The Commander Series Forum

Don't know where this should go or how common knowledge it is (or even if people want to know), but Maelstrom and Battlefront have had a bit of a fallout so Maelstrom won't be stocking Battlefront Minis anymore. They're clearing the last of their stock at 25% off with a voucher code.

All the info is here

http://www.maelstromgames.co.uk/index.php?act=n...

I'm not surprised. A friend of mine, who runs the store I usually go to, has been having problems with BF for some time now. I guess they made changes to how orders are shipped in the States and really screwed up delivery times.

Sounds like they want more of the pie themselves and would rather people ordered direct from NZ or paid the full retail price.

Mental.

Both Wargames Emporium and Wayland discount BF products as per Maelstrom, however Maelstrom regularly run additional 10 to 15% discounts on top which has pissed off BF. I suppose they feel Maelstrom is using un-fair pricing policies.

Adrian

Been following a TMP thread about this, I'm no legal expert but it sounds like Battlefront were verging on price fixing and Maelstrom refused, as they saw it, to breach UK laws.

I think you're right: BF *appear* to be trying to progress on a price-fixed basis [Rob's open letter on the Maelstrom site indicates this] - which would seem to be in breach of existing UK legislation.

Not that I'm *that* worried cos 15mm is entirely wrong anyway

Yep - it is Heresy!

BF only used to sell to bricks and mortar stores, this is the main reason I think. Personally, I don't blame 'em for doing this.

There are a lot of reasons this could happen. The legal one above being a big one, but, from what my friend has told me, overall, BF has never been the easiest company to work with. When FOW was starting out they were slow on deliveries, and then when they changed how they ran shipping in N. America I guess it became downright abysmal. Sales have also drastically slowed down, maybe people were coming to their senses and realized that there are much better WWII games out there then FOW.

I stopped by his store today and he is getting rid of the FOW stuff he has left over as well. I didn't see any mark downs, but if I asked he probably would have made a deal. Like I would...the only real scale for wargaming is 6mm after all. I just wish he would stock GHQ.

That's interesting. Another point is that people have less money to spend at the moment. Here in the UK, we are being screwed tighter than ever by the government and the oil companies

Pete I think brick & mortar stores get preferential terms and although Maelstrom have a retail counter at their warehouse/tournament location it is pretty clear that online sales are their main source of income. To quote the ad in WI 'the world's leading online wargames & hobby retailer, times infinity plus one' Their promotions have probably not only put BF's nose out of joint but also a number of retailers across the globe who cannot sell to the locals as cheaply as a company thousands of miles away. I in no way support BF's pricing policy but feel that Maelstrom may well have pushed this one too far. I'm going to carry on buying most of my stuff from FiB/Skytrex/Peter Pig/QRF and following on from a purchase made at Cavalier a lot more from Essex. BF stuff will only be purchased by me when on clearance in Hobbycraft or show deals as before but with FiB increasing their range I foresee less need for BF products for me anyway.

I hate to sound thick, but "FiB" are..?

Forged in Battle

http://www.forgedinbattle.com/

The best 15mm WWII available IMHO

If maelstrom are to be belived they have been running loads of FOW tornys thus really getting behind the range, I think BF have got this badly run.

It sounds to me like a company that has had some amount of success is now throwing their weight around. I would also be a little more careful about that whole "you are a small account, so you leaving will only be a monthly blip" attitude. Because, as I have mentioned before this is not an isolated incident, if they tick off enough of the small retailers then they will lose money in the long run.

Also, putting the news that BF was dropping Maelstorm on their website well before they informed MS is really bad form business wise if you ask me.

I say chaps, sorry to hijack your thread, but I just wanted to tell Nik and that David fellow (KiwiDave? - must be from Australia) that 15mm is the only scale for a true gentlemen playing WW2. By heavens yes.

You're so last century Keith

"...that 15mm is the only scale for a true gentlemen playing WW2."

Heathen. 6mm is the scale for the true WWII connaisseur.

"You're so last century Keith"

Well he would have to be to play WWII.

I do sometimes play 6mm but I always feel dirty afterwards.

Thread well and truly hijacked

Yeah. Apologies to James. I hope this disturbance in the (Battlefront Miniatures) force doesn't affect Games of War, who provide an excellent source for F0W products. I'll be needing them for some Polish reinforcements in the near future.

And thanks James for pointing out the bargains.

Bloody hell, I wondered who this James character was for a moment there!

It's like Kiwidave said, I'm so last century. Referring to someone as By-Tor just isn't in me.