Topic: What's going on regarding Warhammer at your local game store?

[Syn Ace]

Haven't seen anyone playing it yet. My regular store, it's been selling well. He's actually had a hard time gauging how much he should order and sold out of the Castellan figure the day it was released.  The other store I stop by said it's been selling okay. Again, no one in playing it in store. He said they are thinking about holding an event once they can figure a balancing system.

[GamesPoet]

Into a third store yesterday.  They had a good selection of Warhammer figures available, and they were placed front and center, and selling, along with some of the newer items as well.  I picked up the second of the four kits I've been looking for, Huntsmen, no Militia nor Pistoliers available, and have begun my tally here ...

Empire Greatswords
Empire Huntsmen
Empire Militia
Empire Pistoliers

(items purchased are bolded.)

When this is completed, then I might make a second run through, but we'll see.

Of the four stores I've visited (some more than once) since July 4th, I haven't seen one game of WFB or WAoS yet.  Only one store had the initial boxed sets of WAoS, and all but one was selling some of the newer boxes of Storm dudes.  One had stopped selling GW completely.

[GamesPoet]

The name of this thread has been changed to protect the innocent.

This thread does not only discuss the Empire, and could be placed in the Count's Tavern accordingly.

Thank you!

[GamesPoet]

Hey Admins ...

Could we get this thread moved to the Count's Tavern?  There is little to no reference of WAoS (except in my original title), and the thread has developed into reports of what is happening in local hobby stores, no matter what might be happening, which is my ongoing purpose of the thread and I am the original poster.  My intent is to not have this only for WAoS.

Thank you in advance for your understanding.

[GamesPoet]

Was in a local hobby store yesterday, an interesting side trip. What I noticed is that GW was repackaging older models with their new look.  The owner mentioned the GW had tried to get him to only stock the new packaging.  He said that he asked GW if they'd take back the old stock then, and of course they wouldn't.  His next thought was something like, "what exactly do you expect me to do with the old stock if it isn't on my shelf, you won't take it back, and I only have the new packaging on the shelf instead?"  We both had a good laugh at that.

Anyway, I saw a cool looking metal Bretonnian knight on the shelf, but I need to be careful after having just recently picked up boxes of huntsmen, militia, pistoliers, and greatswords.  There was no one playing anything other than a computer game and card games, but a decent amount of hobby material on the shelves for Warhammer, 40K, and Warmahordes.

[Baron von Klatz]

"what exactly do you expect me to do with the old stock if it isn't on my shelf, you won't take it back, and I only have the new packaging on the shelf instead?"

Tournament prizes?

[GamesPoet]

 

Suppose that might be one way for the store owner to at least temporarily support the Olde World, GW sure doesn't.

[GamesPoet]

Wow, haven't posted in this thread for awhile, but wondering how Warhammer is doing in your local store now that it is 2018?

I've seen a bit of W:AoS, but not much of anything else around here.

Folks seem to be enjoying 8th edition 40K!

[Ursa Doom]

I haven't really kept up with it and only made time for painting. WHFB seems mostly dead, but Age of Sigmar is apparently going strong.

[Artobans Ghost]

Mostly 40k 8ed but a bit of AoS. Saw some of my old group playing. That’s why I will take a shot at playing again this summer.

[StealthKnightSteg]

Local game group here in Leeuwarden is mostly 40k (with Xwing, Bolt action and some new stuff like Legion inbound), trying to play with a mate or 2 AoS and there seems to be a bit of an interest coming.

GW store in Groningen (30-40 mins out with car) is both AoS and 40K going strong. But due to personal agenda troubles can't come over that often anymore.

[Xathrodox86]

Mostly 40K, but I've been playing a lot of Horus Heresy lately. We're trying to bring it to mainstream, here in Poland. So far it goes pretty well. Have a game tommorow.

[Zygmund]

I think I have four shops selling Warhammer and one miniature club nearby. They really have different takes on the hobby.

The GW store is obviously about the official GW Warhammer games. Don't know what's going on there, but there seem to be people inside and the shop keeps going strong on a near-premium location, so must be selling a fair amount of stuff.

The oldest hobby store stocks everything, and also has kept some OOP stuff on the shelves. But they stopped offering a space for miniature gaming when they moved to a new location a couple of years ago. The last game I played there was five years ago.

The newest & most dynamic miniature games store offers all the new stuff with a good variety of older stuff too. They sort of keep up the tournament scene with WH40K, T9A and AoS, roughly in this order of intensity. There's like one tournament per month, six per year being 40K, four per year being T9A and two per year being AoS. (I might get this grossly wrong, it's more of my unlearned impression.) They're really open-minded and allow all kinds of games and editions being played, even if they don't supply them. Played Kings of War there a couple of years ago.

The closest & smallest store doesn't stock everything, and must bow deep to CCG's in order to make a profit. They've become somewhat official for the most popular CCG's, organizing a series of tournament that lead to the international scene. They still have a table for miniature games, and I've seen it actually in use, but only for 40K & BloodBowl. Nothing against Fantasy, just that people seldom play it there. It's a bit cramped and the club (below) is near, so that might be the reason.

