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Re: New Crimeans?

Dear Uwe,

our CW program is designed for 2-3 years.
The problem with our usual format infantry sets is that they aren't sustainable any longer for cost reason unless they are sold in "big box" mixed with older sets. This bundling isn't good for the buyers since usually people need several infantry sets which will become prohibitively expensive if bought together with 3 other sets.

In these circumstances we will, probably, have to make them in mini format.

Best regards,

Strelets

go big /essential Strekets make Turkish

Strelets you've done a few big battle sets , regular 44 figure sets and mini set figures, but how about copy Hat and do eg Turkish Infantry in boxes of 100 or even 200.


COSTS ...COME On, TRY use of a blister bag to reduce box costs. Most of your major 1/72 predecessors did this at one time or another.Metal figure makers use blister bags not boxes.TRY IT with CW range.

We want your figures not pretty boxes.Can still have a header board with picture etc.

Restructure presentation with Focus on the main Campaign representations.These should be the main selling figures.The masse Cavalry and Infantry present in a campaign.

big box/bag .
Foot Artillery 4 guns limbers plus mounted/DISMOUNTED crews.
Heavy Cavalry Big Box.3 x 12 (+1*)
Light Cavalry Big Box.3 x 12 (+1*)
*add a box of Horse artillery GUNNER AND DRIVER figures only
Big Box/bag minimum 100+ Infantry
Turkish Line Infantry (Huzzah!)
French Light Inf
British Line Infantry
Russian Line,Grenadiers and Cossack infantry
Sardinian Line Infantry

Mini Box/bag use for
Command sets
Light Infantry, auxillaries
Horse Artillery gunners and drivers only
French/Sardinian Artillery
Army command sets
(Russian command set had no cart ? )

Mini Box/bag for campaign present but lesser involved troops eg
Brit Guards,
Scotsmen Kiltys,
Brit Light Infantry,
Greeks,
French Guards,
Sardianian Bersaglieri
engineers
Caissons
carts & mules

Too ,many chiefs in the command sets
Give us MORE SMALL groups, band figures signallers(heliograph semaphore signal tower adc and orderlies.Standard bearers etc not found in mini sets etc. These will more than compliment the woodedn mini sets.

Lancashere Games in UK did this in 15mm and came from nowhere by selling QUALITY FIGURES IN bags in 100's which is what collectors want.

Am concerned and Only trying to help

Good idea

I don't know how much it would actually save, but doing away with the box (and its artwork) might be a good idea. I know the box helps to sell the product, but for the more specialized subjects that will mostly be purchased by dedicated collectors/gamers, it may be worth a shot. Thanks for "thinking outside the box," Hank :-)

Re: Re: New Crimeans?

Sorry to here you're no longer able to produce sets of Infantry in the 48 pose format and are now considering using the Mini format of 12 poses.

The big boxes format is frustrating and too expensive, why you did not release the French Cuirassiers on there own I don't know, there better than any other manufacturers and would have sold by the truck load, the Russian Dragoons are equally good.

I can understand why the 48 pose format is not cost effective, however the 12 pose Mini format is too few poses.

So I would like to suggest a compromise of 24 poses this would give enough marching, shooting, advancing and reloading poses to satisfy wargammers along with some command figures and you would still have enough poses to have the variety to keep diorama builders happy too.

Re: Re: Re: New Crimeans?

Or, should one mini-set be particularly successful, give us a second one for the same topic in different poses.

a predictable disappointment

Hi Uwe, And so it seems that the next Crimean soldiers will be mini format.....mmmh

Well ,moderately better than nothing but seems like its a major anti-climax after waiting so long now.

For an Army as big as the Turks it will be a great pity. There was only 2 battalions of British Guards and 3 Scotch kilty battalions(classed as guards) present in CW, yet we got a box of 44 of those.

So 70,000 Turkish Army are being second fiddled to perhaps 8-10 poses.darn it.I dont understand the mathematics strelets use.This will effect the overall CW Range.

I said a while back, whats the point in duplicating already vast old and available unsold figures(eg charge of light brigade again with a small amount of participants being over represented)

Also can only really use those figures in one battle which seems poor choice and integrity questionable.

We CW collectors need cheering up Strelets. time to feed the bears !

Re: a predictable disappointment

I fully agree with Hank, even if he does call us Scotch instead of Scots.
We need at the very least a regular Strelets set of Turkish Infantry even if the others are relegated to Mini-Sets (which I actually quite like)
Please Strelets; one more time.
Now this Scot is off to drink some scotch.

