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So small garage-type miniatures companies like Ultraforge and Pig Iron can't produce that much stuff, so they have to make things that are something lots of people will like. Since you can't get trenchguard from GW anymore without special-ordering them, Pig Iron do well with their trenchguard. A lot of people don't like a lot of the GW daemons, so they buy alternatives from Ultraforge.

So what would you most like to see from a small miniature company?

cheap random parts. Make a conversion\bits store, that'd be nice.

A good company would make pretty generic base models, then sell "add-on" kits to customize them to various things.

Such a "Base Sci-Fi Trooper" that comes in a few poses and has some details on it such as the clothing. The head, arms, weapons, and even possibly armor are seperate as the add-ons to customize troops to your wants. Then you only have to make a few base models, and sell lots of bitz packs to make the individuals to your style.

I would like to see a company come out that has a good model range for alternative looks for the popular table top games out right now.

Some bitz would be nice so you have something to work with or to help fill in thos projects for converting. I know I for one would have liked to have access to CSM bits when I was converting my m8s SMs

@JokerGod, the trouble with that is that GW won't let you make their bits without giving them money. I don't know how much, but I know you have to pay them for the rights.

I'd actually like to see some good Plague Zombies myself.

Mouse Guard

That is all

Yeah, but nobody actually uses those. If only they would become useful in the next Codex...

captain.gordino wrote:Yeah, but nobody actually uses those. If only they would become useful in the next Codex...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse_Guard

captain.gordino wrote:@JokerGod, the trouble with that is that GW won't let you make their bits without giving them money. I don't know how much, but I know you have to pay them for the rights.

I'd actually like to see some good Plague Zombies myself.

I'm not talking GW specific. I am talking about creating alternatives that would look good or better then GW and work with the same scale.

Having alternative models is nice and fun, but some times you just want a few bits to make something unique for your army.

Cyporiean wrote:

captain.gordino wrote:Yeah, but nobody actually uses those. If only they would become useful in the next Codex...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse_Guard

Ah, I thought he meant Ratlings. The comic looks interesting, I wonder if my local comic store carries it.

Hehe.

It's also appealing to the Redwall fans (though I'm not really one of them).

Everything GW makes, but in 15mm.

GW definately need more pose varieties.

Its not dynatmic at al, almost every commander in
every 40k / fantasy has the pointing pose.

now Rhakam makes really good miniatures GW can
consider.

Zip Napalm wrote:Everything GW makes, but in 15mm.

Why?

Heads.

If you check the gallery for Pig Iron you'll see dozens of miniatures with their heads, few of their bodies. A new head changes the whole character of a model and keeps it 'legal' for GW purposes.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/core/gallery-search.jsp?dq=pig+iron

Westwind does WWII and some historicals, Pig Iron does near future.

I would say some space suit helmets with backpacks, peak caps, cyborg heads, mutant heads all would do well with the GW crowd.

Bionics are another area we could all use more of.

Fishmen and the Pan-Fo!

captain.gordino wrote:

Zip Napalm wrote:Everything GW makes, but in 15mm.

Why?

Just my preferred scale.

So you can fit more on the table.

As it stands, I buy 90% of my fun to paint models from Reaper, and virtually all of my gaming models from GW. As I paint 10-20 gaming models for every "fun" model, I'm looking mostly for pieces I can use for gaming, even if just as a proxy, a head swap, or an objective marker. Right now my wishlist includes:

Steampunk technicians/sorcerers to build an Inquisitor and henchmen for my Praetorian IG army, as well as priests and sanctioned psykers.

Heavily armored troopers to proxy as Sisters of battle/Arbites. They'd need to have basic rifles, something to use as a heavy flamer, and something to use as a melta. They'd also need to come out cheaper than the GW SoB, which is harder to find than you'd think.

Beyond those, interesting weapons bitz, armored heads that fit on marine bodies, and stuff to build cool objective markers would all be cool.

clearance sales.

Heads, mostly female.
Also, some female torsos would be good too. In general, being able to have some female guardsmen, astropaths, chaos marauders, really anything that isn't a Sister of Battle would be great.

Really though, I gotta agree with Kyoto 100% that heads (and maybe weapons/arms) are a great place to be. They are really easy to make 90% interchangable with GW models, and they totally change the character of the model, making for a really easy and effective conversion.

