Minimum Selection of Figures for Product Line

[AngusPodgorny1969]

This morning I hopped on a manufacturer's site to look for some 15mm PLA figures. Unfortunately, they still haven't added a command group to the product line. This got me thinking about how often companies release incomplete product lines. From their perspective it's probably a chicken and the egg thing...to grow the product line they need sales but sales are difficult if the product line is incomplete.

For moderns I really feel that the following is needed as a minimum for a product line:

- Command Group (guy in classic pointing poise, guy waving the troops forward, looking through binos, guy on radio, etc.)

- Riflemen & GL (standard rifle, some with UGLs)

- Light AT Weapon (AT-4, RPG, SMAW, etc.)

- SAW & GPMG (M250, M249, etc.)

- Light Mortar (e.g. 60mm)

- MPAT (e.g. Javelin ATGM)

This would support gaming from 1:1 up to full company.  Add in some medium mortars, AGLs, and HMGs, and you can go up to battalion-level. Snipers with their spotters should also be considered standard.

What's weird is how often product lines miss the basics such as the light AT weapons, light mortars, or even snipers. I usually end up repurposing figures to fill in the holes. One helpful source for such purposes is Peter Pig figures which, at 15mm, can often be painted up to plug gaps in other's product lines.  Peter Pig separate weapons are especially helpful here.

Anyway, there's my Wednesday morning rant.   

[juergen c. olk]

I think manufactors being also gamers,get easily distracted by shiny new periods before they finish ,or I have seen medical issues,or just getting the time w/ the sculptors. A rare site are the Perry twins who crank out lines at a dizzying pace. But then like the beautiful figures at Musketeer, drove me nuts waiting for command and cavalry to complete my army so I went elsewhere,so I have a mix of five different lines for my GNW-Swedes,or Waterloo-mons 1864 Schleswig wars I invested and then Blam the owner had a accident and now the line is supposed to be w/ Stuart Penhall,but impossible to find....aaargh! Like you stated ,it is maddening,which is probably why you see so many kickstarters now to ensure sales. Good topic

[Arrigo]

I ranted about it in January... nothing changes... I am reducing scale for company sized 'modern' project to cater for it.

Arrigo