Topic: 2951 GW miniatures and parts to be no longer sold or made

[Bugman]

Read here.

[Jon23516]

Thanks for the link Bugman.

A quick scan of the full list and it practically reads like GW's entire pewter line.

Pretty interesting.

I wonder if we should read anything into it. Newer stuff is going to be replaced with plastics? Certain armies or units may be phased out? Truly just some simple house cleaning? While a lot of stuff does seem to be old and obviously replaced recently (plastic Helblaster) there are several things that seem new and not likely to be replaced soon (Ogre Kingdoms and Tau Sniper Drones to name a couple).

Part of me wants to panic and scan the list and place a big order before its too late; but most of me realizes that if I didn't the bitz until today I probably won't need them tomorrow or there after and I'll just deal with disappointment after November 5. <grin>

Jon

[Archaon]

...Wow..

That's all I can say. Pitiful.

[Soju]

Isn't it just ... the mail order line that's going out? Like individual pieces. But they'll still be making it for the blister ranges etc. ... or are they really getting rid of some of the greatest minis out there?

sj

[Bugman]

Nope they are really getting rid of them.

About 10 years ago, GW wanted everything to be made in plastic. Its nearly there already so this is probably its last cleanup.

Also, there will be convertable bits made available, but no notes are available on what these pieces or items will be. My guess is that they will be plastic sprues which allow you to convert a model that you already have,

Bugman

[patsy02]

They wanted to get RID of white metal miniatures!? ¿¡POR QUE!?

[burad]

While the engineering costs up front are larger for the plastics, the cost per figure to produce goes down a lot as they make more.  And plastic is a lot cheaper than metal as a raw material.  Plus the shipping is a lot less.  It's economic.

[Archaon]

Sorry about my profanity before, I'm just more than a little agitated, being a big bitz order guy myself.

[steveb]

Since GW is known for dropping things that are really neat e.g., fimir, slann, ninjas, samurai, chaos dwarves, space squats, penal colony troops, and so on to say nothing about the revision of some things like the steam tank, the current one is actually the third version, the first one was a dwarf steam tank that looked vaquely like a ship with wheels, but it had a boiler, coal stoker, steam cannon etc.  or the helicopter the current one is number three also. This latest action by GW should come as no surprise.  What it means to me is that I will keep my eyes open as I browse ebay and probably get what I want, when I want it for about a third of what it would have cost me through mail order.  Also it will cause/force me to improve my skills with green stuff and kit bashing. 

[Warlord]

Also it will cause/force me to improve my skills with green stuff and kit bashing. 

I agree also. My GS and plasticard skills can only get better...

I am making my way through the list, marking everything I can that I may want for anything in the foreseeable future. Some entries I believe they will still be stocking, just as combined blister packs, no longer as individual order bitz.

To be honest, I think this is a sensible step for GW. Their money problems mean they need to look around in areas where they are bleeding, and keeping an extensive bitz collection must be expensive. Think of:
- the cost of supplying metal for an entire mold just because someone ordered 1 bit from it
- all the other bitz from that mold that are not popular just keep accumulating
- the factory shelfspace all of these non-selling bitz take up
- the costs of maintaining those molds for relatively low ROI (say a mold costs $1000, it takes 300 spins before it needs to be replaced, and the one popular bit on the mold they charge $4 for. They make $1200 which is barely enough to break even, and then take into account the above factors, as well as labour, and you get the idea. Of course this is just a simple example...)

Their current process would be inefficient, and they definitely should tidy up the process. As hobbyists, we are outraged, however I don't blame them for taking this approach. To continue along the way they are going would simply increase financial losses - and we don't want GW raising prices or being bought out do we?

[offroadfury88]

i agree with warlord, with the decrease of the use of metal models and the increase of plastic ones will cause the prices to
 go down.  GW will not have to spend money on the expensive, rarely used metal models andcan drop the prices of the popular plastic ones and still make money

[Warlord]

i agree with warlord, with the decrease of the use of metal models and the increase of plastic ones will cause the prices to
 go down.  GW will not have to spend money on the expensive, rarely used metal models andcan drop the prices of the popular plastic ones and still make money

I wasn't saying they would drop prices... Operationally though, prices could remain static and money lost would reduce.

But yeah...

