Wargamer57 | 15 Aug 2014 1:27 p.m. PST |
I need Early War French vehicles. Availability in online shops is nil. I contacted Battlefront and they answered me I can order direct and that my order will be handled in the factory and will be dispatched to me. So kinda a made-to-order principle. They receive twice a month orders from the factory. Should I trust this? Anyone had any experience with this before? With all the buzz around their supply problems I'm a little wary. Any info and thoughts appreciated and please don't let's start bashing Battlefront. That's not my aim. Wargamer57 |
Bede19025 | 15 Aug 2014 1:28 p.m. PST |
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Wolfprophet | 15 Aug 2014 1:35 p.m. PST |
I wouldn't trust Battlefront on anything, but I had progressively worse experience with them as a customer over 7 years. When they proved unable to deliver a product without severe casting flaws to me, I stopped buying. So, I am admittedly biased. |
Winston Smith | 15 Aug 2014 1:59 p.m. PST |
Order from Old Glory Command Decision or Gaming Models. Neither have a whimsical or capricious manufacturing policy. And both cover whatever you need. |
Wargamer57 | 15 Aug 2014 2:06 p.m. PST |
@Winston: True but quality is different and I have already quite some Battlefronts (but not enough). @kyotobluer than bleu: I don't even play FOW. Battlegroup for me. ;-) |
Lion in the Stars | 15 Aug 2014 2:17 p.m. PST |
IIRC, the Old Glory Command Decision models aren't 1/100 scale, and Gaming Models are poor quality. If you run pure CD models, that won't be an issue (and CD does have a pretty good range). I haven't ordered directly from Battlefront before, so I can't comment on that. Have you checked Neal at The War Store? link |
Yourbitterpill | 15 Aug 2014 2:20 p.m. PST |
Did you try FRP Games and Atomic Empire? Last I checked, both e-stores had several EW French on sale and in stock. EDIT: Yep, Atomic Empire has a bunch of EW French on sale here: link Can I ask what infantry you're using? As a fellow EW French player, I ended up mixing Forged in Battle and Peter Pig infantry because the BF ones were overscale. |
Wargamer57 | 15 Aug 2014 2:34 p.m. PST |
@Yourbitterîll: Indeed Forged in Battle and peter Pig. The Battlefront ones are a disgrace, especially the artillery figures. |
Wargamer57 | 15 Aug 2014 2:38 p.m. PST |
@Kyotobluer: QRF guns are nice, don't know the CD infantry but I'm good on these. Need R-35 and H-39's, and trucks (with and without AT guns). @Yourbitterlpill: I'm in Europe, would rather order from here. Postage and customs, hey! |
jameshammyhamilton | 15 Aug 2014 2:53 p.m. PST |
In the end the question would really boil down to when you had to pay for the models. If you have to pay up front for a promise of delivery in say 2 weeks that is not too bad. If you have to wait 4 weeks then perhaps OK, more than 4 weeks might be an issue because I am not sure where you end up with being able to claim a refund from your card should it all go belly up. To be honest the model vehicles for the EW French from BF are not at all bad. |
Dynaman8789 | 15 Aug 2014 3:13 p.m. PST |
I can't say to trust battlefront or not but there quality is hit or miss at best these days. I use CD whenever possible, not as good as the best of the BF stuff but far superior to the worst. CD Models are 1/100 as well. (forget who said they were not) |
dragon6 | 15 Aug 2014 3:43 p.m. PST |
IIRC, the Old Glory Command Decision models aren't 1/100 scale Lion you are thinking about Old Glory 15mm aka Nineteenth Century Miniatures and their line of Quality Castings WW2 miniatures, not Command Decisions 15mm from Old Glory 25mm Whew |
John the OFM | 15 Aug 2014 5:49 p.m. PST |
If the HEAD OFFICE can't get things FOR TWO WEEKS from the factory… Let's just say that that is the opposite of "just in time" manufacturing. Battlefront could be whole chapters as case studies in "how not to" for quality control and efficient manufacturing textbooks. |
Wargamer57 | 15 Aug 2014 11:13 p.m. PST |
@jameshammyhamilton: They claim it will be charged when it arrives @ Battlefront UK. Maybe I'll give it a try with a smallish order. And indeed the EW vehicle models are quite good. |
jameshammyhamilton | 16 Aug 2014 4:36 a.m. PST |
