AFAIK, Prodos Games are not going to do a 2-person starter. They prefer the idea of a group of friends, each person being able to buy 1 starter and getting everything they need.

Agreed - the Warmachine starter boxes (and the older Warmaster ones too) were marketing genius. You pay your money you get your fighting force (with rules and all). YOu and a buddy can git stuck in right away.

One thing that I did like about Warmaster was that they aligned their unit sizes to packaging so you bought one unit per package. This has rarely be done - I think WM/Hrds did it as well.

Combining these two ideas you get a regular progression for players -

• Buy starter box
• Get first supplemental regular uni
• Get first supplemental monster
• Get first supplemental elite unit
• Get first character
• For Christmas get one more of each!

Bam! In a few months you've got a 'tournament' sized force that grew slowly enough for someone to paint it and learn how to use it. All with a workable per payday price.

jmt

I see this bigbox concept is pretty much of a problem.
But i can not second the general fine detail suggestions!
Finely detailed miniatures maybe perfect for showcases
only game figures are imo better with the classic style.
Not only does it add a cool "fun-like" effect also the
great individuality of single figures is reduced what makes
them look alot more substitutable. Not to mention the
need of special game glasses or that likes. Yes - the
super realism disturbs the actual gaming process.

The big box concept is not a problem as such, it just means that you are tied to two armies that have been chosen for you, rather than by you. I prefer the idea of single faction starter boxes because I can choose which faction I want and my opponent can do the same. The big box idea may deter first time buyers if they only like one of the factions in the box.

"The classic style" is a phrase that is cropping up all the time on here. I understand what you mean in this context (the simple plastic miniatures with a medium amount of detail) but why go for a lack of detail when you are selling a product?

If I was asked to sell a bulk batch of less than my best work, I would be unhappy. I would rather put my best work out there and try to make it mass produced if I could.

In today's world of dip and quick shade products, there should be no reason to reduce detail on miniatures in order for them to be 'just rank and file'... a simple base-coat and dip would make a very good looking force quickly.

By your reasoning, Why not just get counters with a name on? That way your games would not be disturbed by any detail at all.

I can understand people wanting specific symbols being left off the miniatures so that they can be used for other games as well but reducing detail for the sake of it seems... a bit like an under achievement.

Yes WM/Hordes has only full sized unit boxes now, but originally you bought a min unit and then a blister to build up to a full unit. Their army boxes have expanded to be a 2-Army box. Personally I'm not a fan of the 2 army box deal, but it is great for new players to get into the game with basics for those 2 forces.
I totally agree with the slow grow approach to a force. Privateer Press does a slow grow league, which is good for new players as well as older players looking at picking up a new faction, or needing inspiration to paint one of their original sets.

I'd like to think that someday Prodos could do that sort of tournament.

I think it is very feasible Rob! Lots of past experiences of players to collect data from on what works and what doesn't.
Scenario based tournaments are very cool! I play Circle of the game Hordes and showed the then rule makers that given their rules structure for steamroller they were employing for tournaments ensured that faction a win almost every time, whether a player of that faction went first or second. So the rules were re-written to adjust timing of when control points could be earned. Unfortunately these discoveries weren't always made ahead of time. Sometimes it can be hard to predict outcomes unless you can draw from a really diverse population of players and their play-styles.
I'm hoping there will be a revival of something like the old Freelancer program we had way back in the day. It is similar to the Pressganger that Privateer Press uses presently. if there is a restoration of it, instead of Freelancers I am putting my bid in now for the title of ISC Agents or better yet Doomtroopers!