Korean War: Pusan Perimeter

[JayTownsend]

Today's daily content:

http://www.avalanchepress.com/PusanScenario3.php

[tlangston28]

After receiving my first bonus countersheet (Morrocans), I know they are no longer a big incentive for me.

Daniel, I agree here. This was also my first bonus countersheet and though they are nicely done, in hindsight, it really wouldn't have mattered (although I got the two games I was looking forward to).

[larry marak]

Vince, I don't know what the dollar costs are for the sheets. I've just followed what Mike has said over the last few years. Originally the laser scorched counters were too expensive for standard sized games, but could be used for small vanity runs...ie Nipon Silk, War at the Equator. Die cutting was economically necessary for full sized games. Then KSF came out laser-produced. It was an exception because some part of Citadel needed to come out soon or the customers would come with Pitchforks and burn the windmill. About 800 black boxes were reserved for KSF, Mike anticipating a lot of new orders. A lot of new orders didn't come, so Jay saved the day with a ready for print Saipan, which was produced in a 400 unit run, and did bring in new funds. (In my opinion, Jay literally saved Avalanche from collapse when KSF didn't produce a revenue stream) The scorching was causing concern and complaints, so the new rigid laser mounts were used (maybe not adding to cost). Next step, burn first, then print, which was more expensive because it required a heavier grade of baseboard..super heavy for Liberation, Horn of Africa, Tsushima, and Remember the Maine. And now a different, and still more expensive grade of baseboard for the current offerings. All the above ignores the original statement that die cutting runs of 1-2,000 are considerably cheaper to produce. The problem Mike has is that his customer base is small, and unless it recovers to its numbers of 6 years ago Avalanche will be stuck with the vanity press solution to producing games. Producing bonus countersheets as an incentive is probably not a great idea. Not that I won't use them when they show up eventually.

[larry marak]

http://faculty.kirkwood.edu/ryost/koreanleaflets.html

Korean war propaganda leaflets, more cartoony than the posters used for scenario summaries at Avalanche Press, but they do show you what the messages going to the hearts and minds of people in the North looked like.

[vince hughes]

Larry,

Thanks for the detailed reply. It sounds a viscious circle and one must wonder how much MB can take in such a circle. PG has provided so much fun for me over the last 5 to 6 years albeit waning a bit in recent times. Its hard to hear the hassle its becoming to produce the games.

[warstudent]

Are their going to be actual urban battles in cities in this release?

Yes, if the kept my design the same after development there should be some urban battles.

So Jay, is "city" going to be a new terrain type, as opposed to the current villages and towns?
Town: -2 DF, -2 BF, and -2 Assault; -1 AT
Village: Treat occupants as Dug In

[JayTownsend]

Are their going to be actual urban battles in cities in this release?

Yes, if the kept my design the same after development there should be some urban battles.

So Jay, is "city" going to be a new terrain type, as opposed to the current villages and towns?
Town: -2 DF, -2 BF, and -2 Assault; -1 AT
Village: Treat occupants as Dug In

Same as town hexes, no difference.

[warstudent]

Its hard to hear the hassle its becoming to produce the games.

I'm a newbie to PG and avalanche press. But from what I've seen thru the last couple years it seems to me running a business (let's leave it at that!) isn't his strong suit.

What was the strategy to make ANY change to begin with? Is this something other wargame manufacturers are having an issue with? I thought part of the reason for the switch was to stabilize the cost and quality of the finished product.

Did MB make the change to be an innovator? I don't know the back story (and don't want this to turn into a flame war for or against him) but is this like Ray Tapio and the whole TT ATS fiasco, ie making a change nobody requested that wasn't necessary?

In terms of a solution, isn't any other wargame manufacturer currently using something easier and cheaper that he could simply license or subcontract to them? As an example Legion Wargames and their EasyPunch™ Counters
http://www.legionwargames.com/legion_easypunch.html

[larry marak]

The problem goes all the way back to the ending of easy credit with China in 2008, and the financial problems of downsizing from 17 to 1.7 paid employees. Laser cutting can be done in small quantities..die cutting jobs need to be done in volume to be cost effective, laser cutting doesn't go down in price with volume, but can be accessed on demand, yielding flexibility. Assume for instance that Burning Tigers has 400 pre-orderers going back to 2006? and Avalanche can only pay for 20 sets of countersheets per pay period. (THIS IS A HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE). If MB had to pay for 1,000 copies of the countersheets (enough for 400 pre-orders and a six year warehouse supply) they'd never be printed. Printing in small increments allows profit from new orders to finance the printing of outstanding orders. Hence also the unpopular practice of filling new orders ahead of pre-orders. Each new order for Tigers might pay printing for 3 already ordered sets.

[campsawyer]

What was the strategy to make ANY change to begin with? Is this something other wargame manufacturers are having an issue with? I thought part of the reason for the switch was to stabilize the cost and quality of the finished product.

Did MB make the change to be an innovator? I don't know the back story (and don't want this to turn into a flame war for or against him) but is this like Ray Tapio and the whole TT ATS fiasco, ie making a change nobody requested that wasn't necessary?

I cannot claim any inside information, but a someone who has been around APL games for quite a while I will give you some impressions. Let's take the questions from the top.

With regard to strategy, APL and Mike B. has only one, generate money to keep APL afloat. Despite the flood of products, it is only to generate money to pay for the many missteps that Larry has outlined in the post. Any changes that Mike B. has made was to try to cut costs, but it has compounded the problem by creating quality and customer relation problems.

Is it a problem for other game companies, this to is subjective. I believe that some companies are looking for cheaper printing and laser printing offers some hope. Other companies are doing this, but others are still using die cast printing as well. So I am not sure that it is a silver bullet for savings, just another option.

As for APL being an innovator, when it comes to production, I don't believe that they are. As said, it is the cheapest cost so they can generate revenue. They are innovative when it comes to obscure game topics.

What it basically comes down to is that Mike B. is a good writer and has a passion for history and the company. But his degree is not in business administration and he has stumbled quite a bit with the company and tends to compound his problems with other business decisions. His business survives with the grace of God and a fan base that will buy the PG and WAS series despite the business issues. As long as he has this going for him APL will continue, but it is a tough way to run a business.