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http://epicaddiction.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/whfb-and-40k-collectors-ranges-also-going/

All of the WHFB and 40k collectors ranges are now confirmed as being killed off like specialist games - including the metal guard models and the dogs of war stuff

It's a huge shame, and really regrettable. But I'm amazed they lasted this long, to be perfectly honest.

A shame, but hopefuly that means plastic steel legion kits

Damn, I wanted to use The Blessing of Sigmar for part of an armies on parade project I was thinking of

 Lord Harrab wrote:
A shame, but hopefuly that means plastic steel legion kits

One can only hope, I suppose.

Gods forbid a company that doesn't keep everything it ever produced in production forever?

(Cue inevitable gnashing, wailing and questions on where I source so much Kool-Aid from.)

Seems like Games Workshop is preparing for the final countdown.

 Kroothawk wrote:
Seems like Games Workshop is preparing for the final countdown.

To what?

 Laughing God wrote:

 Kroothawk wrote:
Seems like Games Workshop is preparing for the final countdown.

To what?

PLASTIC PARTY FOR ALL!! Believe,,,,,

 Laughing God wrote:

 Kroothawk wrote:
Seems like Games Workshop is preparing for the final countdown.

To what?

Their inevitable demise of course. It's been a long slow journey, but we're getting there.

 JohnnyHell wrote:
Gods forbid a company that doesn't keep everything it ever produced in production forever?

(Cue inevitable gnashing, wailing and questions on where I source so much Kool-Aid from.)

People are allowed to be disappointed, even if the decision is understandable.

 Kroothawk wrote:
Seems like Games Workshop is preparing for the final countdown.

I'd say they're still a long way from that, but it's not very surprising considering the direction they've been moving for a decade or more. It's just becoming more obvious now.

 Lord Harrab wrote:
A shame, but hopefuly that means plastic steel legion kits

I fear for the worst. I've always wanted a Steel Legion force eventually, and now they might be gone completely? Not sure if I'm willing to take a ~$350-700 blind plunge to get all the units I might want, or perhaps buy one of everything so that I could cast an entire army if the range is indeed canceled and not replaced. I would have no moral qualms with recasting an army that GW refuses to sell me any more.

 Riquende wrote:

 JohnnyHell wrote:
Gods forbid a company that doesn't keep everything it ever produced in production forever?

(Cue inevitable gnashing, wailing and questions on where I source so much Kool-Aid from.)

People are allowed to be disappointed, even if the decision is understandable.

Of course they are. I wish Necromunda was still in production, and Epic was my first GeeDub game and 2nd fave after Necromunda. But it's Dakka, so there'll be a flood of "ZOMG NOOOOO! That unit I had no intention of ever buying is gone! Kirby must go! It's the end of days" type yawnage.

 Kroothawk wrote:
Seems like Games Workshop is preparing for the final countdown.

There's a perceptible shift in the air. Very interesting.

It sucks to see them go. There's some lovely models in those ranges. Particularly the chaos lord in power armour. Guess I won't be making a combined imperial guard army out of vahallan's, mordian's and tallarn.

Don't really understand the point of the collectors section. Most of these miniatures should always have been included in the regular army section on the website.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

 Kroothawk wrote:
Seems like Games Workshop is preparing for the final countdown.

There's a perceptible shift in the air. Very interesting.

Don't worry, I'm sure the usuals will be here in a moment to tell us why we're wrong and just members of the butthurt brigade.

I find it hard to believe that all of them are going, considering that some have already made the conversion to finecast.

 Riquende wrote:
People are allowed to be disappointed, even if the decision is understandable.

Correct, the well sculpted Collector models don't fit the current Happy Meal range of Dinobots and Drag Elves.

Also: "Collector models were a major reason to buy from the GW webstore. We will discontinue that range. This is good news, as it speeds up loading time on the GW webstore and keeps our cashiers from overflowing!"

