On several issues…
On 28mm wargames.. Gents:
A 28mm scale does BY NO MEANS mean you have to have as many figs as 15mm or 1/72 for that matter; so you will or should NOT have your armies separated by 6 inches at the start; if that is the case, you're doing something wrong.
If you think you need as many 28's as 1/72 or 15mm per unit, think again. The fact is, this and these larger scales simply means your units need only be 6-8 men per unit. DO NOT fall into the trap of tons of men as with other GW eras because you DON'T.
Now, ahem:
Far be it from me, but guys, GW has FINALLY got their game on re: historicals.
If these guys continue to make stuff in historicals, all other manf. are doomed or at the very least, any manf. had better get on the bandwagon ASAP because the power of these guys is undeniable.
Remember, 6-8 guys per unit, NOT individually mounted, one gun with crew per battery, and 3-5 horses per squadron or battalion if you think that looks right and as far as limber teams goes.. face it: these models are nice but frankly are a WASTE of manf. power and resources; then again, if you only HAVE 3 batteries per game, 3 limbers should not set you back a hundred bucks. Your entire ARMY should not cost more than $100 USD USD.
If, in a Nappy game, you have spent or are going to spend more than a hundred US dollars, STOP.
Remember, in order for war games with miniatures to get new kids into the game, the size of the table CANNOT be larger than 5-6ft deep and 8 feet long. Again, if you're games are bigger than that, STOP.
We (at Imagine Image Multimedia and what remains of our gaming group in Illinois), are going FULL into 28mm Ancients to WWWII, because 1/72 and 20mm is DAID DAID DAID. If a reader doesn't already know, we have collections of HUNDREDS of 1/72 figs and vehicles, still, because when we DO have biggie games, e.g. larger than 8 feet long meaning the game lasts 1-2 MAX hours with 2 companies per side, we still want to have games that size but there is NO WAY ON EARTH we can have games like that with 28mm. Nor will we afford it NOR will any kids we know even think about playing games that big.
For 28mm, we will have about 10 units per side for the entire game, and in WWII that means about 6-8 squads of infantry and about 6 mechanized items. That's it. For Horse and Musket stuff, about 10 units per side with 3-4 batteries AT THE MOST. So you see, the entire switch is totally related to COST.
GW is doing the right thing at a basic level of trying to increase shareholder value, but there is absolutely NO WAY we are going to support their business model by letting them suck us in to boxed, useless miniatures. We will support anyone who makes plastic stuff with interchangeable heads, arms, torso and legs because metal is FAR too hard to shape and customize. If we have to buy metal, it will only be from lack of foresight in the manf. to get it done with plastic.
They, and all manf., MUST produce bags of heads, arms, legs, torso etc. instead of forcing us to buy whole boxes. Businesses must stop packaging the way they are with all the wasted resources. Sell figs IN parts and IN bags. This is an equivalent rant to the enormous amount of wasted resources here in the U.S. for packaging milk in plastic jugs instead of plastic bags, cereal in boxes instead of bags (like crisps/chips that is). Get it? Pass savings onto the consumer and concentrate on getting new players and giving kids and their dad's a financial break.
On the other hand, DON'T listen to any of this and instead, go entirely over to 54mm because a BAG of miniatures, that kids are going lady ga-ga over lately, costs about $20 USD USD. But, those are also coming from China and I am growing somewhat concerned about that.
At conventions, kids ranging from 7 to 14 are TOTALLY ENTHRALLED by the 54mm figures and that scale is VASTLY easier to manipulate with young hands and even better for older eyes.
Now in regard to the newsletter topic vs. blogs and forums.. if I have to visit one more blog or forum and swim in the muck of insane organization and formatting I am going to go postal. Try and get an answer for software questions at Adobe.com's forums. After a few minutes there, I swear you'll come to hate computers and give them up for good.
Now, back to the holiday chear.
TC
