"State of 6mm SF Gaming?" Topic

What is the state today of 6mm 1:300 1:285 sci-fi wargaming?

* it's the Golden Age
* improving
* same as always
* declining
* dying out
* no opinion

Improving. Lots of cool new stuff recently released and coming.

Bill … all I do is 6mm Sci-fi … It is really the Golden Age. New companies, new games/rules, etc. … When I started Epic in '90. You had maybe 3-4 choices. With GW Epic being the best for that time. You also had GZG, BattleTech and Scotia made some pieces. I rate GW Epic, GZG and BT as very good to excellent … Scotia … not to bad.
Now with CinC SEM, Onslaught, MicroWorld, A/B, Brigade, TMG, Darkest Star, DRM, etc., etc., it really is a great time for 6mm sci-fi.

Better than ever, I think.

Improving. Right now it looks like there are a few good rule systems out there and there are lots of available miniatures.

I like the look of Age Of Tyrants, but not a ton of people are not jumping on board. My guess is there isn't enough free stuff to entice them.

it's the Golden Age

sums it up.

It has gotten me hooked. There seem to be a lot of manufactures out there from me to choose from.

I think it keeps getting better. New miniatures from an ever expanding number of companies. (p.s. Don't let my upcoming 6mm post in the market place confuse you. I'm just downsizing all of my genres, scales and periods)

Moe

Are Dark Realm minis still trading?

Improving. Lots of new minis and even rules out or coming soon. I'm fortunate as I get about 2 6mm Sci-Fi games a week. Usually this is Epic Armageddon, and new minis mean I can proxy a lot of new units and perhaps even a new army.

Yes, DRM is still trading …

And yes, you can Proxy a lot of the new models to Epic. Like I have some CinC Aliens of the SEM line's various races. Some I will stat like Orks … some … like S/Marines, etc. … It is a big Galaxy !

Improving – but it's still a very small slice of the market. Tons of great models and several very good rules sets available; there just hasn't been a big push by anyone on the retail front (current crowd-funding efforts not withstanding).

When someone (aside from GeeDubs) decides to invest some serious money into a project – about an order of magnitude greater than aforementioned crowd-funding has/will raise – it'll still be "a side-show of a sideshow".

Ain't gonna be me, though. I want to retire someday – then I can play with my toys every day.

LaserStorm has encouraged me to dig out the old Epic stuff and have another crack at that scale. Technically Robotech RPG Tactics too I guess, if I can be bothered though.

It won't really be the golden age until Ogre miniatures come back, but it is pretty good…

Golden age.

Certainly an upswing in interest.. not sure I would call it a "golden age".
Horizon Wars seems to have the most promise.
Future War commander will get a re-vamp 2017 or so. Polyversal will not reach it's kickstarter goal($80,000…? too high man, too high).
Yet, Age of Tyrants shows promise.
A re-vamped epic (do they do armageddon, or straight epic, or Epic:40,000, or as Andy Hoare has mentioned, just the Titans..?) may provide more exposure for teh scale… but Im not convinced GW will make the right choice.
So I think we are potentially on the cusp of a "golden age" but certainly not in one.

You can be quite sure GW will do the WRONG thing with epic.

I just hope they leave BLOOD BOWL ALONE…

I can say it is definitely growing. The spate of new 6mm rules, as well as some new lines coming out and the new Star Wars movie have spurred an increase in sales, at least fo DSG. (and people using the DS minis for Star Wars was a new one to me, but brilliant results!)

Definitely growing in terms of manufacturers, though the major players like GZG are focused on the return of 15mm a lot, so not a great deal of new items. Mostly new ranges and good rules sets available though.

KJdidit makes a very good point though.

You can be quite sure GW will do the WRONG thing with epic.

That is a given. But more and more I think it will just be Titans. Just imagine how much they can/will charge for one of them.

Golden Age. Heaps of companies making figures. Heaps of rules available.

And yes Dark Realm is still trading. The owner Doug is just too busy to update store and ranges at moment, but orders proceed as usual. I had a HUGE order of Andrayada arrive just yesterday in fact!
link
Dark Realm are also cheap compared to many other ranges right now. Maybe get some before Doug updates details including the price! ;)

Improving, maybe just short of a Golden Age, although I can't think off-hand exactly what would tip things over to the Golden age. Lots of solid rule choices, lots of variety of AFVs and infantry (maybe short a bit on aliens), and the major franchises I can think of can be done – Star Wars, Traveller (except for a few races that require fudging), Hammer's Slammers.

