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GW is in a perfect position to create plastic scenic bases.

But what bases would they make? They're not going to sell a lot if they only make one theme, and to truly compete with other companies like Micro Arts and Secret Weapon, they would have to create several varieties. They've probably decided it's not worth the investment.

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
GW is in a perfect position to create plastic scenic bases.

But what bases would they make? They're not going to sell a lot if they only make one theme, and to truly compete with other companies like Micro Arts and Secret Weapon, they would have to create several varieties. They've probably decided it's not worth the investment.

I think they could do 2-3 basic designs, each being one sprue with 10 variations:
-Rocky Slate
-Urban ruins
-Cobblestone
Three themes that are fairly generic and easy to modify or add-to for more variation

 Eilif wrote:

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
GW is in a perfect position to create plastic scenic bases.

But what bases would they make? They're not going to sell a lot if they only make one theme, and to truly compete with other companies like Micro Arts and Secret Weapon, they would have to create several varieties. They've probably decided it's not worth the investment.

I think they could do 2-3 basic designs, each being one sprue with 10 variations:
-Rocky Slate
-Urban ruins
-Cobblestone
Three themes that are fairly generic and easy to modify or add-to for more variation

A rocky fissures might also work. Blues/whites make for ice floes/arctic, while grey/glowing reds & yellows for lava bases.

That is a good question. I guess much more people would use sculpted bases if they would be advertised by GW. I dont understand why they are skipping on a product they would make money on and that is so close related to thair existing products.
It could be that GW does not want another thing that takes up shelf space or that they think that the profit would not fit their expectations.

It is also compleatly mystreious to me, why they cobstantly keep these big gaps in thair miniatures line. Why isn't there a plastic Hydra. Its not that GW does not have the producton capacity or something like that. It was even sranger that there was no Thunderwolf cavalry for over a year while other companies wher making great bargains on thair proxi models.
It could only think that GW is experimenting with customer behavior. And want to see how many people are going to by FW Hydra.

 Alfndrate wrote:
Too bad that the plain Jane bases are already 4.50 for ten bases... so resin or even fancy plastic injection could be solid for 7.50 before anyone would think of batting an eye lash. Other companies like Battle road Games and hobbies sells 10 resin bases for ten bucks.

That's pretty silly, GW used to sell bases much cheaper. People always need bases because they get lost and damaged or you want to use different bases to those packaged. GW were good for that, I bought supplies of bases to last years though, but it would be really expensive to get that many from them now.

 Peregrine wrote:
Because GW hates money. Seriously, the best way to figure out what GW will do is to think of the most sensible thing to do in a given situation and then expect the exact opposite.

GW want other companies to do it so that they can sue them for using a Skull™ or something on the bases.

 Sigvatr wrote:

 Kilkrazy wrote:

 Sigvatr wrote:
I disagree. I'd say that especially youngsters would be prone to buying those since vets could easily make cool-looking bases themselves.

Do you disagree to resin or polystyrene? Or both, maybe...

Resin bases are easily available online where vets buy, which seems to argue that vets are buying them.

I disagree with youngsters not being interested in structured bases

I think you are right, they could be interested, but perhaps GW need to devote their production capacity to full kits.

I wouldn't even consider it unless they were plastic. Just saying, I wouldn't gamble my money on Citadel Finebase.

Indeed Sid!

I totally agree with Bellicist. The amount of people who buy resin bases now can only be a loose approximation of the demand people would demonstrate if GW stated selling bases in their stores. I think it would completely redefine the market. All studio armies on studio bases in every WD, every 'eavy metal piece on a scenic bases that for a low, low fee you could have too. Shelf space shouldn't be an issue with smart packaging.

Hey, if the marketing department wants to go buck wild why not even toss a couple free scenic bases in a WD as a freebie-- just to prompt people to buy more of the same bases to keep a cohesive look! Its a trifecta of increasing their rag's value, generating some goodwill, and sneakily promoting a new source of profit.

 Howard A Treesong wrote:

 Alfndrate wrote:
Too bad that the plain Jane bases are already 4.50 for ten bases... so resin or even fancy plastic injection could be solid for 7.50 before anyone would think of batting an eye lash. Other companies like Battle road Games and hobbies sells 10 resin bases for ten bucks.

That's pretty silly, GW used to sell bases much cheaper. People always need bases because they get lost and damaged or you want to use different bases to those packaged. GW were good for that, I bought supplies of bases to last years though, but it would be really expensive to get that many from them now.

