Impetus, by Lorenzo Sartori

Fighting 15s has just taken delivery of Impetus, the ancients and medieval wargames rules by Lorenzo Sartori, along with supplements Extra Impetus 1 and the brand-new Extra Impetus 2, from Dadi & Piombo in Italy.

Impetus requires only a small number of bases of troops to play, typically 7 to 10 bases, placing it at the DBA end of the wargames spectrum. The rules have a strong following on the continent, thanks partly to the free and simplified version, Basic Impetus, which is available from the Dadi & Piombo website.

The English editions of the rules and supplements are available to buy now in the Fighting 15s online shop. Impetus is priced at GBP25.00, and the supplements at GBP14.50 each. The rules are zero-rated for VAT.

Fighting 15s will have stocks of Impetus and its supplements at Warfare in Reading on 21-22 November, along with 15mm Ancients and Medieval figures from Camelot Miniatures of Italy – the ideal figures to partner the rules.

With the exception of the recently released Tyroleans, which we categorise as Napoleonics, the 28mm Wars of the French Revolution range from Eureka Miniatures is now available from Fighting 15s only to special order. Figures for the range can be ordered using the codes as given on Eureka’s own website and by submitting an order to Fighting 15s by phone or email, when we can advise of the current prices and give an estimated delivery date. As with all special orders, the figures will typically take eight or more weeks to arrive.

Fighting 15s will no longer carry the range at shows, but is happy to supply the figures at shows provided that customers place advance orders for them in sufficient time.

Fighting 15s regrets that demand within the EU has not been sufficient to make it economic for us to hold stocks of this growing and potentially huge line, and this accounts for our reluctant decision to withdraw this excellent range of figures from our online shop and to supply them only to special order.

September’s new releases in 1:600 scale have arrived from Oddzial Osmy of Poland, and they are available to buy in the Fighting 15s online shop.

The releases are as follows:

1:600 Modern AFVs and aircraft

Israel

IS-610 Sh’ot Blazer, Centurion with ERA Blazer armour
IS-611 AMX13 French light tank
IS-612 M325 Commandcar light utility truck
IS-613 RBY Mk 1 recon armoured car

West Germany

BW-626 PAH1 helicopter, tank-busting version of Bo105

1:600 World War II AFVs and aircraft

Britain

WBR-633 Tomahawk Mk II, US P40 fighter in RAF service

Italy

WIT-613 Breda 20/65 light anti-aircraft gun

Packs contain 15 AFVs/guns or 8 aircraft/helicopters, and cost GBP2.50 inc VAT per pack.

Since Fighting 15s last adjusted prices for Australian imports in July, the exchange rate of the pound against the Australian dollar has worsened even more. In July we made a full adjustment to the prices of Eureka Miniatures, but only a partial adjustment to the cost of 15mm AB Figures. Fighting 15s regrets that it now has to pass on the full consequences of the poor exchange rate, and the prices of 15mm AB Figures rise as follows with immediate effect on all new orders:

Infantry rise from GBP0.475 each to GBP0.50 each including VAT, a rise of 2.5p.

Guns and crews both rise from GBP1.90 per cannon or four crew to GBP2.00 including VAT, a rise of 10p.

Most single figure codes rise by GBP0.03 including VAT and worldwide delivery.

The prices of Napoleonic cavalry, mounted officers and generals remain unchanged. Fighting 15s casts almost all the horses for these figures in the UK and therefore the prices are less affected by the exchange rate. We have also decided not to increase the prices of figures in the 15mm ACW range because we cast most of the range in the UK.

In spite of the rises we believe it is still cheaper to order AB Figures from Fighting 15s in the EU if you live in the EU. The current price of a 15mm AB foot figure from Eureka Miniatures direct is GBP0.47 excluding import taxes, or about GBP0.54 with VAT  at 15%, which means Fighting 15s’ price per foot figure of GBP0.50 including VAT is around 8% lower before considering delivery charges and handling fees on imports.

