"What do you producers want from us?" Topic

Obviously you want us to buy your figures. But how many of any particular figure do you need to sell to make up for the time and cost of sculpting and moulding and give you a reasonable level of reward for your skill and expertise?
I can understand that TMPers saying they want particular figures on this forum is different from them actually parting with cash, and you know the stuff that sells. But if enough of us say we want something – say mounted French horse artillerymen – what level of interest would prompt you to make them? Advance sales? And if so, how many?

Clever twist to the title and an invaluable question. I'll try to sound out Ged from Gringos40 to give some clue. Let's hope Three Armies (regular contributor here), Brigade Games Miniatures, or even Perrys can give us some idea.

I offer the possibility to order the sculpting and producing of desired figures. 50 EUR per figure, this cover my expenses to produce.
boki.ee/Painted_Figs/XSCULPT/Boki_Shop.htm

And if you order napoleonic command figures and some of trooper poses, I usually add some troopers by my own to create the full mould of unit.

For example von Winterfeldt ordered some early Revolutionary French Infantry and now I have already 3 different sets on production line and line will grow. Right now goes mouldmaking for French Guard Eclaireurs and half of these are ordered by Dr Jeckyll. And 3 more such orders are in work.

There is precedent here, see Eureka's 100 club I believe.

Hat have a similar model running. If enough people are prepared to front something up then it gets made.

I think perfect examples of putting your money where your mouth is and great for our hobby where most manufacturers are small and a model like this can help them reduce risk.

I'm not naming names but from talks with companies. They actually need a pack to sell very well for it to break even. Often takes years to recoop the original cost of starting a new line.
Some codes sell very well while others that are just as old might bearly made even after years on sale.
This was with a payed modeler. If you do it you're self it's easier to recoop.

I asked said company if they would make kneeling firing poses and the answer was probably not. As it simply wouldn't sell enough and so that investment would go to a pack that had a higher saleability.

Great responses, thank you. Sho Boki, that's useful to see a cost of €50.00 EUR per figure. My interest is in 28mm metal figs, compatible with Perrys, so presumably costs would be higher for the bigger scale.
I wasn't previously aware of the Eureka 100 Club, but yes that is the kind of thing I had in mind regarding funding.

I really have nothing to add, beyond thanks to those who have responded.

My sole purpose is to push this back to the top…and I do intend to keep on doing this….if only by just thanking contributors or saying "cool" …almost as bad as "far out man"….

But this is a topic totally fundamental to what we do…I do mean the sensible folk who work in TOTS of course (28mm) and, even then, only in 1815…(I do accept admitting the odd unit, like Eclaireurs and Gardes d'Honneur and Saxon Gardes du Corps)

Should post this on the industry board.

I used to buy Minifigs, but they're gone now. They didn't have a lot of poses, but they had nearly every nation represented. It would be nice to see that again.

Thanks Rallynow. I have done so and copied just to Napoleonic Products rather than hijack this one.

already some really good responses there;

TMP link

Apologies for the duplications, but hope it is not incomprehensible!

Just to again say, having basically hijacked this topic, for which aplogies, once I did follow that brilliant suggestion from Rallynow, the link above to the Nap Products page has some great responses from the professionals

Lambert, this 50EUR works for me, beacuse I do everything by myself and don't buy any works or services from outside, only materials.

I charge £50.00 GBP per figure for sculpture, ( And I work at minimum wage) and it dont matter if it's 10mm 15mm or 90mm. It takes the same time for all. Moulds for metal casting will set you back £15.00 GBP not including the 3 hours mould makers time. Commercially you could get a mould made for £60.00 GBP for a 9inch mould ( per 12 figures) but you cant just mould one of each figure, you will need to do production moulds for those. So for a 6 figure pack I have two moulds to build minimum. In short you will need £420.00 GBP just to make a 6 figure pack. Bear in mind you would only get £3.00 GBP per pack after metal and labour production costs, at best, so sales of 140 packets on an initial release at minimum. And that's not happening, so you pretty much rely upon the whim of the designer like me or the Perrys or some mug who will front up money because they have been in the game too long or because they are raving mad or fanatical or both.

In short we want only one thing, Sales. buy it, use it or lose it as they say.

"or some mug who will front up money because they have been in the game too long or because they are raving mad or fanatical or both."

- I'm surprised there aren't more around!

Traveller – I wish someone would just deal the Napoleonic 25 line here .

Thank you Three Armies – a really informative, helpful reply. I fully appreciate that sales are what matter.
I can't help wondering if there are enough of us punters wanting mounted French horse artillerymen to club together and find £420.00 GBP to fund it.

did someone just say horses? oh yeah I forgot to mention that's months of work for one horse alone so you can add a few thousand to that price tag

Mounted horse artillery? Count me in!

Three Armies, that's another useful fact – thanks again.
I am sorely tempted to try to get funding for mounted horse artillery, as I'm sure they would sell. No-one would want masses of them but many wargamers and collectors would want a few, so it could be an interesting and profitable venture.
I'll be very disappointed if Perrys or some other manufacturer steals my idea and produces them before me.

Mounted French horse artillerymen

I actually have them. I have to cast some up and get them in the store this weekend.

Thank you!