The issue with the Easterlings is that Mithril/PA cannot find an economical way to cast the figures in an acceptable manner – either they do the less than perfect Knights of Dol Amroth solution, in which rider and horse are cast together, or a more expensive “Eomer Mounted” solution, in which rider and horse are cast seperately.
So here’s my thought:
Forget the horses.
Cast the warriors.
Mithril already has several pre-existing horse moulds. Use them. Use the Mounted Nazgul horse; use Frumgar’s mould, use Glorfindel’s. Use M293 (since they have a few knocking around, apparently) and M152. Cast those normally. For any chieftain/captain figures, go the whole hog and cast the newer horse. Cannibalise.
Maybe offer a set of six of the expensive “proper” Easterling horses with mounts to the Fellowship later in the year.
The issue with the Easterlings is that Mithril/PA cannot find an economical way to cast the figures in an acceptable manner – either they do the less than perfect Knights of Dol Amroth solution, in which rider and horse are cast together, or a more expensive “Eomer Mounted” solution, in which rider and horse are cast seperately.
So here’s my thought:
Forget the horses.
Cast the warriors.
Mithril already has several pre-existing horse moulds. Use them. Use the Mounted Nazgul horse; use Frumgar’s mould, use Glorfindel’s. Use M293 (since they have a few knocking around, apparently) and M152. Cast those normally. For any chieftain/captain figures, go the whole hog and cast the newer horse. Cannibalise.
Maybe offer a set of six of the expensive “proper” Easterling horses with mounts to the Fellowship later in the year.
What about raising funds selling as many copies of the whole set (for an slightly reduced price) as neccesary to cover production costs (a “buy it before release” offer)? As soon as they had the money, they could produce the figures and sell them at normal price.
. . . Easterlings on demand . . .so to say !
Well, I am a greast fan of Easterlings (though not many vote for them when I suggest my favourite Easterling Archer . . . )
I support this idea too, although I suppose reality is far away . . .
I agree with master Holger. Doing this could quickly become anarchic and would not satisfy everybody or generates too much “conditionnal issues”.
Once , during the early days of Mithril there was already something like that, with same horse for several references but they quickly stopped doing that because when it comes to collection purposes then, if “parts” of a figurine belong to several figurines it is easy to “cheat” or mix-up
About pre-orders, I know miniature companies which work like that. Heresy is making that with a huge (and I mean HUGE) dragon: dragon and Wargames Factory has what they called the Liberty and Union League. From their website:
“This is an idea that our good friend Nic Robson of Eureka Miniatures first came up with. Let’s say you want a figure, or a bunch of figures, that nobody makes. Nic lets you submit your suggestion to the Eureka Miniatures website and lets everyone vote on it. Once enough people have said they were interested and have pre-ordered enough miniatures, Eureka puts them into production and offers them for sale. How’s that for customer service!”
So, it would be something like the Fellowship, but Mr. Tubb would offer the list of ranges to vote and everybody could vote, not only Fellowship members, pre-ordering at the same time. If it works for another companies, why not for Mithril?
well arthadan that MAY be interesting for Mithril too IF the Gold Fellowship program (MS) AND the Designer Mithril program (MX) were not separate entities co-existing but each submitted to special rules already in application at Mithril.
The pre-order solution is a cross-over between what we currently have at mithril with MS and MX actually. That’s a bit like suggesting a MX by a community of people (which has already been done in the past for Frumgar, by the original MMP)
still, we could always submit the idea to Lars Edman as it is indeed an interesting marketing tool, but I doubt it will be accepted because it creates too many variables…
Well, all the ideas here do not mean anything new to me.
Why is it that you always want to force new ideas and concepts upon Mithril? – without the old ones being settled – while even only criticizing all the other steps Mithril took in the past?
I’m surprised a bit about reading all these matters, arguments, concepts and entries around here and there and back again about how Mithril has to improve merchandising, how they have to cast miniatures, about to when or if to release figures of whatever range. Implying each and every single personal whish to be fulfilled – and there are many, believe me.
It is not about sitting around and typing something about how you would like to have it done to please your ideas. That will not make sense in the future, as it didn’t make sense in the past.
