"Proxy Vehicles for 15mm Sci-fi!" Topic

I picked up some die-cast Tron Legacy aircraft and other vehicles yesterday for £1.00 GBP each (well 2 for £2.00 GBP actually) in The Works (UK remainder bookshop).

Well worth a look if you play 15mm sci-fi!

link

Oh – I like those!

I have a few of those going to use them for 6mm

What a reality check this is! I was just talking to a designer about making a space fighter, which probably would have cost $1,000 USD or more to produce and I'd have to charge at least $24 USD for …!

Saved in the nick ….

To be fair, these were $6 USD when first released, and probably produced in numbers two or three orders of magnitude greater than a resin piece would be.

Doesn't really change the end result for me, I'm afraid.

They are in pound land for a pound too, along with the 1 man version, the Tron Limo and Clu's command ship.

@khurasan

Are you serious? How and why would it be that much?

The Disney store had these for sale for just a few bucks.
I haven't repainted mine. They look great in 10mm, but I was thinking they would be too small for 15mm. I'll have to revisit my fighter collection.

@ Jon Khurasan, you weren't having someone make that Tron fighter were you? For a proper VTOL or fighter I would think lots of guys would spend under $25 USD for one.

Yes I'm serious, this is not a cheap business to be in.

Why shouldn't it be that much? $400 USD for design, $600 USD for print, about $200 USD for moulding. Each casting would probably cost me about $12 USD so I'd need to charge about $24 USD in order for there to be any hope of breaking even.

Then more to have it pro painted.

Then I'd post it for sale and people would respond with "you can just use this toy from the pound store.".

Ain't it a great business?

Not sure what the master would cost but…

A multi part mold for resin would probably run at least $75. USD-$100. depending on how many pieces, size etc.
Contrary to popular belief, resin molds don't really hold up as long as white metal molds do. there fore double or even triple the cost of molds for production.

The resin cost would actually depend on the type.
I used Alumilight. Actually pretty expensive stuff but cast detail that I couldn't get in other types I tried.

Just guessing, but the model in question above looks like it would take 10-15 drams of resin (2 drams per once).
I based my values as low as I could and made very little profit per cast. ( but that was my way of contributing)

My largest piece cost $15 USD on the very low end and was a one mold cast with a smaller mold for the wings, weapon pods etc. (Since I didn't have much cost in molds I could afford to do the lower price.)

At the time I figured about $2.00 USD per dram. ( if i remember correctly) that model took 8 drams.
So 8 drams x $2.00 USD= $16.00 USD ( more than what I charged, but I made up for it on prices else where)

Now, I never charged my time when I cast. Stupid, I know but still part of my contribution to the 15mm community.

So when Jon says $24.00 USD, I believe him…

The smaller Tron Legacy three-man fighter toy (as seen above) is a bit shallow for 15mm even as a one-man fighter, but certainly close enough.

I wasn't doubting you on the cost, Jon.

I was just saying that any space fighter would have more character than this simple two piece die-cast model. So I would not stop the R&D process because someone just posted this Disney figure that was released back before the movie came out -last year.

IMO the Tron fighter is a little thin for 15mm. I would love to see some designs the creative minds around here would come up with.
In the mean time we have these little guys to use as small fighters or large drones.

Actually I was responding to another poster, who had asked me if I was serious. I was.

I was kinda blown away by the overhead. That's all.

Yeah, it kind of shocked me at first too.

*If* someone was to do 15mm fighters/gunships I'd definately buy a few.

I second the desire for 15mm air support. It's almost impossible to find any aircraft models in an equivalent scale.

The CJU's Command Ship will work as a 6mm lander. I picked up 2 today

I have some 15 mm scratch-built fighters/bombers, and I have to say that I have never used them on the board – so no, I would never bother to buy and paint any high-flyers.

I will consider buying low-fly gunships (f.ex. Khurasan sci-fi Hind, if the price will be sensible) and dropships.

I still really like my spaceship I got from you Jon… I know i'd pick up any other ones you made!

Really glad you like it MrHarold! Problem is it still hasn't earned out yet. I sometimes make stuff that some people say they want despite the issues with the earnout. But as you can see from this thread I get squeezed on both ends -- to get it manufactured there are substantial costs, but on the other end there are people who just don't want to spend what I need to charge to have any hope of ever earning out on the model. They'd just assume use a toy. So that's why there are things that don't get made.

It's especially true in 15mm scale. What's interesting is how much more manufacturers charge for 28mm scale small vehicles than for 15mm large ones, even though they are essentially the same size! It's a matter of market expectation.

I have one of the TRON Legacy 3-man fliers handy, so I took a picture:

That's a RAFM 15mm mini standing in front of it.

Bulk up the cockpit and it might work. As it is he'll be flying the thing in a reclining position and will need to pop the canopy open with his toes.

Ok, so it's a little small. . But the principle is the same.

Received a very large order yesterday (man, would I ever like to see what 400 space demons look like on a tabletop!), so, instead of putting the money into repaying my very considerable investments on other lines, l recklessly invested it in making a space fighter instead, for 15 mm scale wargaming. It will be a small fighter, only about 90 mm long, but with lots of forward facing guns for that good World War II-feel strafing action!

The whole thing will be built around a huge thruster.

When will I ever come to my senses?

Hopefully never… ;^)

"When will I ever come to my senses?"

After I buy one?