I like this game, but.......

[Terry Bailey Sr]

Why is it that some models are impossible or near impossible to get. I am not talking about gencon exclusives or such.

I am talking about models like Doppelganger and others. I tried my local store, online stores, ebay etc. I eventually got one

from England. It is not just that model it is several others. Why is there such a problem with this. From what I have noticed

it does not seem to be just and out of stock issue, it seems that it has been an issue on certain models for months on end. I can understand

popular models being temporarily out of stock, but this seems longer than normal with other companies. Can someone give me some insight?

[Karl]

Can't help, but I've had a similar experience. I've been waiting for Izamu to be restocked and shipped for almost a month now.

[dancater]

Wyrd is still a fairly small company in the greater scheme, I think it has fewer than 25 full time employees, not certain on that but I am certain they do not approach the larger gaming monoliths in size.  Thus they do not (and cannot) match the larger companies production volumes.

Also they have a (I think overly optimistic) release schedule for this year with a new Malifaux book, the Other Side and new Through the Breach edition alongside releasing the the models still holding over from last years book.

Furthermore I've found that retailers are more intermittent with stocking Malifaux, while other notable (bigger volume) games have regular re-stock I find Malifaux is less easy to find with some stores stocking only a small range (or not at all) and re-stock only on demand.  In addition often the owners don't regularly play and especially with certain models (like the Doppelganger) do not recognize its popularity in play from any other model in the range, the "standard stock" is frequently some basic boxes and maybe a odd flashy big monster.

All told the end result is exactly the problem you've experienced.  Immensely frustrating, I feel your pain.  

[solkan]

1 hour ago, dancater said:

Wyrd is still a fairly small company in the greater scheme, I think it has fewer than 25 full time employees, not certain on that but I am certain they do not approach the larger gaming monoliths in size.  Thus they do not (and cannot) match the larger companies production volumes.

I think you're working from the wrong production model.  If Wyrd as still producing metal figures, its number of full time employees might matter.

Unless Wyrd owns plastic injection machinery to produce its plastic figures, that production (running the molds using the injection machinery) is being done by contract.  But that adds turn around delays and shipping delays when any given inventory item starts running low.

And that puts "matching the production volumes" of some other company as a matter of money, not full time staff.

[mythicFOX]

<modhat>

Moved the thread to the correct part of the forum.

Cary on.

</modhat> 

[Terry Bailey Sr]

Thanks for moving this to the proper place. I guess I am just Arcanist at heart.

[santaclaws01]

11 hours ago, solkan said:

I think you're working from the wrong production model.  If Wyrd as still producing metal figures, its number of full time employees might matter.

Unless Wyrd owns plastic injection machinery to produce its plastic figures, that production (running the molds using the injection machinery) is being done by contract.  But that adds turn around delays and shipping delays when any given inventory item starts running low.

And that puts "matching the production volumes" of some other company as a matter of money, not full time staff.

Company size is usually a good indication of money though.

[Omenbringer]

My LGS has most of the product line in stock and is willing to ship. PM if you are interested in the contact info.

[dancater]

I acknowledge your point solkan but as Santaclaws points out I'm really referring to overall size, the employee statement is because I can give a estimate of size that way easier than attempting to guesstimate Wyrd's annual gross and net turn over.

But yes fully understand your point.

Simply put Wyrd is still a fairly small company, both in employee size and financial turn over.  They have to estimate their demands and order miniature production ahead of time, sometimes estimates are off, but the company simply cannot afford to over-estimate demand and over produce.  Nor can they afford to have all there own in-house plastic injection molds, let alone enough for some to sit idle and be ramped up for urgent demand.  So its a estimate > order > sell > re-estimate > cycle with unfortunate lag times.

None of this makes a frustrated gamer dying for a particular model and finding it hard to purchase at reasonable buy+shipping prices and times fell any better, which sucks.

I wish that Wyrd was big enough and profitable enough (gaming is sadly not a huge growth industry) to say order it all and damn the consequences, they are not.

So best anybody on the forums, in the company or across the world can say is....  Try to be patient and understanding, speak up in forums, maybe folks like Omenbringer can provide a viable solution, and Wyrd are doing what they can I am pretty certain to solve such delays. 

[Terry Bailey Sr]

Growing pains. That is understandable. Not helpful but understandable.

 

[H4ml3t]

I think dancater's points are likely correct but I'm encouraged by Wyrd's growth over the past year--from what I hear I think they've roughly doubled their personnel in the past 12 months.

Model shortages can be frustrating though. A friend was waiting to get the Nephilim box after he caught up on painting and now that he's caught up it's out of stock everywhere.