HBG U.S. Naval Sculpts Preorder

Well,

With 36 votes now having been cast let’s take a look at what units seem to be the current favorites.

Although I’ve segregated the units by vote totals, I HAVE NO IDEA what “Coach’s” cut-off would be(or even if he has one) for inclusion in his 1st Set.  Nor do I imply any “cut-off”.  I have heard him say several times that it looks like there may be enough interest to make a 2nd Set, too though.

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The Heavy Hitters(pun intended) with over 20 votes.

23 votes……“Montana” BB    This brute demands attention!
21    "  …Heavy Cruiser    Another heavy hitter.
20    "  …“Midway” CV(H)    Those Korean War fans are still around(grin)

Some Very Popular units with between 14-19 votes.

18 votes……“Independance” CVL, CL Light Cruiser, PBY Seaplane
17    "  …AO Oiler, DE Destroyer Escort
16    "  …“Essex” CV, South Dakota BB
15    "  …“North Carolina” BB
14    "  …LST Landing Ship Tank, “Tennessee” BB

ALL OF THE ABOVE seem to be very popular choices, also.

And the rest of the (NECESSARY) units.

13 votes……B-29 SuperFortress, “Alaska” BC   
11    "  …PT Boat
10    "  …“Atlanta” CLAA Light Cruiser
9    "    …LCM Landing Craft Mechanised, “Colorado” BB
8    "    …DMS Minesweeper, LCVP Landing Craft Vehicle/Personel “Higgins” Boat
7    "    …AV Seaplane Tender
4    "    …F-9 “Cougar” Jet

Personally,…I’m looking forward to being able to buy and use ALL of the above listed units.  As I’m primarily a WW2 fan I’m not a fan of the “Midway” class CVs or the
F-9 "Cougar Jet.  But you know what,…IF they ever got produced,…I certainly would BUY them!  Especially at the low prices these plastic units will be compared to the white-metal or epoxy castings of the other miniature companies.

Also, I’d like to remind people that if they haven’t already done so,…to consider
PRE-PAYING for these units and making their production even more possible for ALL of us.  I hope that we’re all using these units in our own expanded games in the near future.

“Tall Paul”

If Coach gets this set up and running then you know he will have to so a Japanese naval set also….let’s keep the pre orders comming!!!

Tigerman,

I’m ready RIGHT NOW to pre-order 10 sets of the Japanese Naval Set also.  
I just didn’t want to say anything concerning things that might be too far in the future.

But like I said,…If the “Coach” makes them, I’ll pre-order 10 each of the following:

US Set
US NAVAL Set #1(10 already ordered)
US NAVAL Set #2
JAPANESE Set
both of the JAPANESE NAVAL Set(s)
Generic Set

Also, I hope that the “Coach” would really consider producing a “GENERIC Set” that would include Air Bases, Naval Bases, Crate of Supplies, Barrel of Fuel, Major ICs(?), Minor ICs(?), Fortifications like Sub Pens, Coastal Guns, Blockhouses, Sandbaged Bunkers, and Aircraft Revetments(?) and/or whatever the “Coach” feels would be necessary.  This “generic” set only needs to be produced in one “generic” color.  If the players want to paint/decal them for specific countries they can.  Please “Coach”, save us from the cardboard stuff.

Some of these units/pieces might be available elsewhere without the expense of having to mold them(like the ICs from the Risk game).

After seeing your post I just couldn’t keep from spouting-off myself.

Like I Say,……What Do YA’LL Think

“Tall Paul”

Hey Tall Paul, I know that there are plans for a 2nd US Naval set (of course, that’s if the first set gets enough attention).  Do you think there will be TWO Japanese Naval sets too?  I’m just not so sure there will be quite as big a demand for so many different Japanese Naval sculpts as for all the different US Naval Sculpts.  Then again, I know that all the sculpts suggested for the US Naval sets aren’t all ships.  In fact, a few of them aren’t even WW2 (Cougar Jet fighter, Midway heavy carrier).  Perhaps if the Japanese sets also include special planes and such, maybe people will want 2 sets.