*Sorry* I had to say that.
What I wanted to tell, simply is to DO something. You have to try to support ideas – not just by voting on the Gold Board, which is just one more email. There’s more to do …. in case you’re interested.
Sorry, angry again, I’m a bit angry about all this hassle.
rhuooommmmm …. huommmmm .huoom
An idea is not a demand, nor even a wish, Master Tree
It’s just an idea. Floating a “trial balloon” is the English phrase. Asking an implied question: would this work? What would be the practical objections? Nothing much stronger.
And I always support ideas. The large Mithril shaped holes in my bank account is testament to that.
mmh, the Tree is angry. Well, understandable this is.
BUT, as Master Gavin mentioned: it is just an idea.
Where else is the place to post those ideas. I think everybody here in this topic is aware of the fact that Gavin´s idea is is mostly unrealistic, unfortunately.
Nevertheless, you give the invitation of “Doing Something”, Master Theobald ! Right you are!
Of course this is necessary and I will give support as good as I am able to. BUT: I don´t see possibilities beneath a further MX-project. And MX-projects
could be expensive, as you know . . .
If you know more, tell us, be more concrete please and give us enlightenment ( this is a song of Master Van Morrison, isn´t it . . .?)
well… some of you/us know about all the ideas I suggested… all the ideas I DID put in place, or DID propose directly to Mithril and Chris Tubb directly… I know i have done things , in the limit of the things I could afford indeed but well my suggestions did not remain only suggestions on this forum …
Didn’t I suggest many ideas (a whole thread on the topic) mentionning all the suggestions that could be done (on mithril side and on collector side) that do not involve lot of money or the launch of an MX project?
I do promote in shops, I show figurines, pictures, inform them… but they just say “yeah, wow cool figurine indeed! ah! interesting…” but for them Mithril is dead, and it’s not for shops to volunteer a product promotion, they are there to sell what the producers/distributers try to make them sell… that’s all . so this kind of promotion is not for us collectors to do… it’s the job of the marketing dpt of Mithril/Prince August… alone
we have the internet… to promote other way around…
Excuse my latest words, please – (I was about to delete my last entry) … but
I … well … somehow had to express those thoughts in public.
I do not mind at all about ideas floating around. That’s also what sometimes my ideas do.
And, just to be honest … I do like it this.
But sometimes I’m also satisfied to have them realized and become tue.
No, Master Gavin, that was not something you might have perceived as a “trial balloon”, not at all. – And as for implied questions you asked, well this is not the place to ask for answers about that. So let me thank you, Master Gavin. Just don’t worry too much.
Yes, you did, Master Gildor. And I know that! It seems that there is a kind of vacuum left.
Did everybody remember our discussion here when the first Helm´s deep- range was released to that former high price.
What has been left of all the ideas mentioned months ago . . . ? People tend to drown in the “Flowing Waters of Ekkaia”
Oh, by the way: where are the other Helm´s Deep-releases . . .
Let us moan and hassle, Master Tree. We’re just Children (none other than Eru’s himself… but children anyway!)
I was trying to offer ideas which are already working elsewhere. Of course, I do not know if they are suitable for Mithril or not. So, please, excuse me if my ideas were foolish.
You have said there is “more to do” if we’re interested. I would like to know more about that, if is not reserved for full grown people, that is.
What to say?
My contribution about promoting Mithril-miniatures went another way than Gildor’s some time ago – though you might guess that it’s just another way to reach the same aim, just different ways.
What to answer?
There are ideas … here. There also are concepts which might be regarded. But, please, don’t ask me about any details about this matter, as I cannot and will not publish unless things are settled.
Until then I’m keeping on to my dreams …rhuoommm…. as I do also have some still
There is no reason to excuse, Master Arthadan, not at all. And your ideas have not been foolish … rhuoomm … I never said that … rhuoommm … though I was a bit angry today, but that had nothing to do with this thread … rhuoommm … better settle down at the ‘Pony’ for a nice bowl of clear-clean-watery- liquid ….
I did not want to harm anyone around here … fur sure …
)
