GMT's New P500s

[Nefaro]

Is logistics the chokepoint, or is it production? They have so much content pumping into their production system at one time these days that I wonder if it's backing up and slowing everything down.

It is primarily warehousing/logistics, judging from all the past GMT updates on the topic.

I always check their update newsletter, on their site, to get updates about when my P500s are going to be charged.  Which is the same time they're sent to whichever outside party prints them.  Apparently they have more than one option regarding production company, since they mentioned dropping one after a couple instances of misaligned counter printings awhile back.  It didn't slow the production down, so that end must not be a problem, other than keeping a watch on quality control.

But I also read their actual newsletter, at the beginning of each.  The last two years (or more??), they've mentioned their logistics issues due to their increasing business, and their quest to fix them.  First trying to expand a bit, themselves, then outsourcing the big plan.  Then booting at least one outside business that wasn't making progress.  They've obviously had problems in getting it done.  I have some sympathy regarding getting Murphy'd.

From what I gathered it's primarily two things.  Getting new unified website, sales, and inventory software.  Plus streamlining & expanding their warehouse ops.

[Arctic Blast]

Yeah, re-jigging your entire distro and warehouse operation is awful. I've been a part of something like that in a couple of previous jobs, and it always ends up being a lot more difficult and time consuming than everyone involved assumes it will be.  :D

[Nefaro]

Yeah, re-jigging your entire distro and warehouse operation is awful. I've been a part of something like that in a couple of previous jobs, and it always ends up being a lot more difficult and time consuming than everyone involved assumes it will be.  :D

Yes, indeed!

Makes me think perhaps I should've gotten involved in the business of warehouse reorganization long ago.  There has obviously been an increasing need for it in general.

[ComradeP]

It will be interesting to see if their new Euro friendly delivery option, done through bulk deliveries to Second Chance Games which then ship to European customers the way I understand it, will make things more or less complicated.

Though shipping bulk is less demanding on the supply chain than shipping individual copies, it might take a while before European customers are aware of the option and start using it. I'm also not sure how many European customers GMT has to begin with, but even bulk shipments to game stores done through a middle man like Second Chance Games might be more convenient for GMT.

[Nefaro]

I just finished punching the 880 counters in Fields Of Fire 2nd Edition. 

They need to stop skimping on the size of their boxes.  I can't even fit a counter tray into this thing, and still get it to close all the way, with the cards & components all in it.   The box isn't quite thick enough.  I had the same problem with Empire of the Sun.

That has been a regular problem with their games lately.  The ones that include many cards and a buttload of counters, yet are still put in their thinner box size.

They need to start using the deeper boxes more often.   

[Bison]

Being charged for Holland 44, so hope to have it in my possession in a few weeks.  Then it's on to waiting for reprints of Ardennes 44 and France 40. 

[smittyohio]

I just finished punching the 880 counters in Fields Of Fire 2nd Edition. 

They need to stop skimping on the size of their boxes.  I can't even fit a counter tray into this thing, and still get it to close all the way, with the cards & components all in it.   The box isn't quite thick enough.  I had the same problem with Empire of the Sun.

That has been a regular problem with their games lately.  The ones that include many cards and a buttload of counters, yet are still put in their thinner box size.

They need to start using the deeper boxes more often.   

Agreed, I just go this one also, and am not sure how I'm going to organize it.   And then there are other games I get (not from GMT) where I wonder why in the world the box is so huge.

[bob48]

Being charged for Holland 44, so hope to have it in my possession in a few weeks.  Then it's on to waiting for reprints of Ardennes 44 and France 40.

I like the look of 'Holland '44'

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I pre-ordered The Doolittle Raid but a few months ago, I got hit with credit card fraud and had to change my card.  I forgot to update my CC number with GMT.  They never bothered to send an email or anything.  Just let it slip.  Oh well, I haven't had good luck with GMT's P500 stuff in the past either so I think I'll just buy from a local store in the future.

[Pinetree]

SDR, go to their website and live chat with them, they'll sort it out pretty quickly for you.

[Bison]

Being charged for Holland 44, so hope to have it in my possession in a few weeks.  Then it's on to waiting for reprints of Ardennes 44 and France 40.

I like the look of 'Holland '44'

It does look good, but truth be told I'm not a huge fan of overlapping map sheets.  They just seem messy and my plexiglass isn't big enough to cover the whole map.  At least that's what I found with Ukraine 43.

[bob48]

However.........

I'm now hooked on the OCS games from MMP. Just got 'Tunisia II' and have 'Sicily II' on order. I'd love 'Beyond the Rhine' but its enormous and the price is outta my league.

[Bison]

I'd love to get into the OCS games, but I don't see that happening.  Outside of the Simonvitch operational series, I've been looking at and playing games with lower counter densities and less complex rules.  Of course, that's crap because I'm going to be getting Operation Dauntless at some point.  It looks too good to pass up.  And the map....oh my!

[mirth]

Operation Dauntless definitely does not qualify as less complex.

[Bison]

No.  Not at all.  But it looks fantastic and covers an interesting battle and units.  Frankly Bob should be all over it.