[Otaku]

Its sad that they need to do this. I love a good metal mini, but if its not a good mini or of only part of it is cool,  its such a hassel to fix, sometimes impossible. And you can forget about trying to repose a medal mini in any significant way.  Plastics are so much more useful and easy to use for me... and if this change means they can produce more multi use bits that are easy to work with than im all for it. The only thing i depend on GW to get right are the faces. Practice your GS skills everyone!

[Northern Storm]

Thank Sigmar I decided to order my 22 Foot knights now! Phew! The Canadian loonie suddenly being on par with the US greenback was what made me put in an impromptu order...and now I find out they are going OOP! Very relieved I bought them when i did (few days ago)

[Wyzer1]

Good rithens, I hate metal minis

They break all the time, forget about accidentally brushing them off the table! Superglue all over the hands, paint doesn't stick to them, they are heavy in bulk (every little bit in my box counts...) you cannot convert them for crap, they are harder to assemble than plastics and more expensive to assemble (super glue is more expensive than plastics glue), since metal is heavier its harder to get frail parts to stick together (try breaking off the top of a banner on accident and try to get the pole back on the hand! Or try breaking a metal flying model off the plastic base thing and trying to get it back on...)

The one thing that is nice about metal minis are when they are 1 piece and you dont have to do any assembling   

[Duke Igthorn]

i agree with warlord, with the decrease of the use of metal models and the increase of plastic ones will cause the prices to
 go down.  GW will not have to spend money on the expensive, rarely used metal models andcan drop the prices of the popular plastic ones and still make money

LOL!!!
That was really funny...that part about GW lowering prices!
Old Empire Soldiers were 20 for $35. New ones are 10 for $22,or $44 for 20. A 25% increase.

[patsy02]

When I started a box of soldiers(REAL 6th ed ones) cost me 205 nok(about 15£, in Britain they were 12£). Now they're at 280. 

[BingoBongoEmpire]

It all depends on what they do next. From my perspective it has to be better to have entirely newly sculpted models on a more regular basis along with magic items and other bits that directly reflect the current rules. It is a shame they're getting rid of so much, but there is plenty of time to order anything that wasn't purchased in the many years since some of the relevant models were released.

Given the choice I'd much rather be able to get my hands on those models I keep seeing done in-studio (the warrior priest blessing the handgun for example) that don't get released for whatever reason at the minute.

[Wyzer1]

i agree with warlord, with the decrease of the use of metal models and the increase of plastic ones will cause the prices to
 go down.  GW will not have to spend money on the expensive, rarely used metal models andcan drop the prices of the popular plastic ones and still make money

LOL!!!
That was really funny...that part about GW lowering prices!
Old Empire Soldiers were 20 for $35. New ones are 10 for $22,or $44 for 20. A 25% increase.

You missed the point...

The 20 for $35 ones went were already plastic

Think of the price decrease from the metal helblaster to the plastic helblaster

Pretty much every metal-to-plastic switch they have made has in fact led to price decreases (i think)

[Victor]

The only thing I will miss, are the old Reiksguard foot knights .. might have to order them before it´s too late. Unless anyone here got 15 to sell

[Duke Igthorn]

What plastic Greatswords? I havent seen a plastic Greatsword set. The Helblaster hasnt went down in price, my local store has metal ones for $20, the new plastic is $22. Its better and the price increase (10%) is alot more reasonable though. That I agree. The Battalion sets are a good value, especially if you get it for 20% off from an online retailer.

My point is that GW switching from metal to plastic does not definitely mean a price decrease.

[Wyzer1]

What plastic Greatswords? I havent seen a plastic Greatsword set.

uh, who said that  ??

crap, I could have sworn the new boxes were plastic... oops

The Helblaster hasnt went down in price, my local store has metal ones for $20, the new plastic is $22. Its better and the price increase (10%) is alot more reasonable though

?? My local store and IIRC the old price for the metal ones was $35... They might have lowered it because the new ones were cheaper... might be wrong though

[Duke Igthorn]

Don't get me wrong Wyzer, Im not arguing with you. I get your point. GW  "SHOULD" lower prices when switching from metal to plastic. Shipping & material prices are cheaper. But it doesnt definitely mean they "WILL" lower prices. I hope they do.....

[Sigmork]

Think of pistoliers, used to be £25 (around $50) for 5, now its £12 (around $24), plus they're a lot better, customizable with spare parts and everything

[Lord William Kent]

Yeah, I ultimately have to say I like this better, as long as GW does provide "Upgrade sprues"  and enough good plastic bitz, I also think it would be interesting to see entirely plastic armies.  And on a side note, what about special chracters, metal or plastic?