Disturbing reports have reached me about some relatively large-scale forgeries in the North of England of figures, principally made by Miniature Figurines. Quite a full range are said to have been on sale in a hobby shop while a wargames club have extensively pirated these figures and are selling them amongst their own Members. Althouth unthinking wargamers might shrug their shoulders and conclude it's a smart move, this practice is a body-blow to the hobby. In the first case where they are being manufactured and sold in shops, the figures are said to be professionally cast on a centrifugalizing machine and, because their makers are also avoiding purchase at a much lower price tax, they are being sold lower than the authentic figures. Undoubtedly this is unscrupulous and unlawful whilst the wargames club, in their attempts to be clever, are literally biting the hand that feeds them. None of these figures can be as good as those purchased from he makers because the master-models used to make the pirate moulds are ordinary shop-bought figures, lacking the fine engraving and definition of the original master so that the pirated finished products will be a much inferior product, lacking definition and therefore harder to paint. Thus, to buy these figures is not really obtaining a bargain. The price at which manufacturers sell their models is about as low as possible when the high price of metal plus purchase tax is taken into consideration. If manufacturers are not supported then they will just go out of business or at least severely curtail their ranges and output. A glance at the "Must Lists" of past Newsletters will rapidly reveal the immense enterprise and productivity of manufacturers. Not only is this worthy of support but if you cut their throats by buying inferior pirated figures because they are a bit cheaper, then the supply will just dry up because no one is going to work at a loss! If you can provide any reliable or helpful information about this pirating, that. will aid in its suppression, then send it to me -- it will be treated in complete confidence and your name will not be connected with the affair in any way. Regardless of commercial rivalry, all the reputable manufacturers are united in their concern over this unethical threat and their determination to stamp it out. This is a small hobby that has incredibly flourished, largely due to the enterprise of manufacturers who have given wargamers vast ranges from which to choose. Don't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs! Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 126 To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1972 by Donald Featherstone. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com