Well, it's pretty obvious why GW is doing this-- the big metal transition. The big sellers from the collector's range got turned into Finecast, and the ones that weren't worth converting are now getting cut.

Still a shame though. I think the old Imperial Guard metals are a lot better and more characterful than the current Cadians or Catachans. They also scale better with Space Marines-- especially important when fielding allied detachments. Hopefully the next Imperial Guard release will come with new basic troops boxes. The current ones are really showing their age.

What would happen to my beloved warhammer universe if GW went down? Would another company take the helm?

I find this news disappointing, there are some classic models there that I will now never get.

I don't think this for tells GWs demise any, more likely they are dropping the relevant staff and metal casting kit and making space.

On the plus side this means that the possibility of buying the clown prince of darkness reduces even further - yes no more Nagash!

 Kroothawk wrote:
Also: "Collector models were a major reason to buy from the GW webstore. We will discontinue that range. This is good news, as it speeds up loading time on the GW webstore and keeps our cashiers from overflowing!"

Don't worry, everything but the Dark Vengeance™ set will be moving to Citadel™ FineDirect™. This is excellent news for our valued customers, you will now be able to experience a streamlined purchase experience at your local Games Workshop™ Hobby™ Center™, free of all the distractions that used to clutter the shelves when you wanted to buy more Citadel™ Space Marines™. And when you want to buy other Citadel™ Space Marines™ you can order them through Citadel™ FineDirect™ from the comfort of your own home and have them delivered right to your door!

Im probably grasping at straws but maybe they are making room for plastic steel legion and the like for the rumoured allied stuff such as a steel legion detachment.

Nah, I think Kingsley's got it about right. Another round of cost cutting, this time putting paid to all metal production - selling off of machines, ending of supply contracts, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if some metal casting staff aren't being let go as part of this...

 zedmeister wrote:
Nah, I think Kingsley's got it about right. Another round of cost cutting, this time putting paid to all metal production - selling off of machines, ending of supply contracts, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if some metal casting staff aren't being let go as part of this...

GW sold off their metal casting equipment a few months after Finecrap launched BTW.

That's a shame, I wanted to get one platoon of each regiment eventually since I don't have the cash at the moment. Ah well, too bad, guess the oppurtunity has passed, guess I can round of my guard army and be done with it then, saves a lot of money for other games

Can't say I'm too surprised though, why keep all metal casting facilities for a few old models, don't like it, but I can completely understand it.

There are, broadly speaking, two reasons for a company to elminate a product line:
1) it's not profitable enough
2) it does not fit within overall strategy

The first seems dubious. You can make a profit, albeit a small one, selling garage quality sculpts over the internet. The idea that GW couldn't profitably produce and sell metal specialist and collectors models, especially since they only sold directly at retail, its dubious.

This leaves strategy. GW is clearly moving out of metal, and keeping ranges without the profit potential to shift to finecast around would interfere with the overall goal.

Now... it's not unusual for companies in GWs situation, having a product line that's got some juice but doesn't fit, to spin it off or create a subsidiary, or even license out the stuff. I know the last is DOA for GW management, but I'm a little surprised they haven't created a new, FW style subsidiary that exists simply to cater to the old metal range.

The reason people expect metal models to stay in production is that they can be cast to order. If you keep the molds, the casting equipment, and some semi-skilled labor around, you can make anything as needed. Hell, even if you cast up too many of something in metal, you can recycle it quickly and efficiently. Metal models aren't iPods or automobiles, that require huge levels of production. As long as you have storage and a few pieces of casting equipment, you can make money spinning a couple dozen models a year out of a mold.

Sister players, you need to be strong now.

Heck, this is a golden opportunity for a few companies. Dreamforge's black widows (female guard-type models) will be released this year when Wave 3 of their kickstarter campaign ships, and Raging Heroes is just about to do a female guard-type model kickstarter.

Are ALL sisters of battle models going away, or just some?