Zvezda - New WW2 line.

[Shaun]

Alright guys im going to post the direct quote that come from Zvezda facebook :

Andre Dellevoet As usual, the craftmanship of your figures is excellent. But i really feel that it is a mistake to make mini-sets for troops that were used as a main force on the battlefield. Mini-sets are suitable for specialized troops or command, but not for infantry or cavalry units that were used en masse. This applies also to your planned Napoleonic sets, whom i eagerly await

Zvezda - Model Kits Andre Dellevoet, thank you for your interest in this topic. We think that mini-sets is a nowadays market demand. But time will show. If we are wrong wi will reconsider our approach.

Ive challenged Zvezda to release its next big box set and hopefully itll sell super well. The only thing i recommend we do right now is jump onto zvezda facebook page and post why we love the big set format and why we want it back. When they do release their soviet infantry or german infantry that might be the last big box sets, so we must buy so many that itll change their minds on the small format !!. If we support the things we love weve have to do something, let zvezda know through their facebook and if the next big box set comes out buy it plenty of it !!! (itll be a worthwhile invest if zvezda decides to discountinue anyway).

Also on other news they said they would publish the ww2 soviet infantry 3d renders soon.

[zzed]

hi Shaun,

please use these polls in your 'negotiations' with Zvezda -
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9116
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9117

best regards

[Shaun]

hi Shaun,

please use these polls in your 'negotiations' with Zvezda -
http://www.bennosfiguresforum.com/viewt ... f=3&t=9116
http://www.bennosfiguresforum.com/viewt ... f=3&t=9117

best regards

Hi zzed

Ive just put that foward to their facebook page lets see if they follow up, probably wont get a response till mid next week. Till then anyone with a facebook page should go and let them know how you feel. Also got your fravouite zvezda model painted up post it on their facebook page maybe to remind them of their beginnings.

http://www.facebook.com/Zvezda.ModelKits

[PDA]

I like their new little sets. A lot.

They are cheaper than a big set and give the same amount of useful figures. I make little scenes where the centre of attention is a vehicle, 99% of the time not in action. All I ever need is 3 or 4 casually posed (not firing a rifle etc) figures to complement the vehicle, and that is all I get in a big set, and often not even that many. So these new little sets are cheaper.

Could these new figures in these little sets have been included in a big set? Yes; if every pose on the sprues was different, or if you dont mind getting 20 officers out of 30 figures, or 10 radio operators out of a set of 30. Realistically, these figures in these poses would not have been made if it were not for the change of format.

I have often tried to look at the whole of Zvezda's site. The translating software doesn't work on all parts of it, but even so, their site is huge! Their range is huge! I get the impression that they know exactly how to run a successful business. If that is true, then it must also be true that no matter how many people on this forum (what is it; 4? 7? Maybe as many as 9 people?) say that they need another 48 Napoleonic Elbonian Navel Drummers, Zvezda will follow their business sense: they know how to run a business! The noisy minority here, AFAIK, do not own a successful games company so why do they presume to know how to run Zvezda's business better than Zvezda are currently doing?

[Paul]

The noisy minority are the ones who buy or not thier figs...hence them complaining, having thier say and not bowing down to "successfull corporate strategy" which means less product for more money.
Non of us have to have had or be running a company to be able to see that the product is overpriced.
This discussion is on other forums and the polls / discussions all say the same thing...rubbish idea, not even wargamers are interested in 4 bods at that price..especially mass produced plastic ones at that..which aren´t even living up to the CAD pre-production pics.

And what does AFAIK mean??

[Shaun]

I dont think ive made the claim that i knew how to run their business. Noisy are we ? prehaps but we care for what we used to have, cant blame us for being passionate. The big sets could cover more unique figures and maybe not always, but they could accomadate for each persons unique tastes pose wise. Ive always wanted more realistic combat poses but i never wanted that to be at the cost of those who liked marching poses, a big set could try to cater for everyone . With the small ones well only so much can be done. I wish zvezda didnt put me in a place where i feel guilty for buying small sets knowing that im killing the larger format, if push comes to shove i guess i will have to make a choice.

But lets hope it doesnt come to that and the 2 large sets germans and soviet come out and sell so well that both formats can coexist together.

[PDA]

But lets hope it doesnt come to that and the 2 large sets germans and soviet come out and sell so well that both formats can coexist together.