Re: New Crimeans?

The reply from Strelets is in some ways unfortunate news.

The regret is that they have the most comprehensive range of Crimean sets by any plastics manufacturer so far, yet this is not ( and will not be) completed in their all unique poses format.

I am left with the feeling that had they completed the full range ahead some of the other projects (say Borodino sets) they would have produced a range totally special in the world of plastic miniatures, no other manufacturer could come close to repeating.

Sadly the econmic realities now seem to mean that this will not fully happen now other than in the mini format.

"He who hesitates etc"

However we must be thankful for the small mercies, at least we know that the project is still on the table.

Incidentally I am a big Napoleonics fan but the Crimean War era is one I taken a lot more interest in, mainly due to seeing the likes of the Strelets range available and knowing that the conflicts can be recreated with accurate sets of the time.

All speed to Strelets in finishing this project off soon



cheers Mike McA

Re: Re: New Crimeans?

Hi friends,

I can understand that Strelets has to think economical. I would have no problems to buy a new set of infantry with 44 poses in a huge box together with older stuff. On the other hand I can live with miniboxes of infantry figures too. 12 poses is as much as other manufactors have in their sets. So if the 12 poses are regular ones I would be happy with them.

As for the cavalry and artillery-sets I think that ordinary boxes would sell. I support Hank, the boxes are usually useless for me. I safe one cover of each for my uniform-collection (but not the ones with the reenactor-photos). The rest comes into the litter box...

Talking about the battlesets - yesterday I've got the Borodino set. The Russian Dragoons are really great and I would like to have more of them because with 30 Regiments in 1812 I need a lot. If you would sell them as single boxes I would take 15 or more. But I can't afford to buy 15 battlesets, especially as I have a dozen each of the two older ones.

So I would suggest cavalry sets as ordinary ones (French Chasser d'Afrique, Turkish cavalry, Sardinians, French Hussars/Dragoons). British Guards would be ok as a mini-set. Hank's listing is great but I fear exotics like the Greeks (which did a lot of fighting in the Crimea - always happy when they had the chance to kill some turks) will only appear in a big box together with other exotics.

I know we have to be patient. I am happy with every new figureset, but don't you think it is more important to complete existing ranges before starting new ones? Simply for the diorama builders to get ready with a project or a wargamer to complete his armies?

Strelets will make us happy in the future as they did in the past. So after the Sarazen cavalry I hope for the French Chasseurs!!

cheers
Uwe

Re: New Crimeans? New Pose formats

Gentlemen,

Realistically, the box & that artwork don't gobble up that much of a production budget.

The reply from Streltz makes sense. I, for one, am sorry that the Scots, & c, were not made in Mini-box format. From a historical prospective, given the nature of their training and the way they were expected to preform in battle, I don't need *individuals* I need *lines* and *columns*.

The 50-odd individual poses concept was great for some sets, and a disaster for others. Command sets with 45-50 unique figures are excellent, for line infantry it was wasteful. The Streltz-Mini concept is ideal for line infantry, and as long as there is a complimentary command kit, the sales should be pretty good.

What if you could buy a big box with a command kit (traditional 50-odd poses, available separately) and 4-6 Mini kits of infantry men? I think that would be a good deal.

I would like to see Streltz get on the stick with that Crimean French light cavalry.

Re: Re: New Crimeans? New Pose formats

MrMannix,

that is a great suggestion and I hope that this is exactly what Strelets will do once their current stock of old figures is exhausted: give us Big boxes with one command set and 3 boxes of mini-sets.

Re: Re: Re: New Crimeans? New Pose formats

I think this is practical advice too. However, I still feel that "if" the big box sets are to become any kind of collectors editions, and future eBay rarities, they need to include some kind of accessories sets also. Likely, the 5th set. With only 2 new, and 2 old, a 5th unique accessory set would help to sell it.

Also, put photos of the actual sets painted-up on the box-top, just like the old Marx HO boxes. Painting up the older sets would help present them in a new way. I think the Borodino box only shows the 2 cavalrys, but not the 2 infantries. I could be wrong here, but all of the figurines should be shown in their "Best Sunday Clothes." The Curaissiers are some of the best ever, yet we see reinactors. Not bad, but the actual guys on a diorama scene would be awesome.

There were many fine suggested examples of variations in previous threads last year. They could likely be found by searching key words "Big Box."

I think the Big Boxes are a great idea that still need a little fine-tuning to receive optimal financial gains. Please keep up the great work Strelets*R Team!