ROOM FOR KING ARTHUR?

[Captain Gamma]

Hi all,
I was wanting to canvas opinion as to whether there would be a market for a fantasy King Arthur range?

I know there's plenty of Sub-Roman Arthurian ranges but I always liked the armoured knight versions. (Historically inaccurate I know.)

Now I'm aware of Thunderbolt Mountain's range which is superb but as I understand it they are true 25mm and it doesn't look like there will be any more releases.

Also I quite fancied specific fantasy style troop types for the armies of Arthur and Mordred.

What do you all reckon? Done to death or not?

[Lowtardog]

To be honest I think you would be up against it with the current trend in a more historical Arthur seizing a tight grip on Gamers

[DRDHauser]

I would think that you would be ok with a fantasy Arthur in the proper historical setting.

If you want to embellish figures from 400-550 you would probably see some purchase; although I'll admit to never having a real clue about what will and won't sell.

[Malamute]

Are you thinking the Robert Taylor/Ava Gardener look from the 1950's Knights of the Round Table film? Thats how I would want to see them, totally inaccurate, but fun

I don't know how much of a market there is considering what you are up against, ie GW etc and all the established fantasy settings/rule systems etc. But people will always buy beautiful figures.

The question is will they buy enough to support a range of figures?

[Justizius]

I have also always liked the "fantasy" King Arthur theme and I do think that there is a market for beautyful knight miniatures.

[Gluteus Maximus]

Hi all,
I was wanting to canvas opinion as to whether there would be a market for a fantasy King Arthur range?

I know there's plenty of Sub-Roman Arthurian ranges but I always liked the armoured knight versions. (Historically inaccurate I know.)

Now I'm aware of Thunderbolt Mountain's range which is superb but as I understand it they are true 25mm and it doesn't look like there will be any more releases.

Also I quite fancied specific fantasy style troop types for the armies of Arthur and Mordred.

What do you all reckon? Done to death or not?

I think there would be a market for these figures. Presumably you are thinking Late Medieval, so maybe from the Crecy/Agincourt era? Depends on exactly what you were intending to produce, but obviously the Perrys [and others] have all the historical bases covered, so maybe you would just need to do the more mythical characters/creatures.

The more "historic" Arthur is already well covered by Gripping Beast etc.

Of course, you would have to include all the characters from this film:



And especially this fearsome monster:



I look forward to more news 

[Poliorketes]

I guess if you do an Arthur-Range in the Robert-Taylor-Movie-Style (don't forget to include Ivanhoe and Prince Charming), there would be an audience - expecially if you release them in close proximity to the next bretonnian army book from the company that shall not be named

I think it would be a great idea having a Gloire-Version of that theme, too. Arthur, Perceval Beowulf, Nibelungen, Dietrich von Bern... and including dragons, definitely my kind of thing.

[Argonor]

And especially this fearsome monster:

You can get killer wabbits from MegaMinis 

[twrchtrwyth]

@Gluteus Maximus
Rabbit of Caerbannog

I think it would be a great idea having a Gloire-Version of that theme, too. Arthur, Perceval Beowulf, Nibelungen, Dietrich von Bern... and including dragons, definitely my kind of thing.

And Pete Murray could write the rules for The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch.

And the Lord spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three. No more. No less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then, lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it.'

[Fortescue-Smythe]

Amen.
(Can't pass by a thread that is so close to my avatar  )
I'd concur with the opinions above in that there is bound to be next to no interest in a 'late medieval style Arthurian' line; yet a great deal of interest in 'heroic plate armour and outrageous trappings and crests' knights.
You'd certainly catch the audience that Poliorketes referred to, and that seems to be a viable business model, as that Spanish company Gamezone demonstrates. From how I see it, they would be your only competitors. GW's models are static and fairly plain, Reaper's knights are too D&D, and the historicals lack the 50s crests-and-trappings appeal.
One thing you might consider is tying the line Chaosium's Pendragon RPG, as far as coats of arms are concerned. That might get you some special interest customers there.
Or, to put it bluntly: if you can make figures in ornate, cinematic armour and interesting dynamic poses, that are compatible with GW's scale, I'd say you have a market.

[Ray Earle]

Always thought a range based on the film Excalibur would be very cool.