Yes, I hope that happens too. I don't want any one particular set to come at the expense of any other particular set; everybody has their own personal wish list.

@Paul. "AFAIK" is a short way of saying "as far as I know".

Perhaps instead of "noisy minority" people here might prefer "vocal minority". AFAIK nobody here knows what everybody else on Planet Earth purchases and does not purchase. So statements like "Everybody buys big sets" and "Most people are wargamers and need 6000 riflemen" are specious. Even if everybody who is registered on Benno's simultaneously said, "We want Napoleonic sets with 500 individual poses" it would still be a minority. Looking at other forums, I see the same people as here, making the same comments as here: still a vocal minority.

AFAIK the only people with all of the sales figures are Zvezda. And like I said, they seem to be doing a pretty good job of minding their business.

And if they don't make any more great big sets of WW2 Germans, WW2 Soviets, and Napoleonic French, it will be a little bit sad but we will just have to make do with the 100s already in existence.

[laurence strong]

AFAIK. As Far As I Know

[Paul]

Who said everyone buys big sets????
to be honest ..I don´t give a monkeys what the rest of the world buys..but I can say that I think it´s not good to sell 4 for the price of 30 or so..and particually that they don´t look much better in the flesh than the old versions made by humans
All the "big sets" have an extra "command" sprue along with the (generally 2 ) other sprues...to take this "extra" sprue and have sold it seperately would, from the very start have not been a problem..it would have appeared "normal"

Looking at other forums, I see the same people as here, making the same comments as here: still a vocal minority.

Not on the forums I frequent under my real name.

[zzed]

We organized the polls here, and people wich were aware of it did make their vote.
The results speaks for themselves.
We are the highly representative sample of their buyers, and so far I think they made a fortune with their 1/72 figures range.
But now things are going to change.

Nobody has nothing against small sets, which are very nice addition to their production.
But most people will buy a couple of boxes of their interest and this is it.
We are quite disappointed that Zvezda for the first time is cancelling previously announced sets, and is going to change their up to date successful policy.
I'm afraid that now they have some business 'genius' with 'revolutionary' ideas. If things went wrong, the recession will be accused.

Mixing of scales? If this is just a cover to avoid possible Flames of War copyright, and to sell much cheaper and better 1/100 vehicles in that - small - market, then O.K. Otherwise, mediocre.
The first rule in every business is that you must 'know' your customers.
It seems they do not care anymore for 1/72 enthusiasts, collectors and wargamers.

Never mind, as PDA said - there are others to take over the leadership, and earn money.
And btw, Zvezda has no match for the Ceasar's recent German tank crew.

[Paul]

We organized the polls here, and people wich were aware of it did make their vote.
The results speaks for themselves.
We are the highly representative sample of their buyers, and so far I think they made a fortune with their 1/72 figures range.
But now things are going to change.

Nobody has nothing against small sets, which are very nice addition to their production.
But most people will buy a couple of boxes of their interest and this is it.
We are quite disappointed that Zvezda for the first time is cancelling previously announced sets, and is going to change their up to date successful policy.
I'm afraid that now they have some business 'genius' with 'revolutionary' ideas. If things went wrong, the recession will be accused.

Mixing of scales? If this is just a cover to avoid possible Flames of War copyright, and to sell much cheaper and better 1/100 vehicles in that - small - market, then O.K. Otherwise, mediocre.
The first rule in every business is that you must 'know' your customers.
It seems they do not care anymore for 1/72 enthusiasts, collectors and wargamers.

Never mind, as PDA said - there are others to take over the leadership, and earn money.
And btw, Zvezda has no match for the Ceasar's recent German tank crew.

well said ...

[PDA]

Just because you say you are representative doesn't mean you are, even if you underline the words. Faulty logic.

In almost all the polls I've seen on TMP most people (that take part in the poll) say they don't do plastic and they don't do 1/72, but they do do Napoleonic and WW2 gaming. So the vocal minority here cannot truthfully be said to be representative of the hobby. Maybe representative of the people who took part in the polls on this forum. But the hobby is much, much bigger than that - yes, bigger than even this enormous "community" here on Benno's.

