"Why Did Battlefront Make Buildings a Subscription?" Topic

Does anybody know why BF went from selling their buildings via LGS outlets to a subscription only? I really liked their western European buildings and would have liked to have supported game store since I pretty much have all the WW2 minis I'll ever use.

I know it's a long-gone decision on their part, but it's a head scratcher for me.

I think it was their version of kickstarter, you can find most of the buildings out now. The last few were just released and may take awhile to flow in to the supply chain. (I want that manor house)

They did not go to "subscription only." The same buildings I got through my subscriptions have generally been available in my LGSs. One has quite a bit still in stock.

Other than the bonus runided chuch, all could be ordered through my LGS..and I bet that one will eventually will be available as well. Just like the previous "exclusive" Villagers and building add-ons later could be ordered seperately.

As noted by von Ted, what my LGS has been able to get seems to have been hit/miss. I went with the suscription as I wanted to guaruntee I'd be able to get them all rather than hope my LGS would be able to get me one of each.

Since I'd only ever seen Calais House (one of the first ones) ever at FLGSs and also can't buy them directly from BF's site I just misunderstood.

They are limited and surely much harder to get without a subscription. That's for sure!!!

I usually refuse to buy anything that I cannot get through my LGSs, but when it come's to the BF/GF9 terrain I've found that when there's somethimg coming out that I want, I better jump on it as that stuff sees limited distro and rarely gets productions runs after the initial one.

If they did it was probably for the same reason any business does anything. They thought it would be good for business. Since most businesses are in business to make money, and Battlefront is no exception to this, they thought it would make them more money.

BF are not in business to make WW2 wargaming miniatures. BF are in business to make money. Making WW2 Wargaming figures is the method by which they have chosen to make money.

Not a slam against BF, just economic reality. If they were just in the business to make WW2 gaming miniatures their products would all be sold at cost.

I'm just glad they didn't invent hotcakes.
Sure they'd sell well enough to get a saying made about them – just nobody would know what they taste like after the first limited wave sold out. :)

My bet is they'd taste like Roti Canai.

Yes but the Roti Canai ones are sold by Pancake Soldier Company and while cheaper don't come with decals :)

It was an unknown seller, and they probably tried to secure minimum order level but couldn't.

I wish they'd bring back the large hills.

Battlefront has some massive issues with their production lines and nearly all their problems stem from their overseas production. Battlefront contracts out with manufacturing companies to do a run of their products. I've heard that the real reason we aren't going to ever see re-releases of things like their Russian Battlefield-In-A-Box town set is because someone made off with the molds or masters (which is a common practice over there in regards to boot-legging toys) which were then damaged. Battlefront, while large in our hobby world, is small potatoes when it comes to their production runs and so doesn't rank as a high priority for production line time with manufacturers, either.

I was never able to jump on the house subscription when it came out, it was a *very* short window of time and I couldn't raise enough hobby-money in that brief window with no advanced notice. I've been stalking the houses on store shelves and on-line retailers and they sell out almost immediately indicating a severe lack-of-inventory issue.

No-notice and highly limited product availability seams to be Battlefront's business model. Regardless of what line they try to feed us, until they get control of their productions lines: that is what it is.

Case in point: They have been out of stock of the Open Fire set for MONTHS. My LGS has been desperately trying to get copies. Meanwhile Battlefront keeps pushing ahead with all these new releases… Guys, if a company can't keep the STARTER SET of its core game in production and available to retailers, it is time to take notice.

Judging by BF's behaviour in recent years they have a cash flow problem, possibly partly due to trying to switch to plastics, so have tried various things to get money up front for guaranteed sales. eg pre-ordering buildings, the Vietnam and EW sales.

It may well be that given that production environment a pay as you go subscription method was the best compromise. I took out three subscriptions, and I certainly am happy with the end product, these are good buildings.Took a while to get it all, but worth it.

Agree that the houses are top notch.

It's great that some folks had/have ready cash to drop $250 USD/subscription. Shame they couldn't have work out something that opened them up to a wider audience.

Their inability to get things to FLGS like the new Great War models and terrain, Open Fire (hard to find around here, too) and other common stock items isn't helping their sales. Another example is people lining up to buy their pine forests (non-winter) and other terrain stuff that would seem to make sense to keep in print all the time.

Good to only be cursed with such first world problems, as they say.

BF had a pay as you go option for the last subscription. But that option did not include the bonus ruined church.