"Moderns Update" Topic

Flashpoint Miniatures Moderns Range has now expanded. We here at Siege Works Studios have been busy getting two new sets out for our 15mm Flashpoint Moderns Range. These two sets are the Taliban and Iraqi Insurgents(Fedayeen).

Check out the new sculpts below:
flashpoint-miniatures.com

These look really promising. Any chance you can give us a idea of what the future will hold with these two ranges?
Dennis

Lot's of nice lines, would like to see more of them.

Well we are expanding all our ranges. What ould you like to see Flashpoint add to these ranges? :)

More Vehicles like the M48, T-55 and PT-76 to go with your M113. Helicopters also.

Ed

Modern vehicles in 15mm would be good as well, especially a decent range of light AFV's from around the world.

Modern Chinese, arab states and Russians could work as well.

evbates,

All three of those vehicles are on the to do list, especially the M48 and PT-76.

We will very soon be releasing true 1:100 Huey, Cobra and Blackhawk 1:100 helicopters in plastic kits.

McWong73,

Other AFV's for the moderns will follow later down the track.

A "technical" (or two) actually based on ten-plus year old open topped 4wD vehicles.

I second McWong73's suggestion about light AFVs, especially armored cars.

Duck

Excellent news on the Blackhawk. Are these 160th SOAR or "generic" aircraft.

I had some of the early Delta Force, any plans to release these plus the Rangers from TF R ?

Si

CAG 19,

They are generic at this stage but feel free to make suggestions as to what other bits and pieces you think would make these items more attractive in the market.

I am guessing you are talking more about the MH-60L DAP since the MH-60K and the standard MH-60L, at 15mm, do not present that differently to a standard UH-60.

Flahpoint already has Rangers with the Delta's and Somali's with the above announced Taliban and Iraqi's. I am guessing that is what you mean by TF R, Task Force Rangers?

Prices need to come down first.

Number6,

on what?

Yes,I'm curious on that as well,what is so high in price?

Ken,

There are no images for the Middle East stuff which is where you have the Rangers and the Delta Guys and we have been waiting for the rescuplts as discussed here

link

and other topics on the AA forum.

This Indicated these would be rescuplts and the image from last august was a taster.

As to the UH-60 model I am after enough bits to give the Black Hawk Down look (including the mandatory crashed version!)

As to price it is currently 6 sterling for 12 figures (at 10 austrailian) so 50p a figure which in UK terms is on the high end bracket (average seems to be about 30 – 35 pp fig) which is what six is on about I would imagine ?

Si

These are nice sculpts; a mate has quite a few of the Vietnam range. Good to see things back on track.

Have to agree with CAG19 and Number6; Peter Pig come in at 2.30 per 8 figs or 3.45 for 12, and QRF at 2.00 for 8 figs or 3 for 12……

Is the increase in quality worth the extra cost would be the question?

We are considering a price rise for 2010, but it won't be as much as doubling them. Possibly up to £2.20 GBP for 8. There are currently no firm plans to raise the prices for vehicles.

Mutineer Minatures sells our packs for 5.50pounds not 6 pounds, which works out to be about .45pence per figure. Most of our packs work out to be about .39pence per figure for example, the NVA Rifle Platoon sells for 13pound for 33 figures.

Naturally a strong Aussie Dollar is pushing the exchange rate up for Australian products and I appreciate your observations CAG 19 and Grey Ronin, but our products are on the whole only marginally more expensive than the average 35pp per figure. Ours are also, on the whole, larger 15mm than some other brands and are made from Jewellry grade pewter allowing customers to actually appreciate the detail and casting of the figures as they are browsing. We like to think extra quality is worth it!

We could always use inferior lead based metals. Then again we are happy with providing customers with non powdery, high grade metal miniatures.

We also thank our shops for supporting their local communities around the world.

Currently, Mutineer Miniatures sell our range of 15mm Flashpoint figures for our British customers, along with their own beautiful range of wonderfully detailed Indian Mutiny 28mm miniatures from their website: mutineerminiatures.com

Good luck and happy gaming to all those Moderns players out there!

I wasn't on about the price, just indicating what I thought 6 was on about. I order my figs from Mutineer as I am UK based and it evens out. I buy the figs I need (well want really just look at the unpainted pile!) so don't normally worry about cost.

Can you give us an update on the status of the resculpts though which was the bit I am really interested in. Playing Ambush Alley a lot at the moment and want the Delta boys to complement the rangers I already have. If they are already done any chance of some photos and then I will get on and order some more.

Si

Great to hear CAG 19. :)

We will be adding to our 15mm Delta, Somali and Rangers forces, but as yet we are working on ANZAC Pioneers, and more US and NVA bits and Weapons Packs for our Vietnam range.

We are not actually resculpting our 15mm range. I think the confusion over resculpts comes from the 2 scales of US Moderns Flashpoint once had. These were a small 20mm US Moderns Range (The previous owner called them 17mm but they are 1/72nd)and our own current 15mm US Moderns Range. The moderns range WAS resculpted from the larger scale (1/72nd Scale) to the 15mm scale. All our products we have sculpted are all only 15mm now. Is this what you were meaning or was it something else?

