WWII: Should a new WOW manufacturer stick with 1/200 WWII miniatures, or go to 1/144

[greenalfonzo]

Topic should be clear.

When a new publisher acquires WOW, should they continue the WWII version with 1:200 scale miniatures to fit the first two series, or should they "start over" with the seemingly very popular and established 1:144 scale?


EDIT:

I intended to post this with a poll attached giving the options, but my computer froze in that part of the post, so only this part went up. If someone knows how I could properly add the choices to the thread, I think it would be useful.

[rote Flügel]

I would say stay the course.. they have already gotten set up for 1/200th scale.. and I already have a few of them.. the change you are asking about puts all many already have out the door and obsolete.. I for one would be angry to have wasted all that money on them.. just my 2 coins..

[Ginarley]

In theory if you change the mini scale you'd need to change the size of the movement cards and range rulers to compensate (since they are presumably at 1:200 scale as well). I always liked that they accounted for the different speeds of the two different versions by making the WWII planes smaller and then moving them the same distance.

[Oberst Hajj]

As one of the players that bought the official planes and went out and bought 40+ 1/144 scale planes, I would actually rather see them stick with 1/200. As rote Flugel pointed out a lot of players would be out a lot of money if they jumped scale. As Ian points out, everything would need to be upscaled to match. While you can play the the current "rules" with 1/144 scale minis, it's not ideal and issues to come up (a B-17 or B-24 belly/dorsal turret can barley shoot past it's own wing tip with the current range stick). Another big issue is that the packaging would also have to be completely changed. That's a big expense and a logistical nightmare when trying to ship both DoW and WoW items in the same containers.

The thing to remember here is that the 1/200 scale was not the issue, it was the releases they picked and the schedule they could not keep. DoW came out in 2007. If they could have given us a new series each year, we would be on Series 4 this year. That would have been 16 different aircraft types. That would have been enough for some really good gaming if they were the correct planes!

[flyingryno]

Keepthings the way they why change a good thing?

[Doug]

I have to agree I would not change to 1/144 scale because of the cost and there are several manufactures out there that make more than enough different aircraft, currently in my view the only thing lacking in DoW is manouver cards for these planes (and DoW models).

[Elianto]

First thing is that probably the company that will rerelease the game will use the same manifacturers for costs otherwise they'll have to restart with preproductions and so on.

Also with the large gaming base already out it will be a suicide to change scale cutting off what I think will be almost 99% of the WOW2 gamers.

[Oberst Hajj]

First thing is that probably the company that will rerelease the game will use the same manifacturers for costs otherwise they'll have to restart with preproductions and so on.

It's unclear at this point, but molds were most likely owned by Nexus. If that is the case, things could get a little tricky with Andrea holding the rights to the game and the parent company of Nexus holding the molds. On the WWII front, that could be really bad news. On the WWI front, it could be kind of good news (if the new company has to come up with their own molds, we could see the hated Scout/2 Seater ratio go bye bye)

[Elianto]

Only Andrea could answer to this issue. Don't know the real situation but maybe if they left all the right to Andrea before closing the company it shouldn't be a problem to use the original manifacturer.

[wargamer]

Well, if they decide to change for whatever reason, it would make more sense to drop to a 288 or 300th scale. Seems it is either smaller scale aircraft or changing the size of the cards (larger) so you can use the faster aircraft everyone wants for the ww2 game.

[bigk57]

What is this Games Workshop? Does someone need a new yacht? Joking of course about the yacht. Nothing kills a game series more than having to re-tool/re-equip your hobby. I think the intent of the original game designers was to keep the models the same size for packaging and shipping. Because the WII planes are larger than the WWI planes in wingspan width. I like the 1/200 scale because of the opportunity of larger unit actions manageability game. I think anything larger or smaller in scale will change your play area. Image DoW on a table tray because of a reduce scale size to 1/600.

[Elianto]

I agree, not very used to WW2 version (just got the deluxe box) but I suppose that reducing the scale you lose visual impact on the game and also the cards will be very hard to manage/handle (the actual size is already really small). Meanwhile using a larger scale will mean that you have to use really bigger tables to get a good game, not practical I believe.

