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Author Topic: (COMMERCIAL) Empress Miniatures' NEW Vietnam Range  (Read 385090 times)

Offline Antonio J Carrasco

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #105 on: March 23, 2019, 10:32:21 PM »
Agreed with NVA/VC being the first in line. A mix of civilian and military clothes would be top.

Offline 88D

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #106 on: March 23, 2019, 10:52:44 PM »
Thanks guys, kind words for the Empress team indeed.

Next sculpts for the next batch of figures is about to start. More USMC.

Empress usually plays its cards close to its chest on what we do but as you guys have been so helpful we can let you know;

Immediately following on from the next batch of USMC we thought some civilians, both armed and unarmed. Then ARVN, then NVA. How does that sound?????? Let us know what you reckon? Note a lot of NVA were fighting in civvies as well as their best newly issued uniforms.

Cannot wait for the ARVN, both early and later versions.

Offline Ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #107 on: March 24, 2019, 08:35:05 AM »
I have to agree with Carlos et al, having two opposing forces (even if limited) from the start is probably better than completing one side. It might make production sense (both for the sculptor and the painter) but makes putting forces on the table more more difficult. That, at least I think, keeps the enthusiasm going and seeing them on the table (in person or photographs) prompts interest.

I know you have the VM from the French Indochina range.
« Last Edit: March 24, 2019, 08:49:31 AM by Ultravanillasmurf »

Offline Paul @ Empress Miniatures

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #108 on: March 24, 2019, 10:21:40 AM »
Enjoying this  ;)

Will respond properly tomorrow when more have expressed an opinion but on board with the comments so far. Got to cut the grass now for the first time this year  :o Real life can really ruin a chaps holiday. 

Offline FreakyFenton

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #109 on: March 24, 2019, 12:31:50 PM »
Hrm, I second the notion of having basic models for both sides! I'd like that a lot.  :D

But, some LRRP's would also be nice.....  ::)
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Offline commissarmoody

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #110 on: March 24, 2019, 03:46:31 PM »
I love the idea of civilians and ARVAN, but I won't be able to buy much of anything for the next few months. So maybe the NVA and VC might be the better option for those looking for a quick build of two opposing forces.  :`
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Offline Juan

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #111 on: March 24, 2019, 04:37:08 PM »
I would like to see, beside US Marines firing, one of your excellent "characters" pack with medic, radio operator, etc. And some opponents, perhaps armed civilians. In the meantime, I am readying my Vietminh forces (something of an Old Guard by the Tet, I think...).

Offline Marine0846

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #112 on: March 24, 2019, 05:03:13 PM »
My thinking is.
Marines, VC, ARVN, civilians, NVA.
That way you can collect and play quickly.
About 5 years ago I started on TAG figures.
Painted two squads  of US then VC.
A few weeks later had doubled the forces.
I my case, being able to play quickly,
kept me painting.
In a few months I had painted about 150 figures.
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Offline Paul @ Empress Miniatures

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #113 on: March 25, 2019, 10:51:26 AM »
Just a note to also praise the company
Ordered figures and was delighted to receive then 2 days after postage
One pack was missing so phoned and had numerous apologies and figures sent out immediately
Courteous professional and exceptional ser ice
Well done and thanks for providing such a great range of eras and quality of figures and service.

Huge thanks for this praise. Really means a lot, shucks we are blushing  :-*

Offline arget8

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #114 on: March 25, 2019, 03:51:15 PM »
Not to be too demanding, but when can we hope to see some US Army?

If you're taking suggestions, I'd definitely encourage going with NVA before VC. VC was a common enemy for part of the war, but after Tet they ceased to be a real fighting force, meaning that the NVA was a far more prevalent enemy throughout the war.

Offline Arrigo

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #115 on: March 25, 2019, 03:55:44 PM »
If the target is Hue... VC are down on the list.

I think that doing Marines, ARVN (and also VNMC)  and Civilians first is a good approach, much better than a bit of everyone. Then do PAVN, then VC, then Australians. Not really understanding the need for armed civlians right now, actually more a need for US Army (or the 1st CAV units operating close to the city). All the AARs  on Hue I have read made plenty of reference to well equipped PAVN troops, few VC,  no armed civilians. The civilian clothes comments seems spurious to me, it was recently made by Bowden, but his book is not that great in my professional opinion.  Other source indicated the PAVN troops entered the city during the truce in civilian dress and then changed. Toward the end of the battle fresh uniform must have been tattered and probably looking like civilian clothes.


