Another StuG Anyone?

[Dave Jones]

I have only recently discovered Armourtek after building plastics and resin's for many, many years. I am about 80% of the way through a Pak 40 build and thoroughly enjoying it. So I started to turn my attention to what was going to be my next Armourtek project, the Elephant looks wonderful. However I live in a small property and the tale of the tape measure told me that if I was to keep my marriage, then the Elephant and by association Tigers and Panthers etc. were a no go. I need something more compact. A StuG? Yes, that will do nicely.

I emailed Monique yesterday to enquire if Armourtek had any plans for a reissue of the StuG? It seems that no plans exist at present although they are currently looking at potential 2018/19 schedule releases.

Quite correctly Armourtek are looking to release kits that will clear their warehouse quickly, so I was wondering if there is any appetite out there for a reissue of the StuG (perhaps a variant with the short barrel 7.5 KwK 37 hoiwitzer?) so that it can be included in their future plans?

Given the success of the Famo campaign (well done everyone) I would like to instigate a similar one for the StuG.

Please reply to this topic if you are seriously interested in purchasing the StuG, this will give the good folks at Armourtek a 'heads up' that a genuine demand exists.

Another StuG anyone?

David.

[Tim Page]

hi David, I would love a Stug, and was after a Panzer 3 or Stug for ages.
I finally managed to get a Panzer 3 which i am rebuilding now.
I would certainly be up for getting a new Stug 3 in the next 12-18 months.
Cheers
Tim

[kevin schirn]

Hi David
I think that would be great I have a FAMO on order but the sizes are always a concern with space I would love a Stug it is time for some of the smaller kits

Let’s hope
Kevin

[Steve Norris]

A Luchs would make a great kit !
Hint,hint
Regards
Steve

[Tim Page]

that is also small, and both are at Bovvy for measuring.
I also really like the Panzer 38T.
hint, hint.
Tim

[Adrian Harris]

I wonder if there would be a way to start a league table of models ? Then as popularity for one model or another grew, AT could work out the costings and put up the number needed to be commercially viable for the kit to be produced.

I would guess things based on the Pz III or Pz IV would be cheaper as the track moulds have already been bought and paid for, so only the links would need to be costed, whereas presumably the FAMO needs all new track moulds to create the larger links.

It might be worth making a new section on the forum for the upcoming releases, rather than end up with 30 threads in here related to all the different tanks/trucks/trailers etc that people might want.

Adrian.

[Dave Jones]

Sorry Guy's can we keep this topic focused on the StuG?

I'd like to get an idea of the interest for this particular vehicle rather than using it as a general 'wish list'.

Cheers.

Dave.

[mark lawson]

I also think the Luchs would be a popular model as would another StugIII ausf G

[Chris Hall]

I wonder if there would be a way to start a league table of models ? Then as popularity for one model or another grew, AT could work out the costings and put up the number needed to be commercially viable for the kit to be produced.

...

It might be worth making a new section on the forum for the upcoming releases, rather than end up with 30 threads in here related to all the different tanks/trucks/trailers etc that people might want.

Adrian.

Sounds like an excellent idea to me, and one that shouldn't just get buried in a non-current topic. It certainly would help Armortek to determine real demand, generating guaranteed cash flow while minimising commercial risk. And we get the toys we really want ! Can I make just one request, though ? Will people start to think outside the 'WW2 German' box, a lot of which has already been delivered ? Why restrict yourselves to a small corner of military expansion over the last 100 years ?

All the best,

Chris

[Mark Heaps]

Sounds like an excellent idea to me, and one that shouldn't just get buried in a non-current topic. It certainly would help Armortek to determine real demand, generating guaranteed cash flow while minimising commercial risk. And we get the toys we really want ! Can I make just one request, though ? Will people start to think outside the 'WW2 German' box, a lot of which has already been delivered ? Why restrict yourselves to a small corner of military expansion over the last 100 years ?

All the best,

Chris

Hi Chris,

Some of us are thinking outside the box. I was contacted by a forum member before the FAMO was confirmed about possible interest in a different model from a different period. Could the same amount of interest be generated amongst the members ?

I think demographics have to be considered before Armortek can consider a potential model financially viable. They are not cheap toys and not something the average young person with kids and a mortgage could afford. My KT in progress was a 50th birthday present to myself. Why the KT for me ? It slaughtered my Shermans on table-top wargaming back in the 70´s / early 80´s ( no internet, no computers, no TV where we were ).

I would suggest Armortek run a on-line survey correlating age with interest in certain models.

Mark

[Stephen White]

My personal comments. They’re the ramblings of a tankie who turned businessman.

WW2 Gernam armour sells. I guess that’s why Kian and Monique now offer the Tiger off the shelf. Undoubtedly German armour will continue to provide a core to Armortek business.

High end luxury business relies on customers willingly parting with large amounts of cash for something they don’t really need (“discretionary sales” in the jargon). Repeat business is difficult to come by and is never enough to sustain the business. Such businesses survive by expanding and diversifying to attract new customers. Armortek’s business is no different and I see evidence that Kian and Monique are already expanding and diversifying.