Fighting 15s has always strived to maintain prices that maintain near parity with those of figures direct from Eureka Miniatures, which means we of necessity accept lower margins. It’s why we don’t offer discounts.

If the exchange rate improves, of course, prices will adjust the other way. But it is likely that the change of rate of VAT at the end of the year will affect prices again.

Eureka Miniatures: 28mm Armed Afghan Forces

Eureka Miniatures’ 28mm armed Afghans are probably the figures we have been asked about most in the past month. We now have them in stock, after a shipment from Eureka touched down this afternoon.

Fighting 15s currently stocks only the following items in the range:

100MOD70 Armed Afghans, 15-figure set
100MOD76 Type 63 Rocket Launcher with ammunition boxes and two Afghan crew

The set costs GBP24.75; the rocket launcher and crew GBP11.00. Prices include VAT and reflect the poor exchange rate we are currently getting against the Australian dollar.

Our initial stocks are limited. We have more on the way soon.

Shadowforge: 28mm Politburo Worker Battalion

Shadowforge’s latest arrivals in the UK at Fighting 15s include the Politburo Worker Battalion.

Codes and details are as follows:

1SCM155 Politburo Worker Battalion Command (4 figures)
1SCM156 Politburo Worker Battalion Support Weapons (4 figures)
1SCM157 Politburo Worker Battalion Infantry (4 figures)

Command and Support packs are GBP9.75 each; the Infantry pack is GBP8.50. Prices include VAT.

Fighting 15s regrets that the worsening exchange rate with the Australian dollar means that prices of most Shadowforge figures have had to rise by about 10 per cent with immediate effect.

Laughing Monk: Captain Jane's Rifles

Our latest shipment from Laughing Monk has brought in Captain Jane’s Rifles as well as the Federation Marines and other characters.

The new releases and codes are as follows:

LM0030 Federation Marine Commander Tuskin
LM0031 Federation Marine Trooper Hammond
LM0032 Federation Marine Trooper Carter
LM0033 Federation Marine Trooper Oneil
LM0034 Captain Lotus
LM0035 Lord Commander Kurasawa
LM0036 Demon Elf Shiva Deathdealer
LM0037 Comrade Ivanna
LM0038 Federation Marine Sergeant Klato
LM0039 Federation Officer The Major
LM0040 Captain Jim Hawk
LM0041 Captain Jane’s Rifles – Sgt Lusty Ann
LM0042 Captain Jane’s Rifles – Rummy Sal
LM0043 Captain Jane’s Rifles – Catherine
LM0044 Captain Jane’s Rifles – Leanne
LM0045 Captain Jane’s Rifles – Belinda

More figures for Captain Jane’s Rifles are expected to be released later in the year.

Figures are 32mm in size. Prices are GBP3.50 per figure, except codes LM0034, LM0035 and LM0040 which are GBP4.25 per figure, inclusive of VAT.

Fighting 15s regrets that poor exchange rate with the Australian dollar means we have had to increase the prices of most Laughing Monk figures by about GBP0.25 each.

Fighting 15s is now able to cast to order all the codes comprising AB’s 15mm French Napoleonic Imperial Guard cavalry, and as a result has added them to the single figure codes in the Fighting 15s shop.

Prices for single figure codes include delivery and VAT, and single figure codes do not increase the weight of orders in the cart when it calculates postage due on an order (single figure codes are zero-weighted for delivery). The cart, however, does apply a minimum delivery charge. Single figure codes are intended to allow customers more flexibility when compiling units.

Our moulds for 15mm AB Figures are made for us by Eureka Miniatures of Australia, the officially licensed manufacturer of 15mm AB Figures. Licensed moulds allow Fighting 15s to cast 15mm AB Figures to order rather than having to wait for deliveries to arrive from Australia.

Fighting 15s has just taken delivery of the latest new releases in 1:600 scale from Oddzial Osmy of Poland. The new releases are available now in the online shop. We will also have them at Colours in Newbury this weekend (12-13 September) – come along and see us and be the first to add these figures to your collection.

