new year rant...

[Brummie]

Again highly disagree, sounds like your primarily utilising plastics, which isn't the best thing to draw your gaming stuff from, at least not solely.

Although I agree 15mm moderns has a bright future, I don't think it'll ever outdo 20mm. 20mm already has a good start on every other scale.

As for company level stuff for 15mm, I don't understand what you mean. There is a lot currently for 15mm (heavy weapons etc) that are not available. Something 20mm is slowly grinding its way through. In fact the problem you have mentioned (I.E U.S centred kit) is exactly the main issue with 15mm.

I don't have this issue with 20mm. And as I said, I will prove it. Or attempt to.

[Arrigo]

I agree with Brummie, at the moment the 15mm offer is very very limited compared to 20mm. Well you can do a UK or US or even soviet company for the current period, with some limitations (example no Stryker variants) but then there is a dearth of stuff. One of the problems is that different manufacturers often put the same products thus overcrowding certain areas and making gaping holes everywhere else.

One is subjected to the impression that contemporary stuff is released more as one off rather than part of a range... perfect for collectors, not so much for gamers...

[AlexM]

I think if you hold onto your shorts for a little while longer, the Empress PLA will be on the shelf, and they will have vehicles to complement the ranges.

This is a common thing, not everyone can be satisfied, because companies do, and will continue to manufacture what sells. At the end of the day, they're businesses, and in this to make some money, or at least cover their operating costs. In the 1/35th world, everyone complains at the glut of German releases, more allies, but they just don't sell. It's the same problem in this hobby...

[Suber]

Well, I can only agree with the general idea (though maybe 'ranting' would not solve it ). I would have loved having some more options for modern combat. I wish I was a gifted sculptor able to fill all the empty niches out there (and with the ability to cast and produce them too, of course ), but I guess there is not enough market for all those small projects.

I greenstuffed other minis to fit in my own modern Spanish troopers project (that fixes most part of my problem), but I am not happy with not being able to find proper vehicles and stuff (BTW, does anybody know of anyone producing Iveco LMV Lince or RG-31 Nyala in 28mm? ).

I believe it would be cool having a sorta 'generic' modern soldier body and different options of interchangeable heads and weapons. Anycase, Arrigo, I'd love to see some modern Italians, I totally encourage you to find a solution, there must be a way for sure!

[Brummie]

I thought you could get Italians in 28mm...

I know you can get them in 20mm.

[peachy rex]

D&P do Italians, but neither of their distributors seems to be functioning any more (Venexia and Pacific Sky.)

There is a 1/50 Lince here - http://www.carlobardelli.it/portfolio/mezzi%20da%20difesa/ivecolmv.htm - but god knows what it costs. Almost certain that there's no RG-31, however.

[Brummie]

I have two 1/50 vehicles an Italian Centauro and a German Fuch in not so mint condition I want getting shot of. Had them since the mid 2000s.

[Arrigo]

Venexia and D&P sold the range to Sergent Major (I hope it is the right one) in the US but the guy has been awfully slow to put them back in production (Mongrel saga's anyone?).

Well manufacturers sell what they think it is better, but often the so called marked is skewed (usually the loudest yellers are the worst buyer, how many time mr. X put a new product on the market and then people says "great if you just do Y I will buy a load").

Empress PLA: waiting for  them, but the rant is about 15mm rather than 28mm...

Ranting: ranting usually never solves anything, but keep silent is not doing any good either...

[carlos marighela]

Nice rant but it's not all doom and gloom, even in 28mm. It's not all SF vs insurgents, although unsurprisingly insurgency warfare of a contemporary nature dors seem to have dominated recent output of moderns. Personally I was a little disappointed with the Empress KS. USMC and PLA when there are already perfectly good ranges out there. Perfectly understandable from a commercial standpoint and judging by the success of the KS campaign a shrewd decision but from a personal POV I wpuld have liked to see the 'gene pool' expanded.

Still, I think it does give the very real prospect that Bob Winward will now sculpt some modern Chinese vehicles.

I have been fortunate enough to have had the ear of a sculptor long enough to drop some, probably unsubtle, hints into it, which have borne fruit. I'm not taking credit merely observing that in this day and age, the eclectic nature of miniature production is such that things like Portuguesefor the G ;)uerra do Ultramar or Brits for Aden are things I wouldn't have dreamed of seeing a few short years ago. As it happens I know that particular sculptor is working on a pretty mind blowing new range that will probably make quite a few people very happy (I have no connection to it, I've merely seen some of the greens)

Modern armies 28mm wise, we have US Army, USMC (2 ranges, 2 manufacturers), Bundeswehr, French ( 3 ranges, 2 manufacturers), modern Italians, Australians ( 2 manufacturers plus the Empress KS ones to come) and PLA ( 2 manufacturers). Eurekamake acceptable Japanese and judicious use of their Kriegspiel Musorians, the various ZANLA and Somali guerillas plus the new Afghan police meanscquite a few third world armies can be proxied. Modern Russians do seem to be missing but IIRC they areon the Empress to do list.

Vehicle wise, there's a veritable surfeit of useable stuff for the US. If it's French and modern then Quarterkit make or a conversion for a Solido diecast. German vehicles are available, there's a very nice 1/50 Leopard 2A5 out there, Company B make Wiesels, G Wagens and Unimogs abound. The Brits are pretty well served vehicle wise too.

If you want to feel abandoned in the wilderness then harbour dreams of modern Brazilians or US Army for the 1960s.

[FATROC]

Red Star makes a great line of modern Russians, Chechens, and Russian vehicles.

[S_P]

This is a common thing, not everyone can be satisfied, because companies do, and will continue to manufacture what sells. At the end of the day, they're businesses, and in this to make some money, or at least cover their operating costs. In the 1/35th world, everyone complains at the glut of German releases, more allies, but they just don't sell. It's the same problem in this hobby...

QFT.

I was told by a games industry man "You'll never go broke selling WW2 Germans or Napoleonic French"....

[Brummie]

No company out there makes Ultra Modern Russians in none of the scales available.

As of 2012/13 the Ruskies have reformed and re-equipped a chunk of their army to try and keep it 'up to date'. Basically what is currently available troop wise is really only good for second line troops, or those forces left out of the reforms.

So they're useful, but they'd have a horrible time by themselves.

[Nimrod]

In case of Ultra modern Russians  I am disappointed by the fact that, unfortunately, no one produces any light military vehicles for the modern Russian army in 28mm.
You can to some degree convert existing models ranges to represent current russian soldier using the TAG, Red Star and Empress.
But nobody makes any light armor like these:

[westwaller]

The Assault Group (TAG) do some ultra modern Russians... maybe not contemporary ones though!

[Brummie]

In case of Ultra modern Russians  I am disappointed by the fact that, unfortunately, no one produces any light military vehicles for the modern Russian army in 28mm.
You can to some degree convert existing models ranges to represent current russian soldier using the TAG, Red Star and Empress.
But nobody makes any light armor like these:

Got a bunch of them in 20mm, and I know Hobbyden has one on the way in resin for 20mm. I have seen a 1/43rd version of it on ebay, but its a police variant.