Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Age of Myths, Gods and Empires => Topic started by: Alxbates on December 10, 2016, 12:24:29 PM
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Heya folks!
(http://i.imgur.com/gbjWXhH.jpg)
These tents were some of the first things that I ever had cast up. Cacique Caribe sculpted them and posted the pictures to Theminiaturespage.com, and they were a big hit.
(http://i.imgur.com/LENOsb7.jpg)
People encouraged him to have them cast in resin, and a light bulb went on over my head. I had already decided to start my own miniatures venture, and after seeing a dozen people tell him to cast them up, I thought, "waitaminute! *I'LL* cast them up!" So, I asked Cacique Caribe if he was interested in selling me the greens, he was amenable to the idea, and away we went!
(http://i.imgur.com/qa3q28U.jpg)
I had fifty of each made up - I sold them for $8.50 each, or $30 for the set of four. (I have since then had to raise the price)
I was very happy with the quality of castings, but, it took me years to sell all of them.
(http://i.imgur.com/cr4If29.jpg)
It was mostly my fault they sold so slowly - I still don't have much of a web presence (mainly Facebook and here!), but back then it was almost nonexistent, I was only on TMP and the old Excelsior forum.
(http://i.imgur.com/7slTNxV.jpg)
I've been content to leave them indefinitely out of stock. The caster still has the molds, I can have more made pretty much whenever I want... but it's not cheap.
I need to sell about 25 sets to break even on having more made. Lately I've gotten a handful of inquiries about them, but, in my experience, only half of the inquiries like that lead to sales. There are some cool new prehistorics on the market that weren't out when I first had these made, though. The Lucid Eye Neanderthals and apes, the Eureka Denisovans, a few new rules sets, etc...
(http://i.imgur.com/cwXzj4Q.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/5NKooz6.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/WjZuSYN.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/TQ7TfX7.jpg)
SO - I'm making this post to test the waters. Would there be any interest in these if I were to re-release them? If I can get interest in 15-20 sets (and if I can keep the prices the same as they were in 2008 - $8.50 per tent, or $30 for the set of four), I'll have another batch made.
**EDIT** - Unfortunately, costs have gone up since I had the first batch made almost ten years ago... The tents are now $10 each, or $36 for the set of four.
I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the subject.
-Alex Bates
-Forge of Ice
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If you want to see more pictures - as I mentioned, my main web presence is on Facebook:
Facebook.com/Forgeofice
But if you're not on the Book of Faces, I do maintain a thread here in the pulp forum - my line has a "Lost World" theme (hence Pulp forum placement), but lots of my stuff works equally well (in my opinion) in prehistoric, ancient, and even Sword and Sorcery settings:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=64311.0
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As long as it is after Christmas, I'm in for 2 sets. And one snake headed idol, please. ;)
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As long as it is after Christmas, I'm in for 2 sets. And one snake headed idol, please. ;)
Oh yeah, it'll be after Christmas for sure. Likely February at the earliest.
But I'll put you down for two! The Doom Serpent idols should be available before then, though - I might have those in hand in a week or ten days.
-Alex
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They are great pieces Alex.I still have my set in the display case all painted up too.Will try to get some pictures of them with some painted figures Tomorrow.
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Put me on the list...
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Very interesting, but for us here in old europe it is a question of Post and Package. So how much will it be?
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If we are talking Feb or March, I would be interested as well in at least 1 set ;)
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I'll definitely buy a set Alex. Hopefully you'll get enough interest to make it worth your while :)
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I'd buy a set, Alex. I think I might gave got your last ones...IIRC, one might have been sold out already.
Howard
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I'd be in for a set...
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Stick me down for one set for sure and depending on cash flow I'll hope for two.
Any chance of a mix and match or is it one of each?
Do you want cash (PayPal) up front?
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Very interesting, but for us here in old europe it is a question of Post and Package. So how much will it be?
Yeah. Sadly, as I'm in central Alaska, P&P to Europe is not cheap. In the past it's been around $15 for one set, and I doubt prices have gone down since then.
But, I'll take a set to the Post Office and check this week so I can get an exact number to you.
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Stick me down for one set for sure and depending on cash flow I'll hope for two.
Any chance of a mix and match or is it one of each?
Do you want cash (PayPal) up front?
You can mix and match as many as you want. If you buy four, you'll get the 'set' discount.
I don't need anyone to pay up front, I'm just gauging interest.
