SPARTAN CLOSING

[Dakkar]

Today we have published a statement about the sad closure of our company.

Click here to see the statement

As we say in the statement, we regret any losses incurred by anyone associated with our company.

Throughout the years that we have traded, we have prided ourselves on the highest level of product quality and customer satisfaction.  This has been delivered consistently and is evidenced though annual customer research.  We are keen to hear from anyone who has an interest in acquiring either stock, assets or the business.

Please use the following contact address:

spartangames@mail.com

I can't read the actual statement from work, but it sounds pretty final.

I'm sad for the ENORMOUS Blazing Sun force I'd traded for back in April, and the Syndicate Art-Deco fleet I'd *just finally* started on after waiting years of going "I want a fleet of THOSE GUYS".
Hopefully there's enough die hard locals that the lot can sell for a small amount come the next Auction in January.

In a weird way, it's a relief - no more waiting on all the promising aspects of Spartan to finally get their crap together.

Maybe it was the HALo overextension. Maybe they heard a new Battlefleet Gothic was coming to crush what little market remained to them.

[Ruckdog]

TTGN has the full statement. I can't get the Spartan website to load:

http://www.tabletopgamingnews.com/spartan-games-is-closing/

Here is the text:

The following statement is issued today, Friday 25th August 2017.

Following a prolonged period of challenging trading and despite the directors’ best efforts to manage through, Rebel Publishing Ltd was unable to continue to trade and the directors have taken the difficult decision to cease. All members of staff were made redundant.

The company, which traded as Spartan Games, is a Somerset, UK based provider of tabletop miniature games which include

Uncharted Seas, a fantasy naval combat game (now retired)
Firestorm Armada, an exciting space combat game featuring highly detailed starship models
Dystopian Legions, a game based in the world of Dystopian Wars using highly detailed 32mm scale figures and vehicles (now retired)
Dystopian Wars– an exciting journey in a Victorian sci-fi world encompassing naval combat, ground warfare and aerial combat.
Spartan Scenics – a range of detailed and easily assembled wargames terrain.

Rebel Publishing Ltd was formed in July 2002 and traded successfully for a number of years. Spartan Games was launched in 2008 and grew rapidly. However, the tabletop games market is challenging and has changed over recent years, and suppliers are predominantly a small number of large well-known names and several small, cottage industry, type businesses.

Initially the business outsourced production but following quality control and production management issues, manufacturing was moved in house between 2009 and 2011. Over this time and since, significant investment was made into machinery and infrastructure. The business also expanded to provide models for a well known video game, moving this into the tabletop games arena. However, significant new development costs, timing issues and the deflection of management time from the core games brands resulted in a significant trading loss for 2015/6. The business was able to continue to trade by raising additional finance and refocusing on core brands, and direct / online trading improved significantly. Results for 2016/17 were significantly improved.

However, despite this it continued to encounter challenging trading conditions and it became clear this month that the company could not continue to service its liabilities, particularly given the burden imposed by the amounts owing to finance companies.

The company was in the process of running a Kickstarter project to raise funds for expansion of one of its successful product lines. This was well supported and positive feedback on the new products was given showing the popularity of the product line and ongoing demand. However, this does not, unfortunately, provide the full range of success and resources needed to sustain the business.

In addition to challenging trading issues, one of the directors has suffered from a long period of poor health which became significantly more serious earlier this year and although now back in the business, requires ongoing treatment. That has inevitably taken a toll on the amount of time available to the business so, along with other challenges, has significantly contributed to this difficult decision.

The directors are extremely saddened by this decision and particularly regret any losses incurred by employees, customers, suppliers or other trading partners. The directors fully committed their time, energy and personal resources to effect a turnaround. Employees will receive redundancy payments through state funds and although efforts have been made to fulfil customer orders, it is hoped that anyone who does not receive their goods will be able to redeem their payments through their credit card or PayPal.

If customers have made a deposit or paid for goods or services by credit or debit card and the goods or services are not going to be received by the due date, they may be able to get their money back by claiming a refund from their card issuer. They should contact their card issuer as soon as possible. Further information including time limits that apply is available from the UK Cards Association: Credit and debit cards: A consumer guide. Similar schemes exist in other countries.

Throughout the years that Spartan Games has traded, it has prided itself on the highest level of product quality and customer satisfaction. This has been delivered consistently and is evidenced though annual customer research that the company has undertaken.

We would encourage anybody who may be interested in acquiring either stock, assets or the business to make contact as soon as possible. Spartan Games and its product lines have a strong reputation in its markets together with an asset base which may be of interest to a number of parties, and a variety of machinery in addition to Intellectual Property.

[Landlubber]

I'm sad because 90% of what I play is Spartan products. Now we'll never get to see all the models that were in the pipeline for Halo Ground Command (and of course the other games). Which is unfortunate, because the models for that game are great in and of themselves--I just finished painting my first Scorpion tank.

And I guess we're never going to see the models from last year's Dystopian Wars Kickstarter...

[Spartan]

Sooo..... Halo killed Spartan Games!?!

I guess its time to hunt down all the models I want/need before they disappear from the shelves. 

[Steamlord78]

This is so sad now that I was getting back into Firestorm and had been thinking of getting into dystopian wars. No more large ship battles for me for awhile by the looks of it.

[Landlubber]

Sooo..... Halo killed Spartan Games!?!

I guess its time to hunt down all the models I want/need before they disappear from the shelves.

Not sure if it was Halo specifically, although that may have been a contributing factor. Probably several things behind the situation, I imagine.

Steamlord, there are other Fleet-based games out there...Dropfleet Commander, Star Wars Armada...

[McKInstry]

Oh well. I've tossed my DW Kickstarter into dispute with the CC Company and will watch various markets and sell off the painted and unpainted stuff over time. BFG still sells for between tolerable and good prices depending and so will DW , FSA and Halo. Some of the stuff they really lagged on such as Legions or Uncharted will be a bit harder to liquidate.

[Dakkar]

Reading between the lines, it sounds like Neil's health is a huge factor too. That's the risk with Mom & Pop operations ... if Pop gets sick, Mom will halt anything that might stress him.

If anyone's looking to stock up on models before they go OOP, IM me and we'll deal. I have Blazing Sun, Prussians, Syndicate, Relthoza, Relthoza Planetfall, and the HALO box contents.

[Fracas]

We need a new repository of the PDF of rules and army lists

[Ruckdog]

Yep. I'll put together a google drive folder and post it, I guess.

[Ruckdog]

I'm sad because 90% of what I play is Spartan products. Now we'll never get to see all the models that were in the pipeline for Halo Ground Command (and of course the other games). Which is unfortunate, because the models for that game are great in and of themselves--I just finished painting my first Scorpion tank.

And I guess we're never going to see the models from last year's Dystopian Wars Kickstarter...

Some models exist. A few folks have gotten partial shipments. CDS G got his Prussians, for example.

[Ruckdog]

By and by, if you see folks that are looking for a new forum home, MBS is here to support.

[Landlubber]

@Ruckdog--one can only hope!

[Fracas]

Kickstarter was a canary

[Ruckdog]

Yeah, though even if the campaign was sitting fully funded yesterday, it wouldn't have helped since Spartan wouldn't have seen a dime until the campaign ended.