NEW Weapon Blisters - What are the Chances?

[GRUD]

I've been discussing the OLD RP Weapons Blisters with some folks on another board.  Myself and a few others would like the old ones to be produced again, though we acknowledge the fact the Unseen parts will never be released like that again.  Ok, I Myself acknowledge that, though some of the others may be in denial!  :D


However, I was wondering if it would be possible to make New versions of the weapons blisters? Not simply make old blisters with Reseen parts, though that would work also.  I was thinking of all new parts blisters.  Sure, Jump Jets & Fins would still be useful, as would be the Missiles and Auxiliary Weapons blisters.  However, given that there's so many more sculpts now than before, you'd need separate blisters for each weight class, for the "Arms" blisters. Either that or you'd have to do something like "Light and Medium Arms Pack 1" through "Pack 4", or something like that.   :o   Likewise, we now have Clan Omni-mechs to consider, so there could be a use for "Light Omni-Mech Arms", as well as one for each of the other weight classes.  I recently saw 4 listings on a certain online auction site, for different variants of the Epona, that the seller obviously made on his own.  Well, he had the "Prime", which IS a store-bought sculpt, but he also had the "A", "B" and "C" variants as well, that he'd modded.  Therefore, there's apparently a market for one or more different Clan Vehicle Turret blisters.  The same goes for the different Clan Missile launchers.


If this has been discussed before, and I'm just beating a thoroughly dead horse, I Apologize for wasting your time.  I haven't seen it discussed before, but I admit I didn't do a Search for it before posting either.   :-[  I remember hearing that it was decided to have only different turrets at conventions, rather than an assortment of bits, based on what sold well versus what didn't.  I don't recall if I heard that at Gen Con 2011, or read it here though.  :-\   Anyway, I'd Appreciate it if Speck or someone else from IWM would reply, so I have an "Official" answer.  No offense, but I'd rather hear from an Official source on this, instead of relying on Hearsay.  O0

[Stormcrow]

IWM already has the Scrapyard and the Clan Omni Parts available through their online store, so why would Weapons Packs be necessary?

[Alain Dumont]

Call me a dummy, but how does one find the IWM scrapyard?

[GRUD]

Call me a dummy, but how does one find the IWM scrapyard?

From the "Battletech" section, click on "Online Exclusives", and on the lower right of the listings you should see the link for "Scrapyard". It's just above "Mech Variant Parts".


The point to having a blister with SEVERAL bits in it would be to avoid having to go to the Scrapyard, and Hoping they had the bit you're needing.  Do you really like paying $10 for shipping for 2-3 tiny pieces?  Why not pay $5-$8, for 10-12 pieces instead?  I don't know what they originally sold for, but my RP blister of Jump Jets and Fins has pieces for 9 minis.  I'm guessing it sold for $4.95 or $5.95?  Also, does the Scrapyard have EVERYTHING in it?  Granted, the old bits blisters didn't, but again, they had several parts for several minis that were popular at the time.

[speck]

From the "Battletech" section, click on "Online Exclusives", and on the lower right of the listings you should see the link for "Scrapyard". It's just above "Mech Variant Parts".


The point to having a blister with SEVERAL bits in it would be to avoid having to go to the Scrapyard, and Hoping they had the bit you're needing.  Do you really like paying $10 for shipping for 2-3 tiny pieces?  Why not pay $5-$8, for 10-12 pieces instead?  I don't know what they originally sold for, but my RP blister of Jump Jets and Fins has pieces for 9 minis.  I'm guessing it sold for $4.95 or $5.95?  Also, does the Scrapyard have EVERYTHING in it?  Granted, the old bits blisters didn't, but again, they had several parts for several minis that were popular at the time.

The scrapyard is not perfect, it does not have all of the parts in and will likely not. There is a plan for revamping the scrapyard, but that is lower on my list. I have to get some other things done first that will make the process to fix the scrapyard easier. The odds are good that you  will never see bits blisters sold again. We are lucky  to have the scrapyard how it is now, bit improvements are coming.