Although if you *really* want to buy a set or two up front, I'm OK with that, I just can't give you an exact shipping date as I haven't ordered the castings yet. So far I've gotten less than 10 nibbles on the idea, and I really need closer to 20 to break even on them.
Maybe once I call the caster I'll do a pre-order thing for them... hmmm... I'll do that later today!
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People who are into Frostgrave might like them for the Barbarians.
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People who are into Frostgrave might like them for the Barbarians.
That had not occurred to me, but, yeah, that's a good thought. They do make for good skirmish terrain.
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I'm with 2 sets Alex!!! ;) we need more Neanderthal thinks! lol
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Here are my painted one's.
(http://i552.photobucket.com/albums/jj336/manicminer21/HUT4.jpg)
(http://i552.photobucket.com/albums/jj336/manicminer21/HUT3.jpg)
(http://i552.photobucket.com/albums/jj336/manicminer21/HUT2.jpg)
(http://i552.photobucket.com/albums/jj336/manicminer21/HUT1.jpg)
(http://i552.photobucket.com/albums/jj336/manicminer21/SAM_0325.jpg)
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I'll take two sets, please.
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What the heck! I'll go in for a set too thanks.
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Excellent - we're getting real close to the numbers I need to do a restock.
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Yeah. Sadly, as I'm in central Alaska, P&P to Europe is not cheap. In the past it's been around $15 for one set, and I doubt prices have gone down since then.
But, I'll take a set to the Post Office and check this week so I can get an exact number to you.
Please, do it.
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OK, so regarding international postage costs.
The news is not great.
I took the one set I've got (my painted display set) down to the Post Office today.
Shipping one set to the UK, Europe, or Australia will cost $22.50.
I suspect that'll be prohibitively expensive for most non-US buyers.
In slightly better news, shipping TWO sets costs exactly the same - $22.50. The weight stays under the threshold that would bump it up to the next bracket. So if you order two sets, the shipping is slightly less awful.
For the US, I can fit them in a priority mail box for $7.
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Did you consider a mini Kickstarter campaign? You have the product, painted examples, alone the casting needs to be payed for, so backers cannot lose anything, really. Here it would really be a pre-order system and you could see how the Kickstarter crowd reacts.
No stretch goals, no fancy tiers. Just the tents and maybe a slight discount when you take several sets.
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KS takes 10%, right? Keep doing it this way. Maybe these could also be available for add-on to your next KS.
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KS takes 10%, right? Keep doing it this way. Maybe these could also be available for add-on to your next KS.
Yeah, KS takes about 10%.
It just doesn't seem ideal for KS unless I've got new stuff to go along with it.
But having them as an add-on for my next KS campaign isn't a bad idea. And I *do* have another KS planned. Maybe I could do my ape-man tribe along with these tents.
-Alex
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Shipping one set to the UK, Europe, or Australia will cost $22.50.
In slightly better news, shipping TWO sets costs exactly the same - $22.50.
Okay, well, if anyone wants to share the shipping costs on two sets to the UK, I'm happy to do so (I'll order two sets, and forward one on within the UK once delivered to me - should only cost two or three quid plus $11 each. Better than $22 each!
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Okay, well, if anyone wants to share the shipping costs on two sets to the UK, I'm happy to do so (I'll order two sets, and forward one on within the UK once delivered to me - should only cost two or three quid plus $11 each. Better than $22 each!
Captain Blood - I would be interested in this. I'm in London, so the additional postage shouldn't be too bad.
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Okay, thanks Matakakea. You're on :)
Assuming Alex goes ahead, I'll order and pay for two sets including postage from Alaska, then rebill you (via PayPal?) for half the total - plus half the postage to get one set from me to you :)
PM me your address to confirm once we know Alex is going to go ahead and cast another batch, okay? Thanks again.
Richard
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Okay, thanks Matakakea. You're on :)
Assuming Alex goes ahead, I'll order and pay for two sets including postage from Alaska, then rebill you (via PayPal?) for half the total - plus half the postage to get one set from me to you :)
PM me your address to confirm once we know Alex is going to go ahead and cast another batch, okay? Thanks again.
Richard
I should have an answer for that in under a week, I think.
I'll also mention that if anyone overseas wants to order more than two sets, I won't charge more than $22.50 for shipping. If you order two sets or ten, I'll pick up the difference in cost above and beyond $22.50.
