Best figures from the smallest company?

[The Gonk]

Just curious.  Lots of people talking about the economy and how small producers need us to keep buying figures to keep them in business (or so I tell my wife).  So, in your opinion, who's the best small SF producer we should spend our depression dough on?

[wolfgangbrooks]

Me.

http://recreationalconflict.com/ under Lead Bones.

It would be nice if a few people supported us. Like, at all...

[dijit]

Hasslefree, no problems - great models and great service. A real family run enterprise.

[Ramshackle_Curtis]

Yes, well me too! Haha, but seriously, if you want 28mm sci-fi vehciles at an affordable price check out Ramshackle Games (or buy them at Recreational Conflict if stateside, supporting both me and wolfgang!)

[Malamute]

Yes, well me too! Haha, but seriously, if you want 28mm sci-fi vehciles at an affordable price check out Ramshackle Games (or buy them at Recreational Conflict if stateside, supporting both me and wolfgang!)

He's right you know, Ramshackle Games stuff is excellent, my second vote goes to Hasslefree.

[Trencher]

I would say Zombiesmith.
I am aware that I might sound like a hysterical fanboy. But those Quar minis are simply superb and obviously Josh has even more Quar goodness in the pipeline. 
And now, in conjuncition with Defiance Miniatures, there will be more (different yet nice...) SF stuff as well.

http://www.quarinvasion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=536

As a second vote I'd go for Hasslefree. They've got amazing minis as well. I like those Grymn.

[AKULA]

Hasslefree - not only the very extensive Grymn range, but also the space pirates, adventurers, space zombies etc etc

 

[revford]

Lots of good people recommended here.

A couple of others, EM4, a nice little range of SciFi minis, including Robots and Mad Max types, great prices and spooky fast service.
http://www.em4miniatures.com/acatalog/Future_Skirmish.html


Then the Corporate Wars range from East Riding Miniatures, I love the Slicks.
http://shop.eastridingminiatures.co.uk/corporate-wars-55-c.asp

[Lowtardog]

I would say Zombiesmith.
I am aware that I might sound like a hysterical fanboy. But those Quar minis are simply superb and obviously Josh has even more Quar goodness in the pipeline. 
And now, in conjuncition with Defiance Miniatures, there will be more (different yet nice...) SF stuff as well.

http://www.quarinvasion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=536

As a second vote I'd go for Hasslefree. They've got amazing minis as well. I like those Grymn.

Another fanboy here singing Zombiesmiths praises, second is or was Mongrel Minis with a close third Musketeer

[Chairface]

instead of complaining about not being able to pay a bill that he knew was comming for 12 months.

Might be able to tell I have no time for financial bailouts.

I hear you, on one level. But let me put out a should for Heresy anyways. Excellent products with a lot of figs that no one else is making (Doctor Hugh, Masterson etc.) Plus, when he is in financial trouble he has a sale!

On an unrelated note, let me also put out a shout for my good friends at Impact! miniatures. They focus on Fantasy Football, but if you're into that you won't find better service or prices.

[flooglestreet]

My vote is for Hydra. With seconds to Killer B and Wargames Supply Dump. The latter is just coming back. I wish I had the link but search this forum for Wargames Supply Dump returning?

[marrony]

Hasslefree, Heresy and EM4. Excellent service and free sweeties from certain lovable and fast mail order operatives.

[bandit86]

I vote for all of them and I hope they all stay in business

[Faust23]

I've been thinking about the viability of small mini companies myself of late.  My one observation is that some of these companies will produce minis that IMO are extremely narrow in their marketability.  Then they wonder why sales are insufficient to keep them in business.

My take is that you sometimes have to do what you have to in order to do what you want to do.  In other words, some independent sculptors may have to set their personal artistic interests to the side in order to produce some more commercially viable figures.  Then, once the more commercial stuff is generating sufficient cash flow, make some figs that are off the wall. 

I see some posts out there of "please buy our minis" and then I look at the range and respond to myself with "what the hell do I need a naked, unarmed, male miniature for?" Or what will I do with a pin-headed space hooker, besides the obvious?

My point is that if a small company decides it wants to sculpt a bunch of stuff that people can and will use on a regular basis in order to add a) variety or b) financial savings to the ranges they currently have, I'll gladly buy from them.

Case in point, I just spent twenty bucks on a Warrior Monk fig from Gamezone.  I don't need the mini, but it reminds me of my bald badass character from D&D that I played years ago.  Highly marketable.  Oh, and it's also very reminiscent of a GW warrior priest on horseback.  Happens to be what inspired my D&D character in the first place... 

Pig Iron is doing a bang up job with their separate heads that can and are being used on GW Imperial Guard plastics as we speak.

Atenociti looks like its gonna hit the not-Infinity market with a bang.  MERC's might do the same thing for 40K'ish scout squads, etc. 

In sum, as a business consultant, I would tell all of the small companies to focus on figures that will sell over figures that are satisfying their own personal interests if they want to stay in the business during a world wide recession.

And that's my two bits on the matter. 

[Commander Vyper]

I've been thinking about the viability of small mini companies myself of late.  My one observation is that some of these companies will produce minis that IMO are extremely narrow in their marketability.  Then they wonder why sales are insufficient to keep them in business.

My take is that you sometimes have to do what you have to in order to do what you want to do.  In other words, some independent sculptors may have to set their personal artistic interests to the side in order to produce some more commercially viable figures.  Then, once the more commercial stuff is generating sufficient cash flow, make some figs that are off the wall. 

I see some posts out there of "please buy our minis" and then I look at the range and respond to myself with "what the hell do I need a naked, unarmed, male miniature for?" Or what will I do with a pin-headed space hooker, besides the obvious?

My point is that if a small company decides it wants to sculpt a bunch of stuff that people can and will use on a regular basis in order to add a) variety or b) financial savings to the ranges they currently have, I'll gladly buy from them.

Case in point, I just spent twenty bucks on a Warrior Monk fig from Gamezone.  I don't need the mini, but it reminds me of my bald badass character from D&D that I played years ago.  Highly marketable.  Oh, and it's also very reminiscent of a GW warrior priest on horseback.  Happens to be what inspired my D&D character in the first place... 

Pig Iron is doing a bang up job with their separate heads that can and are being used on GW Imperial Guard plastics as we speak.

Atenociti looks like its gonna hit the not-Infinity market with a bang.  MERC's might do the same thing for 40K'ish scout squads, etc. 

In sum, as a business consultant, I would tell all of the small companies to focus on figures that will sell over figures that are satisfying their own personal interests if they want to stay in the business during a world wide recession.

And that's my two bits on the matter. 

Not sure on your obvious dig at Hasslefree with the Kevincus figure??? If you knew anything about it you'd know that this was cast up mainly as a dolly to be used in the Kev Sculpting competition of last year which was highly successful.

Or your obvious dig at Heresy and Andy's cash flow problems and damn bad luck in respect to his casting machine.

Have you actually reviewed the ranges for both companies recently?

I for one do not want to see GW clones, skulls and powered armour everywhere I turn.

Heresy & Hasslefree have great ranges of figures from a number of genres, E4M miniatures run the old Grenadier post apoc/future wars ranges very successfully, you want weird war? Gothic horror, demons? Plenty of companies: you want zombies, future moderns etc... (then Westwind, Zombiesmith, Pig-iron and many more spring to mind).

Anyway now the dollar has rallied against the pound I suggest you lot from over the pond actually buy some good old UK lead product.

The Commander