You know what would be cool for the Japanese set?  A sculpt of the Ise or Hyuga.  Those were battleship/aircraft carrier hybrids.  After the disaster at Midway, the Japanese were desperate to fill in their carrier force and they took these two battleships, removed the rear guns and installed small flight decks.  I’m not sure how successful they were or how much action they saw after the conversions, but they are neat looking ships.

KNP,

To answer your question,…I don’t KNOW or assume anything.  I don’t take for granted that the 1st US Naval Set will be produced, although with all the interest that has been shown, along with the “Coach’s” track record on producing A&A units, and the number of pre-orders I’d guess it PROBABLY will be.

As far as the Japanese Naval Set(s) I would suggest you look at it this way.  Rather than specific ships think about specific ship TYPES.  PT, SS, DMS, DE, DD, CL, CA, “old” BB, “newer” BB, CVL, CV, Landing Craft, Etc., Etc.  These ship types will allow us to expand our gaming capabilities, especially in some new purpose-designed games.

Certain Japanese ships and/or types should be popular enough on their own for production.  Like the Yamato super BBs(Yamato, Musashi), Shinano super CV, all of the varied CVs(Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu, Shokaku, Zuikaku), Mogami class Cruisers, Etc., Etc.

Also, the “Coach” is working on a Pearl Harbor game and Tigerman and I are working on Expanded A&A-The Naval Series    Coral Sea and The Solomons Campaign.  We are planning to produce a SERIES of “Naval-Oriented” A&A games that along with the “Coach’s” Pearl Harbor game would provide an excellent arena for the expanded Naval, Air, and Land unit types proposed and already in “the pipeline” from HBG and FMG.  Hopefully having both the units and the games available would encourage interest.  As far as I can tell,…the A&A “fans” that I’ve interacted with here on A&A.ORG are as die-hard and completely interested in A&A as I am, or even more so.

KNP,…I would suggest that you voice your interest in Japanese Naval Set(s) to the “Coach”, including specific ships you like as HE is the one that can MAKE IT HAPPEN for all of us.

Of course, the production of the US Naval Set(s) depends on enough interest being shown and pre-orders.  If these set(s) are produced it would logically lead to the Japanese Naval Set(s) being produced.

All of these units/sets are expensive to make and demand a significant investment of money.  The “Coach” is not only a “fan”,…but a businessman who needs to make a return on these investments in order to keep making additional units/sets for our enjoyment(or from going broke).

Like I Say,…What Do YA’LL Think???
                                                                                   “Tall Paul”

Ah ha! Tall Paul is right. We need to support whatever piece project comes out. My idea for a real global game is to have a rule set for all the types of unnits that come out, or better yet in a global game you and the other guys playing pick which units will be used in a game. Tank destroyer? Mech Artillery? Both? I just want more options than 1 carrier or 1 battleship if i’m U.S. or Japan. I want more 3 types of tanks if I’m Germany.
  Even if you don’t want or need the units buy as many as you can affoed then resale them on ebay! LOL……I’m just excited about all the new ideas comming forth.
  On another note, I got my olive marine in from HBG and I took the flame tanks and cut the extra gun off!!!  They look awesome!! The color is so close to the OOB color I wopuld just leave it the same for the U.S.set!

What do you guys think?

Hey Tigerman77,
Those Shermans look really cool.  I was thinking about clipping off the flame barrel myself and making them into regular Shermans, perhaps even replacing my OOB Shermans with them.  Thanks for the pic.

“Coach”,

I put a GREAT reference web-site link on my “Expanded A&A-Naval Series” thread for you.  It should help you with any destroyer types you’re thinking about producing.  The APD Fast Attack Transports, Minelayers, Minesweepers, Etc.

I have no doubt that if you’d read and learn about the Green Dragon APDs that you’d also become a fan of them and understand why they could be USEFUL to ALL of us in our games.  We need something to tote our Marine Raiders (made from your Marines) around with.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

“Tall Paul”

I pre-ordered one yesterday, maybe we all need to pre-order several copies each ?

And why is it impossible to pre-order the US Supplement set ? It says no in stock, but the naval sculpts say 900 in stock, and they arent even made yet.

Man, I sure hope this set gets made.  I know coach will give us 100% refund if this project falls through, but at this point even a full refund will be a dissappointment.  I was really looking forward to all the different types of US Battleships, especially the Montana class and Alaska Class Battlecruiser.

