Strelets Forum

Welcome to the Strelets Forum.
Please feel free to discuss any aspect of 1/72 scale plastic figures, not simply Strelets.
If you have any questions about our products then we will answer them here.

Strelets Forum
This Forum is Locked
Author
Comment
View Entire Thread
Re: The Grilling of Mr Strelets

Dear Johnny,

1. we made few sets on order of Linear-B, however they committed to take a whole production run in excess of 1.500 boxes. So, although in theory, the answer is "yes", in reality it's just too much for any individual to digest, hence, pretty unlikely.
2. never (it doesn't depend on money, really. We are collectors and history connoisseurs ourselves and we make what we want to see done in plastic).
3. artillery crews without cannons don't seem too appealing to us. Having said that, nothing prevents us from making ones together with some cannons.

Please, be guided accordingly.

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: The Grilling of Mr Strelets

Thank you for your answers and OK USA artillery with guns and crews would be great even if they are only half as good as the latest Japanese ones.

Re: The Grilling of Mr Strelets

what's the 1500 boxes production cost in USD? included sculptor?

Re: The Grilling of Mr Strelets

I understand that the cost of making a mould is something in the region of $40,000... So the question is how much you want those figures?

Re: The Grilling of Mr Strelets

$40,000 seems very high to me, 1500 boxes , well that is $2.66 per box just for the mould , never mind all the other costs and profit margins, and retailers will have a profit margin of about 33% on retail price, but they take the biggest cut per box.

Re: The Grilling of Mr Strelets

Dear Mr Strelets, do I understand it right that an order of 1500 Boxes will let You on track to sculpt such a set?

Why not ask Your fans? If they order 1500 sets or more?

Re: The Grilling of Mr Strelets

The cost of moulds,the design and making the masters is all relative.
Like cars
Tata Nano $3.000
Koenigsegg Trevita, $4.800.000

Re: The Grilling of Mr Strelets

Dear Misteredd,

they won't order that much.

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: The Grilling of Mr Strelets

Strelets

1. we made few sets on order of Linear-B, however they committed to take a whole production run in excess of 1.500 boxes. So, although in theory, the answer is "yes", in reality it's just too much for any individual to digest, hence, pretty unlikely.
2. never (it doesn't depend on money, really. We are collectors and history connoisseurs ourselves and we make what we want to see done in plastic).
3. artillery crews without cannons don't seem too appealing to us. Having said that, nothing prevents us from making ones together with some cannons.

Strelets


Thank you for this really excellent and informative reply and I fully support your desire to pursue your own hobby interests whilst also keeping a viable business going. In the same position I would do exactly the same. Don't ever change that :)

On point 3, perhaps think about how that might still work within your defining principles. In recent artillery sets I've seen some very nice crew figures in small numbers alongside some huge cannons I have no interest in and will throw in the bin if I ever buy them which I won't as they are too expensive just for the figures.

You won't like this but that "other manufacturer we shall not name" made crew-only sets and I purchased lots to be used with many different guns in different periods with conversion. They've even just released an old set of British marines and sailors without the cannons I don't want at a much lower price so I finaly bought them.


I have bought many WW2 Japanese and Italian sets over the years. Not because I have any interest in WW2 but because I can easily convert them to the Spanish Civil War - once I've thrown all the stupid SMGs, LMGs and big cannons into the bin. :disappointed:

Re: The Grilling of Mr Strelets

Dear Strelets,

many thanks for the reply, you being responsive makes such a difference compared to other manufacturers.

Your business your strategy of course, but I think having separate gun crews would fit your general idea well: Just like offering the marching / advancing / firing line sets for infantry, modular artillery sets with separate crews and guns would give the customer the choice of building any army in the proportions he likes.

There are many gun kits that have been in need of decent crews for decades, and hopefully you will continue to add to your artillery kit range, so there clearly is a market for gun crews (admittedly smaller than for infantry or cavalry).

If you decide otherwise, combining sprues of existing artillery crew sets (without the guns) would help as well.

WW1 early German, WW2 U. S. and British gun crews would be on top of my list. Regards, Pa

Re: The Grilling of Mr Strelets

Personally I am very happy that Strelets make guns with crews and am looking forward to
all the artillery sets in the pipeline . There are still plenty of gaps to fill for artillery pieces and crews for 19th century as well as WW1 and WW2 and its great to see Strelets filling these.