Ronnie has just returned from the United States, and all he can talk about is what a great time he had while he was over there.
He was out there to show off the mantic products at one of the biggest gaming conventions on the circuit, Gencon. Ronnie was well recieved and so was mantic, with our stock flying off the shelves, we had sold out by the end of the event.
We thought you might like this Beasts of War interview:
In our first blog of today (Part 5 of Zombie week coming this afternoon!) Ronnie shows us how he persuades new found talent to sign a contract…….
In our first blog of the day (Part 4 of Zombie week coming this afternoon!) Ronnie demonstrates his preferred method of head-hunting new talent…….
We’re feeling pretty good at Mantic Towers at the moment but it still feels like something is missing. The sensible thing to do seemed to be to have a management meeting…
Hmm apparently, they do!
One chap on the first days of Dwarf week one wrote a great post on the forum, it went thus:
Brandlin
I’m a huge dwarf fan so I am really hoping you do this properly! Here are a few hints for you and Bob Naismith.
* Dwarfs have knees, and they can see their own!
* There is no such thing as a dwarf berserker.
* Dwarfs have beards but they are not stupid enough to grow them so long they fall over them.
* There is no such thing as a dwarf berserker.
* You don’t have to do dwarfs with guns but if you do then at least make them look like early experimental gunners. and give us the option of crossbowmen too!
* There is no such thing as a dwarf berserker.
* If you have to do cavalry then they ride bears, not sheep or goats or any of that nancy-boy rubbish you get from west wind! Oh, and do them in PLASTIC not metal.
* There is no such thing as a dwarf berserker.
* If you do artillery and feel you have to do a cannon then at least give us something to pull the damned thing!
* There is no such thing as a dwarf berserker.
Looking at the Dwarfs I think we pretty much nailed his comments (and I am avoiding the Dwarf cavalary discussion for another blog!), however, I think we have missed his subtle point about the Dwarf berserkers – I hope this picture changes his mind!
Ronnie takes us through the Dwarf Ironclads – not to be missed!
What do you guys think?
PS: A day to go ’til you know when!
Since our Elves hit the shelves about 6 months ago we have generated quite a bit of conversation and comment – and hurrah for that! The Hobby is all about choice and opinion (and lots of soldiers – obviously!!). At Mantic we read and give thought to it all – and as you can see for the forum we don’t edit or moderate topics that criticise or comment on the models or what we are doing (well, mostly true – we do sometimes we go round to critic’s houses and jump on their armies!).
There is one thread and comments that I have seen here and on other forums that is worth a thorough answer. I’ll try and give it an answer here:
Question: Why Metal, (and why is that more expensive than I want Mantic to be?)
1) We are a plastic toy soldier company! That is the end goal, and where we will get too. However this takes time and money. We are putting out in plastic all the core regiments for an army. We then add some elites, cavalry and heroes – until we can get these made in plastic – so you can build and complete your army. While these few bits of metal are more expensive than plastics – they are still much cheaper than the competition – compare the price of 5 metal Mantic Cavalry with other metal fantasy cavalry units on the market . This also means the average price of a large army is still very low – because warmachines, and huge infantry blocks are available in plastic at great prices.
We also get to sculpt some really interesting pieces – that would not be viable in plastic. In the coming months you will see some truly fantastic metal sculpts, to support the incredible new Undead plastic range. A few heroes, and some big interesting, characterful pieces. In time we will add more and more plastic (Zombies, anyone?) to the Undead range, as we will to all our armies – until you can buy the fantasy battle army of your choice in metal at a great price.
In three months our Dwarf army comes out (more, much more on this from next week onwards!) – and again you will be able to buy the core of a Dwarf Army for £30 ($60 and E40), two of these sets plus some great metal add-ons will give you well over 100 models, including characters and 4 warmachines – enough for a fantastic force.
Please do keep posting and discussing everything you like (and don’t like!). We read most, if not all, of what everyone writes, and we try to respond through the forums and blog as we can.
Until then, thanks for looking and supporting Mantic. Please keep spreading the work, buying the models and making your local gaming store stock it (again more on this next time). Until we have it all in plastic, we will keep working to make Mantic a Hobby company whose armies you enjoy buying – always fantastic models at great prices (even if a few are in metal!).
Thanks for the feedback, please keep it coming.
PS: Free shipping is back again by the way, please use the FREEDELWW code at the checkout by popping it in the correctly labelled box.
Hello,
Ronnie here,
I realised it had been a while since I sat and wrote a missive. We’ve been posting some great pictures up, the sculptors, artists and painters are really starting to turn out some incredible work – we just received the model from the Vampire on his Undead steed, and it is fantastic. However, I think a good blog is a more like a Journal than a scrap book. Sometimes you need a little reflection amongst all the hustle and bustle of cool new models.
Cutting to the chase, I am having feelings I haven’t had for some years now – rather too many, in fact! I am getting really, really excited about toy soldiers again. Now that might sound odd from someone who has just set up a hobby company – but please let me explain.
For the last 15 months we have been absolutely flat out designing boxes and sprue sizes, Mantic Points and Warmachines, metal and plastic (and resins), bases and weapons and, and, and…we have not had any time to actually enjoy the models, and dream a little.
And Fantasy war-gaming is all about dreaming – imagining yourself leading a huge horde into battle to defeat the evil upstart/the goodie two-shoes <delete as appropriate>. After all, the imagination bit is exactly why we do fantasy right?
Ok, interlude for Toy soldier porn…
…now back on with the ramblings of an old gamer…
So, I am getting excited – for two reasons:
Firstly, we are pulling together our first book, and it is going to talk about a huge and epic battle between two forces, it will examine the why, and how and who. The armies will all be looked at in the book, set among concept art, background on the big players at the battle and lots of glorious photography (I know we have not given you enough great shots of our models – well all that is about to change). The guys over at Army Painter are just putting the finishing touches to the undead legion – and the whole project has just got me thinking about hobby projects and big battles and the such. ( Talented volunteers always sought to build scenery and interesting conversions 
Secondly, we are currently in the middle of releasing Mantic’s second army (the Undead, in case you missed it!). So finally the dream of ‘Really Big Battles’ is not far away. Combine that with the realism of our models and suddenly I am having tingles I have not had for many a year. We are now so close to having Napoleonic size battles – a truly awe-inspiring ensemble of colours and regiments, with dead figures and cavalry, and batteries of war machines all lined up and ready for war – and while it is fantasy is is real fantasy – you can suspend your disbelief. It is that moment that has rekindled my interest in fantasy wargaming – the scale and majesty and the believability of the whole event.
I know there are others out there who share the passion for epic battles (I think Madan Mitra has some big plans for Salute this year with a large number of Mantic models!), and we will be taking the Undead – Elf battle on the road to many of the Wargame shows this year – so please come by and see it – or better yet – do one yourself.
So, now I just need one of the armies I collect to be released by Mantic and I can pick up my paint brush, hmmm…
Ronnie ( a dwarf man)
p.s. please go and buy something while we have the free shipping offer – everyone should own a pack of the Skeletons or Ghouls! Perhaps in a nice bag?