What's silly? Their pricing? Yeah, but I mean the average resin base price I see seems to be a dollar a base, something GW could probably easily create something "better" and cheaper, but they won't considering their basing kits are like 33 dollars... "Hrm... Tactical squad or basing equipment?" lol

 AesSedai wrote:
Title says it all really. There was a post in my display case tutorial thread about the money GW is losing out on by not providing a display case a a ridiculously inflated price. There would be some difficulties in that, but why not resin (or plastic) bases? Small requirements in terms of shelf space. I just don't get it. They already discourage the creative part of modelling they celebrated in bygone years. Genaric plastic bases like urban, desert, jungle, etc., would certainly sell...so why?

GW would rather you buy their $50 rock kit and $20 grass patches
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat470007a&prodId=prod1760016a
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat470007a&prodId=prod1390050a

Forgeworld did try it once and they were too goddamn expensive and worse looking then anything on the market. IIRC it was $25 for 10 which is highway robbery when back to base-ix was doing it for $7 with dirt cheap shipping.

Dragonforge is about a month behind on making orders because they are moving so fast he cant stock pile, it definitely has me interested in getting into it.

 Ravenous D wrote:
GW would rather you buy their $50 rock kit and $20 grass patches
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat470007a&prodId=prod1760016a
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat470007a&prodId=prod1390050a

This is it in a nutshell. They don't sell resin bases because they already provide (and even sell) plastic bases and lots of fun basing material to glue on top of them.

I just got off the phone with a friend who was suggesting I make just these types of bases. I currently make plastic bases at proxiemodels.com. They are cheap, 32 bases in the 25mm round style for $4.50. I never saw a need for fancy decorations because it is very easy to decorate the base yourself with a bit of rocks or something. I might make a sprue of base decorating bits and add that to the shop, but not sure if I want to re-cut molds for every size base just to add some specific style to it. Problem there is some would hate whatever style I used and others might like it.

Do people actually buy basing material from GW though? Every single basing material that GW sells has an alternative that is better AND cheaper. That's fairly damning, I'd think. I do like their grass clumps though.

With bits sales being cut, I guess people may need to buy generic plastic bases, but I've always bought mine from places like HoB for about the same price.

There are still plenty of people that buy all their "HHHobby supplies" from their local GW.

I know I can get things cheaper by ordering my stuff online, then going to Hobby Lobby for brushes and basing supplies, pick up cheap glue at a big box store, picking up some sand and dirt along the street, and then drive by my model railroad store to get some special plasticard bits and pieces.

But some people don't mind paying extra just so that they can drive down to a single store, pick up everything right then and there, and then go home and start working on stuff. You pay for convinience.

Also don't forget on parents and family going into a GW to buy stuff on little Timmy's list and getting the upsell from the employee there.

 AesSedai wrote:
Do people actually buy basing material from GW though?

Probably a few, just for the convenience factor. But pre-made bases would probably sell better. Like paint it's something you constantly need more of, and cheap enough to be a good impulse buy even when you came in to get something else. Instead of an expensive box of scenery bits you sell a $5-10 sprue of ready to use bases, and put them at the register so your customers can see them and think "hey, I'll need some bases for this tactical squad I'm buying".

Of course this would involve GW making a sensible business decision, so it will never happen.

 d-usa wrote:
Also don't forget on parents and family going into a GW to buy stuff on little Timmy's list and getting the upsell from the employee there.

This should not be underestimated. If it wasn't for little Timmy GW would probably have given up on selling re-branded hobby supplies at absurd markup, but it's just free money when they have non-gamer parents asking "what does my kid need to build these".

 AesSedai wrote:
Do people actually buy basing material from GW though? Every single basing material that GW sells has an alternative that is better AND cheaper. That's fairly damning, I'd think. I do like their grass clumps though.

With bits sales being cut, I guess people may need to buy generic plastic bases, but I've always bought mine from places like HoB for about the same price.

I think ALOT of people buy their basing material there. Alot of folks entire hobby revolves around GW, so they've never really had a reason to look elsewhere.

It's successful enough that they continue to stock it and I even see it at FLGS's where there are other basing options on offer as well.

 Alfndrate wrote:
We've already seen that GW can pull off plastic injected base if you look at the single sprue character models. It honestly wouldn't be bad if they sold those, 5 for 20 dollars might not be too bad of a price and would take up probably just as much space in a blister as the character models.

