Wednesday 2 April 2014

Ogres in the Chop Shop: Nihon Mark 4 WIP



Welcome to the first in a series of Ogre miniatures related post that I am putting up this month.  I had thought about doing an April's Fool post for Ogre, but the idea I had left a bad taste in my mouth, and wasn't funny for any definition of funny that made one laugh; more like crying in frustration from the attitude express here; my post and Phil Reed's reply follows it.

So the picture above shows one of the sample models of the Mark 4 that Steve Jackson Games rejected some time back in the 1990s I guess.  Now assembled and resting on my workbench in all its massive glory.  For me this model goes a little past the line of how big is too big, because it is larger than the Mark 5 and the later Mark 6 models.  So I can see why it wasn't brought to market.  Not only that, but it would cost a small fortune to produce and an even larger one to buy.


As you can I've used neodymium magnets to connect the two halves of the model together, my preferred method of choice nowadays when it comes to Ogres.  The colour scheme for my new Nihon Ogre force is going to be overall pink with purple and orange splinter dazzle, it's going to look awesome.
  

13 comments:

  1. I agree completely with your feelings on SJGs attitude towards Ogre miniatures, I want them to be available and affordable. Other companies can do it with far less popular ranges of figures, why can't it be done with OM?

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    1. Their reply to such questions remains the same; we can't make and sell these at a profit, it will cost us thousands of dollars to expand the range etc.

      I imagine the cost to profit ratio is not attractive to SJG, as they can make far more money, a lot easier, by reprinting Munchkin, but that's just a guess.

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  2. Great idea on the magnet connectors. I hadn't thought of that. Definitely one to steal!

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    1. Go ahead, I stole it from Daniel Jew the Ogre line developer.

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  3. That's why I think they should just sub contract it out, and take a percentage. Then SJG does not have to risk anything, and the other company can do whatever they need to do to generate a profit.

    Or they could release the 3d designs into the public domain and let us print our own from a Shapeways or somewhere.

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  4. My understanding, which may be wrong and only based on speculation and secondary sources, suggest the answer to such a proposal would be "It's Steve's baby." At that point there is no conversation to be had.

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  5. Any way you can post a size comparison pic of that Ogre next to other common scifi minis (whether vehicles or infantry)? I don't really have a frame of reference to judge how big that it.

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    1. I will, but you'll have to wait as I've got a lot of other stuff on my plate to do. Expect something by the end of the month.

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  6. No worries and thanks. I check in regularly!

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  7. Did you ever paint this?

    An amazing score. This particular model is what got me to this page. I'm not into painting - because I'm no good at it, mostly. I'm more about the metal construction. I thought I had a lot of Ogre minis, but your collection is incredible.

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    1. Not finished, but it is a work in progress, and I'm feeling the need to paint some more cybertanks. Over the last three years I've been writing a novel, three in fact, and when one is working for oneself everything that's not work gets put to one side. Currently I have a part-time job and this has taken the pressure off while I wait for the publishers to get back to me about my first novel.

      I'll post an update picture of the Mark 4 soon.

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  8. I know of one other person who has this model - a guy I met on a yahoo forum a long time ago... Grant was his name. Painted his green and blue.

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    1. I know that model. Inspirational paint job.

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