On that basis I would take a punt. Order what you need to complete a couple of units and see how it goes. If they really are manufacturing to order that is a great thing for people who want some of the vast proportion of the range that seems harder to find than rocking horse poo. Let us know how it goes. |
nazrat | 16 Aug 2014 7:01 a.m. PST |
I see absolutely no reason not to trust Battlefront. You will get whatever you order-- it just may take a while for some items. I had some limber wagons back ordered for the better part of a year, but I was only charged when they were ready to send them to me. They weren't things I needed immediately and all the other things I ordered at the same time were sent days after I placed the order so I had no problem with the wait. In all other dealings I have had with BF communication was great and items arrived quickly and with no missing pieces or anything else. Good service all around! |
kevanG | 16 Aug 2014 7:17 a.m. PST |
"I see absolutely no reason not to trust Battlefront." I would agree. Their stuff out the box is generally fine sometimes with a bit more clean up required than others require. No better or worse than others with the exception of PP who I think have had only 2 missing parts in 14 years of supply and their stuff is always cleaned up and never miscast. Had a miss-moulded track on a PSC sprue once (but it didnt matter) and had a cold moulded friable parts issue on some QRF stuff and a missing turret on an armoured car (actually mislabelled so it had the wrong turret) a fair amount of BF(not loads) missing parts and mismoulded stuff but they replace almost everything missing. There seems to be a mental block on JSU turret hatches for some reason! |
raylev3 | 16 Aug 2014 10:51 a.m. PST |
Never had a problem with Battlefront whenever I've ordered from them…always fast service. One time I was missing a part, I emailed them, and they send me a whole new tank package. The only time it wasn't fast was during a sale (Vietnam) and the items were on back order, but they notified me and kept me up to date. |
Wargamer57 | 16 Aug 2014 2:17 p.m. PST |
@nazrat: Thats it of course. I need it rather quickly….. :-) But I'll give it a go and will report on the process. Regards. Henk |
Mako11 | 16 Aug 2014 4:12 p.m. PST |
I got some stuff a while back from them, fairly quickly. A few items were miscast, so I sent a note to them, and they sent replacements promptly. I believe BF are one of the better companies with respect to making your order correct, so have no qualms in ordering from them again, or suggesting others do the same. They are very customer friendly. |
GeoffQRF | 16 Aug 2014 11:46 p.m. PST |
Our error rate remains around 2-3% of order volume |
Baron Trapdoor | 17 Aug 2014 2:43 a.m. PST |
Lol Geoff… you tell em bud! |
Wargamer57 | 17 Aug 2014 5:31 a.m. PST |
@GeoffQRF: Geoff, I also order from you. ;-) |
wizbangs | 17 Aug 2014 6:53 a.m. PST |
I was going to go Command Decision for mine, but discovered my game store had fully stocked Battlefront French armor, so I cleaned them out. :) In the meantime I've been waiting on some Japanese for over a month. Regarding scale, I am mixing Battlefront & CD regularly. I'm not happy with the flashing & warping issues I've been getting on the metal CD models, specifically trucks & tanks that wobble when placed on the table. Unfortunately, Plastic Soldier Company doesn't make 15mm French as they have been my supplier of choice. |
CATMAN2 | 19 Aug 2014 2:25 a.m. PST |
perhaps we should do some 15mm French here at PSC? not sure how many we would sell |
Wargamer57 | 19 Aug 2014 6:05 a.m. PST |
@ Catman2: Yes please. One box of H-35/H-39 (engine part is different) and do two complete turrets per tank hull (one with the short and one with the long barrel) and presto multiple use for 1 tank. ;-) And there's also the Renault R-35. And add a German commander cupola and we can use it during the whole war. Same for CharB1 (with flame thrower piece) and Somua S-35. BTW, it looks like FOW is bringing out Barbarossa again so maybe we'll see their Blitzkrieg relaunched. And if you would have French tanks ……. I'm firmly rooted in the Battlegroup rules system but not everybody is (yet) so opportunity knocks? Henk |