5 bases... for 20 dollars? I mean, GW prices are bad, but even I wouldnt say they're THAT bad lol.

Bossk_Hogg wrote:

 Alfndrate wrote:
We've already seen that GW can pull off plastic injected base if you look at the single sprue character models. It honestly wouldn't be bad if they sold those, 5 for 20 dollars might not be too bad of a price and would take up probably just as much space in a blister as the character models.

5 bases... for 20 dollars? I mean, GW prices are bad, but even I wouldnt say they're THAT bad lol.

Single character model is 22.50... Why does paying 20 bucks for 5 high quality resin or plastic injected bases not seem out of the ball park? Hell, PP sells 3 objective markers for 15 bucks (I believe it's actually 14), and I bought 5 high quality resin objective markers for 12...

 Ravenous D wrote:

 AesSedai wrote:
Title says it all really. There was a post in my display case tutorial thread about the money GW is losing out on by not providing a display case a a ridiculously inflated price. There would be some difficulties in that, but why not resin (or plastic) bases? Small requirements in terms of shelf space. I just don't get it. They already discourage the creative part of modelling they celebrated in bygone years. Genaric plastic bases like urban, desert, jungle, etc., would certainly sell...so why?

GW would rather you buy their $50 rock kit and $20 grass patches
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat470007a&prodId=prod1760016a
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat470007a&prodId=prod1390050a

Jeez, I spoke too soon about GW's absurd pricing...


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Alfndrate wrote:

Bossk_Hogg wrote:

 Alfndrate wrote:
We've already seen that GW can pull off plastic injected base if you look at the single sprue character models. It honestly wouldn't be bad if they sold those, 5 for 20 dollars might not be too bad of a price and would take up probably just as much space in a blister as the character models.

5 bases... for 20 dollars? I mean, GW prices are bad, but even I wouldnt say they're THAT bad lol.

Single character model is 22.50... Why does paying 20 bucks for 5 high quality resin or plastic injected bases not seem out of the ball park?

Mostly because you can get the same product for a quarter of the price elsewhere. While GW's character models are obscenely expensive, and you can get equivalents elsewhere, it seems the difference between a character model and its mantic equivalent will be greater than a $4 GW rocky base and any other rocky base you can get for $0.50. Granted, I'm answering why PAYING for them seems outlandish, not why GW trying to charge $20 seems outlandish. I did revise my opinion of the latter upon seeing their $50 rock kit lol.

Hell, PP sells 3 objective markers for 15 bucks (I believe it's actually 14), and I bought 5 high quality resin objective markers for 12...

Those are a bit more on the terrain side than the base side, but still also expensive.

 BryllCream wrote:

 Peregrine wrote:
Because GW hates money. Seriously, the best way to figure out what GW will do is to think of the most sensible thing to do in a given situation and then expect the exact opposite.

Like expanding the e-codexes to android? That "gw hates money" line is old, dude.

I don't know how much demand there is for resin bases...I suspsect the average collector is happy to simply lay some paint down and glue a few rocks.

I know I am.

I've bought a few resin bases - my Zoanthropes are on them, as is one of my Carnifexes. I'm not overly happy with the result, however. I'm very happy with throwing some sand on the base, washing it army painter strong tone (for dirt) or soft tone (for sand) and drybrushing it bone, maybe putting a few painted rocks on there, and flocking it.

Resin bases are fine if you want to spend time painting the base. I don't, so they're not for me, and if GW sold them, they wouldn't get a cent extra from me.

Hey Loki--I don't really follow the logic. You said "Resin bases are fine if you want to spend time painting" and "I don't, so they're not for me", but then you describe a four or five part process that you use! Your basing method sounds quite involved!

Look at these bases and tell me they would take longer than what you described.



Also, if you are determined to stick to your basing ways, I would recommend this product.



If you've never tried it, please take my word for it---you'll never glue sand to a base again.

GW Board 'hey, legal team, we are making a range of bases with rocks and skulls and symbols and stuff, only some fethers started selling them years before we thought of it, take em to court for us'
GW legal dept *sound of team jumping from the windows.*

I can't see GW doing much in the way of scenic basing when their pots of sand™ are around a fiver, their PVA™ the same

I know right...at $8.25, I refuse to believe they are moving enough sand, yes SAND that it would preclude their selling a line of plastic or resin bases.