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I know that many gamers plan their purchases carefully, but having the option of something in the "impulse buy" price range when you go to the FLGS would be nice.

Something as simple as a single plastic infantry unit, like an IoB Sea Guard, could work. Perhaps they can follow Lego even and have random figures in packages, so you don't know what you are getting. I think it would be fun, and it could bring in a few more dollars to GW and the FLGS. The only problem I see is that they'd need some smaller sprues or to somehow cut the minis free.

What do you all think?

Don't they still sell five-packs.



Wow $30 (CAN) for 5 vs $42 for 10 pretty sad.

Putting those down to say $25 would probably be GW's version of what you are talking about.

Otherwise look at other games maybe.

I agree. If I've got a couple bucks left over from lunch, I'd be more than happy to spend it on something to paint.

I still wish they sold stuff like plague marines individually. Five dollars would be reasonable, and I could even out those odd units of seven...

To the above...I believe the kit has a lot of bits left over when you're done with it. No extra backpacks of legs, but I think It's got another set of heads or something......I've never personally bought the set though...It's the worst buy for your money possible..except these:

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat440105a&prodId=prod1050083

90$ for 5 models.

The $3-$5 impulse buy is a bottle of paint.

Solid $6 figures would be good. Doesn't need many options, but a unit champion/sergeant for that price would be neat.

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat440273a&prodId=prod1630084

$8.25 seems to be the GW "impluse buy" level.

Thanks for reminding me why I use bartertown and other used venues for my GW purchases.

There are quite alot of companies making metal figures for 2-3 bucks (em4 makes some of my favorites), but unfortunately you're not likely to find them in any but the largest gaming stores.

If you want something to paint for less than 5 bucks at a small FLGS, your best bet is to check the clix figures for something worth repainting (don't laugh, I've gotten some pretty cool minis that way.) or go to the Reaper minis wall as they always seem to have a few minis around the 5 buck range.

Also, most GW's have a big bucket of 'primed demo models'. This ranges from space marines to night goblins. If you ask, the red shirt might give you a couple to take home. I've gotten an entire unit of tactical marines this way over the years!

Yeah, I ran into this when I was looking for a mini for my local shop's 40k Speed Painting contest.You had to buy a mini, prime it, and then come paint it in a few hours. I was in the middle of a tight budget crunch at the time, and none of the single miniatures was less than $12. I ended up just skipping it.

You know I could go for a bucket of paint right now as a matter of fact.


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^^ Those things are $110 CAN. Wow. That is all I have to say.

I'd suggest finding an FLGS that sells used stuff. While most of them tend to charge almost full price for badly painted and assembled stuff, if you get lucky you can find some sweet deals. These tend to come from stores that don't actually carry new GW in my experience.

I miss blisters.

The days when you could build up a unit slowly. Now you have to buy the whole thing at once.

Jeep wrote:Something as simple as a single plastic infantry unit, like an IoB Sea Guard, could work.

They do have that. Of course, this is GW we are talking about though... http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat440061a&prodId=prod1000002a

Yeah, in a box of 5 that'll come to nearly $20 after taxes. That's not an impulse buy, at least for me, that's a planned purchase. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but most purchases over $10, I plan in advance.

Tacobake wrote:Don't they still sell five-packs.



Wow $30 (CAN) for 5 vs $42 for 10 pretty sad.

Putting those down to say $25 would probably be GW's version of what you are talking about.

Otherwise look at other games maybe.

Ten years ago that combat squad cost 5 quid in the UK. That's 8 Canadian dollars apparently.

It's gone up 300% in ten years to £15. Which is horrendous. A large part of that has to be mark up. As I can't believe the materials have gone up that much.

It would be nice.

A multipart plastic, with a random weapon upgrade thrown in.

Yeah, what's their cheapest blister now? It was nice to be able to walk in and grab a blister for £3. Now you either have to think about laying out £10 for a decent blister or £20 for a whole box, or just leave empty handed and disappointed. You can't add to your army piece meal, it's always a sizeable purchase.

That's one reason I usually give GW a skip, I'm not attracted towards a shop knowing the prices start so high, many independent stores have a variety of miniatures, you can get other single fantasy figures or model kits for a few quid if you aren't tempted by any of the higher end items. GW simply has expensive, and very expensive, there are no pocket money items but I guess their attitude now is that if you aren't there to spend a minimum of £20 then they aren't interested. How this is compatible with introducing newer younger players I don't know, as not all kids have parents who freely open their wallet for any amount.

They used to have the £5 boxes of figures. Yes the plastics were certainly cruder back then, but that was the way it was. But even when the Space Marines became more like the current multi-part figures they were five figures for £5. And that's a good purchase for many people who otherwise wouldn't or couldn't spend more. But this economic box is now £15 for five.

