Table Top Talk

It has been some time since we announced that we were going to re-organize the Table Top Talk website – and since the initial announcement nothing more…

I think I’ve got the basic plan mostly solidified. So, without further delay, here is what I’m working on:

1) Table Top Talk (tabletoptalk.com) will transition from a message board system to more of a blog format.

This will be considered phase one. We will archive the discussions and post as zipped text files (in case anyone wants to read them). We will also post frequently read articles as web pages.

2) Wargamers Corner will merge with Table Top Talk. The articles will transition to the new site as web pages. This will be considered phase two.

3) Phase three will see HistoriFigs News folded into Table Top Talk (the current news page will forward to the Table Top Talk website).

All of these changes should bring us closer to my vision for Table Top Talk – more of a traditional war game publication, but presented in a modern electronic format.

At some point we will likely be looking for a few associate editors – editing a war game information site is not a small task, so I’m very sure that I will need some help (so if you think you might be interested in lending a hand, se sure to let me know).

Don’t forget, we will be attending Little Wars this weekend, so be sure to drop by and say howdy. We will have previews of the new Resistant Roosters late war Panzergrenadier figures (Company HQ, Mortar Platoon, MG Platoon) as well as previews of the new 40mm AWI figures. We will also be offering some specials for convention attendees, so you will find a few bargains too.

Did I forget to mention that we will be doing a random give away? Not sure exactly how this will work, but I’ll have a box-o-goodies to give away at the convention, so drop by and maybe you will be one of the lucky ones…

That should about do it for March news. Be sure to check-in next week for some new specials (I got a little carried away when casting so, we are over stocked an a few items, so we will be offering some fantastic deals).

Posted by admin under HistoriFigs News | Comments Off

Well, another month’s worth of 2008 is just about to become history. March has been a busy one for us – I know, hard to tell based on the lack of news postings…

Lots of production and custom work this month; I’ve been just busy enough that I’ve not had time to take and post proper photos. Alison has been busy in the shop, with the only big interruption being last week when Liam was on spring break.

The close of March (and Q1) brings with it a few changes. While we were able to negotiate a very good price for metal, other supplies have continued to demonstrate price increases. As such we will be raising a few prices in April.

Starting 1 April 2008, we have some new prices for mold making services. The price for our standard 9” organic rubber production molds will be $45 each (this is an increase from the $40 mark we have held for the past few years). Pattern figures will be billed at a rate of $50 per pound. These used to be included in the price of a Pattern mold. Pattern mold prices will remain unchanged.

We have a price increase for the Scruby N-Gauge WWII vehicles. The prices posted on the website were more than 3 years out of date. We have reviewed the pricing for all vehicle models and have posted the new prices (tanks $3.00, trucks & half-tracks $1.75 & jeeps/Kfz-1 $0.75 each).

The remainder of our prices will remain as currently posted on the website(s).

I don’t normally review sales until much closer to the end of the year, but I’ve been seeing an interesting trend this year, so I thought I would share it with you. Typically we have been seeing the bulk of our sales dollars coming from 15mm figures (ours and contract casting). Sales of 40mm and larger always have been a very small part of the picture. The first quarter of 2008 is interesting in that sales of 40mm and larger figures is accounting for a much larger percentage of sales (dollars and units). Sales of 15mm figures remain in the number 1 spot, but the larger scales have nearly pulled even. I’d be very happy to see this trend continue, as it would allow us to continue to invest (time and money) into the 40 and 54mm lines. The thing that makes this sales surge extra interesting is that we do not advertise the availability of the 54mm figures…

OK, well, enough of that – it is interesting to me, but perhaps you would rather hear more about other things, such as new Resistant Roosters releases. Well the expanded late war Panzergrenadier offerings are well under way. The first pattern mold was finished last weekend and the second should be completed by tomorrow afternoon. I am still planning for a (limited) release at Little Wars next weekend. On the 40mm front, now that I’ve cleared the decks of contract work I’ll be making a push with the 40mm AWI, so we will see these in April.

On the gaming front, I’ve been quite scattered. Working on projects from 18th century to Warhammer 40K – I have been working mostly on figures for use with Blitzkrieg Commander. Coming in second are my expansions of some classic Warhammer armies (Fantasy and 40K). I’ve also revived one of my Napoleonic projects. Lucky for me this one does not require any painting of figures (at least not right away). The project uses the Scruby N-Gauge figures and Mike Frank’s “Nap Division” rules. Right now, I’m working up a reference sheet to be used while players are learning the game. Mike’s rules are not complete (he kept most details in his head), so I’m needing to work with his rules sheets along with his had written notes on these sheets (I’ve not played the rules in 4 or more years). So, if all goes well I’ll be hosting a game in Portage in May or June.

