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Every time GW releases new product they have to make room on their shelves for it by shuffling existing product and these days that means more and more of it is going to Direct Only, especially blisters. This week I heard that all Librarian models for the Space Marine range will no longer be stocked in GW stores and they will be available through Direct Only. I'm not sure what other shuffling will be going on to make room for the new Grey Knights, Tomb Kings and beyond, but if anyone has any other information to add please share it below.

There is a large amount of stuff that disappeared from what I can order through my store account at normal discount. I'm hoping for a list at some point of what's gone. Thousand sons, Obliterators, Goblin Wolf Chariots, and Mega Armored Nobs were some of the things I couldn't get.

The ironic thing is this: I can order still them and throw them on my shelves by going through mail order, I just get less discount by 10%. This means that my shop is better stocked than a GW store, even just taking into account GW product.

A lot of this product goes to direct because of the move away from metal and to plastic. They may still make the metal models, but in cases like 1000 sons, not have the packaging left for them. Rather than print another 10,000 boxs for a product that's being replaced by plastic, they move it to mail order and ship it in generic white boxes. I've got a couple dozen of those generic white boxes in my shop now, and it's growing. My discount is worse, but I hope that's made up for by having product that other shops, including the local GW's don't.

Which would certainly make me think the Chaos Cults are next up----given they have hybrid kits for 2 of the gods (Or are Noise Marines Metal/Plastic hybrid as well?)

AgeOfEgos wrote:Which would certainly make me think the Chaos Cults are next up----given they have hybrid kits for 2 of the gods (Or are Noise Marines Metal/Plastic hybrid as well?)

Yes, Noise Marines are a hybrid kit.

AgeOfEgos wrote:Which would certainly make me think the Chaos Cults are next up----given they have hybrid kits for 2 of the gods (Or are Noise Marines Metal/Plastic hybrid as well?)

Zerkers are the only all plastic ones, the rest are hybrid.

Kid_Kyoto wrote:

AgeOfEgos wrote:Which would certainly make me think the Chaos Cults are next up----given they have hybrid kits for 2 of the gods (Or are Noise Marines Metal/Plastic hybrid as well?)

Zerkers are the only all plastic ones, the rest are hybrid.

The Plague Marines are all metal.

Kid_Kyoto wrote:

AgeOfEgos wrote:Which would certainly make me think the Chaos Cults are next up----given they have hybrid kits for 2 of the gods (Or are Noise Marines Metal/Plastic hybrid as well?)

Zerkers are the only all plastic ones, the rest are hybrid.

Berzerkers need to be replaced anyway. Those models are terribad.

Those zerkers about 1999 were the best kit ever made. I swore up and down that nothing would top them. I was wrong.

BrassScorpion wrote:Every time GW releases new product they have to make room on their shelves for it by shuffling existing product and these days that means more and more of it is going to Direct Only, especially blisters. This week I heard that all Librarian models for the Space Marine range will no longer be stocked in GW stores and they will be available through Direct Only. I'm not sure what other shuffling will be going on to make room for the new Grey Knights, Tomb Kings and beyond, but if anyone has any other information to add please share it below.

The Grey Knights are the new flavor, so maybe their putting the less interesting stuff off in the corner for now to make room. Im expecting marines to be rereleased around the end of 2012 as thats one of their main sale armies. Librarians direct order only? I feel bad for people without credit cards.

Defeatmyarmy wrote:Librarians direct order only? I feel bad for people without credit cards.

Actually, if you have a GW store locally, you *SHOULD* be able to order directly at the store, or use PayPal on the website. At least, the store I go to (Yonge-Lawrence in Toronto, Canada) has a feature that allows for models to be ordered via the website, an invoice printed out, and then payment made in-store. Its pretty awesome.

Derekthebard wrote:

Defeatmyarmy wrote:Librarians direct order only? I feel bad for people without credit cards.

Actually, if you have a GW store locally, you *SHOULD* be able to order directly at the store, or use PayPal on the website. At least, the store I go to (Yonge-Lawrence in Toronto, Canada) has a feature that allows for models to be ordered via the website, an invoice printed out, and then payment made in-store. Its pretty awesome.

I go to GW Chatswood in Sydney, and mine does too using a computer screen attached to the wall and a wireless keyboard with a ball mouse since last year, and before that they would just order for us behind the counter on the store's account. I just assumed that all GW stores did that.

I'd love it if Meganobz moved to plastic. I'm not getting my hopes up just yet though.

I find it hilarious that you can't special order a lot of blisters through the in-store catalogs, but you can order a Realm of Battle, which is 30 lbs.

I've had a lot of trouble getting certain eldar things from gw recently, I ordered some rangers and they were out of stock for 3 weeks and then cancelled the order because they couldn't get any. I'm hoping that this points to a new codex and wave of models but it could be because they couldn't be bothered making any more lol

Ascalam wrote:I'd love it if Meganobz moved to plastic. I'm not getting my hopes up just yet though.

Seconded, not surprised at all they've gone to direct only. They're not just expensive but severely limited in poses and options. Really looking forward to the day when they do them in plastic.

