Battlefront in financial trouble?

Started by Nirnman, 15 May 2015, 09:09:42 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Fenton

Yes that's the one I was thinking of
If I were creating Pendraken I wouldn't mess about with Romans and  Mongols  I would have started with Centurions , eight o'clock, Day One!

The_Shootist

I can say hand on heart i will not be sorry to see them go...they forgot about the hobby and its customers and concentrated on the money.
Quality has gone down hill rapidly along with service.
I very rarely bought there items relying a lot on other manufacturers, the items i did get i got free as i worked as a free lance writer for them....see any of the Brit Airborne stuff.

Leon026

I honestly would not be surprised that Battlefront isnt doing too well - they've over-expanded and from what it seems with very little strategy.

They started Early War, was a bit of a fiasco, and so many of their armies from Early War are not supported/not in stock, no longer in production.

Then added Vietnam, which was "okay", but the Flames of War ruleset doesnt remotely represent Vietnam accurately (aside from set piece battles between conventional armies) - and due to competition and wanting to reach out to other eras, they've added the Arab-Israeli wars, expanded on Vietnam, and then talk about doing the Cold War.... and yet once more, we're seeing ranges of models that aren't being covered, or stocked while the "new release" sales are high, before stopping. Nevermind that Flames of War's "company group" and at most "battlegroup" scale would never work in the 'Cold War gone hot' setting they've been trying to sell.

Battlefront have acquired Dust, but there's no news (ever) on the Flames of War / Battlefront website. I for one would've loved seeing Dust being made into 15mm so that they could be integrated into the already massive WWII range to allow expansion into the "wierd" war - but Dust seems like (yet another) project that's being left aside to die.

It's no secret either that both Forged in Battle and the Plastic Soldier Company have made dents into BF's marketting - which explains why Battlefront have really accelerated their plastics the past year or two.

All the recent expansions just seem very haphazard.

toxicpixie

Judging by the BF-DUST Kickstarter shenanigans they won't be doing anything more with their license...
I provide a cheap, quick painting service to get you table top quality figures ready to roll - www.facebook.com/jtppainting

barbarian

They were distributors only, not owners of Dust.
2015 Painting Competition - Winner!
2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

mollinary

I'm not sure I understand all this schadenfreude.  We are a very small hobby, and it seems to me that everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) who ventures their own money to try and provide us with the toys we want deserves our support, if only moral. . If they are successful, good luck to them, as no-one is compelled to buy what they offer. If they fail, then they lose in the real world, with all the pain and hardship that entails, and why should we rejoice at that?   All in all,  it is each individual's choice as to whether or not to buy their products, but I fear it is less than generous to gloat over their problems.  This all leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. Sorry!  :(

Mollinary

PS this is not my period, so I have never bought any of their products.
2021 Painting Competition - Winner!
2022 Painting Competition - 2 x Runner-Up!

Womble67

Quote from: mollinary on 21 May 2015, 08:28:10 PM
it is each individual's choice as to whether or not to buy their products, but I fear it is less than generous to gloat over their problems. 

Agreed

I've never bought anything of them or played there rules but it would be sad to see them go

Take care

Andy
The Wargames Directory

The Wargames Directory Facebook

2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

barbarian

I guess I went into WWII with Pendraken due to the cost of Battlefront, so I thank them for being too expensive.
2015 Painting Competition - Winner!
2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

Luddite

Quote from: Leon026 on 21 May 2015, 06:11:35 PM
but the Flames of War ruleset doesnt remotely represent Vietnam accurately

Is there anything FoW represents accurately?
http://www.durhamwargames.co.uk/
http://luddite1811.blogspot.co.uk/

"It is by tea alone i set my mind in motion.  It is by the juice of Typhoo my thoughs acquire speed the teeth acquire stains, the stains serve as a warning.  It is by tea alone i set my mind in motion."

"The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules." - Gary Gygax
"Maybe emu trampling created the desert?" - FierceKitty

2012 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

"I have become inappropriately excited by the thought of a compendium of OOBs." FSN

Duke Speedy of Leighton

Their or orbats and colour schemes?
You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

FierceKitty

Quote from: mollinary on 21 May 2015, 08:28:10 PM
I'm not sure I understand all this schadenfreude.  We are a very small hobby, and it seems to me that everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) who ventures their own money to try and provide us with the toys we want deserves our support, if only moral. . If they are successful, good luck to them, as no-one is compelled to buy what they offer. If they fail, then they lose in the real world, with all the pain and hardship that entails, and why should we rejoice at that?   All in all,  it is each individual's choice as to whether or not to buy their products, but I fear it is less than generous to gloat over their problems.  This all leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. Sorry!  :(

Mollinary

PS this is not my period, so I have never bought any of their products.
:-bd
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

Luddite

http://www.durhamwargames.co.uk/
http://luddite1811.blogspot.co.uk/

"It is by tea alone i set my mind in motion.  It is by the juice of Typhoo my thoughs acquire speed the teeth acquire stains, the stains serve as a warning.  It is by tea alone i set my mind in motion."

"The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules." - Gary Gygax
"Maybe emu trampling created the desert?" - FierceKitty

2012 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

"I have become inappropriately excited by the thought of a compendium of OOBs." FSN

Hertsblue

Quote from: mollinary on 21 May 2015, 08:28:10 PM
I'm not sure I understand all this schadenfreude.  We are a very small hobby, and it seems to me that everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) who ventures their own money to try and provide us with the toys we want deserves our support, if only moral. . If they are successful, good luck to them, as no-one is compelled to buy what they offer. If they fail, then they lose in the real world, with all the pain and hardship that entails, and why should we rejoice at that?   All in all,  it is each individual's choice as to whether or not to buy their products, but I fear it is less than generous to gloat over their problems.  This all leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. Sorry!  :(

Mollinary

PS this is not my period, so I have never bought any of their products.

All boils down to a lamentable lack of understanding of how the retail world operates and the factors involved.
When you realise we're all mad, life makes a lot more sense.

www.rulesdepot.net

mollinary

Quote from: Hertsblue on 22 May 2015, 08:56:48 AM
All boils down to a lamentable lack of understanding of how the retail world operates and the factors involved.

Hi Ray,

Battlefront''s or mine?    :-\

Mollinary
2021 Painting Competition - Winner!
2022 Painting Competition - 2 x Runner-Up!

Hertsblue

When you realise we're all mad, life makes a lot more sense.

www.rulesdepot.net