(maybe short a bit on aliens),

Check out CinC SEM Aliens. There is about 6-7 races … Plus 2 Alien Merc Packs of various species …

Hammer's Slammers.

Old Crow makes the vehicles and GZG NAC are perfect for Slammer Grunts. My 6mm Slammer "TF LEGION"

Thanks to you both about DRM. It's just the front page says 'back soon'

Try this DRM link … link Microworld in the USA also carries DRM for us Yanks … link

Cheers

I would say slightly improving simply because of the manufacturers and options available.

I don't know how we can qualify it as the golden age when the two recent 6mm Kickstarters have stalled and are fledgling (I am a supporter btw so I want them to succeed). There are also 10mm manufacturers (Spartan & Hawk) that are attracting potential 6mm gamers, although you could use some of their models as well.

I think the 6mm community needs one set of rules to bind them all and attract new people into the scale/period, similar to FoW for WW2. Epic did and still does dominate the 6mm scene but because it's fan-driven, not supported by a company with marketing and new releases and so it spread by word of mouth only and doesn't attract a lot of new players.

If GW re-scales Epic in 10mm that could be the death knell for 6mm. Even though it looks to be only Titans they could add infantry and tanks in support.

If GW re-scales Epic in 10mm that could be the death knell for 6mm.

NO … it would be the death knell of GW Epic. Only for GW drinking fans boys would be affected. Have you ever visited the Tac Cmd site ? link It's the best place for 6mm sci-fi. Epic and other 6mm sci-fi is highlighted there. And many of the new 6mm companies have forums there. There are too many sci-fi 6mm minis and rules sets available now … Even with the few companies that are not doing well.

I think the 6mm community needs one set of rules to bind them all and attract new people into the scale/period,

Not at all, many 6mm sci-fi players use other minis and rules as I have said. Battle Tech, OGRE, GZG Dirtside, Brigade's Iron Cow, comes to mind off the top of my head. And IIRC OGRE is no longer support by SJM, but I'm sure many still play it.

As I have said before, no one is going to go to where you game and tell you what models and rules to use. There are no real Imperial Commissars out there making surprise inspections. And sends you over the =][= if you don't play GW Epic.
I don't agree at all with you saying it's slightly improving … I started Epic in '90. There was very little out there for 6mm sci-fi. Now you have many, many more options.

Tac Cmd and it's members have kept Epic 6mm very much alive with 0 support from GW. As well as adding to the 6mm sci-fi universe with all the new 6mm sci-fi being on that site as well. The 6mm sci-fi community does Not need one system to bind them. Or attract new members. It's about playing with toy soldiers. Not a cult or something like Scientology.

We always say, do what works for you … not me. But 6mm sci-fi is in its Golden Age and just continues to get better. Even without any support for GW or otherwise. You can still play any 6mm rules with any 6mm sci-fi models. With No fear of the commissars or the =][= …

A silver age.

Just imagine how much they can/will charge for one of them.

From $50 USD to $100 USD depending on the Titan.

Just imagine how much they can/will charge for one of them.

From $50 USD to $100 USD depending on the Titan.

Oh and these would be either 8mm or 10mm so GW will basically kill off their 6mm EPIC.

Yeah … the word is they will be 8mm … But again … it's GW so …

Improving.

Ogre plastic minis are coming!

Where are the 6mm aeronefs?!?

Getting there.
Would benifit from a solid rules with commercial legs, but I do not see that happening.

Age of Tyrants could have done it, but really priced their way out I think. 12 a tank for 6mm is just too much.

GW will drop a box then bolt it seems, and do so in an odd scale. If it did sell well they would still bolt as nothing will be allowed to hurt 40k.

We have many choices, and that is great.

To get it in the limelight I think will need a modern combined arms rule set.
Combined with a ton of play test to get close to balanced.
I like aliens in mine, others do not.
The Aliens have to be somewhat like us, otherwise why are we fighting.

But the rules need them to feel different, not better but different.

Overall getting there with hope for better.

As I have mentioned before. Today there are many great 6mm Sci-fi models and rules available out there. IMO, many have to get away with being so wedded to the GW 40K genre'. And check out what else is available. GW 40K is Sci-fantasy IMO, not hard sci-fi which is more to my liking. But again everybody should do what works for them not me.