

http://www.warmonger-miniatures.com/store/10mm-landsknechte/

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I need halberdiers more than crossbowmen, but at the same time - I reeeally want to see Bob's take on DoW style crossbowmen/arbalesters. =)

[Geep]

I don't think you'll see a huge amount of money from the 'common' units (Halberdiers, Crossbowmen, etc.) as for every newbie who really needs them there's also people like me who won't get them. Maybe the newbies will make up for that in quantity bought though?

More unusual units like the birdmen will probably also not sell as well- I'd have an interest in one or two as a DoW unit, but they don't really proxy into Empire or things newer people are likely to want.

Your first model choices really were excellent for marketing.

[Hashut]

I don't think you'll see a huge amount of money from the 'common' units (Halberdiers, Crossbowmen, etc.) as for every newbie who really needs them there's also people like me who won't get them. Maybe the newbies will make up for that in quantity bought though?

More unusual units like the birdmen will probably also not sell as well- I'd have an interest in one or two as a DoW unit, but they don't really proxy into Empire or things newer people are likely to want.

Your first model choices really were excellent for marketing.

You're probably right. However, with the availability of decent proxies for the main armies, Warmaster has the potential for some (albeit extremely slight) growth. At the moment, I'm extremely keen on starting Warmaster, but it's incredibly difficult to convince my mates due to the lack of decent proxies for anybody but a few of the human armies.

Dave, surely you could use kickstarter to fund the entire process now? You've already provided an extremely high-quality product, so people will know the standard of models that you're producing, as well as your ability to stick to a reasonable time-frame. If there's a market for halberdiers, crossbows and handguns, that's one way to find out!

[Geep]

I'd be against Kickstarter as, from what I understand, both Kickstarter and Amazon take a cut of the money. I'd argue that now that you're a bit more established, with product to show off, that it's better to move into a webstore/forum advertised business.
If I'm wrong about Kickstarter then there's no reason to not try that though.

[Hashut]

I'd be against Kickstarter as, from what I understand, both Kickstarter and Amazon take a cut of the money. I'd argue that now that you're a bit more established, with product to show off, that it's better to move into a webstore/forum advertised business.
If I'm wrong about Kickstarter then there's no reason to not try that though.

Good call. I think that kickstarter can push people over the edge though- they see how many others are interested, and feel some sense of accomplishment by helping to add to the total. I could be wrong though, that's just popcorn psychology. 

I imagine that it gives businesses a little more confidence that they'll at least break even as well- they know exactly how much they'll get and when.

[Dave]

It's 5% to KS and 3-5% to Amazon. Not sure why they give a range, I was always charged 5%. In the end, it's better to think of it as an advertising fee than anything else.

If I did do another it would likely be like the last: pay for the sculpts out of pocket and have the KS fund the molding/casting.

[Hashut]

Fair enough. Whichever way you choose, I'm looking forward to it! Just gotta sell off some space marines so I can buy some of the pikes and greatswords!

[Draccan]

So I just received 2 units of the pikes and 2 units of the two-handers (just bought them from the Warmonger website).

My first impression unfortunately is coloured by the lack of protection in which they were shipped. The two-handers are fine, but a lot of the pikes are really bent and crooked.
In my experience with minaitures spears and pikes can be really hard to make genuinely straight again and the number of times they can be straightened is limited up to a point where they break after a couple of times as they become soft. Therefore it is a shame they start their new life all bent and crooked as it is bound to happen during gaming or painting as well.

The pikemen were packed in see-through plastic bags, one whole unit together in one bag and those bags were just put in a padded envelope and shipped to my country (Denmark).
I will admit I find it disappointing and lazy. It would have taken only one or two minutes to put them on a cardboard with tape to ensure the pikes weren't bent and crooked upon arrival.

That said I think these miniatures are wonderful in quality and casting and the design eclipses that of GW Warmaster miniatures to me!

[Dave]

My first impression unfortunately is coloured by the lack of protection in which they were shipped. The two-handers are fine, but a lot of the pikes are really bent and crooked.
In my experience with minaitures spears and pikes can be really hard to make genuinely straight again and the number of times they can be straightened is limited up to a point where they break after a couple of times as they become soft. Therefore it is a shame they start their new life all bent and crooked as it is bound to happen during gaming or painting as well.

The pikemen were packed in see-through plastic bags, one whole unit together in one bag and those bags were just put in a padded envelope and shipped to my country (Denmark).
I will admit I find it disappointing and lazy. It would have taken only one or two minutes to put them on a cardboard with tape to ensure the pikes weren't bent and crooked upon arrival.

You're assuming that I get the pikemen with ramrod straight pikes in pristine condition. That's not how it works. I get a soda flat filled with 500 or so of each pose, complete with bent/crooked or broken pikes. I then make units out of the 8 full flats, pulling out the worst of casts (whether they be broken or miscast). To call me lazy after doing this for the 450 units I ordered is a little uncouth, especially when you consider any profit I make is going right back in to doing it all over again.

To expect me to bend every pike straight, back and tape them to card board, and then ship them out to you is unrealistic. That can't be done in 1-2 minutes per unit, and it would increase my shipping and material costs (either increasing your postage or reducing proceeds for another sculpt). When I buy from other manufactures I don't get miniatures packed like that. Granted, I can always return it if things are broken though. I offer that as well, and I'd be willing to take the miniatures back if you don't want them anymore.

[Stormwind]

Finally got my new card and Paypal stuff updated, which means I can buy some!

Just ordered 4 pikemen units and 2 swordsmen units.  Swordsmen I can proxy as Halberdiers or Skirmishers, Pikemen are a pleasure all of their own for what will be the slow trickle of proxy units needed for to make a DoW army to march into Lustria...

[jchaos79]

I am considering start a Ottoman turk army, so Landsknechte will be great adition to our renaissance armies.

[Stormwind]

jChaos, exactly how many points of Warmaster do you have overall? =-P

[jchaos79]

Do not know  never had calculated an overall in points.

For satisfying your curiousity, right now I have more or less 370 painted units for warmaster (characters are not imput in my excell list of units). Also have a small force of vietnam, WWII and SCI FI (based in 30x30mm for CF, BKC, CWC, FWC).

The collection is owned by my brother and I. I have painted the most, but Ed also had painted some and for telling the truth I also bought some units painted. Actually Ed is lowing the scale to 6 and 2mm  that is also interesting for exploring another facet/aspect of warmaster game.

Anyway for returning to the main topic I hope to increase and improve our collection with some masterpieces like Dave's Landsckenettes. Wow such great figures!

[andys]

I've got 215 units and around 70 characters, just short of 22000 points. So jchaos must have nearly 40000 points in total. Impressive! 

[Edmund2011]

I've been painting and playing WWII Eastern Front in 10mm during the summer, but 6mm Medic Wars for WMA and 2mm Napoleonics are under progress too.