£15 for five plastic figures, they must be fething mad. They must be pushing the limit of customer tolerance, one reason the music industry suffers is because people simply don't feel they are getting a reasonable return for their outlay, if CDs were cheaper maybe people wouldn't be so quick to pirate. This is exactly what I mean about them offering nothing in the lower end, it's nearly £20 just to get something worth asking for a plastic bag to carry.

Perhaps we, as the proletariat, need to seize control of the means of production.

Just refrain from buying any Games Workshop models, except second hand from eBay.

Make your armies from non-GW models, or play different periods.

Apart from a few specialists like Mallifaux and Warjack (don't know its proper name), SF and fantasy figures tend to be half to a third the price of GW. Historical are often even cheaper.

I think GW know that the majority of people don't have gaming groups and do their gaming at the local store, which 90% of the time in the UK is GW. To be part of that 'gaming group' at the GW store you generally have to be seen to be buying stuff from there, that coupled with the fact they don't allow other models from other systems gives them a nice closed market to hike prices up.

I think there trying to do what your suggesting by making units over all cheaper. Like 22 for a box of 10 Cadiens so wen you go to buy you can buy more at once or you spend more often cuz dont gotta save.

GW, trying to make things cheaper? What are you on?

Yeah, I do 90% of my shopping 2ndhand on ebay, and about 10% at my (non GW) FLGS, to justify the time I spend there.

Doesn't GW still make those boxes of 5 Guard, 3 marine, 5 Termangant etc.. snap-click figures for about $8?

EDIT.. yes they do.. $8.25 for
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat440273a&prodId=prod1630084

I wish they had an equivalent for fantasy :(

Jeep wrote:I wish they had an equivalent for fantasy :(

They do, here's an example:

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat440109a&prodId=prod940018a

what races are supported in Fantasy at that price point and box contents?

Far as I know it's just VCounts with a 5 skelton pack and a
4 pack of orcs.

Yes, they do sell 5 packs of most basic units for both 40K and WHFB, guardians, SMs, orks and orcs etc...

I think perhaps a single figure'd be ok to buy for a couple of quid or whatever. I know they do 2 packs of eldar aspect warriors, but these are getting expensive and ive never seen them in a FLGS, just online, so not really an impulse buy tbh.

Jeep wrote:I know that many gamers plan their purchases carefully, but having the option of something in the "impulse buy" price range when you go to the FLGS would be nice.

Something as simple as a single plastic infantry unit, like an IoB Sea Guard, could work. Perhaps they can follow Lego even and have random figures in packages, so you don't know what you are getting. I think it would be fun, and it could bring in a few more dollars to GW and the FLGS. The only problem I see is that they'd need some smaller sprues or to somehow cut the minis free.

What do you all think?

Why?

GW's loss leader are the starter sets, like IoB, AoB etc. That is the entry point. Beyond that, why should they try to fit into the 'cheap and cheerful' mould?

The whole point of this hobby is collecting, painting and gaming with lovely models that catch your eye. Price, despite what the internet claims, isn't a barrier. You can either justify it to yourself, or you can't. GW still thrives, and does pretty well. No major losses for it's size, and it's rapidly remodelling itself to continue to do so.

Make models cheap and nasty, and the overall quality dives. For instance, I have a Skaven army. Right now, I have to pay £20 for 20 Clanrats. If they suddenly produced 5 Clanrats for £3....why would I ever bother buying the more expensive ones? Ah yes...because they are typically better models. Compare the Marines posted earlier, with the multipart kits. I know which I'd enjoy modelling and painting with, and which I'd thus be happier with on the battlefield.

Price is set. Value is up to the individual. Me, I find it the whole hobby good value for money. You might disagree, but hey, that's your sense, and I shan't gainsay it.

And on that note, I shall retire, and await the mindless squawking of those demeaning me as a 'fanboi' for my less than baselessly negative attitude....

CajunMan550 wrote:I think there trying to do what your suggesting by making units over all cheaper. Like 22 for a box of 10 Cadiens so wen you go to buy you can buy more at once or you spend more often cuz dont gotta save.

yeah. 10 for $22 is cheaper than 20 for $35.

Personally, i agree with Mr Mystery to some extent.

I mean your in the hobby for a reason. and that is NOT to save money up ;-)

I mean i just buy my models new from places like Maelstrom Games. they even occasionally throw around an extra 15% off just for the laughs!

i've saved something like £100 by now Surely!

Judging by his English (and I use the term in it's loosest possible sense) might I venture that education, and thus mathematics are the least of his concerns beyond false economy?