Thanks Ken,
the discussion on the AA forum didn't make the scaling thing clear. I have some Delta on order so will drop some photos when they are done.

Si

I think the confusion over resculpts comes from the 2 scales of US Moderns Flashpoint once had…

Flashpoint originally produced a 15mm range of Vietnam figures, and a 17mm range of Modern Middle East figures. I think the 17mm range (as Drew says, a small 20mm range apparently built to fit with 1/72 scale vehicles) was bought by Brevet (see: brevet.com.au/mini.htm )

There was talk about Anton re-producing the ME range in 15mm prior to him selling the ranges (the 17mm range was withdrawn, apparently to be remodelled in 15mm, them it all went quiet for a year) but perhaps Ken can clarify if the current 15mm remodelled range is the original Flashpoint range, or has been produced since.

Is this what you were meaning or was it something else?

As you have acknowledged, you do have higher prices (but feel they are justified). However I suspect he is also referring to things like AUD$17 (approx USD$15/GBP£10) for an M113, which I would think is generally considered as towards the pricier end of the market… ;-)

Yes, Brevet… see Ambush Alley thread here which also shows the figures scaled against some Battlefront 15mm figures: link

Geoff,

The 15mm Delta's, Rangers, Somali's, Taliban and Iraqi's we are selling are a new 15mm range that has only been released by us, Flashpoint Miniatures owned by Siege Works Studios.

I will respond to the point on the cost of the M113 separately.

In response to Geoff's point on the cost of our M113, here is a review of several M113's done by an independent source in the UK.

Again it come down to what we believe is value for money or the best quality for a higher price.

This is just a quick comparison that i did on the M113's out there that i know of, there may be more . It is my personal view on them so some people may disagree and please feel free to comment and add your views as well.

M113 Comparison

Manufactures

1. FPV – FPV
2. Old Glory – OG
3. Peter Pig – PP
4. QRF – QRF

Grading

I looked at these models under 5 headings;

1. moulding
2. construction
3. detail/size
4. storage
5. cost

To each of these I graded in order of 4 best 1 worst.

1. moulding

FPV – The only resin model and shows how much better resin is for vehicle bodies' nice clean and clear mould. 4
OG – Lead/alloy with some cast lines along the body and flash on the front. 1
PP – Lead/alloy casting lines on the side. 2
QRF – Lead/alloy mild casting lines on the side. 3

2. construction

FPV – Nice and easy to make all parts go where they're meant to, good customisation with the water vane (obtained separately). 1 piece body separate hatch covers and rear door plus crew. 4
OG – Easy to make all parts slot in where they're meant to no real option for customisation from pack. 1 piece body separate tracks and hatch covers. 3
PP – A bit trickier to make rear is separate and the tracks don't have a lot of metal to be glued on to, drivers hatch moulded on to the body remaining hatches separate and with crew. 2
QRF – 2 part body with main front, sides, back and top with a separate underneath, hatches separate. 1

3. detail/size

FPV – Larger than the others but clearer and better detailed. 4
OG – Nice detail some looks a bit small and flat and the grills look a little crude. 3
PP – Lacks some of the finer detail but has some decent definition on the front. 2
QRF – Very poor looks like a bland square no real detail struggle to even give it a 1. 1

4. storage

FPV – Jerry cans and crew 2
OG – none 1
PP – none 1
QRF – none 1

5. cost

FPV – £8.50 GBP
OG – £5.00 GBP (£15 for 3)
PP – £6.00 GBP
QRF – £4.50 GBP

Summary

To summarise briefly FPV is the winner.
The only resin model was the FPV and it "felt" better.
The metal castings left a fair bit of flash etc, and are easier to be warped (tracks can be bent turrets disfigured).

My view is that I prefer FPV models – and look forward to seeing and buying many more of these and the different ranges as well.

Lol. Source?

GeoffQRF,

It was posted on the Flashpoint form, un-solicited, by a guy with the forum name of Smee who lives in the UK. That is all I know of the guy.

I can get him to contact you if you don't believe it was presented by him off his own bat.

I'm not concerned about that – everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Was just curious where it had come from as I didn't recall reading it there. It doesn't show up on a search.

We are generally happy – our sales of Vietnam figures to Australia seem to have shot up over the last couple of months.

Geoff,

Search for QRF, it will come up.

Mate, I think anyone who sells Vietnam stuff has had an increase in sales lately thanks to our Kiwi friends, we sure have. Our reseller in the UK is pumping the stuff out as are the shops in the US and here in Aus.

…I did, that's why I was curious :-)

Do you have a link?

Geoff,

Here it is:

link

A couple of days ago I asked about the Somali . . .

After seeing what the figures in that set really look like, I'm still a bit confused about the price:

TMP link

Is it because Somali pirates are a hot item in the media nowadays? :)

Dan