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Count me in for two sets also :D
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Okay, thanks Matakakea. You're on Smiley
Assuming Alex goes ahead, I'll order and pay for two sets including postage from Alaska, then rebill you (via PayPal?) for half the total - plus half the postage to get one set from me to you Smiley
PM me your address to confirm once we know Alex is going to go ahead and cast another batch, okay? Thanks again.
PayPal is fine thanks. :)
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Those look great, especially the dome one. Good job!
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OK, folks - I've gone ahead and placed the order for 30 more sets from the caster. They should be here by the end of January. If anyone wants to pre-order (read, "pay for") their set now, shoot me a PM & we'll sort it out.
Thanks very much for all the feedback and interest! I wasn't sure that it'd be worth it to do another batch of them, but it looks like there's enough interest for it.
-Alex
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The tents are here!
(http://i.imgur.com/OoM1Em2.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/HNPd9oX.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/KSAEoiD.jpg)
Casting was a bit more expensive this time - I've had to raise the price to $10 each (it was eight years ago last time I had a batch cast up...), but if anyone who commented on this thread wants to order a set, I'll sell them to you at the old price.
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Alex, thanks for the update. Ready to go ahead with the two sets (for myself and Matakakea) as above. Would you mind PM'ing me to let me know how much and how to pay you? Thanks.
Richard
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Ah, good news there.
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Alex, thanks for the update. Ready to go ahead with the two sets (for myself and Matakakea) as above. Would you mind PM'ing me to let me know how much and how to pay you? Thanks.
Richard
No problem!
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Is there anyone else in Australia that wants these and would like to split shipping?
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Sorry - I just ordered mine a couple of days ago! :?
They look great - and I'm looking forward to having a look-see at the rest of the Forge of Ice line.
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I would love some of these tents. But the postage to Australia put them out of my reach. Are you in Sydney?
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Yeah... international shipping is ridiculous. The tents are rather bulky, and, since they're resin, I need to wrap them up really well. I can fit them tightly into fairly small boxes, but it still ends up being over $15 for shipping almost everywhere outside the US. :(
The last time I had them in stock shipping was half that!
Your best bet is to find a couple of friends who want to order their own sets and split the shipping with them -which is a logistical hassle on your end, but it'll save you some money, so it might be worth it...
I wish I could think of a better solution.
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I received my set of tents earlier this pm courtesy of Captain Blood. As I was in the middle of year end accounts (that's why my eyes probably seemed to be rotating Captain) I've only just opened and laid them out. Very nice! I have some time off next week so I will have to put some paint on these. Roll on Salute so I can finally get the figures I've been eyeing up to go with these. :D
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I got mine - really nicely cast, and quite hefty! I'm gonna try and paint some up and have them as part of our game at Salute.
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I got mine - really nicely cast, and quite hefty! I'm gonna try and paint some up and have them as part of our game at Salute.
Doing a Primeval table? My tents are on the way for just such a game! Take plenty of pics, please...
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Doing a Primeval table? My tents are on the way for just such a game! Take plenty of pics, please...
Maybe? ;) I'll post pics of the tents... just trying to decide on the furs - maybe red kangaroo and some possum skins?
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just trying to decide on the furs - maybe red kangaroo and some possum skins?
Ah yes. The now extinct Australian Giant Opossum lol
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Ah yes. The now extinct Australian Giant Opossum lol
Nah - more like the possum cloaks which south-eastern tribes tended to make. A kind of patchwork job (obviously).
(http://collectionsearch.nma.gov.au/nmacs-image-download/piction/dams_data/prodderiv3/WM_45966384/nma.img-ci20041109-011-wm-vs1_o3_640.jpg)
I've been working with elders/aunties in the Wurundjeri and Kurnai tribes/nations on a couple of research projects. They've revived the art of possum skin patchwork cloaks in their relative areas, and they've inspired me to do something similar as coverage for these tents. An elder told me that, when it got cold, they'd toss the cloaks on top of their shelters to 'plug' the gaps in the bark etc. I think it was with the fur down, though...
When it comes to painting these Forge of Ice tents, it's gonna be a matter of me attempting to 'paint in' the patchwork of furs. We'll see how that goes. ::)
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Still waiting for confirmation of my shipment...
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Still waiting for confirmation of my shipment...
Heya Pacarat - that's my mistake. I just now noticed your PM's & this post here. I apparently misplaced your package & never shipped it. It's all ready to go, I'll send it out first thing Monday via Priority Mail & get you the tracking info there.
I'm sorry about that, I'm not sure how I've managed to get so disorganized these last few weeks.
-Alex