[GRUD]

Thanks for the quick reply!  O0


While I've never used the Scrapyard myself, I DO appreciate the fact that it exists!  As I posted though, my point was to have a blister with several bits in it, so you could fix (OR modify!) several minis at one go.  You still might want to give some thought to a turret blister or two, because turrets are multi-functional! It can be on a tank, or on a gun emplacement, whichever is needed.  It's Cool that you have the turrets available at the Cons though!  O0


Thanks again for the quick response.  :)

[Psycho]

The point to having a blister with SEVERAL bits in it would be to avoid having to go to the Scrapyard, and Hoping they had the bit you're needing.  Do you really like paying $10 for shipping for 2-3 tiny pieces?  Why not pay $5-$8, for 10-12 pieces instead? 

If you ask nicely, you may be able to get the parts you need even if they are not in the scrapyard, and may be able to avoid the hefty shipping fee as well. I am in no position to guarantee either aspect, but my experience is that a considerate person with an occasional outside-the-box request is rarely turned away empty handed.

And yes, I prefer that to paying $12-15 (to be in line with current blister values), plus tax, for a batch of parts when I only need one. That is of course assuming that an available parts blister even had the part I needed, which is far less likely than looking through the hundreds of parts currently available through the scrapyard.

The alternative is to include bits as part of a larger order so that you are not paying shipping on only the few small items.

[krazzyharry]

If you ask nicely, you may be able to get the parts you need even if they are not in the scrapyard, and may be able to avoid the hefty shipping fee as well. I am in no position to guarantee either aspect, but my experience is that a considerate person with an occasional outside-the-box request is rarely turned away empty handed.

I have shot Mellisa (officewench@ironwindmetals.com) an email a couple times looking for parts not listed.  Hs e normally replied within few days with availability and a price (normally a couple bucks).  I just remind her, refrenceing the email date, on my next order and they throw them in the box.

[GRUD]

The alternative is to include bits as part of a larger order so that you are not paying shipping on only the few small items.

True, but who has the patience to do that?  :D  That makes too much sense to do it that way also.  ;D

[Charlemagne]

Personally, I don't tend to mod things by looking at a mech and thinking "Yes, that *insert mech name here*"s left arm would work to replace the missing *insert name of mech missing arm here*'s arm that got lost in my move.  I tend to just look through random bits and pieces and think "Holy gauss rifle, I think that the gun barrel on the Arcas's arm will fit the tip of gattling gun from that heroclix figure I have in my bits box, and then will look smoking attached to the extra Daishi I have" and boom, I have an awesome new Daishi D variant.

I seldom go into my madness with a plan, I just let it guide me, and having an option to buy grab bags of bits works better for me.  Not everyones' cup of Tim Hortons Earl Grey Tea Latte with two sugars, but it's my two c-bills worth.

[TS_Hawk]

the only problem I have with that being done online is I won't pay 10 USD for shipping for just 1 thing. 

[speck]

the only problem I have with that being done online is I won't pay 10 USD for shipping for just 1 thing.

If that is the case,  then buy extra parts when you do a mini order.

[BirdofPrey]

The scrapyard is nice to have (though I would like to have some pictures so I can see what I am buying), but it would be cool to just be able to buy a bag-o-bits that has just random parts dropped in it.

[cavingjan]

Speck - does IWM have the bucket of random bits at the shop that they tend to have at cons? It might be worth having a stock items for 1 baggie (or go by weight or whatever seems best) of random bits. That should provide the least amount of headache for IWM but still get relatively cheap bits out to customers.

(Not for me since I don't really mod much but just an idea.)

[Lysenko]

Now that's a good idea. +1!

Speck - does IWM have the bucket of random bits at the shop that they tend to have at cons? It might be worth having a stock items for 1 baggie (or go by weight or whatever seems best) of random bits.