The club hosts a vast array of games & events, so that traditional Warhammer Fantasy, 40K, AoS, KoW and their smaller offshoots are but a minor part of the hobby activity. Still, that's a place where T9A and AoS are played weekly, even daily, on 1-3 tables. The fantasy games might be equally popular to the sci-fi games. Lot's of familiar faces playing traditional Warhammer and T9A, and most of the AoS players are older Warhammer fans too. No new recruits that I would know of. Still, I'd call it a lively scene even regarding Fantasy. Played there just yesterday - surprisingly the 8th ed! - breaking an eight month hiatus in gaming.

-Z

[GamesPoet]

Went down to the closest local game store, and it was closed, permanently.  I'd been in it a couple times since covid 19 started and there was never more than a handful of folks there.  So probably another covid casualty.

The owner's other store is still open a couple towns away, and there was no game playing being permitted in the store.  Masks required, and signs said only stay 20 minutes, "for the safety of all".  Sorry, if I am buying and with mask, I'm browsing for as long as I choose, and no one kicked me out.  Especially when I picked up the last 2019 Killteam Starter Set, and put it on the counter while I browsed further.

Picked up two foam carry trays by Pirate Lab, their Tray A and Tray C, both are 2 inches deep.  The first is 2"x 1" so each hole can fit 1 cav or 2 inf figures.  The second has some 2 1/2" x 1 1/4" and 2" x 1 1/4", and these might work for some rounded bases I have in mind, but will see.

Also picked up some paints on sale ... 2 Runelord Brass, 2 Ogryn Camo, and 1 Dryad Bark, all in the previous style bottles for $2 each.  And picked up Ushabti Bone and Screaming Skull too.  Oh, and three new paint Army Painter brushes, too.

Anyway, it was bummer to have that closest store close.  Played all my first Warhammer Fantasy Battle games there back then.  Such a disappointment to have it disappear.

[Warlord]

The ‘warhammer’ store in Sydney was permanently closed. It was the GW, but rebranded. I imagine Covid hurt them because business in the city dried up completely when everyone got sent home to WFH most of 2020. Regardless, it was disappointing to see.

[GamesPoet]

Can't imagine the store where I started Warhammer would have ever closed had it not been for covid.  Been feeling the loss, expect I'll feel it for awhile.  I need to check in on another store further away and see how it is doing.

[Novogord]

The closest, where you also can play is in Gent, and I know they struggle with the whole lockdown. The same with the Hobbyclub of Soth, which is my place to for games.
The closest hobby store, which mostly sells model aeroplanes and cars, as well as RC Cars is still in business. And apparently they are doing rather well with most people have more time, so they start with some older hobbies like model cars. They also have some Warhammer models and can order things, but it is the smallest part of their business.

[Rowsdower]

As tacky as the local gaming store is; it was very busy the other day with numerous games of fantasy, 40K and specialist games in progress.
I noticed the local 'Sheldon' wasn't around so I'm guessing he's either moved or returned to his basement.

[GamesPoet]

Well the closest store isn't allowing games currently.

Still need to check on my favorite store, and make a pilgrimage to another when possible.

[GamesPoet]

A couple week's back I saw a Warhammer 40K game going on between two individuals who were wearing masks.  Although at another store  saw two folks playing Warmachine that were behind a curtain around a table, but not wearing masks.  Last night I saw two groups of roleplay gamers all wearing masks in the same store as the previous 40K game seen.

[GamesPoet]

Was in a game shop last night.  The GW paint rack was out of a lot of colors.  I asked the guy behind the counter, and he said they are having delays in receiving items from Games Workshop.

Hmmm ... maybe I'll start buying more of other paints. Army Painter and Vallejo have good lines, and I've always enjoyed Ceramcoat available via craft stores like Michael's.

Another game store that I buy most of my 40K stuff from has been having delay issues getting GW 40K kits.  I order something, but it takes weeks for them to receive it. 

However, I tried ordering off the internet via another retailer, and it took very little time at all, perhaps because it was in stock? Or else they got some sort of priority with getting stuff from games Workshop that other independent retailers don't have, at least currently.

[GamesPoet]

Walked into a third store yesterday ... the guy had some decent GW stock, looked like whatever he'd ordered recently had arrived.

Including 3 boxes of Cursed City.

[Rowsdower]

The local store caters to a variety of games. I rarely get to go due to work and comitments

[GamesPoet]

At a local game store the other day ... saw to games of Warhammer 40K happening.  Saw one further back at another place.

So it seems folks are slowly getting back to playing in person games at some of the local places.

[Rowsdower]

The local store today obtained dozens of blisters, old battle forces and late 90's era miniatures which the manager bought from a collector.
It was mostly space wolf and Armageddon orks but there were a few old FB sets as well. I thought long and hard about buying the Kislev blisters.
I also eyed off the Bretonian box set but had to pass as its $400.00 and i have renovation bills to pay.