commonwealth light weight uniforms, NA, Italy etc. Would be good to see more relaxed poses, mabey tank riders?

Animals (dogs (both working and stray), cats, rats, farm animals. etc…)

Really gives that dio. the "lived in look".

Firestorm Hobbies down under already has some Aussie figures (Vietnam era) available in resin - great quality too. But your dead right a few more in dynamis poses sure wouldn't go astray.
http://www.firestormmodels.com/store/cart.php?target=product&product_id=13221&category_id=133

http://www.firestormmodels.com/store/cart.php?target=product&product_id=13195&category_id=133

http://www.firestormmodels.com/store/cart.php?target=product&product_id=13222&category_id=133

http://www.firestormmodels.com/store/cart.php?target=product&product_id=13223&category_id=133

http://www.firestormmodels.com/store/cart.php?target=product&product_id=13194&category_id=133

http://www.firestormmodels.com/store/cart.php?target=product&product_id=13192&category_id=133

I would like to second the request for more modern figures, starting from the Vietnam era and onwards. Things like IDF, Egyptian, Syrian, Iraqi, Lebanese, militia-men, etc...

Also, some civilians... both WW II and modern.

Civilian Arabs to use for the Iraqi scene (But please not the stereotypical Arab wearing a gown and slippers!! Just regular guys in shirts, pants and regular shoes/sneakers). Also, different ages and sizes.. middle-aged men with a bit of a gut.. maybe a bald guy.. another with a beard. Variety always looks more real.

General requests... "Variety" in sizes. Sleeves rolled up. Shirts not neatly tucked in. Shirts off. Bare feet (in some resting positions). Some faces with moustaches.

Finally... Good luck with your venture.
Hisham

How about some Norht Vietnamese AFV crew? We have the vehicles but not the crew for them.

Thanks in advance,
Angel

soldiers, tankers all nationalites/WW2 sleeping or taking a nap in the vehicle!
and soem soviet post war ( or ww2)troops!

It's a great opportunity which I hereby support with a suggestion:

Please do some modern German soldiers as seen in Afghanistan or Kosovo. With full IdZ (Infanterist der Zukunft) gear and weapons. I don't care if they are shown in action or just patrolling or standing Maybe a nice driver figure for the new Revell Germany Wolf kit?

Thanks

Michael, Italeri have already announced crews for the boats.

Back on topic, one thing are suggestions, another thing is backing them up with correct data. Everyone can pontificate on what THEY want in figures, unless the sculptor has good reference it all becomes a pointless exercise.

Nor are suggestions any use unless they're firmly put into the 'Financial Reality' - will they actually sell? Are there sufficient vehicles to support these releases and encourage their sales?

I would tend, on a practical level, to suggest Modern figures as with the increasing range of Strykers, LAVs etc. (along with IDF vehicles) then this I believe is the starting point. A lot of the suggestions are already 'doable' with existing figures - most of the Arab states use Soviet uniforms (or variations) so I'd see little practicality in releasing even more of these - they're sufficiently 'generic' to make duplication unnecessary.

I wouldn't touch WWII Allied figures (apart from Pat's suggestions) unless the company is prepared to repeat well-covered terrain.

I'd go for the more 'specialized' market - those who're prepared to spend money on Stryker Conversions are more likely to spend more on good resin figures. Those who build strictly OOB, perhaps less so.

It may also sound like 'heresy' amongst some, but what we need is a company who is prepared to compete with Hornet in headsets along with such items as packs of resin hands. Hornet are the best, but are becoming VERY expensive...

As an 'addendum' to my previous comments, one thing that IMO kills a new company is NOT maintaining a steady rythmn of new releases. Too many companies release a couple of new figures and then it's months before they have anything else. You get an initial 'Wow!' factor and then their name is forgotten. With each of the new releases they have to effectively re-launch. Personally I think it's better to launch with around six releases and have another twelve to launch over the next 2-3 months. A big capital investment but I believe that since there's so much competion, you have to make a HUGE (initial) impact...

Jim,

With italerie releasing the figure sets for the 1/35th scale boats are they to release resin or plastic figures?

As to anyone who has used italerie figures in plastic they seem to be
quite scary so to speak .
The quality on there vehicles and boats has been superb but as to the figures I do not see any people running out and utilsing the 1/35th scale bofors crew for example.

Michael, plastic - i've actually seen them, the quality is pretty good in fact.

French CAVALRY tank crews, the ones who didn't wear leather jackets. We have loads of BCC crews already. There's a great article in Armes Militaria 253 on the subject of French tank crew clothing with photos of re-creations.

David

Dutch resin WOII 1940 soldiers in action posses. That what I like and need! But yeah, understandable Dutch WOII soldiers are a niche market. Dragon made a kit of german paratroopers invading the Netherlands, together with the two figures Robert already mentioned, that is at least something and also very usable.

I would like to have some Dutch soldiers at the defence of the Afsluitdijk, the large dike between the province of Friesland and Noord-Holland in the northern part of the Netherlands. Recreation of that only defence line in the Netherlands that could withstand the invading forces is one of my favourite 'want to make eagerly ' -subjects. Especially as I am from that area.



