Battlefront cuts down Maelstrom...( Maelstrom owner prespective on page 7)

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**NAVARRO**

From TGN

Maelstrom Games no longer to sell Battlefront
Battlefront have announced that UK retailer Maelstrom Games is no longer selling their products.

From their announcement:

Battlefront Miniatures Ltd of Auckland, New Zealand announces that Maelstrom Games of Mansfield, United Kingdom is no longer a retailer of its products. This applies to all brands and ranges sold by Battlefront Miniatures Ltd.

With immediate effect Maelstrom Games will no longer be one of our retailers.

Any customer who has advance orders for product yet to come out should contact Maelstrom to confirm their ability to supply or contact us directly and we will put you in touch with an alternative supplier.

Is Battlefront trying to control market prices?

**SilverMK2**

Any idea why?

And where is that announcement from? - edit - just read the first line

**BrookM**

Well, seeing as FoW was one of the few ranges that never benefited from Maelstroms many discount vouchers, my guess is Battlefront didn't want to sell too cheap.

**jim30**

Maelstrom recently did a very effusive piece on 'forged in battle' and I wonder whether that precipitated things? To be honest I've seen a lot of suggestions that Battlefront are as controlling as GW when it comes to products, so its no surprise if they cut off Maelstrom.

Personally I'm holding out for the fire sale as they cut down their stock.

that said, it seems a very extreme way to react, and one that will make BF look a little silly.

**Earthbeard**

I remember reading somewhere that you aren't allowed to discount Battlefront stuff as part of the trade licencse, barring a a few item!?

Maybe some kind of breach on one or the other side?

**lord_blackfang**

Maelstrom said they'd be telling their side of the story later today or tomorrow. Let's all just refrain from rampant speculation until then?

**NAVARRO**

jim30 wrote:Maelstrom recently did a very effusive piece on 'forged in battle' and I wonder whether that precipitated things? To be honest I've seen a lot of suggestions that Battlefront are as controlling as GW when it comes to products, so its no surprise if they cut off Maelstrom.

Personally I'm holding out for the fire sale as they cut down their stock.

that said, it seems a very extreme way to react, and one that will make BF look a little silly.

Well sillyness will come with a very big price tag, I mean I dont see many stores like Mael outhere.

**spaceelf**

I don't think price controls by a company are necessarily a bad thing. Video game companies have done it for years and I don't see many people complaining. In the case of tabletop wargames price controls serve a very important purpose, to keep local shops in business. FLGS are an important part of the hobby, as they provide a place to play and hobby, and serve as the hub of a group of gamers.

**Ulver**

spaceelf wrote:I don't think price controls by a company are necessarily a bad thing. Video game companies have done it for years and I don't see many people complaining.

Really?! I see (hear) lots of people complaining; they often use it as justification for pirating games (although that's another (dead horse) conversation).

**NAVARRO**

spaceelf wrote:I don't think price controls by a company are necessarily a bad thing. Video game companies have done it for years and I don't see many people complaining. In the case of tabletop wargames price controls serve a very important purpose, to keep local shops in business. FLGS are an important part of the hobby, as they provide a place to play and hobby, and serve as the hub of a group of gamers.

Thats a customer decision IMO... Some people dont have stores near, some play at home or clubs some have flags but are not inclined to buy there... I mean its called free market. They can try to controll the market prices but thats not good for the customer since you dont have options. No thank you sir.

**Earthbeard**

spaceelf wrote:I don't think price controls by a company are necessarily a bad thing. Video game companies have done it for years and I don't see many people complaining. In the case of tabletop wargames price controls serve a very important purpose, to keep local shops in business. FLGS are an important part of the hobby, as they provide a place to play and hobby, and serve as the hub of a group of gamers.

Then you haven't looked ahard enough, complaints at VGame prices are as rabid as GW price threads, coupled with a lot of the publishers/developers hoping to curtail and destroy the secondary market, VGame complaints are only going to rise.

**lord_blackfang**

spaceelf wrote:Video game companies have done it for years and I don't see many people complaining.

Maybe that's because those who disagree with the prices can easily get vidya games for free?

Steam's success proves that there was a huge untapped market just waiting to buy games at reasonable prices.

**Mad4Minis**

spaceelf wrote: FLGS are an important part of the hobby, as they provide a place to play and hobby, and serve as the hub of a group of gamers.

That really varies a lot. I have spent extremely few of my gaming hours in a store. Even when I had a decent store available every group Ive been a part of has done the majority of their gaming at home. Really once you get used to it there is no substitute...gaming in a home offers benefits that a store cant.

**spaceelf**

Well, it certainly looks like I am in the minority opinion on this one.

If this is the case, then the decision by Battlefront may be a very bad one, especially in that WWII miniatures are quite common. Many companies, including GW and WOTC think that local stores are important. We shall see how it works out for all parties involved.

**Theduke07**

First miniature market, now maelstorm. Something is up.