Metallicarule wrote:I've had a lot of trouble getting certain eldar things from gw recently, I ordered some rangers and they were out of stock for 3 weeks and then cancelled the order because they couldn't get any. I'm hoping that this points to a new codex and wave of models but it could be because they couldn't be bothered making any more lol

The rumour I head mentioned (I think on Warseer) was that kits like the Avatar and Swooping Hawks had supply issues, and GW were in the process of moving production from an unreliable supplier in China back to the UK. They (along with a bunch of other products) were pulled from indepedant retailers in Jan.

The rumour I head mentioned (I think on Warseer) was that kits like the Avatar and Swooping Hawks had supply issues, and GW were in the process of moving production from an unreliable supplier in China back to the UK. They (along with a bunch of other products) were pulled from indepedant retailers in Jan.

BrassScorpion wrote:...and they will be available through Direct Only.

For us regular folk, or even for stockists? Will stockists still be able to order these items?

You may whish to see mikhaila's post above, he owns an independent retail shop and has offered some info on what is available to non-GW stockists.

H.B.M.C. wrote:

BrassScorpion wrote:...and they will be available through Direct Only.

For us regular folk, or even for stockists? Will stockists still be able to order these items?

It will depend on the country. In the US/North America, as a partnership account, I can order anything off the GW website, and have it shipped to my store at no charge. Discount is 10pts less than what I can get though my sales rep. So I can stock blisters of plasma and meltagun bitz, Mail Order only models like Azhag, stuff that moved there like Hellcannons and Obliterators, and even IA books.

Non-Partnership stores in the the US may have a 50.00 minimum for free shipping. Partnership stores are larger stockist accounts with a larger selection of model kits, gaming areas, and a commitment to the product lines and hobby. (We're also all quite handsome, and roll more 6's than the average gamer.)

Stores in other countries may have an entirely different system. I'm pretty sure UK stores cannot order the way I do.

Gargskull wrote:

Ascalam wrote:I'd love it if Meganobz moved to plastic. I'm not getting my hopes up just yet though.

Seconded, not surprised at all they've gone to direct only. They're not just expensive but severely limited in poses and options. Really looking forward to the day when they do them in plastic.

I'm actually hoping they'll save plastic Meganobz until the next Codex: Orks. Cause if they get a kit now, it'll come with only the options in the current Codex. That's two combi-weapons. I'd much rather see them be one of the "big" releases with the next Codex with a ton of bitz like the regular Nobz. I guess/hope this is the reason they were neglected in the current Codex.

I think the Lizardmen army sums up how much stuff is going to Direct only atm.

http://www.maelstromgames.co.uk/index.php?act=cat&cre=min-wfb-liz

Can't even get a non Skink Hero, unless you want to go via GW.

Although I noted a couple more Eldar boxes came off HQ now.

Seriously, if you haven't. Go through the range at Maelstrom, they don't stock Direct Only as it's not viable for them.

Some of the holes are mind boggling. It's been getting worse over the last year and a half.

I'd suggest you try actually going to a LGS or a GW shop.

Most of the stuff you're saying that is "Direct Only" can be obtained that way, if you don't really want to go straight through GW.

Actually in the UK it can't Kan, note my flag, I'm not in the US.

I went to GW Ipswich before Christmas, and they didn't have any of the Harlequins, other than the box.

Hell I was in Warhammer World in Feb, and they didn't have a Skweel Gnawtooth in the official Warhammer World GW store.

Morathi's Darkest Sin wrote:Actually in the UK it can't Kan, note my flag, I'm not in the US.

I went to GW Ipswich before Christmas, and they didn't have any of the Harlequins, other than the box.

Hell I was in Warhammer World in Feb, and they didn't have a Skweel Gnawtooth in the official Warhammer World GW store.

They should be able to order them. Many of the GW shops/LGSes have nowhere near an extensive metal blister collection. They'll have the most recent releases, that's usually about it.

As for boxes: Mikhaila already said it far better than I ever could. They've stopped really doing metal boxes in bulk, after a few months when they were released--they go to Direct Only because it's more expensive to maintain the printing on the box art, when instead they can just ship it out to you in a plain white box marked "CITADEL" with the sticker UPC code.

Oh yeah they can, at full price.

Shame they aren't willing to send out those white boxes to stores like Maelstrom, like they are doing for the US stores.

Even at a slight discount some figs would be more attractive.

I know we don't agree on the point, which is fine, but I am still of the opinion that this call to make many things direct only due to smaller blister/box room in GW stores (in the UK at least.) Has been a very useful bonus/side-effect in fighting the evils of discounters as GW sees it.

It's likely they're more cooperative with the US retailers because well...that's all we've really got here. GW shops are the minority, not the majority.

Yeah, that I agree with, I think we suffer for the sheer saturation GW has here in the UK.

On a side note, I do wonder if its some sort of attempt to shore up GW Aus as well, as GW must be aware of the AuS GW fans purchases from discounters such as Maelstrom with the free shipping.

It is ridiculous some of the best model's in gw's range are being made harder to reach for the people that want them the most , another example of gw screwing over there customer base.

blackclaw1 wrote:It is ridiculous some of the best model's in gw's range are being made harder to reach for the people that want them the most , another example of gw screwing over there customer base.

It's really not though. It's not as though GW is cackling in their office saying "How can we not let Blackclaw1 buy our models?".

It's supposedly done with the stockists in mind. It's easier for a shop to order things as they have customers want them, rather than having to constantly stock something that never sells.