Fireforge Foot Sergeants

[Lord Ekard]

Still, 48 is quite a lot of figures in a box.

it is more a question of quality than quantity
number of different weapons
number of different bodies
quality of the sculptures
etc
there are similar box with a lower price, but not the same quality, fireforge for its products made a choice of quality because is made by hobbyists

[CyberAlien312]

Those figures look nice!
Damn, now I need to resist buying another set of figures! I'm already swimming in lead and plastic! 

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

I was quite surprised by the price which makes the infantry very expensive compared with their competitors.
The cavalry prices were much more in line with the other brands.

The infantry are noticably 20%+ above the other main brands.
Fireforge (£28 for 48) = 58p each
Warlord Macedonians (£20 for 40) = 50p each
Victrix Greeks (£23 for 48) = 48p each
Perry WOTR (£18 for 40) = 45p each
Conquest Normans (£20 for 44) = 45p each

Historically, the Fireforge Sergeants are between the Conquest Normans and the Perry WOTR, so the benchmark for medievals is 45p for an infantryman.

If they had been more normal (say £24 for 48), then I would have already ordered.
As it is, I will probably wait until one of the internet traders offers a good deal.

Mick

[Dawnbringer]

Yes, and going off the preorder prices for the dismounted knight boxes (17 pounds for 24 men), it doesn't look like a very promising trend. Compared to the Perry's you'll end up paying one pound less but get 40% less men, and it's not like they are going to by higher quality than the Perry's.

[Mr.J]

I was just wondering if anyone can tell me which historical periods these are best suited to?
I can see myself using them for the Third Crusade and possibly the 1st Barons War, would I be correct in assuming that they would be a little late looking for the Anarchy?

[Verderer]

I was quite surprised by the price which makes the infantry very expensive compared with their competitors.
The cavalry prices were much more in line with the other brands.

The infantry are noticably 20%+ above the other main brands.
Fireforge (£28 for 48) = 58p each
Warlord Macedonians (£20 for 40) = 50p each
Victrix Greeks (£23 for 48) = 48p each
Perry WOTR (£18 for 40) = 45p each
Conquest Normans (£20 for 44) = 45p each

Historically, the Fireforge Sergeants are between the Conquest Normans and the Perry WOTR, so the benchmark for medievals is 45p for an infantryman.

If they had been more normal (say £24 for 48), then I would have already ordered.
As it is, I will probably wait until one of the internet traders offers a good deal.

Mick

Fair enough, but one has to consider that the above are for entirely different periods, it's not like they're in direct competition? Well, maybe the Normans... As far as I know there isn't much alternatives in plastic for this subject? So what's the use of comparing these with each other, if you want medievals then Greeks aren't an option?

I am not really interested in defending Fireforge in this matter, but it might be production is proving to be mor expensive than originally expected, so they've had to adjust prices?

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

@ Verderer

I think that you misunderstand me.  I have been buying and painting a lot of plastic troops.

With the Perry WOTR, I have bought total 8 boxes so far (Mounted x 3, WOTR infantry x 3, Mercenary x 2).
With the Conquest Cavalry, I bought 3 boxes on pre order and I also plan to buy some infantry.
When Victrix came out, I bought a box of Athenians on pre order, simply to try them out.

With the Fireforge cavalry, I bought the Teutonics and the Templars as soon as each came out.
I started this thread and a similar one on TMP because I fell in love with the sculpts when the photos went on Facebook.

I was planning to pre order two boxes as soon as they came out.
Then the price came and I thought "wow that is expensive - I need to think about this".

For me, the high price was enough of a shock to make me stop.
I will buy them but not yet.

(I used to be a Product Manager - this is a good example of the limit of price elasticity.)

Mick

[white knight]

I get your point, but at the end of the day though, where else are you going to find that type of figure at that price? Metals will cost at least double that and probably more.

[Verderer]

@ Verderer

I think that you misunderstand me.  I have been buying and painting a lot of plastic troops.

With the Perry WOTR, I have bought total 8 boxes so far (Mounted x 3, WOTR infantry x 3, Mercenary x 2).
With the Conquest Cavalry, I bought 3 boxes on pre order and I also plan to buy some infantry.
When Victrix came out, I bought a box of Athenians on pre order, simply to try them out.

With the Fireforge cavalry, I bought the Teutonics and the Templars as soon as each came out.
I started this thread and a similar one on TMP because I fell in love with the sculpts when the photos went on Facebook.

I was planning to pre order two boxes as soon as they came out.
Then the price came and I thought "wow that is expensive - I need to think about this".

For me, the high price was enough of a shock to make me stop.
I will buy them but not yet.

(I used to be a Product Manager - this is a good example of the limit of price elasticity.)

Mick

Yes sorry, I didn't read this thread very thoroughly, I must say. Still, as long as they're noticeably cheaper than metals, and cover a theme which isn't well catered for, I am happy. Just waiting for those sergeants to come out to order.

[Sir Tobi]

Hi all,

while I appreciate the per-head prize review, I'd like to add one little thought myself. Being a risk manager, I don't know much about marketing (and I don't like much about marketing from what I know  ), but I know about investment and risk.

When talking about plastics we're talking about a huge investment (above 10.000 per sprue I was told) and a very small market. Also, the fact that this era was not yet covered comprehensivly even in metals may indicate that we're dealing with a niche within a niche. So Fireforge is talking a HUGE risk, which (from an economical perspective) requires more revenue to cover it. Thus, the prize is OK. AND they're re-investing their revenue into even more new figures, which is a gift to all of us. In that case I think we can give Mr. Keynes a little pause and order them if we like them, even if they are 10p above the Perries. By the way, let's add a prize-comparison to GW 

Best regards,
Tobi

[Sangennaru]

By the way, let's add a prize-comparison to GW 

And not only! The comparison was wise, but it didn't consider some other companies and periods, all the more expensive ones, actually. Probably those are there considered in a different budget level, but still there's to say that even though the Fireforge foots are 10p above perrys, they are still cheaper that most of the rest of the "huge army builders".

On my side, being a skirmish gamer (when i have the chance to play), i don't care much about the difference of price of a single box, where i really appreciate more variants, bits and poses. Which, for my point of view, are not abundant in this sprues.

[Lord Ekard]

I can't go into details...but note that perry miniatures don't have the sculpting cost for their products

[white knight]

I can't go into details...but note that perry miniatures don't have the sculpting cost for their products

That's not entirely true of course as time spent sculpting for themselves is time that they can't make money sculpting for someone else. So, no, they don't pay for the sculpts, but they lose out on other income while doing it.

[Lord Ekard]

they can't make money sculpting for someone else

they can't make money sculpting for someone else

[white knight]

Not even GW?