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Re: The future will be digital... 3D printers

Three years ago they were about $50000USD and up. I'm sure the resolution has improved as well. I agree, soon the induvidual will be able to produce what ever he can get or make a computer model of. In whatever scale is desired.

To Valdemar and Andrew: The future will be digital... 3D printers ... ?

Dear Valdemar and Andrew,

When you say print, do these machines make plastic figures or print paper copies? What materials are used? Can you buy the material you like, design your own poses, then presto! They pop out?

Thanks - David Hennen

Thats not impossible, the way technology is heading.

Well I'll get my IBM head back on again and I interpret that as "Flats" metal wargaming figures.

Buy base outline of figures from a figure manufacturer(metal or plastic) and select uniforms for the base figures from websites download onto sticky back paper and print.Stick "skin"/adhesive label on the metal et voila...welcome to the 22nd century

When you are fed up with the army then download another "skin" for the figure.
It could very well happen.

I sure like the grumpy smillie
have fun and

Re: Future way to sell

I ask the question, why are plastic manufacturers not thinking about doing what metal manufacturers do and sell in smaller quantity bags? ie 4 figures of same pose in a bag. We all know the figures are manufactured on a sprue but what's stopping having small sprues ie multiple 4 figure sprues per mold. You could charge the same as metals for each bag and people would buy them because that get the choice of what they are buying. 4 marching figures, 4 kneeling firing, 4 loading, 4 charging, 4 advancing, 4 command, 4 standing horses, 4 galloping, 2 x cannon, 4 artillery crew. 1 x limber, limber horses, etc... then you could have action specialty sprues (even charging at a premium price), 4 personality figures, special pose figures etc. I don't know of one plastics manufacturer that's even tried this. More standard poses are produced and less personality style and this should mean the manufacturer is not making a lot of additional figures customers won't buy (reducing unnecessary cost), They get more per figure (increased revenue) and the customer has more specific choice (encourages customer to buy as they may not buy the 50 figure pack because there's 30 figures they don't want in it.). It seems to work with metals and apart from a change in packaging I don't see how it would cost any more than the current process. Something to think about, maybe I'm way off????. My 2c worth anyway.

invoke simple military strategy

I pretty much agree Daniel.

A ROUT --
Okay this Russian Command and Hospital set has Cossack Cavalry (Irregular and impetuous) paired with Grenadiers(veterans and well drilled) and perhaps pressganged
Naval Artillery and Sailors mmhh all thrown together with General Staff Officers
and casualties, forgive me but it sounds like a rout has just happened.

try this for cohesion.

---------
Divisional Army Concept
for Big Boxes using these modules

"Infantry Brigade Box" comprising
1 Command(mini foot),1 Light Infantry, 1 Line Inf, 1 Line Artillery.

"Cavalry Brigade Box" comprising
1 Command(Mounted mini) 1 Light Horse, 1 Heavy Horse, 1 proper *HORSE* Artillery.

Army Supplements Boxes
Casualties-medics- 1 Ammo Wagon drivers

Musicians- commissariat- 1 Caisson drivers

Pioneers pack mules and 1 defense work

Artillery command/signal tower semaphore tent etc

First Aid Post/Station
----
This structured system could be good for Crimean War American Civil War and WW1 sets.

Advise Division equals
1 Cavalry Brigade
3 Infantry Brigades

Advise 1 Army equals 3 Divisions

Like you say it self promotes growth and collection.Works in metals why not in Plastic.Streleets Minis are aimed at TWargaming groups ,but they need to do something like this or their Mini plan will tumble.

Re: Thats not impossible, the way technology is heading.

Hi there Hank,
the way the plastics industry is heading, with the "smart plastic" material replacing the computer chip in the next 5 - 10 years, it would not suprise me to see plastic figures produced in programmed coloured uniforms thereby deleting the need for the paint sweat shops.
If/when that happens somehow I think the hobby will have lost something.

regards Mike McA

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Replying to:

Well I'll get my IBM head back on again and I interpret that as "Flats" metal wargaming figures.

Buy base outline of figures from a figure manufacturer(metal or plastic) and select uniforms for the base figures from websites download onto sticky back paper and print.Stick "skin"/adhesive label on the metal et voila...welcome to the 22nd century

When you are fed up with the army then download another "skin" for the figure.
It could very well happen.

I sure like the grumpy smillie
have fun and

Re: Re: Thats not impossible, the way technology is heading.

When I lived in Japan, Pepsi had promotional figures of PepsiMan, various action figures, baseball players ... and Disney marketed all of their characters - all made in a soft plastic and prepainted (perfectly detailed I may add and no paint chipping and totally bendable/twistable/almost chewable). And some of these came in a little bag because they were smaller than a 1/72 figurine.

I never could find out who they were made by, only by license agreement, but likely in China. These things were give-aways for free when buying a 12oz soft drink.

Imagine being able to buy a Napoleonic army all prepainted, bendable, no paint chipping, and all for free when you buy a soft drink? Of course, thats alot of Pepsi for Waterloo!

Re: Re: Re: Thats not impossible, the way technology is heading.

Hmmm... that's not too far off of the Axis and Allies collectible figures out in the stores now, and the science fiction/fantasy ones too.

A lot of Pepsi for the Battle of Waterloo? I can, and *do* drink a lot of Pepsi, heeheeheehee!