I'm sorry, but I'm just not going to join in with the flock on this one. It looks to me like Zvezda are a successful business concern, making decisions based on all the evidence they have (which nobody here has). Some may not like their decisions, and some will. But with all the available sets already in production, I see no reason to throw the teddy bear out of the pram. JHMO

[zzed]

Just because you say you are representative doesn't mean you are, even if you underline the words. Faulty logic.

In almost all the polls I've seen on TMP most people (that take part in the poll) say they don't do plastic and they don't do 1/72, but they do do Napoleonic and WW2 gaming. So the vocal minority here cannot truthfully be said to be representative of the hobby. Maybe representative of the people who took part in the polls on this forum. But the hobby is much, much bigger than that - yes, bigger than even this enormous "community" here on Benno's.

I'm sorry, but I'm just not going to join in with the flock on this one. It looks to me like Zvezda are a successful business concern, making decisions based on all the evidence they have (which nobody here has). Some may not like their decisions, and some will. But with all the available sets already in production, I see no reason to throw the teddy bear out of the pram. JHMO

Talking about faulty logic... there is no such place in the world dedicated to 1/72 figures such as here at Benno's
Personally I bought almost every their set so far by 2 or 3 boxes, in one case I think I bought 7 or 8 (although it was a heavy discount in question )
I'm afraid to count how many these kits I have, amongs other makes
And more or less it is a very similar situation with anyone else here on the forum - or it will be, because it is a passion in question
We are not the kids, the average age here is about 40 years or so
So yes, we represent their buyers - the core of them
we are looking for their particular boxes on the shelves, or in the web shops, wait for the releases and news, squeeze retailers, we are not accidental mom or dad that will buy a kit or two by chance amongst other manufacturer boxes in some retail shop
and we advertise for free their products here on the news, and later by presenting painted figures in gallery section

as for the TMP - they are 28mm collectors, and they are not Zvezda's customers at all
it is a different world, and different market
but I'm quite sure they do buy plastics, or they will - in 28mm scale
they will not resist to Perry's brothers offerings, amongst others

if you aim to vehicles and planes in 1/72 scale, yes, it is the huge market, but quite separated from figures
if someone enjoys primarily in building tanks etc., than he will buy just a couple of figures as an add-on, but these guys are minority here
there are other sites dedicated to tanks and planes, and in other scales as well, and these are different markets

and after all if we are discussing small sets with a couple of figures, there are much better sets - TQD Castings, for example
you can get a whole class better figures than Zvezda's for a small difference in price
if you want quality for your small dioramas, you will not spare the money here

[Paul]

Faulty logic???? Where are you at?? TMP??? The absolute bastion of the opinion on 1/72nd minis?? I think not!!! Faulty logic or what? When I say other forums I mean several..which concern themselves mainly with 1/72nd stuff...not TMP.

Do you ACTUALLY paint minis etc or do you just frequent forums to create rows???

[PDA]

...if you want quality for your small dioramas, you will not spare the money here

But that's my point. These small sets from Zvezda are cheaper than their big sets, so I will spare some money here.

And these small sets are more like the ones I buy from W^D Models and Gunthwaite Miniatures and Preiser. I like these small sets from Zvezda! I think this is a good decision by Zvezda.

[PDA]

Faulty logic???? Where are you at?? TMP??? The absolute bastion of the opinion on 1/72nd minis?? I think not!!! Faulty logic or what? When I say other forums I mean several..which concern themselves mainly with 1/72nd stuff...not TMP.

Do you ACTUALLY paint minis etc or do you just frequent forums to create rows???

Tsk! Tsk! Paul. Think of your blood pressure!

"Faulty logic" because a huge conclusion was made from one data point. Relax. We don't have to agree with each other. Not everybody can fit on the same bandwagon.

[Paul]

Tsk! Tsk! Paul. Think of your blood pressure!

Faulty logic, because a huge conclusion was made from one data point.

Thought so.....
What huge conclusion..what data point???
Same question..Do you ACTUALLY paint minis etc or do you just frequent forums to create rows???

[PDA]

Thought so.....
What huge conclusion..what data point???
Same question..Do you ACTUALLY paint minis etc or do you just frequent forums to create rows???

I see only one person here trying to "start a row" as you put it.

[Paul]

I see only one person here trying to "start a row" as you put it.

Still haven´t answered the question

[zzed]

probably went to TMP