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Post by Gavin Syme (GBS) Admin on Apr 25, 2023 15:11:06 GMT
Thousands of ready painted miniatures winging across the world from Scotland every year. Big Stock update! Have a gander on our BLOG. Use out of the box and all quality products hand painted and based. 20% off entire site until 8th May in our Mega Event. Thank you. GBS
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Post by machen on Apr 29, 2023 16:57:07 GMT
I just had a thought, Gavin. Have you ever considered offering painted miniatures on transparent bases? I'm not in this business, but it seems to me that some people are drifting towards clear bases, and some companies offering repainted miniatures (like Wizkids for D&D, and whoever makes the plastic Pathfinder minis) are doing this as well. I don't know if this is just a thing with rpg miniature gamers or if it has traction in wargaming as well. I'm sure many buyers want exactly the traditional bases that you're already providing, so I'm definitely not suggesting doing transparent bases instead of that, just suggesting it may be worth considering as an option.
I've mounted metal minis on transparent plastic bases myself, and it generally works very well as long as the mini's feet aren't tiny (i.e., as long as the feet provide a big enough surface area to make a strong bond between the glue and the base.) It can come with a catch, though: If the minis in question are on puddle bases, they'll look much better if you cut their feet free from that puddle base before you glue them to the transparent one. Otherwise, you have a bit of metal scenery between their feet on a transparent base, which defeats the purpose, since the appeal of transparent bases are that the scenery (model terrain, printed playmat, whatever) beneath them shows through. (That way the mini's base blends in and looks good no matter where it is: in a building or in a forest.). So for many of your models, that would add extra effort to prepare. On the other hand, it removes the extra effort of flocking and decorating a base, so perhaps that evens out.
Anyhow, I just thought I'd mention it in case it might be helpful. You know your customers best, and if the vast majority want flocked / decorated terrain bases, you should stick with just doing that, especially if your customer base skews older. (I could be wrong, but I'd guess that transparent bases are probably more of a thing with younger gamers. Then again, I do it, and I'm not young.) I know there's an art to basing, and I respect the people who do it. I just spend so much time cleaning, assembling, and painting my miniatures that doing basing would be too much. For me, transparent bases save time and blend in everywhere.
Take all of the above with a grain salt: when it comes to selling, I'm no expert.
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Post by Gavin Syme (GBS) Admin on Apr 30, 2023 15:05:27 GMT
Hello Machen. Certainly it has been considered but none of the regular customers wanted it and many of our miniatures are not suited to such as they have integral bases. You explain the options in your comments for them already. I shall certainly mention it at the next general meeting.
Additionally transparent bases are tough to keep 'pristine' during mounting and painting and so forth. We have done some for a specialised order and it was not an experience the painting girl enjoyed.
No salt needed. Always welcome input.
GBS
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