"What about Victrix 12mm Italians?" Topic

In this thread over here we've established that Victrix intends to release 12mm DAK infantry (thanks, Tom!), they're just taking their time to do it. That's good news. I've been holding off ordering the Victrix 8th Army infantry until I can get both sides to play a game. Maybe near the end of this year I'll be able to get my first lot with the Victrix Christmas sale….

What about Italians for North Africa?

I haven't seen even a glimmer of news about Victrix Italians. AFAIK Victrix isn't planning anything Italian at all in the 12mm WWII range.

There are plenty of other options for tanks, but the only options for Italian infantry I know about are Pendraken and Minifigs.

Am I missing anything?

- Ix

YA, Perrin Miniatures makes "10mm" Italians, mostly in sun helmets.

I have these, think they're fine little minis, and their size is really compatible with the Victrix 12mm Germans (they're as tall and wide as the Victrix figs).

They're still available from Noble Knight Games and The Last Square, here in the US of A.

Maybe make a sample order to see for yourself – times a-tickin'!

I dismissed Perrins a long time ago as too small. The ones I've seen in person did look on the small side, and your own comparison photos a couple years ago showed them a bit diminutive compared to Victrix soldiers.

Are the Italians different than other Perrins?

They're also 45¢ per figure, which seems a bit pricey.

That said, you make them look irresistibly nice, as usual.

- Ix

I think they are bigger.

This is the only comparison I can show, all the upright Italians are embedded on my bases.

Cool!

The whole 10mm vs 12mm label seems so arbitary.

I have inquired to Noble Knight (who lists a lot of things but zero stock on hand!!) for Perrin Minis. Don told me that he sold the lines to someone located close to Noble Knight but seems not to treat it like a business. Of course, impossible to go direct without having any contact info. I still have the molds (and now permission to sell anything Minifig that I have masters for---I have the master molds for most all ranges) but the molds (yes, we had a healthy Italian 1/160th range) are in Ohio, my production equipment is in Kansas and I have no place to bring it all together in Colorado thanks to the MJ growers buying up all the industrial space at high prices way out of my league! If I am to do the DAK and even Italians, I want the best detailed figs I can get so hopefully, that being Victrix and soon! I have some Pendraken (not bad) but indeed, Victrix so far has been better. AIM will have the Saharianna AC soon as the STL has been proofed. My seller is fixing to move to another location soon in Kansas so his stock of AIM is low. But there still is interest in the North African theatre. "I" am even looking into the War in East Africa in WWII. So much less known gaming possibilities still waiting to be discovered.

Don told me that he sold the lines to someone located close to Noble Knight but seems not to treat it like a business.

That sucks. TBH, I thought Perrin was already gone, but maybe I was only jumping the gun by a few years.

A lot of good lines of miniatures are disappearing to this kind of ennui. I'm worried that in a few years I'll be unable to buy anything and historical wargaming will become a 3D-printer-only hobby. I could probably deal with that if there were STLs I like, but STL shopping is like starting over 30 years ago, with a shortage or complete absence of attractive options for most periods.

- Ix

I thought the Last Square owned Perrin now -

lastsquare.com/zen-cart

That's where I bought mine in the past couple years (and Noble Knight).

3D printing will, indeed, take over. You'll print your own or have them printed by a service.

In part, 3D removes all the start up costs and risk. Your only commitment is design time, and as it is digital that can be very efficient. But you need no molds and no equipment.

One piece of good news – 3D scanners are improving in quality and coming down in cost. In time Dye4Minis might be able to simply scan all his masters and start selling STLs. No need for a physical space of any kind.

And of course, if you find an STL you do like you can re-size (within limits) so a STL from Battlefront or Command Decision can be printed at 80% of whatever to match your existing troops.

So you might see a lot of old lines come back in 3D form.

I don't think there is a shortage of 3d printed minis for WWII. Here is a link to some Italian infantry for you. You can buy them printed from the sculptor as well. He even gives you the conversion % for different scales.

link

IMO 3d printed minis are similar to plastics like Victrix in detail and far superior to 10mm metals.

That said, you make them look irresistibly nice, as usual

And there in lies the problem with the comparisons. FlyXwire can make matchsticks look like award winning figures. 😊

Marc, funny, and TY too!

I took this with some trepidation (posted by Dye4mines in this thread) -

TMP link

One reason is the simple fact that our 12mm range makes up less than 10% of our sales. We are in a very competitive market, and as anyone would, we have to focus on the things that will give us the best chance of success. Resources are limited and we have to prioritise.

Kind regards,

James
Head of Marketing

We may be preaching to the choir here……just looking locally, I'm not finding 12mm, or any of the smaller scales experiencing any growth (not even Warlord's 13.5s).

(catering to water balloon fights would be a lot cheaper)

just looking locally, I'm not finding 12mm, or any of the smaller scales experiencing any growth (not even Warlord's 13.5s).

That's because you're confusing the local market by switching between 3mm and 12mm, mixing 10mm into your 12mm armies, playing 28mm fantasy sometimes… Focus!

But seriously:
10mm and 12mm haven't really caught on with my local crowd either. I blame that on the fact that most of us have huge collections in other scales and grumble about "not starting over now". Nearly all of us have a scale-switching story that didn't work out.

- Ix

YA, well said – 'cept I call it "scale-twitching". :)))

Wonder if the inability to get 10-12mm products easily have anything to do with it? I have seen a upswing of 1/72nd scale sales at my local hobby shop since they do not have anything else historical for wargaming minis.

Mainly for our US folks: Does your local brick and mortar carry any 10-12mm (or 1/144th vehicles, or 6mm/1-300th/0r smaller) stock? Not you UK or Aussie folks since access is practically local for many. Canadians please feel free to let us know if things are better up there.

At the moment, the only thing 'historical' on the local shop's shelves is World Of Tanks 1/100th scale minis (even the Warlord stuff is now relegated to online-order only).

I think the game needs to come in a box today…..The Starter Set…..and also think of "Set" as meaning the customer base too, and for the convenience he/she is looking for.

So until a customer is sold on the potential package, nothing hanging on a rod or in a bubble pack makes much sense to them.

I've been sold on the idea of "The Box" as being the tool for awhile.

TMP link

Board games still are on my LHS's shelves, and military/historical ones too.

We here on the forum have lots of history behind us too – in bringing miniature battles to the tabletop – rules we like or make up, miniatures we buy from helter-skelter, terrain to adorn our boards, and the history we have learned to enjoy, and present games with (a whole scheme of management skills)……..we're not today's gamer, who has none of this time invested in history and hobbying.

Put the game in a box, so it can come off a retail shelf, and then deploys ready to play.

(if that's beyond the marketing possibility – there's the trick of a 3D-board game conversion kit)

This is not preaching to the choir stuff, and because most of us have our game kit and like it too, but times change.