HOF80 Aquafid Infantry. Strange…but Good?
On Friday 15mm.co.uk released another code in to the expanding and well loved HOF (Hordes of the Future) 15mm Science Fiction line. Since I took over the design command of the range (back in the region of the mid thirties of the code listing) I have tried to base expansions mainly on wargamers requests and also by reaction to releases. Already emails have come in about HOF80 Aquafid Infantry ranging from ‘hurrah another new race‘ to ‘these are awful, why are you not making more Cultists or Retained Knights?‘. These emails always intrigue me so I wanted to do a little posting here on the blog to tell you all why.
Designed by Elton Waters these latest miniatures added to the range were in response to r requests for a ‘fish man type of infantry’ and as normal I took the top three off the list of requests every few months and had them created. I will not discuss the other two at this time but one was a Human pack for pulp and near future gaming and the other was a Human medical pack for primary use with HOF Fire Team and other systems. The name Aquafid combines a word for water and one for fighter for a title that confers the right meaning. So the system I used created the Aquafid like it did the Grey Aliens, Automatons, Cultists, Octopods, Triorbs and others. But why the response by email?
I think that is comes as a shock (sadly) to a lot of wargamers now that a company will create miniatures by request and not just make more and more soldiers with spiky bits and big guns. No civilians or support staff, only warriors. I believe that codes such as the Aquafid are vital to the soul of the whole wargaming hobby. We are a hobby of intense creativity and diversity and no where is this more clearly seen at the moment than in 15mm Science Fiction which is in the midst of a golden age of expansion. New Races and Oddities are central to maintaining this just as they were in the 1990’s and 1980’s for 28mm and 25mm Science Fiction. If makers only releases yet more human troops what would be the point? Eventually we would all just be fighting ‘Ultra Modern’ without the sci-fi element using miniatures so similar to each other they all came out of the same cookie cutter (does this sound familar to you at all?).
There is a very good reason I listen to customers…they know what they want as individuals and if you list their feedback by hundreds you see a pattern. Each time a new release is made in HOF (and in SHM for that matter) feedback comes in, orders come in and opinions are shared. Sometimes new races and oddities fall on their faces and go no further and in other cases they sell so well that they warrent expansion. Two good examples of this are the HOF Cultists and the HOF Octopods. Both began with one pack of infantry poses and now have three or four (with more to come!) each for a fuller force. Without the system I use neither of these would exist at all.
Will the Aquafid spawn a support pack, a command pack or others? Are they too strange? Only time will tell. But now you know my thoughts and perhaps now they are not as weird as they first appeared.
I welcome comments and feedback on miniature design ideas and I always will.
GBS
Hear! Hear!
Perhaps the “shock” response comes from those who wish to have had more of something else having their hopes deferred and those wishing to have more of these having their hopes deferred as well.
From my experience if you like a figure you ought to buy it as A: it will encourage the manufacturer to make more figures for that force, and B: if you do not it may simply vanish and then you will be one of those “I wish I had bought X when…” sorts.
Only time will tell if the Aquafids are a viable species, just as in the natural order of things : )
Hello Bob,
Perhaps that is correct. Certainly I take the average of hundreds of requests so it is never down to one or a few people. More a trend. You should buy what you like otherwise makers will not make them.
Time will indeed tell if the Aquafid will earn their place in the line up as more than one pack.
GBS
Well said about creating new wonderful species for 15mm wargaming.
For gaming in this scale, we need lots of varied types of alien troops to populate our worlds. While them not being my cup of tea(I dislike underwater types) that does not mean they won’t be viable in the long term. They kind of remind me of a classic Dr Who monster (which is good for those who might want to wargame in the Whoniverse!) The human scifi trooper has been done to death, aliens give us an oppotunity to create the different and unusual in game, allows us to build off world terrain and think out of the box.
I wouldn’t worry about any negative criticism, If we listened to everybody’s opinion and took it all into account what they say before our own, it would be wrong.
Maybe if you expand the range you could do something really unusual, like fish shaped jet bikes and various other fishy vehicular goodness etc!!…
Hello Grim,
Thanks for your comment. You make your points well. They are not to everyone’s taste and they do have a sort of 1950’s, pulp age, Whooish look to them. We must have diversity in wargaming otherwise what is the point.
I never mind being criticised as long as it is constructive. Those who just moan and groan without adding anything to the subject are not worth listening to or being upset over.
I have two more Jetbikes coming…but not for the Aquafids 🙂
GBS
I do like the different species that have come out of the minds of folks. I am looking at a bunch of the unique one just because it would be a great idea to have a space station game with all of the different figs battle.
The Octopods VS Aquafid I know I have been rumbling in the mind on how it would work in the Use Me and Hoff systems.
Battles in the station or on a ship would be a hoot.
Bob McAlister
Hello Bob,
Yes. If you have a sci-fi idea of the Galaxy as a place teeming with sentient life then all these different species have a valid place and make for fantastic gaming fun.
My next planned encounter for the USE ME Starter Packs is actually Octopods vs Zidhe in a Ziggurat…so close to what you are saying but more on this when its time.
GBS
look to the Hubble Deep Space View to realize there is enough room for everything, and we are still short of real estate to bring it into conflict… I think Elton did a pretty good job on those guys. makes me think there is a place for the star wars cantina or babylon 5 USE ME
Hello Kurt,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, the universe is infinite as is sci-fi wargaming. As Bob said and you agree the teeming galaxy is a great place for all kinds of encounters.
GBS
Elton is a fantastic designer in 15mm, quick, energetic and imaginative.
These models are lovely and I would love to have some.
I really like the colours chosen for the paint scheme too, very reminiscent of B movie Sci-Fi, as suits the models.
Keep releasing the strange and absurd. People come to you for that in particular!!!
Hello Rob,
Well put my friend. People do come to us for the strange, the original and the downright absurd in the way of miniatures. I am sure I can sort you out in your next package if you do want some Aquafid.
GBS
Well, I think they are great. I love that they have very pulp feel, because I love retro sci-fi. Maybe they can be used even in original Star Trek gaming, even if they are more 1950 than 1960 style.
Hello Fjodin,
Thanks. Yes they do say ‘creature from space’ don’t they. Age of Atomic Monsters and Moon Rockets.
GBS