Jelger

Hey Jim,

Don't dangle the carrot in front of me .

let me know if you want some sample's painted up for a review .

Thanks

What would be useful, would be some RAF and RN Commanders heads.

As far as research goes I'd recommend a visit to the Imperial War Museum Photo Gallery if thinking of doing anything British/Commonwealth. There are thousands of pics. These are just a few of troops in Italy:











So as far as British and Commponwealth subjects go provided the individual is prepared to do a little research then finding subjects shoudln't be too much of a problem.

I think the key to the success of any figures are their useability. If the figure will fit more than one event, more than one vehicle, more than one theatre of operations then I think you are well on the way to a success. It's one reason I like the N African and Italian camapign, not only are their numerous orders of dress but many can be used in NWE if in shirt sleeve order and trousers.

Good luck look forward to seeing what, if anything comes to life.

Al

Post 2005 U.S. Army in ACUs with the new ACH helmet. There are lots of soldiers in the old desert camo, but only 2 or 3 in new uniform.

Here are a few areas where I would like more figures:

-More british figures please, and actually firing weapons with not a cup of tea in sight!
-Brit tank riders would also be cool.

-a Japanese SPG crew for the Type 1 - 3 SPG's?

-Warsaw uprising figures

-Gulf war (both) Iraqi and British troops

-WW1 figures for all sides

Thats all I can think of for now,

James

I would love to see some more British figures, especially modern ones, infantry, drivers, afv crews etc, with the osprey armour and all the new kit they've got in Afghanistan and Iraq. British WW2 troops and afv crew's are good aswell. Anything British!!
Thanks for this opportunity, look forward to seeing whatever you decide to do, 'cough'British'cough' Nick

PS, there is a wealth of photos here

I would like to see some modern Canadian inf/afv crew figures as well but I also notice a distinct lack of cultural diversity in modern figures (WW2+).

GB

Have to agree with what Jim has said-lots of nice suggestions, but some things are way to specialized. I can think of hundreds of figures subjects that I would like, but sadly they arent going to make any money from producing figures that just a couple of people want. Polish figures for example are a nice idea, but for the mainstream of the hobby i cant imagine many people model Polish stuff, and I'm sure that the German fans would only want some captured Poles. I think its good to produce figures, for which there are a matching number of vehicles:
M1A1/ M2 crew in the armored vehicle crew body armor
1970's IDF centurion crew
1970's IDF infantry
Modern IDF infantry
Modern US special forces Humvee crew(seated)
Modern special forces in action
Modern US truck crews
Delta force ala 1993 Mogasdishu
US Rangers " "
Modern US infantry figures from around the initial Iraq invasion(Thunder run!)
Modern Brits in A stan and Iraq
Modern Canadian infantry/AFV crews would appeal to a lot of people
I think Vietnam has been done to death by Dragon, Verlinden, Hobby Fan and a few other companies so I wouldnt bother going there. Except perhaps a Pibber crew, or some wounded GI's.
British ww2 recieving medical attention
British WW2 truck drivers
British tank riders
Desert rats in dynamic poses-we got basic infantry, hows about guys cutting wire, mine clearance, bofers crew, wounded, digging in, mechanics etc
captured Afrika Corps and Desert rats
101st Airborne BOB, holding the line at Bastogne etc
Captured Americans
Captured french
Captured Russians
Wounded Russians

Those are just a few ideas I could come up with of figures that would fit right in with many of the vehicle releases on the market today. I think you need to decide who you wish to appeal to: Figure modelers, armor models or diorama guys. You will find that each of those groups have different interests, figure modelers seem to like less dynamic poses, I would class some of Alpines stuff as appealing more to just figure painters. Whereas the diorama builders/ armor modelers I imagine will want figures that can be used to convey a story or a scene. I might be wrong but I believe most of what I have listed about would be good subjects that would sell. Obviously there is some bias toward modern stuff, but ive tried to list stuff that isnt already available and based on the interest ive seen of these vehicles would sell. Also modern reference is damn easy to come by. But anyway, i wish the best of luck to these guys and hope they come up with some cool releases!

Being I Greek,
I would like to see some Greek (or Hellenic) Army tankers from the '60s until today.
Their uniforms look alot like American and German (ΗΕΕR) ones
Also, some more modern tanker sets would be welcomed:
from Vietnam era, Cold War, 1st Gulf War and Modern,
US, OK, German and other NATO members, Soviet and Warsaw Pact.
It sounds like a big deal and it is so, but I think they will all be popular subjects.
Stavros Soulis
Athens, Greece

I'd love to see some modern aussies. There are some great ref. photos over at militaryphotos.net and they'd appeal to both dio modellers and figure painters (you've got to love that camo). You can paint the figures to represent soldiers serving in Iraq or East Timor which immediately increases the potential market (perhaps some changable heads with those distinct aussie kepis and shemaghs for the desert and bush hats/ bareheads/baseball caps for Timor). Because of the cut of the uniform, aussies are rather tricky to convert from existing figures unlike many others.
And if by some miracle somebody produces a 6x6 Landy..........ah, it's good to dream!

Sure would like to see some 1/35 surrendering German tank crew sets. None are presently available as far as I know.
John Bardwell