What Arcanist models should a store have?

[Fading Memory]

I am getting the hobby shop near my house ready for Malifaux. I will apply to be a henchman as soon as my new faction models are painted.

With that said, the store currently does not have any models, and I am in charge of what it should stock. The store does not have the space to stock every Malifaux model. I was wondering what Arcanist box sets and blisters everyone thinks the store should keep in stock.

Stocking everything would be ideal, just don't know if its possible. The gamers around here are used to special ordering models, as the only store that doesn't offer a discount is the only store that stocks everything for every game. Box sets of all masters is the best way to grab the attention of future players, but was wondering what blisters are a must, and what ones attract people if I can't get the full range of models.

Edited September 2, 2011 by Fading Memory

[Dezzo]

for rasputina and ramos:

rasputina box-set (for beginners)

ramos box-set (for beginners)

silent one

snow storm

essence of power

wendigo

mobile toolkit

large arachnid swarm

large steampunk arachnid

also, have a sizable stock of 30mm and 50mm bases.

[El Indio]

With limited shelf space, I'd say the starter box sets are an obvious choice. They have eye-catching packaging, make for a good launching pad for new players, and they are very compact in terms of volume. After they're done playing in or observing a demo, most players will go in search of a particular force, not individual models, and that makes the starters more attractive than a rack of random bits and bobs. As they play with their new armies and research on their own, they will probably approach the FLGS with orders and requests. Once the player base begins to grow, then a case can be made for a more extensive selection, because the demand will be there.

Stocking every starter set (at least 4 per faction, so 16+ at the moment) gives the store a lot of impressive-looking stock at a discount price, and a great assortment of ready-made crews. It minimizes the odds of an unpopular faction's extra models dangling on the rack, and maximizes the chances of someone taking a liking to an unpopular faction. If you are really tight on space, I'd go for the "easy" Masters. Pull My Finger has a good list: http://pullmyfinger.wikispaces.com/Gathering+Supplies. That way, players won't get put off by picking a crew with a super-steep learning curve (says the guy who just started the game with Collette...I regret nothing!).

[Drake]

Main things you want on display, as El Indio has advised, are the core box sets for each crew. You also want to make sure your store stocks all the books too, kinda a given really.

I would say if you have extra space on top of that, try to stock a selection on the Wyrd scenic bases and Wyrd's new Terraclips terrain...those are things that non Malifaux gamers are likely to really like and draw in new Malifaux gamers from other systems, and also increase your store's profitable merchandise as they are sellable to all gamers from pretty much any gaming system. Double whammy those for your local gaming group and the store.

If you still have display space after all those things (and id put those as your biggest priorities personally for said reasons), then a selection of blisters/boxes providing the Masters' Totems would be a good start.

Beyond that, individual models are down to personal preference of the gamers, bar some notable exceptions.

[Adran]

Here is my list and 2/3 blisters per master.

The Boxes

Mechanical doves

Corphyee

Electrical creation

tool kit

More spiders

Molemen

Silurids

Essence of power

Silent one

Snow storm