Lastly, next weekend we will be attending Little Wars in Illinois, so if you plan to attend be sure to drop by our table and say howdy…

Posted by admin under HistoriFigs News | Comments Off

In hand now are 21 new sculpts – troops in winter kit (autumn/early winter, suitable for use on the eastern front or the Ardennes).

The addition of these new figures (along with a small selection of existing figures) will allow us to offer a few new packs:

Grenadierkompanie HQ
Grenadier Platoon (a new or alternate offering)
Mortar Platoon
MG Platoon

And now that we will have the necessary pieces, we will also offer a Grenadierkompanie pack

The new Grenadier Platoon should include enough (extra) figures to allow for the FoW Command Panzerfaust SMG option.

Greens are in hand and if my schedule allows, a new pattern mold will be made by the end of the week. At which point we will nail down pack configurations and post some pictures. Target release date for these new figures/packs is 4 April 2008 (Little Wars convention).

Posted by admin under HistoriFigs News & Resistant Roosters | Comments Off

Last night it was Alison’s turn to read to Liam at bed time. Typically I try and take a break and paint or sculpt while Alison is putting Liam to bed; last night I took a step back to look at how Gary Gygax influenced my hobby. And so we proceed with my remembrance of E. Gary Gygax…

The name Gary Gygax goes way back to my earliest days in this hobby. Not so much for “Dungeons and Dragons”, but more for his writings, and works as related to historical board and miniatures war gaming. His name is one that I remember from my reading of the early war game journals and rules sets. I’ve played most of the (published) miniatures rules that his name has been attached to. It is easy to say that Mr. Gygax left his mark on my hobby and for that alone he will always be remembered.

I’m not really sure what I want to write, but feel that I have words and thoughts to share. So, I’ll pour myself a Bushmills and retire to the game room and think back and look at what impact Gary Gygax has had on my hobby…

As I walked into the game room a booklet sitting on the coffee table caught my eye; it was a copy of “Hardtack” a set of ACW rules by Lou Zocchi. I remembered that Gary Gygax wrote the introduction to these rules, so I picked up the book and even before I opened the cover a small piece of the text popped into my head – “…this set of Civil War rules is going to be your passport to endless hours of enjoyment.” Now, that hits right at the heart of why I took up this hobby – for endless hours of enjoyment. So, I for one can apply this simple sentence to not only the “Hardtack” rules but many past, present and future rules sets and games. Nothing magical or earth shaking here, but this wee bit of text, written by Mr. Gygax, quickly ties things in nice neat package.

Now, when it comes to game rules I prefer the old rules and figures. As such I am forever reading and re-reading rules and magazines from the past. Sometimes a set of rules will stay in my active pile for months, even years. Among these are a few that have the Gygax name attached: “Hardtack” (Introduction by Gary Gygax), “Caviliers and Roundheads” and “Chainmail” (with Jeff Perren). When I play games old Avalon Hill games such as “Stalingrad” or “Alexander” I am reminded of Mr. Gygax, as his variants or additions to these games reside in the game box. When I have a hankering for role playing, I tend to drift back to the original Dungeons and Dragons and its supplements.

While it is true that the name Gygax stands out above the rest, one cannot look upon these works and remember just Gary Gygax. We must always remember that Gygax was only a part of and not the whole picture. Forgetting the other partners and authors (Don Kaye, Jeff Perren, Mike Reese, Leon Tucker, Dave Arneson, Make Carr and more) would be a disservice to our hobby…

I for one will not forget Gary Gygax. Every time I pull out my copies of the old rules sets I will remember Mr. Gygax and those who worked and gamed with him. I will never forget the impact these early efforts had (and still have) on our hobby as a whole. The (old) golden days are long gone, but the importance of them will live on for many years to come.

Now, I cannot say that I (truly) knew the man, but I can say that saying good-bye feels like saying good-bye to an old friend or family member. Gary Gygax touched my life and inspired my hobby efforts in the past, in the present and I am sure on into the future. Gary Gygax was not superhuman, but he did, in his own small way help shape our hobby and for that alone we should remember him. There is little else to say here, for time spent writing and reading blog posts is time taken away from war gaming.

Posted by admin under Uncategorized | Comments Off