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having a look around thier site, i have started to notice that some of the boxes gw makes have actualy gone DOWN in price.

for example. a squad of guardians the basice troop for eldar is $30 USD. that is $5 cheeper then the normal pricing of 35 for a plastic troop box.

also, if you watch some of the new relases with orks. the price is even lower, $22 for a box of boys??? yes, your only getting 10 of them, and you will need to buy a few boxes worth. but what was the old box set at 12 or 15 if i rememebr right, and it was 35.
box of nobs for 25$

thier new plastic stuff seams to be going down in price, while the metal models have taken a jump up. this sucks for SOB and DH players. but is good for allmost everyone else. most armies field a lot of plastic, and a few metal squads.

these lower prices might be the start of an ork army for me.... ill wait untill the new guard come out though. if they get some new lower priced plastic toys, ill start up a small force.

the new battle waggon is $50 though, ouch. but you are getting an insane ammount of bits.

You get 11 Ork Boyz in the Box if you count the Nob, plus the 'Eavy Weapon of your choice.

So the Boyz are terrific value, by comparrison. I think you used to get 16 Boyz for £18. Nobz were around £6, plus another £3 for an 'Eavy Weapon bought on it's own (rather than the Blister of two)

So yeah, I'm liking the complete feel of the new Infantry Boxes. Guardians for example, now come in 10's WITH the Weapon Platform, again saving a bit.

Prices might go up, but if you do your sums and use a lot of plastic, the cost of an army has remained surprisingly static. If of course you exclude the generally diminishing points values.

GW are trying to push the sale of their plastic models. Their goal by 2009 or ten (I can't remember) is to completely replace all basic choices with plastic models, leaving metal for only the most elite troops or special characters. Why this is, I don't know, but it's what they told me.

They want to push up the volume of plastic figures in order to achieve economies of scale. Plastic is only cost effective if the company manufactures a large volume of the figure.

The recent rules and codex changes push this agenda. Only Troops scoring, for example.

Look for all new codexes to include many units as standard selections, like the basic 5-man SM combat squad.

In general they want an army to have 30 or more troops, and only one special character general who will be a metal figure.

Trevy the Great wrote:GW are trying to push the sale of their plastic models. Their goal by 2009 or ten (I can't remember) is to completely replace all basic choices with plastic models, leaving metal for only the most elite troops or special characters. Why this is, I don't know, but it's what they told me.

Probably because they think their flash computer sculpting tool produces better results and the fact that metal is constantly going up in price.

Generally, plastic would be cheaper and easier to produce, and on our end plastic is easier to assemble and comes with many more options.

Basically I don't see why you would want to stick with metal for basic troops anyway

I remember when the boyz were 16 for $30US. Sounds like the new boyz box is an improvement, particular if you get ALL the weapons in a single box.

Fiendcrackar! wrote:Generally, plastic would be cheaper and easier to produce, and on our end plastic is easier to assemble and comes with many more options.

Basically I don't see why you would want to stick with metal for basic troops anyway

I LOVE the heft of the metal minis, so I put a nickel in the base of the plastic ones, so they actually FEEL like something. Otherwise you're right plastic is the way to go.

When you drop a nickel based mini, does it bounce as nicely as a plain plastic mini, or
does the nickel give it a funny spin or what?

I like lower priced plastic. My Orks are cheap to get now thankfully.

I am hoping they do make all troops plastic, it would be nice to get 60 Plague betters for under 250$

Agreed on the need for heavy models. Like a chess set, it just doesn't feel the same if the pieces don't weigh like a pound each.

But that is all metal has on its side.

Many companies manage to make metal figures for much less than GW. Compare Pig Iron's SF infantry figures with IG, for example.

What you are paying for in a GW figure is partly the IP, not the cost of metal.

That, and their infrastructure as well.

Most Model companies for Wargames are just a handful of guys in a shed from what I understand!

I have to say, ever since the Cold One Knights were released, nobody has claimed Metal holds detail better, as I think that kit quite comprehensively put paid to such a claim.

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:I have to say, ever since the Cold One Knights were released, nobody has claimed Metal holds detail better, as I think that kit quite comprehensively put paid to such a claim.

Agreed, and I'd even go out on a limb and say the quality of detail in the metal figures has decreased.

Could be linked. If they are able to spend more time putting more detail in plastic now (one assumes it slows down the process, I don't really know) then the time available for the metal models, theoretically but not necessarily is reduced.

Depends entirely on which sculptor is doing what of course. If one of them is doing all the metals, and a couple of others doing the plastics then the above theory is rather wrong!

i love this new trend of lower prices. aside from pushing apoc, do you think GW will slowly make everything less points so you have to buy more to play higher point games??

so what do you think the 22$ guard troop box will contain??
right now it is 20 guardsmen for 35$ i think the new box will be 16 guardsmen and 2 heavy weapon teams.

Envy89 wrote:i love this new trend of lower prices. aside from pushing apoc, do you think GW will slowly make everything less points so you have to buy more to play higher point games??

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This won't necessarily work. The interest of a game at a particular point level is related to how many units you get and the size of table because these are the tactical limitations.

If all units start costing a less, people can just play the same old 1500 point game at 1200 points.

Overloading the table with figures actually spoils aspects of the game, IMO, which is one reason I don't like Apoc.

However, if GW genuinely feel their pricing has over-reached the ability/desire of customers to pay it, then a moderate price reduction should see sales improve by people buying new armies and new people joining the game.

The Guard box is almost certainly going to be 10 IG for $22. You will get more bitz, but not more guys. If you want guys, buy the current boxes, or buy battalions.