What "segment Of The Market" Are You In ?

[Ferris]

Hi Johan,

Why not make a very simple poll about WW2 germans: 1) you love em, 2) you buy and paint some sometimes, and 3) you never buy and paint them, and maybe 4) you hate them.
That would ask directly about your key question and maybe it could even show that many people like or at least buy german subjects, which is what we hear from manufacturers (except Pegaso, Soldiers, Art Girona, etc, but that aside).
I would vote 2).

By the way, that silent majority remark seems quite accurate: just have a look at the total number of PF members plus viewers versus the number of frequent posters....the latter is a fraction of the total. So any poll on here will be severely biased and have a statistically insignificant number of respondents. Although that translates into 'meaningless', they can still be fun, which is why we are here after all...

Cheers,
Adrian

 

[Martin64]

Well I am hesitant to vote because if I run through the three options I am definetely a figure-painter and -builder from the time I opened my first Airfix box filled with tiny WWI-Germans in 1970. Although I am interested in all time periods and the military history of all nations I also like to collect and build WW II- Germans and would build the 1/16th Tiger tank just as a platform for 10 German figures and maybe five more Americans lying in an ambush with their bazooka at the edge of the diorama . So I should vote for option no. 1 as a "classic-figure-painter" but I am in the market segment for WW II figures / Germans as well.
Therefore I am afraid that your poll will not lead to a valid conclusion about the question why there is always such an intense discussion about new releases of WW II Germans / Nazis / War Criminals.
This happens as soon as there is a German release - Allied subjects do get regularly favorable comments and in my opinion all the hassle is not about WW II - stuff against historical - modelling but mostly about nationalism and one-sided personal or political views / prejudices based more or less on historical facts or propaganda. These quarrels will in my eyes never change a mind of a sculptor for his future projects and so their only effect is hijacking the thread and stirring the pot.
If there would have been a Planet Figure Forum in the past about 2000 years ago Roman figures would have created similar reactions or around 1820 the release of a Napoleon bust would have raised a sh/tstorm. - The only way to avoid this is to focus on modelling and curb your dog(ma).
My two cents - still good luck with the poll!
Martin

 

[Johan]

Christ. I notice now that in the title of the Poll I misspelt "segment". Oops

Martin : if I understand your post correctly then you should vote 2) I think.
Funny that you mention a Napoleonic bust would have raised a sh..storm in 1820 ... I have known a time, long ago when I was a very young (teenager) modeller of plastic tanks, figures and aircraft, when there were plenty of figure painters around who considered themselves a very exclusive small élite who would sneer at anything other than a French Napoleonic figure. From their point of view, the Coalition Wars (Napoleonic wars) after the French Revolution were all that ever had happened in history. The history of the world for them had stopped in 1815, even long before the Maya Calendar predicted ! Go figure !

 

[Osebor]

From Martin:
"If there would have been a Planet Figure Forum in the past about 2000 years ago Roman figures would have created similar reactions or around 1820 the release of a Napoleon bust would have raised a sh/tstorm. - The only way to avoid this is to focus on modelling and curb your dog(ma)."

Totally agree!

BTW After reading carefully the options (bad idea that of reading carefully something!) perhaps my option is more 2 than 3. Or maybe, is really "D**mn the dogmas and full speed (modelling) ahead!"

Regards

 

[Martin64]

Christ. I notice now that in the title of the Poll I misspelt "segment". Oops

Martin : if I understand your post correctly then you should vote 2) I think.
Funny that you mention a Napoleonic bust would have raised a sh..storm in 1820 ... I have known a time, long ago when I was a very young (teenager) modeller of plastic tanks, figures and aircraft, when there were plenty of figure painters around who considered themselves a very exclusive small élite who would sneer at anything other than a French Napoleonic figure. From their point of view, the Coalition Wars (Napoleonic wars) after the French Revolution were all that ever had happened in history. The history of the world for them had stopped in 1815, even long before the Maya Calendar predicted ! Go figure !

Hi Johan,
maybe I am mistaken - vote 2 says ".. into figures but also into plastic WW 2 tanks and aircraft". For me it`s "all kinds of historical figures including WW 2 subjects and Germans".
About the fascination of napoleonic subjects: As a "country-boy" from the backwoods of Germany I came quite lately across the beautiful Historex kits and their supporters (-Airfix told me everything about being a soldier -) but I can imagine that for some of them there were no real uniforms after 1815.
- Nevertheless I am sure that in 1820 a bust of Napoleon titled " The Emperor" would have stirred up many people across Europe who would have seen him as "The Beast" or else and the echo about this release on a Planet Figure back then would have been highly controversial as well.
For the sake of your poll I will now vote no. 2 but I would prefer the option no. 4 of your post above:
GO FIGURE!!!!
All the best!
Martin

 

[housecarl]

I'm in the if I like it, I'll do it camp.
Carl.

 

[Mark S]

....... if I like it, I'll do it camp.
Carl.

Is that in a Kenneth Williams kinda way, Carl, or more a Charles Hawtrey style?

 

[gorgosaurus]

NONE of these.
Spike.

 

[balder]

I have to say I don't fit in any of the 3 choices. I mostly do figures but also plastic sci fi kits and dinosaur stuff. I have little to no interest in post 1900 subjects aside from movie/media characters. I have zero interest in ww1 or ww2 subjects of any type.

Gerald

 

[Figure Mad]

Two categories - WWII
One category - the rest

Not much of a choice, I don't fit any of it really, WW1 backwards to be honest, including wingnuts aircraft.........

Dave

 

[housecarl]

Is that in a Kenneth Williams kinda way, Carl, or more a Charles Hawtrey style?

A bit of both.
Carl.

 

[NickM]

I'm in the if I like it, I'll do it camp.
Carl.

100% agree. Paint what interests you, let others do the same, and keep an open mind. Should be pretty simple...

 

[IIICorps]

What is the purpose of your poll? I build/paint everything I like.