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Poll - Egyptian Box (es)?

Originally we were going to do one box for archers and one for spear/sword/axe/etc. but several of you have mentioned you would rather have a mixed box (which - keep in mind - will cut down on the overall variety) So we wanted to ask what ratio of archers you'd want in a single box?
  • Hudson Adams

    A poll on Egyptians...

    Time to Make the Plastic!

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  • VD

    I advise against catering your product to people looking for ways to buy less of it

  • CF

    I think archers are better suited to an army builder set.

    The poses that make sense for archers on the battlefield are pretty limited, so it makes more sense to me at least if the main variation is the stuff they have on their person and a wide variety of heads.

    Archers are most likely going to be standing their ground, riding a mount or on a moving platform. If an archer has to run around the rest of the army has failed

  • BS Kitbasher

    Can you elaborate on which weapon or head options we'd have to give up for each percentage of Archers?  

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  • Hudson Adams

    @BS Kitbasher LOL no. No idea until we get further into it. The original plan was most of the parts you see on the preview divided between the two sets.

    Time to Make the Plastic!

  • BS Kitbasher

    But we would definitely lose some if we merge the sets?

  • ws

    Don't do it! Some armies limited poses are not much of an issue, but with horde (large amounts) armies this is. 

  • OrlandotheTechnicoloured

    @Hudson Adams i'd say keep it as two boxes, people will get annoyed if they can't do complete units of spearmen or archers (and folk looking to build big are likely to be buying multiple boxes)

    people only wanting a few archers/spearmen can pick up single sprues on ebay as there seems to be plenty of WGA stuff avaiable like this both in the USA and UK at least (not seem europe though)

    You could always offer a mixed box for direct web orders too either as a website only option or a real SKU if you printed a box for them

  • JTam

    I guess it comes down to who actually purchases these sets. 

    From my foxhole I only see skirmish fantasy game players buying miniatures like this.  These players would probably prefer both archers and spearman in the box.  (I do).

    Somewhere out there must be people actually playing massed ancient battles who would prefer the separate boxes.  (I personally have never seen it with my own eyes but maybe I don't get out enough).  The question is how many of these players are there?

  • DM

    Personally think the mixed set is the way to go.

    As the standalone box gives people doing skirmish or small scale games what they need, while still giving those who want lots of both models the option of buying multiple sets and will have far more appeal for those just picking up a box for kitbash, fantasy etc. 

    The army builder idea is excellent, but really only works with some - not sure it's doable with these.

     

  • MC

    As a player of massed anient battles I am looking forward to aquiring approx 220 foot and 8 chariots in this range. Perrys wars of the roses bow and bill boxes were perfect for that type of army with bodies that could be either archers or billmen so you wrer in control of the exact ratio. I suggest you look at their packaging as it does seem to be very popular.

  • OS

    @JTam  I'm one of the mass battlers. You are correct that I would prefer each unit type to be a separate box. As to how many people that covers, I would guess not many; Bronze Age is not a terribly popular period for mass battle games.

  • TM

    I'd support separate boxes.

    When it comes to Egyptian army from that period you'd really need a number of archers, same with other infantry, but we shouldn't overlook another option which are the native Egyptian troops serving under foreign rulers in later periods.

    Separate boxes would be more attractive to buy to convert entire Egyptian units in Persian or Ptolemaic armies.

  • Yronimos Whateley

    I'm not necessarily the target audience for these, but I think I'd prefer a main box with a good variety of heads and melee weapons (axes, swords, clubs, etc.), and then a generic spear-and-arcery sprue, which could be re-used for most armies around the world throughout history:  sure, the details would be noticeable to an expert with a magnifying glass, and sometimes bows or spears might be really distinctive for a given army, but the basic spear and shortbow really don't change vey much from culture to culture, era to era.

    You could even focus army-builder sprues on heads and bodies, and include the standard, generic spear-and-archry sprues in the boxes for thoe armies where it's appropriate. 

    Or, in addition to selling the spear-and-archery sprue separately, you could offer set bundles:  Order (say) three boxes of Egyptian infantry, get a spear-and-archery sprue for free.  Just a thought....

    YMMV, but for my part, I've got LOTS of spear and bow arms (and quivers and drawing-arms) in my bits box.  It seems like I don't use them as often as swords and other melee weapons.  I've given lots away, or trim them and use them for scenery or for small scratch-building projects (I've used bits of shortbow for horns and spikes, or for crossbow arms, etc.)  It's been easy for me to accumulate more spears and bows than I need!

  • BS Kitbasher

    Would it be possible to give the archers throwing sticks?  There were so many interesting designs the Egyptians used for throwing sticks, I'd love to have some as options.

  • JTam

    @BS Kitbasher  

    Well that was interesting Google.

  • BV

    @Hudson Adams

    I am good with original 2 box plan.

    Personally I probably wouldn't want more than 1 pose/set of arms for Archers per sprue (thats an at most) since historically archers tended to be elite/specialist unites due to 100+lb draw strength war bows and from a fantasy gaming perspective they tend to be underwhelming to to me unless they have pointy ears.

    But I know that others want and will use several whole boxes worth of archers even in ABs… maybe add in some head swaps for Nubian and Ethiopian Archers or others to spice things up? Maybe add a preist or something?

    Oh, and for the record I am one the people who would buy for kitbashery and fantasy gaming skirmish gaming at least at first (so it’s not a real deal breaker to sell seprate sets), if you’re really worried about it though sell the Archers by the sprue in addition to by the box. 

  • GB

    One box with options for archers and spearman, one box for chariots.  The chariot riders should include a figure that could be customised as an officer or general.

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  • SS

    You should stay with two seperate Boxes.

    For NKE you also need many Archers cause most of the Foot were Archers and archery was highly treaded in bronze age egypt society.

  • AH

    If you produce one or two boxes of infantry I will not buy any until the chariots, chariot runners also appear because I hate partial ranges.

    So if you go ahead with the project but have  infantry with spears, clubs/axes, bows, javelins, slings, khepesh etc. Also, depending on period, chariots, cavalry, Sherden etc. 

    But first how about some Persian cavalry?

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  • SS

    "Chariot Runners" are technical Skimishers.

    Could work to put Skimishers into the Chariot set or seperate with options for OKE/MKE Infantry.

  • Forrest Wentworth

    I say keep the archers seperate.  You can always put a few melee bits on the archer sprue for folks who will only want one box for skirmish scale games.

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  • PG

    Without chariots the question is moot. I will not be buying either if  chariots are unavailable as you cannot field an Egyptian army without them!

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