Plastic Playing Pieces

On the subject of colors, it would be nice if there could be a fairly wide range of them.  Different colors (and/or different shades of the same color) have been used for each of the five major countries in the various A&A games, which is annoying in terms of consistency but useful for people who use the extra colors to represent additional countries as needed.  So one suggestion would be to ensure that, for each of the five major countries, there are pieces available in at least one of the colors which have been used most extensively for them (and ideally in both of the top two colors, where applicable).  My own preferences in those five cases would be:

USA - Green (medium)

UK - Tan (medium) or Beige (light)

USSR - Brown (dark or medium) or Maroon/purple

Germany - Grey (dark) or Black

Japan - Burt orange (dark) or Yellow/amber (medium)

It would also be good if these could be supplemented with other colors, to represent additional countries – preferably colors which are fairly distinct from the ones listed above.  A color scheme that I like to use, for example, is blue for France, light grey for Italy, red for China (in the last case, by using the red Japanese pieces from A&A:Pacific) and white for neutral countries.

CWO Marc

there’s so many different opinions floating around in this thread, and i think it’s getting a bit overwhelming

i think we need to hold a vote/poll to decide on a starting point. personally, i agree with moses. we should just replace all of the units provided with AA50, as the whole reason for this thread starting was that players were unhappy with the over-all quality of these base pieces

but i can also see why some others would prefer to simply add new units to the existing base pieces

just think, though, that if you just add on to AA50 with new pieces, the colour/size/feel/weight/etc will be noticable. do you all really not mind if your new pieces are noticably different to your base pieces? i know i would, hence thinking a re-cast of all base units would be a better starting point. if this will be expensive, focuse on one nation or one unit-type at a time

what does FMG think? if they’re the ones that are going to be going through with the final design, then they should definitely have some input into what that design is

I am with IL on this.

New Italian Battleship, Cruiser, Transport, bomber and artillery.

……so we are at 5 new sculpts

Now we need a halftrack piece and a truck piece for both axis and allied mech infantry

now at 7

give the japanese the kongo battleship

make a generic Blockhouse piece in grey (same color as AA-guns and factories)

we at 9

one new sculpt for jet fighters one axis ( me-262) one allied ( glouchester meteor) and a V-2 rocket for techs

12 total for first set. done. and I will buy this.

Bad vibrations, Moses, bad vibrations  :-(

Are these prices to have them made in the US or China?  Also, when were these prices quoted?  The way the economy is right now I’m sure you can negotiate a lower price but it’s still going to be expensive.

Just out of curiosity, when they say 48 cavity molds, do they mean 48 units in one mold or 48 molds?

i think moses has got the right idea about how this should be approached

if this kicks straight off with pieces to cover technologies and doesn’t focuse on the main issue of original piece quality, then i doubt i’ll be ordering any. but if we get a mix of both, then everyone is (should) be happy  :wink:

Hello all,
     I have been watching the thread daily.  Thanks for all the great ideas.  Next weekend I will be meeting with Craig at the Niagara Board Game weekend, there we will go over all these and discuss the best options.

I appreciate all the help being given here and EVERY idea is a good one, unfortunately…  I am not a millionaire so we will have to keep the scale of the first Edition within reason and cost limits.

My Goal so far is the following:  (I am still working with factory on cost)

1. To make a FULL set for each Nation in AA50.  Better quality and greater quantity than provided in the stock game.  These can fully replace the stock units OR complement them.

2. To add two additional colors for expansions ie; BLUE for France and one other color with general sculpts to be used as Neutrals or other nation as required by expansion.

3. To add some new SPECIAL Expansion units to the game.  “Why would some one buy this?” Something new will give the set greater appeal to the general public and and help pay of the cost of the production investment.

So far I think these should be:

a) The Truck or Half track unit
b) The bunker unit
c) The commander unit
d) The Rocket unit (Maybe… I just think it is cool)
e) Transport Plane
f) Other…??? (we will all figure this out)

This list is not final.  But after reading the entire thread this is my starting point…  which I am sure will evolve.

Craig asked me to comment so here is some dollar figures.
Production costs for injection molded plastic pieces.  The cost is set per hour at about $75. Also figure in a $400 set-up fee. You can expect 144 shots per hour.  The number of pieces does not make much difference in the production costs.  So if you shot one piece at a time it will cost you 52 cents each.  I am currently working on a 48 cavity mold and expect the cost to complete the mold at around $65,000.
Consider this cheap as I do all my own piece and mold designing and contract friends who do the work on the side.
The idea of 500 interested people putting up $50 each = $25,000

So you’re talking about 2000 sets sold just to break even.  Not more than 10 people have agreed to plunk down money for these pieces.

I think in this case for at least the first batch, you may want to first finalize the actual sculpts, then make a P2000 list with prepaid orders that would be charged only when the pieces are ready to ship.

So get about 2,000 orders first that would be filled and that includes credit card numbers…everything… You can take this to a bank and they may give you a loan because its showing you got orders to fill and its not a pipe dream.

Id post it on your side and ill sticky the information here.

Also working with table tactics would be good because they already have many pieces already done, so to split the seed money would secure a more solid investment.

Table Tactics make poor quality

@Imperious:

So get about 2,000 orders first that would be filled and that includes credit card numbers…everything… You can take this to a bank and they may give you a loan because its showing you got orders to fill and its not a pipe dream.

One thing to keep in mind is that credit card companies apparently have a time limit on how long pre-order credit card data can be held without being processed.  This was mentioned on the website of a game company that used to take pre-orders on games not yet in production in order to determine the level of interest in them; they then ran into problems with long credit card holds and had to change the way they handled pre-orders.

CWO Marc

Well whatever the rules are obviously the charge would fall before that time lapsed. Many companies do this for many years: GMT , Minuteman press, and others. Its basically a pre-order situation.

Perhaps getting all the emails from people interested, then once the threshold is crossed to break even, then all the people would be contacted for final processing and a date set for product shipping. Obviously the product would need to get far enough in the pipeline so its a matter of funding the project and everything has been prepared up until that point.

top job FMG, i like your thinking! that way everyone will be pleased  :-D

IL has a good point, since there are several groups out there wich need plastic pieces, and so they could join in a community of interests.

Field Marshall Games want to make this pieces.
Also Table Tactics want this
Jeff Stein from the Wargame need nation specific pieces.
The Struggle is just a map and rules, and they need this pieces.
Timerover51 has a small company and want to make this kind of pieces for his “political Correct” games.
Xeno Games could need this pieces, too.

Its all about a joint operation.

So far I think these should be:

a) The Truck or Half track unit
b) The bunker unit
c) The commander unit
d) The Rocket unit (Maybe… I just think it is cool)
e) Transport Plane
f) Other…Huh (we will all figure this out)

The commander unit is new to me.  What are the rules on this?

As for the peices, if the numbers still aren’t there, then perhaps you can contact hobby store chains to see if they would be interested in carrying them.

Bunker unit?

You mean something like a coastal concrete encasement with a large gun sticking out a slit in front?

I like that idea alot. A bunker is a final refuge for people on the run.

@Imperious:

Bunker unit?

You mean something like a coastal concrete encasement with a large gun sticking out a slit in front?

I like that idea alot. A bunker is a final refuge for people on the run.

Wait a minute, IL do you not have a basement Bunker to play the game?  So, what are you telling us.  Are you on the run?? LOL