GHQ Models Forums

I was thinking that an innovative way for GHQ to produce more new items that fill in the gaps and at the same time make commercial sense would be to create what could be labelled as "rare packs" which contain say 5 different type items which are all related to the period of interest. Perhaps only the parts that are necessary to modify existing miniatures need be included.

For example a rare pack for the Arab - Israeli forces could consist of:

1) 100mm gun turret to convert T3485 into the Egyptian T34-100
2) 105mm turret to convert T55 to the Israeli Ti67
3) 122mm gun turret to convert T3485 into Egyptian 122mm SP gun
4) Floor insert and weapons to convert M3 halftrack to Israeli 20mm SPAA
5) 85mm AT gun with self propulsion unit to allow it move at infantry rate

Other items that come to mind could include; 122mm gun designed for adaption to T3485 chassis as Syrian SP artillery, infantry manning saggers, RCR and mortars for attachment to APCs, etc.

What do you think?

For 2) we are giving Chinese Type 69 I a shot at representing Ti67, fume extractor is half-way down the barrel which IMHO is going to be close enough at this scale.

I don't know if "rare packs" would make commercial sense. By definition they are not going to sell large volumes so profit margin would likely be small at best. I'd be happier (and I think GHQ can easily make a profit) if there were Arab/Israeli combat commands or battle boxes for 67 and 73.

"if there were Arab/Israeli combat commands or battle boxes for 67 and 73."

Having just ordered enough, single, packs to put together an Israeli Mech battalion, and tank battalion, I would certainly order this. I have mentioned such an idea on the forum before a few times. It really surprises me that GHQ doesn't have CC's or Battle Boxes for this era.

I would have to think that just about anything that is specific to this era would be a fairly good seller. I enjoy historical armor scenarios but not just WWII and the Arab/Israeli wars represents one of the very few options for large scale battles with any kind of equality of forces.
GHQ makes plenty of other items that have a pretty small market of interest. Some of the more esoteric WWII german items come to mind. How many Maus or E-100s do you really think they sell? So I am not sure "profit margin" really is a convincing argument.
What I see are some pretty gaping holes for a line with a lot of opportunity for gaming. That begs the question, if the line were more complete would more people game that era? Kind of a chicken or the egg question, I guess.

I think that the idea that stand behind to make profitable stuff like the maus and the stuka zu fuss, for examble (just bought some ), is that this "funny" stuff keeps the afficionate customer to buy GHQ when his armies are almost complete and he need some new particular equipment or he want to add some variety. This "rare" equipment are profitable, because the average WW2 player first buys loads of phanters and PzIV, so at the end, even a Maus became profitable, because among the thousands of WW2 players, at least some hundreds will buy the Maus at the end.

On the other hand, the arab israely is an amazing period, but it is not wargamed as much as WW2 or European cold war and general modern. It is still a "niche" market.

While I think it is a great idea, I'm afraid it's not very viable. As GHQ have explained elsewhere on this forum, it is a long hard process for them to create the masters and moulds for new items. That process is viable if a pack with a single vehicle type or item is produced, but for a 'rare pack' GHQ would have to make different masters and five different moulds. That means these sort of packs are rarely viable, which is one of the reasons we don't have a decent pack with some decent looking civilian vehicle types in it yet.

Some new packs and battleboxes would be very welcome though as the period really has a lot of great wargame possibilities.