Plastic Playing Pieces

If we do get our own run of pieces going, I would like to suggest that we mould a Pz. IV for the German tank. I dislike using the Panther because it didn’t show up until 1943. While the Pz. IV was in service from beginning to end in some variant.

I’m in for $50.

@DrLarsen:

I put together pieces from TT, Eagle, Xeno, TWG and all my own considerable collection for plastic HO’s to find the best possible piece in every category I can think of… Give me more piece options and I will buy at least some, and maybe 4 or 5 copies if they fit what I’m looking for especially well.  Glad to see TT weighing in, as I like your pieces very much from a quality angle

Ditto for me, and I look forward to buying one or more sets of whetever new pieces TT is planning to produce.

CWO Marc

Im in for $500.00

not a typo

I’d consider buying a set but not as high as $500.00

He doesn’t want one set for $500.  He wants ten sets!

@Bierwagen:

I’m in!

I too spent the big bucks on “The War Game” pieces.  They are quite nicely done, unfortunately not to the same scale – and my US player refused to play with Tigers.

Perhaps the folks over at FieldMarshalGames are willing to stick thier necks out and get some nicely sculptured pieces made.

Anyone know Jeff well enough to get him to tell us what landmines to avoid when starting down this path of creating custom scultpures?

I have read this entire thread.  I have been moving towards making this product since the release of COMBAT DICE.  It will take about 6 months to get the product to market.  Others may do it but Field Marshal Games is committed to doing it right… the first time … for the AAA community  (Whatever the cost).  We have been working on another project (TOP SECRET) but I think because of this tread we are going to push the pieces project ahead now.

The issues we have are the following:

a) We need to make all the parts at the same time (Cheaper that way), including base set and the “expansion pieces”.  We need the community to agree on a set WITHIN REASON. The bigger it is the greater the cost.

b) We need sculpts!  We can up-scale or down scale any part but we need sculpts.  If we have these we can move forward faster.  We are willing to give a FREE or discounted set to anyone who aids with this.

c) We need legal council; Will our company be sued into non-existence if we make these?  Any professional legal council from the community would be appreciated.

Those of you that know us, are aware we are just fans who make cool stuff…  not a huge company making lots of $$$.  The end product is something we are happy to use on our own game tables, and breaking even is OK!

Please contact me Jeremy [at] Field Marshal games (e-mail) if you can aid in any of the above and if you would be interested in getting a set OR even placing a pre-order to get this moving.

Thanks

That sounds pretty sweet.

i think the base set just needs to cover the re-modeling of all of the pieces that come with AA50. also keeping in mind that some people don’t have some of the other games (AAE, AAB, etc) to pull pieces from

If I place a pre-order, must I pay the bucks now ?

@Adlertag:

If I place a pre-order, must I pay the bucks now ?

We will not start taking money until we have everything ready to go fro production.  I will start ANOTHER thread about this project when the time comes.  For now we just need to address the issues I stated above.  Any help would be great.

@FieldMarshalGames:

c) We need legal council; Will our company be sued into non-existence if we make these?  Any professional legal council from the community would be appreciated.

Excellent.

I believe that I’ve read a post from Imperial Leader that states that if you are making your own sculpts, ie, not simply copying, that you would be completely in the clear legally.  And not that I’m wanting to confirm/deny IL’s legal counsel status, but from a layman’s point of view (that’d be me), if you make your own sculpts, there should be no problem in making/selling your own pieces.
–maybe you want to change the name slightly or don’t use AH’s logos and such…

Anybody can make pieces and everybody does.

make piece sets with table tactics would be a good idea and split the costs and rewards.

Start with pieces that work as all the various technology pieces for the AA games:

Mech infantry, heavy bombers, jet fighters, super subs, rockets,etc…

and also make the missing AA50 pieces for Italy ( Naval) plus other new sculpts that people complain about

Allied Artillery
Japanese Battleship ( kongo class)
etc.

Make new factory pieces in national colors and AA guns in national colors? perhaps less important

package it with rules and a possible scenario as an add on to the game ( just don’t mention it by name) or optional rules.

Comment about legal issues:

A good friend of mine is a lawyer that specilizes in business / corperate law.  When I presented our case (pun intended) he said look at what the company Mad Catz does with Nintendo Wii, Microsoft X-Box 360 and Sony Playstation.

They simply make “tools” that work with those systems that the owning companies do not.  They don’t pretend to the official company they got there logo’s stamped all over their products.

He also said the same goes for aftermarket parts for vehicles.  He reminded me of what my company did this year.  My company wanted to buy fog light upgrades for 6 new Toyota Tundra’s we bought this year.  Toyota doesn’t make any such kit.  You get it from the factory with or without them.

We purchased aftermarket kits through a local Toyota dealer and they installed them.

Long post short:  You / we just can’t come across like we are the official Avalon Hill / WOTC / Harris Game Design groups.  We have to clearly state that we are (or Field Marshal Games in this case) is who they are and are not pretending to be another legal entity.

LT

@LT04:

Comment about legal issues:

A good friend of mine is a lawyer that specilizes in business / corperate law.  When I presented our case (pun intended) he said look at what the company Mad Catz does with Nintendo Wii, Microsoft X-Box 360 and Sony Playstation.

They simply make “tools” that work with those systems that the owning companies do not.  They don’t pretend to the official company they got there logo’s stamped all over their products.

He also said the same goes for aftermarket parts for vehicles.  He reminded me of what my company did this year.  My company wanted to buy fog light upgrades for 6 new Toyota Tundra’s we bought this year.  Toyota doesn’t make any such kit.  You get it from the factory with or without them.

We purchased aftermarket kits through a local Toyota dealer and they installed them.

Long post short:  You / we just can’t come across like we are the official Avalon Hill / WOTC / Harris Game Design groups.  We have to clearly state that we are (or Field Marshal Games in this case) is who they are and are not pretending to be another legal entity.

LT

Thanks for looking into this for us.  It was a big help.  Being “the little guy” I dont want to kill this company on one product.  I have also been advised that you can use the term “for (Enter product here)” and you are safe.

Also you can’t use any copyright LOGOs, art work etc…

My mind is being set at ease.  I am excited to get moving on this.

You have to state:

“This is not an authorized Axis and Allies expansion.”

And also don’t mention AA or any of its rules except very briefly.

Many official company’s make AA products for many years.

As for me the pieces i am most interested in and will pay for are the following  (all in AA50 Colors of course)
  Italy Navy/Air force/ Artillery
and these additional pieces for each country.
  Half tracks (mechanized infantry)
  Blockhouses (or some other shore defense unit)
  Troop Transport Plane (used for paratroopers, Bombers shouldn’t and didn’t carry paratroopers)

Other Notable pieces I would love to buy, but are perhaps slightly less marketable so you would probably produce in a smaller quantity
Soviet Navy
Nation specific allied destroyers and artillery
Technology Pieces like Jets, rockets, ect. (nation specific would be nice)
Blue French Pieces may not be a bad idea either, but perhaps you should poll this one first.

I would suggest that you sell the product in two sets.
Set #1 - Includes Italy Pieces (and any other sculpts you make for existing countries like new allied destroyers & artillery)
Set #2 - Expansion Pack for peoples own Creations which would include everything else you decide to make, presumibally the most commonly added pieces mentioned above as well as pieces for technology upgrades.

Your product will have the most market appeal if you create nation specific pieces in AA50 colors.