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Work In Progress / Re: VW Type 1 (Beetle) - TS1 Painted 190528

« on: May 29, 2019, 03:44:50 am »

Mr H0ffmn...
Oh we all do it. We are all diehard enthusiasts for the toys we want, and we want them NOW

While the Perrys were busily churning out seemingly interminable Napoleonic plastic sets while I was impatiently waiting for more medieval releases, I was certainly on various forums bitching about why they were wasting time with Nappies rather than prioritising MY interests. It’s the selfish, obsessive nature of we hobbyists. So I totally understand it. But it just feels incessant here. Almost every new release, and especially the more esoteric or less mainstream choices (which personally I applaud for their invention and boldness) is greeted with a repeat refrain of (and I paraphrase) ‘why are you wasting your time doing that when you should be making XYZ instead’. I find it wearing as an onlooker, so goodness knows what the guys at Rubicon must feel about the constant complaining.
I’m pretty sure they know their business and the economics of their production inside out. They seem an extremely professional and commercial outfit. They may choose to make certain models for other reasons than sales alone (training, development, or just because they feel like it). Being endlessly advised ‘this won’t sell as well as XYZ’ must be a bit boring for them...

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Work In Progress / Re: VW Type 1 (Beetle) - TS1 Sprue 190525

« on: May 27, 2019, 07:37:55 pm »

Quote from: Rubicon Models on May 27, 2019, 11:39:54 am

We had reference material for the VW Beetle on hand, so we used it as a "filler". Furthermore, we can see uses for this kit for wargaming or modelling from 1938 to 2038! It's a lovely period piece for WW2, but given the lifetime and worldwide popularity of the "Bug", it would also work on a modern or future sci-fi project easily. Many customers see great potential for road-warrior type conversions or just rusted out street furniture... It is also a great kit for us to branch out of the WW2 period and reach out to other customer groups.

For goodness sake, you guys are doing a brilliant job and it pains me that you appear to constantly have to justify yourselves to one or two individuals who are endlessly trying to tell you NOT to make your beautiful models, because they want you to concentrate your efforts on other models that they would like to see. It’s really incredibly selfish, and the endless repetition of the same argument is tiresome. You’ve explained repeatedly why you do things the way you do, including development projects for designers and easy-to-make ‘fillers’ using common components from other kits. Perhaps the critics should just let you get on and produce the projects you want to produce, rather than constantly opining what bad business sense it is, and how you should be doing everything differently

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Work In Progress / Re: VW Type 1 (Beetle) - TS1 Sprue 190525

« on: May 26, 2019, 03:28:12 pm »

Love it

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Work In Progress / Re: Krupp Protze Kfz 69/70 - TS2 Painted 190510

« on: May 10, 2019, 05:27:04 pm »

That is a beautiful looking model. Can’t wait to get one for my DAK

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Wish Lists / Re: Focusing on the more useful kits – wake up and smell the molded plastic!

« on: May 03, 2019, 04:01:58 pm »

Quote from: Tracks on May 03, 2019, 11:59:53 am

So, what is the point of all this? Well, my point is simply this. If these companies positively communicated with each other and constructively worked together, it is very possible that we would have a few more different plastic kits that we do not currently have at this time.
There is no "I" in TEAM.

But this is not how business works

The essence of business, indeed the whole capitalist system, is competition. You might as well ask why do MacDonalds and Burger King both make hamburgers? Because each thinks their hamburgers are better, and they can sell more of them than their rivals. Business is not a team game. To suggest that companies in the same market should carve up the opportunities between them ('Okay, we'll only make widget A and you only make widget B, and the we'll both have a monopoly over our respective ranges of widgets') is 'anti-competitive' and denying consumers a choice. What you're suggesting is actually illegal in most countries

I totally get where you're coming from, of course. It's a question I have asked myself many times down the years... 'Do we REALLY need yet another range of Vikings, or Romans, or Napoleonic French, or WW2 Germans, when there are already dozens of ranges out there from wargames manufacturers? What on earth are they thinking, introducing yet another lookalike range into an already saturated market?'
The answer of course, is that they think THEIR range of Vikings or Waffen SS or 95th Rifles, is going to be better than everyone else's existing range, and they will be able to make money from producing it. That's it. Simple.
It's irritating, but it's the essence of the capitalist system most of us live in, it isn't going to change (well, unless there's a revolution

) and it feels a tad naïve to expect otherwise.

Businesses, even 'hobby businesses' driven by passion as well as profit, will always make things they think they can make well and that will sell. And if someone else is already making the same thing - tough. That's business. We'll try to make ours better and sell more of them.

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Work In Progress / Re: Dodge WC-51/WC-52 "Beep" - Easter Surprise! 190419

« on: April 20, 2019, 08:37:46 am »

Another lovely addition. Well done Rubicon

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Work In Progress / Re: M3A1 Scout Car - TS1 Sprue 190318

« on: March 19, 2019, 02:55:01 am »

It looks superb

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Work In Progress / Re: Digital Sculpts - British Para Revised 190306

« on: March 07, 2019, 08:03:11 am »

I would say the beret looks just a little too big and floppy. WW2 berets were bigger than modern British army berets, butthis one pushes it just a bit too much.

The Denison smock is well rendered though.
(I’ve got one of those, although it’s a later pattern one with knitted cuffs).

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