In fact, if you plan on making decent female heads, put me down for a pack of 50, right now.

Otherwise, some alternate vehicles would be cool, or Lost and the Damned sorts of figures. Or civilians. Or Lost and Damned civilians...

Three more thoughts:

1 - Something that looks suspiciously like a plasma gun and a melta gun. Gatling guns ala the old Warzone heavy weapon packs.

2 - Doors, windows, gargoyles, hatches, control panels, large skulls, other terrain bits.

Walls are easy to do with foam core or plasticard, good looking doors are hard.

3 - A pack of 50 28mm skulls for $5-$10.

Some civilians of some sort would be nice. Just people in shirts and trousers.

I'd like some casualty models & civilians, and some Mecha models for bitz purposes in my Tau Cadre

Kid_Kyoto wrote:3 - A pack of 50 28mm skulls for $5-$10.

That's actually a great idea. Trouble is everyone would hate cutting out and filing all the little resin bits, and you just couldn't do it that cheaply with metal.

Kid_Kyoto wrote:Heads.

If you check the gallery for Pig Iron you'll see dozens of miniatures with their heads, few of their bodies. A new head changes the whole character of a model and keeps it 'legal' for GW purposes.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/core/gallery-search.jsp?dq=pig+iron

Westwind does WWII and some historicals, Pig Iron does near future.

I would say some space suit helmets with backpacks, peak caps, cyborg heads, mutant heads all would do well with the GW crowd.

Bionics are another area we could all use more of.

Just out of curiosity, what does constitute legal for GW purposes? How much of a miniature/army is allowed to be sourced from non GW manufacturers for them not to kick you out of the store and shake their fists at you?

Traditionally, the GW requirement has been "majority Citadel", which people take to be 51+%.

Imperial Guard
- Greatcoat Gasmask Guard are a strong choice, and could be done as a set of swaps for the Cadian Legs and Heads
- Admech heads and torsos would also be a great choice.
- Trencher Gasmask heads would be solid
- Stormtrooper / Carapace conversion heads, arms, and legs
- Cameoline torsos and heads

Space Marines
- alternate Marine parts - Mk.I and Mk.III
- Roman Gladiator conversion set
- Chaos Marine conversion sets

Inquisition
- Henchmen & Familiar alternates
- Servitor alternatives

Pig Iron do heads.

Hasslefree do weapons.

Someone does skulls -- it was mentioned in the thread about the GW battleboad kit.

GW used to have a great bits shop! What ever happened to that? Ah the good old days.

While we're dreaming...

Plastic Figure - Whole model $.75
Pewter Figure - Whole model $2
Bosses or Special Characters (Pewter) - $4
Small Vehicles - $10
Large Vehicles - $17.50
Super Vehicles (ala Baneblade, Stompa) - $25
Bits (character) - 2 Bits a Bit (That's $.25)
Bits (Vehicle) - $1

Seriously, I agree with many of the above comments. A really great and vast Bits shop (Primarily arms, heads and weapons) combined with generic body/legs makes for a homerun and some really great variety and cool rank and file boys (all races) and unique bosses, champions and special units. Generic Vehicles with lotsa bits as well.

Sell the Generics (torsos, legs and vehicle chassis/body) in a box set then pick your bits to complete the package!

Now, if only I can secure the capital...

Kilkrazy wrote:
Someone does skulls -- it was mentioned in the thread about the GW battleboad kit.

I bought mine from Black Cat Bases (I think); it was that or a really small cottage-industry place in the states. I was cheap, I remember that.

I'll tell you what I'd want to see. Something I've been looking for to no avail recently.

Monkey heads.

28mm monkey heads.

Well, ape heads I suppose they'd have to be. Like the Karmans in AT-43, but basically I want to do a monkey SM force.
If ANYONE can help me find a lot of GW-sized ape heads I'd be very happy about that.

I'd like to see a company doing lots of bitz, for an affordable price.
Vehicle accessories, crates and barrels, heads, weapons, scenery, bases. You know, stuff.

I know there's a ton of sites I can but this all from seperately (and I probably have them all bookmarked), but being able to get it all in one place would keep me coming back time and time again.