"Wargames LLC - Essex US distributor/stockist no more" Topic

After an order/email exchange with Essex, I've been given permission to pass on the following. I do so without comment but merely to assist any who might be looking for the official word:

Hello there

You may publish the following if you wish:

Please be aware that Wargames Inc. are no longer an official distributor of our products, and haven't been so for a number of months for numerous reasons. In future we suggest either ordering directly from us or contacting our new stockists in the US:

Warpath Games: warpathgames.com
Noble Knight Games: nobleknight.com

Many thanks,
Essex Miniatures
Unit 1 Shannon Centre,
Thames Industrial Estate,
Canvey Island
Essex SS8 0PE
UK

info@essexminiatures.co.uk
essexminiatures.co.uk
Tel: 01268 682309

Noble Knight appears to be selling them at $3.56 USD a pack. I couldn't find any Essex products on the Warpath site, they appear to be a distributor to retail stores.

I quess this means we won't see Essex figures in the dealer area at Historicon, Fall In or Cold Wars anymore. Bummer!

As an Ancients gamer who primarily games in 15mm, I've been finding that each year there is less and less reason for me to visit the dealer area at the HMGS shows. Now there is probably no reason at all :-(

Peter C
Sword and Sandal Gaming Blog
link

Pcelella -- Old Glory seems to be doing more 15mm, so your time will return. Blue Moon maybe, too.

I am with Peter, in agreeing that there is less and less in 15mm ancients at the HMGS shows. Regardless of Wargames not being a stockist of Essex anymore they are not attending the HMGS shows at all this year because of Health issues I have heard. Also in the past it was actually cheaper to order directly from Essex and you also got your full order. Old Glory 15s have stopped coming though they do make it nice that they have their bulk discounts on their website. It will be interesting if Blue Moon make the move into 15mm Ancients. Though Old Glory 28s have reduced what they have brought to conventions. I would love to see Khurasan miniatures attend the HMGS.

I wonder if Noble Knight games will carry Essex's full range and have a lot of stock on hand.

To echo pcelella and toboj17, I am sad to see Essex disappear from the HMGS dealer hall. I always looked forward to getting the odds and ends for my current projects as well as getting a first hand look at the products that had no pictures online.

OG15s has no incentive to return to HMGS. They are sticking to their web business and have put many many photos of their products online. So, I don't really see them coming back anytime soon.

John

… grrreat… I did a large order with Minifigs/GFI, and after waiting for three months I had to cancel it when the company went down. So, who was my second choice? You guess -- Essex at Wargames Inc. Been waiting since January, and now I see why the delays. Gee. I am utterly annoyed.

Having dealt with (and heard a lot about) Noble Knights from my old school RPG interests, they are good to deal with. They may not be the cheapest, but they do have good customer service. I've been pleased in dealing with Essex direct, so we'll see how it goes for the future.

… grrreat… I did a large order with Minifigs/GFI, and after waiting for three months I had to cancel it when the company went down. So, who was my second choice? You guess -- Essex at Wargames Inc. Been waiting since January, and now I see why the delays. Gee. I am utterly annoyed.

So you are the Ted McGinley of online purchasing? Every time you make an online purchase, the store "jumps the shark" so to speak.

Not only ancients, except for limited AB miniatures at the Eureka stand you can't get 15mm Naps at conventions either!

@acarhj LOL, no kidding. Maybe I should use it as a threat, and ask for miniatures in exchange for NOT submitting an order…

@acarhj LOL, no kidding. Maybe I should use it as a threat, and ask for miniatures in exchange for NOT submitting an order…

Oooohhhh! I do love Essex. Do you take orders?

I used to bring my Napoleonics to shows. The Warmodelling line is nice and fairly complete. But I have to buy 2.5 tables just for that range and you simply don't sell enough to pay for the tables. I'd end up paying $250 USD for the tables to sell maybe $500 USD in figures. So that's a loss even before I pay for the gas, hotels, meals, etc. There's no way for me to make it viable to bring them with me.

That said, if you want me to bring part of the range – Austrians say, I can always squeeze a bit in. Just don't say "Not much – I just want to see Austrians, Prussians and maybe Russians…"

I do business with Warpath so anyone wanting Essex miniatures can get in touch and I can special order them for you as well.

Mark "Extra Crispy" Severin
ScaleCreep.com
FlagshipGames.com
DeepFriedHappyMice.com

Sad.

Mark points out a concern that all vendors face but customers are not worried about.
If we expand any of our ranges, we have to spend a lot more for EVERY show that we attend to display our wares.

One thing vendors/manufacturers could do is create a display that shows one of each figure, plainly labeled, and bring IT to the shows, like Viking Forge, Falcon, and some others do (Splintered Light). Then the shows really become more of a teaser for later web ordering.

With the Napoleonic range that's only 1400 figures. And for each one I have to break a pack or hope and pray the manufacturer will give me a free one….

Thanks to the OP for sharing. Hopefully the new suppliers will have much success for this great range. I for one have been awaiting a change in the US distribution channel.

Mark and Rudy –

Your explanation of the obvious goes over the head of most consumers and wannabe entrepenuers…

You are Right Dr X. When I first started doing shows in 1984, I could display on 2 tables. In the 1990s, I got up to 4 tables for Historicon and use four tables now though I could use 5 or 6. So my costs just for tables have doubled just in tables and with the frequent rise in table costs have doubled or tripled the basic per table cost. So table costs to display at a show has skyrocketed.

Like Mark I have to leave product behind and even fixtures.

With the cost of gas rising it is scary. It will cost me at least $300 USD just in gas to get to the Recon show in FLorida. At the need to make 4 or 5 dollars in sales for every dollar in expense to attend, tou are really establishing a high sales level just to break even.
You have to cover your expenses + the cost of the products and the restock costs. In addition if you have to give discounts that is when your levels rise for 3/4 dollars to 4/5 dollars.
For example this weekend it will cost $300 USD gas + $350 USD hotel room + $160 USD tables = $810 USD which does not include food or worker costs. So at $4 USD to $1 USD ratio , I will need at $3,000 USD in sales to break even. Scary and hard to make.
For example

When I was working shows for The National Capital Model Soldier Society (NCMSS) I used to give discounts to vendors who wanted extra tables. $810 USD for tables for a vendor is BS!

Keep in mind that if the US vendor charges more per figure, you are not paying the High cost to ship from UK to US that now exists. I will check it out for sure as I was about to send an order to England Essex.

Don't forget about pre-ordering from vendors before a show,too.That way,they can bring exactly what you want.I had friends that went to Cold Wars with a shopping list for me.All they had to do was walk up with my name and hand over the cash.No muss,no fuss.I would think that would help out the vendors!

Now in our 28th year of business, we continue to produce the Asgard range of 15mm ancients we purchased from Essex in 1988. Our figures sit in well with the 1980's Minifigs "2nd Generation" figures. We have added about 100 figures to the orginal range since then.
We attend every Cold Wars and Fall In. Please visit our website and note we have provided a very large blow-up photograph for every single ancient, renaissance and ECW figure that we produce. Just click on each photograph for the blow-up. We accept checks through the mail and credit cards also at the HMGS conventions, but we are also getting set up to accept credit cards through our website in a secure manner.
You don't have to buy a whole pack or a big bag o' lead when you order from us because we sell our figures on a piece basis. We will sell you the exact number of figures you need to complete a unit. I personally inspect each figure before shipping.

vikingforge.datasquire.net