The releases are:

Moderns

SA-665 GAZ-66 light all-terrain truck

IS-608 Sherman M50, modified Sherman tank with new 75mm gun
IS-609 Tiran 5, captured T-55 tank, rearmed and modified to Israeli standards

World War II

WBR-631 Bedford QLT, British truck used as troop carrier
WBR-632 Gloster Gladiator biplane fighter, immortalised in the defence of Malta in 1940

WIT-609 M13/40, modified M 11/39 tank with new turret with 47 mm gun, mainstay of Italian armoured units
WIT-610 AB 41 armoured car, with 20mm automatic Breda gun
WIT-611 Fiat G.50 Freccia, first Italian monoplane fighter that went into production
WIT-612 Re2000 Falco, inspired by Seversky P35 but plagued with reliability issues

Packs are GBP2.50 each (including VAT) and contain either 15 vehicles or 8 aircraft.

Fighting 15s has at last had chance to proof its mould of AB 15mm Napoleonic French dragoons. We are now able to cast to order all the codes comprising AB’s French dragoons figures, and as a result have added them to the single figure codes in the Fighting 15s shop. We still have to proof our mould of AB 15mm Napoleonic French guard cavalry, and these will be the next figures that we add.

Our moulds for 15mm AB Figures are made for us by Eureka Miniatures of Australia, the officially licensed manufacturer of 15mm AB Figures. Licensed moulds allow Fighting 15s to cast 15mm AB Figures to order rather than having to wait for deliveries to arrive from Australia, which means in theory that we can’t run out of French Napoleonic dragoons.

Martian Empires, Oozlum Games’ set of Victorian SF rules, has dropped in price from GBP15.00 to GBP10.00. Mike and I have been talking about the price of this set of rules for some time, and as we have virtually covered our printing costs, and because Mike has a whole pile of new releases planned or under way for figures for the game, we have decided the price can drop to stimulate further interest – the Yahoo group already has over 400 members, which is quite healthy, but more are welcome.

I am also still working on putting together the print edition of Huzzah!, which will be Oozlum Games’ next release, probably around the time of Salute 2010. But I have a lot to do to get it to the same standard as Martian Empires on presentation, and to combine the current three volumes into one.

Martian Empires is available direct from Black Hat in the UK and Scale Creep in the US. The price in the US has fallen from USD35.00 to just USD20.00. Martian Empires is also listed in the rules section of the Fighting 15s site.

Oddzial Osmy’s progression through the early years of the Second World War in 1:600 scale (3mm) continues with its first releases for the Italians.

The releases are:

WIT-600 L 3/35 tankette
WIT-601  M11/39 medium tank
WIT-602 AB40 armoured car
WIT-603 Bersaglieri infantry, comprising infantry strips, LMG and Brixia light mortar
WIT-604 Dovunque 35 all-terrain truck
WIT-605 Cannone da 47/32 anti-tank gun
WIT-606 SPA CL39 truck
WIT-607 Cannone da 75/27 mod.06 light field gun
WIT-608 SPA TL37 artillery tractor

Packs contain 15 vehicles or models (15 bases or strips of infantry/support weapons) and cost GBP 2.50 inc VAT each (equivalent to about USD 3.50 ex tax). The new releases are available now in the Fighting 15s shop. A reminder that Oddzial Osmy’s figures are cast in a hard aluminium-zinc alloy, and that snips or files should be used when cleaning up – don’t use a blade.

Next month we should have further releases for the 1:600 range, including:

WIT-609 M13/40 tank
WIT-610 AB41 armoured car
WIT-611 Fiat G.50 Freccia  monoplane fighter (also used by Finnish air force)
WIT-612 Re.2000 Falco

And for the British:

WBR-631 Bedford QLT truck
WBR-632 Gloster Gladiator biplane fighter, scourge of the Maltese skies

Fighting 15s has also taken delivery of fresh stocks of Oddzial Osmy’s 15mm range of Medievals, replenishing our almost exhausted stocks of Polish, Teutonic Knights and Lithuanians for Tannenberg. We’re not just a one-trick pony.