Spacelords?

[Earther]

Anyone have any idea why Moonraker/Forlorn Hope have discontinued the Spacelords range? 

I was hoping the line would have the gaps filled, rather than all of them disappear into the void...

[Viruz]

I suspect that Moonraker has sold the Spacelords series to Forlon.

A mistake was, it took too long to produce the Spacelords completely.
Doug took too much time.
At some point the market has no interest in the figures.

It is a pity that nobody is able to produce the SL figures completely.

[Von Trinkenessen]

They are now owned by EM 4.
Just had confirmation from Forlorn Hope

[Viruz]

Who owns the SL Master is basically irrelevant.
Nobody was and is interested in advancing the Spacelords system.
Around 2004 the SL system was destroyed and basically nothing happens.
When the Spacelords Masters were sold in 2004, a company that would bring the system forward should have bought it.
If only I had had the money then.

[Von Trinkenessen]

Back in the day I bought a lot of Phagon battle drones to take on my GZG human forces still find them some of the best themed range of hard core aliens as opposed to bugs.

They are one of my Covid lockdown renovation projects.

[axiom]

When the Spacelords Masters were sold in 2004, a company that would bring the system forward should have bought it.

Unfortunately there are dozens of other miniature lines and game systems that this has happened to. It's a huge amount of effort to promote a game and a line of figures. I think Doug did a decent job in making the range available at a very reasonable price point for a long time, but ultimately it's a competitive market with plenty of options for 28mm science fiction miniatures.

[Viruz]

My personal opinion:
Doug has waited some (too many) years.
In that time the system has been almost completely forgotten.
What else has he promised ?
In the end it wasn't worth it financially, I understand that.

Basically he can only sell the system and we can only hope that the buyer will make something out of it.

Not that I don't understand Doug.
In the end the production was not profitable, but the fault is that no effort was made to keep the system known.
See also that the rules have not been translated into English.
Actually only the fans have kept the SL system up.

The game is now a stillborn.

Directly after the purchase of Hobby Produkt the new production had to start, not many years later.
Now it is no longer financially worthwhile to reapply for the SL system, it may be too late.

Now it is too late, I personally have no more hope.

Fortunately I have all SL figures and enough reserves for upcoming conversions.

[Earther]

I thought Forlorn took over EM4 from Doug... confusing much? 

But there appears to be a new section on the EM4 site, entitled Spacelords, with a message stating the range is coming soon.

Hurrah! 

[Viruz]

  I've been hearing that for years..... 
Only I lack faith....

First the figures were at em-4miniatures, then at Moonraker miniatures, now again at em-4miniatures ?
In recent years I have heard many promises, but almost none have been kept.
I am now too old to wait for years more.

[NurgleHH]

I've been hearing that for years..... 
Only I lack faith....

First the figures were at em-4miniatures, then at Moonraker miniatures, now again at em-4miniatures ?
In recent years I have heard many promises, but almost none have been kept.
I am now too old to wait for years more.

Moonraker is em4, I think. Forlorn hope bought something, but not clear what they bought. The moulds and licence seems to be still at Em4/Moonraker...

[President Buer]

EM-4 announced they are re-releasing them and Dunwich Detectives in batches starting in December. Also Combat Zone is almost ready to be restocked - I'm sure I wasn't the only one a little nervous about it possibly disappearing for good.

The other big news there is more fantasy plastic miniatures are probably on the way to fit in with the existing ones.

[Tactalvanic]

Interesting watch, and wish them well with it but still they will still face the same challenges, Doug did and others do, of at the least a financial kind.

Reading a little into it, yes, as was mentioned before, many of the moulds need to be redone etc. that's not changed yet

If they manage an expansion to the plastics, in the same style, after all these years? that would be great to see.

Overall wish them luck, will start checking on them regularly again, and above all hope Viruz might, just might, get some of what he wants at long last 

But as he already mentioned its the same underlying issues as before, so hard to keep up the hope, especially with all the competition out there.

[Viruz]

I agree with Tactalvanic in all arguments.   

[Viruz]

em4 miniatures has some SL figures in its assortment.
https://em4miniatures.com/collections/spacelords

Unfortunately very few and only the standard.
I would be happy about command figures and the figures from the multipacks.

Unfortunately the price has increased considerably.

[Earther]

It’s a start though

Shame they’re significantly more expensive. Hoping that helps pay to get the entire range rereleased.