Hey Guys,

@Razor:

I pre-ordered one yesterday, maybe we all need to pre-order several copies each ?

@knp7765:

Man, I sure hope this set gets made.  I was really looking forward to all the different types of US Battleships, especially the Montana class and Alaska Class Battlecruiser.

Well, to me it seems very SIMPLE.  If we want these ship units to be made,…
put your wishes into action and pre-order several sets(10). 
If you think a moment about it, these plastic ships will cost only a tiny fraction of what they would if you got them from any of the other “miniatures” companies.

The “Coach” has been very up front with all of us and stated his intentions to produce these ships IF we showed enough SERIOUS interest in them by pre-orderring an amount to make it feasable.

The decision is All up to us!  I would hope that anyone on this forum that has an interest in seeing these ships produced would realize that the way to get them made is to step up with your pre-order and help make it happen.  And mention it to all of your friends, too!

I myself at first was thinking:

1.  I don’t necessarily need 10 of a certain type of Battleship,…BUT then I realized…

2.  That by my pre-orderring 10 Sets I was helping to make the production of these ships POSSIBLE,…AND

3.  The actual price of these ships is TINY in comparison to the white metal or epoxy “miniatures” from the other companies,…AND

4.  If I end up with any surplus ships I can either sell/trade them to other gamers or sell them on Ebay.

I hope that everyone will understand my efforts in explaining the situation.  I am a gamer and really would like to see these ships produced.  Not only will they be COOL looking units,…but the new CAPABILITIES that these units would provide to our gameplay:

Recon, Mine Warfare, Small Amphibious Raids or Large Invasions, Fuel or Supply Convoys and their protection, much more depth of choices for combat types, etc., etc.

In my own friendly way,…

I hereby challenge anyone saying they have an interest in seeing these ships produced,…to help make that possible by PRE-ORDERRING 10 Sets.

IMHO if we all did this it should be enough to see that these ships are produced making us all much happier in the process.

“Tall Paul”

How many of each sculpt do you get? BTW i ordered 6 sets.

@Tall:

Well, to me it seems very SIMPLE.  If we want these ship units to be made,…
put your wishes into action and pre-order several sets(10).

You are correct as always. We all need 10 copies each. But one issue may be that the casual player dont have $ 100 to spend right away, so I think a better idea will be to buy 4 copies each, as a start. Coach says he got 26 % of what he need to fund it, so if everbody that have preordered, just sign up for 3 or 4 more, then we will get closer. We all can afford $ 40, thats no big deal. Look at it as an investment, if this set is limited, you can later sell it on E-bay with a nice profit.

Now I will sign up for 4 more. No matter what the rest of you do, if you join Paul and go for a full 10, or just settle with one or two more, its all a contribution to fullfill the task. Any preorder will take us one step closer. So please dont be cheap, spend the extra money and get what you really want.

Thank you

Razor,

I sincerely commend you on your choosing to increase you number of sets pre-orderred.  THANK YOU for making it that much more possible for ALL OF US to enjoy these units.

Although I certainly would NEVER agree that I’m always correct, I hope everyone understood my friendly challenge to pre-order some units, or increase their existing orders.

By doing so it makes the production of these units that much more possible.  And my point about 10 sets was simply to make everyone realize that at this moment there still needs to be a large number of additional pre-orders made before these units will be produced.

Everyone should simply order as many as they feel they can, HOWEVER FEW OR MANY sets that number is, in order to help the project along.  One, two, ten,…whatever they feel the number is they are happy with.

Just remember,…if we order enough of them to get them produced, we can always sell /trade any “surplus” units via Ebay.  I think that would be better than our not orderring enough and NOT having them produced.  We still have some time before any major decisions have to be made.

I want to again say Thanks to the “Coach” for his proposing to make this set/or sets if enough interest is shown.

“Tall Paul”

razor,
i seriously RECOMEND in creasing your perorder ammount……lol im trying to save. i want as many pieces as i can.

@Imperious:

BTW i ordered 6 sets.

Thank you sir, you are a real American Patriot.

I want to start a club for all that have preordered 10 or more sets.
Lets call it Club 10

And we need you to join before dec 1.

GO AHEAD - PREORDER 10 SETS - ITS THE RIGHT CHOICE