[David Manley]

I always liked that they accounted for the different speeds of the two different versions by making the WWII planes smaller and then moving them the same distance.

I suspect the choice of scale was driven more by what fitted into the existing packaging constraints and the cost of the models rather than considerations like this. the scale of the game is, after all, determined by the cards rather than the models. I'm aware of a few DoW palyers who use 1/300 models rather than 1/200 for space and cost reasons, with no changes to the way the game works.

[greenalfonzo]

I know a few gamers and collectors of 1/144 scale aircraft that show no interest in the WW2 version of WOW, but enjoy the WWI version along with me. I also know a guy that has blown up nice copies of all the cards on a copy machine (along with making a bunch of customs) to use with his 1/144 planes.

I have heard that the WW2 game is not a big seller, and was thinking that with the game going to a new publisher anyway, if they might increase the market with new players, rather than decrease it by losing too many players only 2 series in.

Good point about going smaller. But I'm not sure what kind of existing collector base exists for that scale, while the prepainted 1/144 WW2 market is pretty huge.


NOTE:

I intended to post this with a poll attached giving the options, but my computer froze in that part of the post, so only this part went up. If someone knows how I could properly add the choices to the thread, I think it would be useful.

[CappyTom]

I really like the 200 scale just for portability and storage. Also you can have a large engagement with minimal overlapping. I think they hit a home-run with this one.

Tom

[afilter]

Yes they should change the scale if they truly want to kill the game. Just as WotC when they changed the AAM scale. The game is almost dead and diehards still complain.

I would have been happy with 1/144 if that was the scale to start with. Now a scale change would be very detrimental to the line.

[David Manley]

I wonder if the new Mongoose Star trek game will be a pointer to this? The game is set in the Star Fleet battles universe which has an established range of models to a particualr scale. MGP is releasing a new range of models to a differnet scale. There are already rumblings from players with fleets of the original models, but MGP's view is that this is not an issue for new players and existing players are likely to change scales. Will they? It will be interesting to see.

For me, i'm not fussed as I've not really got into DoW yet (I only have the basic box), and if I did get into miniatures I'd use my 1/300 collection that goes with my micro armies.

[Albert Ross]

The thing to remember here is that the 1/200 scale was not the issue, it was the releases they picked and the schedule they could not keep. DoW came out in 2007. If they could have given us a new series each year, we would be on Series 4 this year. That would have been 16 different aircraft types. That would have been enough for some really good gaming if they were the correct planes!

That's a big 'if' Herr Oberst. It would have required a major change in thinking on their part to produce mainstream models that cover the major types used in one era and campaign instead of expecting folks to be happy pitting Belgian Hurricanes against Japanese Zeros or Wildcats against Italian Stukas

[Oberst Hajj]

Yes, it was a big IF for Nexus, might not be for a new company.

[Albert Ross]

One can only hope! Incomplete ranges and questionable subjects are traditionally a bane of the miniatures gamer, right back to the days of Airfix soldiers (no Confederate cavalry!); this is one reason I never bought into DoW. I already have a lot of 1/144 Pacific and 1/300 scale Battle of Britain aircraft, so don't see any reason to invest in another scale that is haphazard and incomplete for the time being.

[richard m schwab]

I have a piratical view of this! I do not care what scale planes any new owner might release! Short of 1/48 at least! I am happy with my collection of 144 scale planes and have had success playing with them! Players in my games last weekend preferred my 144 scale planes, they have played with the official planes in the past! They also were of an age where anything below a 15mm figure is to small to see!
I hope the new owners release the basic boxed sets, no planes just the long delayed expansions! Then release the minis as separate items as Nexus has done!

Rich

[jhary]

The only models i have right now are the ones from the deluxe set.
But what i see here is a Fight from WW1 for theire 1/144 model against a totaly other set of Game with 1/200 in it. The problem is WW2 dosnot work with 1/144 they are to large. Because the faster and Larger Planes in ww2 the Game area you need is 4 to 5 larger you need then by the WW1 game.

Coud some one please think over his Time Line! Every Time line shoud be staying the way it is.

A change of the Producer of the game is tricky most producers want to make theire unique Style. What kills most time the Complete Game.