There are plenty of ranges already out providing nice VC and PAVN, okay not Paul Hicks' sculpt, but they already provide the opposition.

Quote
You want players to be able to do a fairly generic game using nothing but Empress models ASAP rather than having to come up with special rules or use models from other companies.


very very GW/WG approach. Do not care for it. Also considering the range is marketed as Hue rather than generic the comment is quite 'contrarian'.  On the other hand I prefer to have the ARVN done as as soon as possible or the Marines completed rather than having the so called 'basic poses.
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Offline Silent Invader

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #116 on: March 25, 2019, 04:17:33 PM »
I suspect that gamers will be drawn to this Hue range by Bowden’s Hue book (and the forthcoming TV ‘version’ of it). As Bowden makes early reference to VC and to fighters in partial or complete civilian clothing, it might make commercial sense to prioritise them. By way of general example, p.51 of the 2018 paperback version gives descriptions that some gamers might expect to find in a range.  :)



« Last Edit: March 25, 2019, 04:23:48 PM by Silent Invader »
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Offline Elk101

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #117 on: March 25, 2019, 04:55:04 PM »
I still really like the idea of armed and unarmed civilians as I'm not intending on solely playing games set in Hue. It will be impossible to keep everyone happy with the planned releases but ultimately it's got to be commercially viable if they want to return anything on the investment, and it is also the range that Empress wanted to do for themselves so I don't doubt that they'll get round to doing something for everyone anyway.

Offline axabrax

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #118 on: March 25, 2019, 05:26:01 PM »
This is a business person’s approach  ;)   If you want to equate good business and making money with GW then so be it.  This range will not expand unless it makes money or the owners are willing to do it as a labor of love regardless of profits. Saying that we should use other manufacturer’s models to get the toys we want first or niche models is a gamers perspective and easy to say if you’re not flitting the bill.  My suspicion is that using Bowden’s book as a free marketing tool and catering to the story it tells is better for business than catering to more individual academic perspectives. Just my 2 cents...

 :)
If the target is Hue... VC are down on the list.

I think that doing Marines, ARVN (and also VNMC)  and Civilians first is a good approach, much better than a bit of everyone. Then do PAVN, then VC, then Australians. Not really understanding the need for armed civlians right now, actually more a need for US Army (or the 1st CAV units operating close to the city). All the AARs  on Hue I have read made plenty of reference to well equipped PAVN troops, few VC,  no armed civilians. The civilian clothes comments seems spurious to me, it was recently made by Bowden, but his book is not that great in my professional opinion.  Other source indicated the PAVN troops entered the city during the truce in civilian dress and then changed. Toward the end of the battle fresh uniform must have been tattered and probably looking like civilian clothes.


There are plenty of ranges already out providing nice VC and PAVN, okay not Paul Hicks' sculpt, but they already provide the opposition.
 

very very GW/WG approach. Do not care for it. Also considering the range is marketed as Hue rather than generic the comment is quite 'contrarian'.  On the other hand I prefer to have the ARVN done as as soon as possible or the Marines completed rather than having the so called 'basic poses.

Offline Ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Empress - Hue 1968 - First Glimpse of the New Range
« Reply #119 on: March 25, 2019, 07:03:25 PM »
There are plenty of ranges already out providing nice VC and PAVN, okay not Paul Hicks' sculpt, but they already provide the opposition.
But will they be acceptable together, and if they are, why would you then buy the figures from Empress?
 
You want players to be able to do a fairly generic game using nothing but Empress models ASAP rather than having to come up with special rules or use models from other companies.

Also considering the range is marketed as Hue rather than generic the comment is quite 'contrarian'.  On the other hand I prefer to have the ARVN done as as soon as possible or the Marines completed rather than having the so called 'basic poses.
I suppose it depends on your definition of generic, I had assumed generic troops (on both sides) at Hue rather than "characters" from Hue (medics, officers etc.).