**ruyn**

Mad4Minis wrote:
spaceelf wrote: FLGS are an important part of the hobby, as they provide a place to play and hobby, and serve as the hub of a group of gamers.

That really varies a lot. I have spent extremely few of my gaming hours in a store. Even when I had a decent store available every group Ive been a part of has done the majority of their gaming at home. Really once you get used to it there is no substitute...

Agreed. I've been a gamer for over 15 years, and I've spent all of maybe 10 hours gaming in an FLGS. In the end, it's a balance of price and convenience that makes me buy. For paint, I'm almost always going to count on the FLGS due to the convenience and the fact that online prices, after shipping, aren't a huge savings, if at all. For models, well... eBay is my friend, as price on a $50+ model is always the number one factor.

Mad4Minis wrote:gaming in a home offers benefits that a store cant.

One word: beer. It's a staple in my gaming environment. 'nuff said.

**Kymera**

Earthbeard wrote:I remember reading somewhere that you aren't allowed to discount Battlefront stuff as part of the trade licencse, barring a a few item!?

Maybe some kind of breach on one or the other side?

From what I know about the local stores in my area the agreement states that you cannot discount Battlefront merchandise more than 10%. I have no idea if that's universal though or whether that has anything to do with what happened to Maelstrom.

**lord_blackfang**

ruyn wrote:
One word: beer. It's a staple in my gaming environment. 'nuff said.

Your FLGS doesn't allow beer?

**Soladrin**

Mine sells beer XD

**Slinky**

Soladrin wrote:Mine sells beer XD

Vincent Vega: All right. Well, you can walk into a game shop in Amsterdam and buy a beer. And I don't mean just like in no paper cup, I'm talking about a glass of beer.

**warboss**

jim30 wrote:Maelstrom recently did a very effusive piece on 'forged in battle' and I wonder whether that precipitated things?

what is "forged in battle"? a blog or a podcast or something? what did they say?

**George Spiggott**

Forged in battle is a 'rival' 15mm model manufacturer.

Battlefront's prices have got a little OTT recently. acting 'like GW' would be a very dumb move for Battlefront IMO.

Peter Pig have also started to release blister (clam?) packs. The 15mm WWII demographic shifting. I suspect early war has not gone well for Battlefront, mainly due to their poor choices of model releases. Other manufacturers have capitalised upon this. 'Forged in Battle' are the first new (AFAIK) manufacturer to appear in the 'FoW boom'.

This may prove to be very interesting. Battlefront could certainly benefit from a price restructure (downwards).

**Duncan_Idaho**

FiB are hit and miss.

Interesting soldier sculpts, but myn tanks are sculpted to their base and proportions on tanks are sometimes a little bit strange. Also soldiers and guns are not always in scale.

**derek**

When I was looking at an alternative to 40k, and not looking to spend the same amount of gaming dollars on it, a friend suggested Flames of War. After looking at the prices, both retail and online, I realized that Flames of War was just as expensive. Sad too, because it usually gets as many or more people at local conventions than 40k.

**warboss**

while i can't comment about FoW (i dabbled in the game by buying a few books *just* before the current edition came out.. very bad timing on my part and didn't continue out of disgust), it's difficult to find an alternative to GW now on price. it used to be that other companies were markedly cheaper when comparing apples to apples (similarly sized and quality figs) but that no longer is the case; the other "big boys" in minis gaming have caught up (or even surpassed) GW in terms of price gauging. Mantic is the only producer i can think of that still does things inexpensively.

**Duncan_Idaho**

FoW ist still way cheaper to get into than GW. Depends just on the list you are playing

**NAVARRO**

Duncan_Idaho wrote:FoW ist still way cheaper to get into than GW. Depends just on the list you are playing

I tend to imagine 15mm kind of games way less expensive than their 28mm big brothers... Dont follow FOW prices anymore but things seem to be a bit expensive by comparison with other 15mm minis?

**12thRonin**

Yep, but there are alot more value driven lines out there. You don't need BF figs to play Flames. A Tiger is a Tiger and a Sherman is a Sherman regardless off if it's BF, Peter Pig, Old Glory, etc.

**skrulnik**

At least with historicals, there are alternatives.

My preference is Old Glory for artillery, guns, and infantry, and Battlefront for tanks.

But to do my Afrika Tank Company, I filled out with Old Glory tanks. 3 for the price of one BF tank.

BF makes some good resin objectives as well.
The pre-painted scenery done by Gale Force 9 for FoW is beautiful stuff.
If I played more games in 15mm I might pick some up.
Too pricey to get for one game and one scale.

**notprop**

BF seem to be very controlling, I have never seen their products for less than 10% anywhere in the UK except a big high street chain (hobby craft) that did end of line/blue cross sales at 30%+.

I've not seen Maelstrom discounting under 10%. I find it very perculiar that BF feel the need to advertise this - Seems a bit personal to me.