Armortek is expanding production capacity with a new machine centre, new employees and developing technology. So there should be room for more German stuff in the product mix.

I’d be surprised if Armortek’s plans don’t also include diversifying by expanding the product range in innovative ways. Indeed, we’ve already seen this in the Bailey Bridge.

But here’s the rub. There’s little point expanding the product range if the market isn’t there. Important though current customers are to the business (and our brand loyalty is unusually strong), we’re not the real target audience. Armortek has to attract new customers and they may have different perspectives and desires. They aren’t represented on the Forum as they can’t register.

If the Forum develops into a wish list for existing customers, I think there is a very real danger of deterring potential new customers. Think of this. I’m thinking of taking the plunge.i see that existing customers call the shots on new products. I can see the next few down the line, they’re mostly German WW2 and I don’t want any of them. I’m not going to buy. I’ll take my money elewhere.

That is not to say that I’m sure Kian and Monique’s very much value input from us the existing customers. I’m very conscious that those of us active on the Forum are actuallly unrepresentative of the overall community of existing and potential customers. I’m concerned that by us debating on the Forum, we are likely to distort perceptions in two ways. It might suggest that current customers have more influence on new products than is likely to be the case and that those who are most heard on the Forum represent the overall views of the existing customers. That’s not good for Armortek.

So what? Let’s leave product selection to the Armortek team,who carry the commercial risk. Let’s continue to have passionate and informed debate about our wishes but express those views privately, by PM, email and discussion offline. And before anyone raises the free speech card, it’s worth reflecting that words have consequences, some unforeseen and some unintended.

Now the serious bit’s done, I can rant:

I’m a bit bored with wish lists, am delighted for the FAMO lobby but glad that campaign is behind us and would rather see interesting posts than heated debate about the latest Dusentragerschlepperwhatsit, of which only six were made and they were operationally useless. Yes, I know some people like truck and trailers but if it hasn’t got a big gun, it ain’t. It is Armortek after all. I look forward to better representation of Allied and modern products and I eagerly anticipate being pleasantly surprised by whatever innovation Armortek comes up with. Remember the Comet launch? I don’t think many guessed that one and I’m certain no-one guessed the Bailey. End of rant. Thanks If you’ve got this far.

Stephen

[Chris Hall]

Stephen -

All good arguments. While, like you, I'm impressed with the 'Famo victory' (although it could be likened to the Chinese Water Torture ) I certainly wouldn't like that to become the norm in how Armortek forms a release schedule .....

We all have favourite tanks. Some of them are obviously marketable, some not (is anyone apart from me really interested in a 1924 Vickers Medium ?). But 'wish lists' could provide Armortek with an idea of what would sell in sufficient numbers - useful marketing data, which, in the main, can only come from people already 'inside the tent'. New customers are, of course, the life blood of a company, but it's difficult to determine what their drivers are in a niche luxury market. Sometime it's a period (like me with WW1), sometimes a particular tank, sometimes a big gun / turret, possibly just the engineering challenge.

There's also nationality. As you say, German WW2 will always be a top seller. But, especially on the show circuit, it's nice to have a balance. And that would probably be completely different between (say) the UK and the US, the former liking a Crusader or a Churchill which would probably leave the latter stone cold.

Diversification is a key target. Personally I'm not wedded to big guns (the Lewis's on my Mark IV's are testament to that !), and the success of the Quad has shown there is a market for soft skins in relation to Kompact Kits. So I see lots of scope there.

So, to stop wittering on, I'm happy to leave the final choice to Armortek although I don't see any problem in having debates like this (which should, perhaps, be in the Off Topic section). It's down to the company to determine the items they can build which will deliver their growth targets in their chosen marketplaces. And also which historical items they can do justice to in 1/6th, both externally and internally (getting batteries and all the option packs in).

Hopefully a friendly open debate can help to hit some of those targets as long as it doesn't become too strident and demanding ?

All the best,

Chris

[Phil Woollard]

Sorry about hijacking a good thread but to add a few words some of which apply to All of us at some point in our life.

Marketing in all it's forms, customer satisfaction, value, listen, don't listen, evaluate, experiment, diversification (not all your eggs in one basket) and the most important thing because without it nothing happens, make money!
I'm sure Armortek do all of these. Long live Armortek as it keeps me sane

And here's a nice Stug

[Tim Semas]

I would be interested in a Stug III, i'd also be interested in a Panzer IV, T34 or KV1. I may also pick up an un built 251 if one pops up. I'm not going to think outside the WWII box. This is my hobby, and i'm sticking to it. I believe a survey or vote would be good, and revisiting older kits should also be done too. It's like there's a Tiger every year, while other tanks that will sell just as well are passed over. In the 1/6 WWII world, there's a lot more German vehicles around than there are Allied. Maybe revisit the Shermans and T34s. People are always looking for them on the forum.