I'm serious, at last, about building my gaming table.
I need one to playtest my game. And, ultimately, if I want to play a game of warhammer it would be easier to have a battle-table instead of a too-small diningroom table.
So, I was reading about the Games Workshop battle mat (25 euros) and how it was good quality, compared to some of the other grass-cover mats you can buy at local hobby stores. I couldn't find it on their website though. And thus, I found myself phoning the local GW store in my vicinity.
"No sir, we don't stock the battle mat anymore."
"Oh, why is that?" I asked.
"GW in their infinite wisdom," (he said it in Dutch, but it had the same ring of resignation to it), "have chosen to discontinue it. We now sell a modular board set made from plastic. It's slightly more expensive though"
That sounded even better!
"Really? Cool. How much does that cost?"
"250 euros, sir."
WHAT THE FUCK???
Really?
So, for selling something for 250 euros, they feel obligated to discontinue something which cost 25 euros???
Do they actually inhabit the same world as I do?
Say you're a father with a son who wants to start playing Warhammer fantasy?
"Oh Paps," he'll say, "I have to have it. 250 euros for the board, 40 euros for paint, brushes and glue. 60 euros for a unit of orcs, 120 euros for 2 units of goblins, 30 units for a unit of goblin wolf riders, 60 euros for a couple of chariots and a kidney for a couple of heroes."
Is GW actively discouraging people from starting the game?
They've priced me out of the bloody market anyway. 30 euros for a box of 10 models... and you need units of 40...
It's complete madness.
A unit of 12 Celtic horsemen (which fit nicely in a Bretonnian army) costs 12.50 euros.
A unit of 40 mantic dwarves costs 30 euros.
A unit of 10 orc boar riders from mantic costs 20 euros.
Anybody buying GW stuff must be mad or rich.