Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Don't want to discuss something if it's too controversial so sorry if this is.

I've recently come across a website where they sell Games Workshop models for ridiculously cheap. They advertise a riptide at $34. In the UK that's like £25+ which is like knocking between a 1/3 and 1/2 the price off.

How can a company sell them that cheap? Are they really bad knock off versions or something?

At that cheap, it must be recasts.

If you see a website from China or Russia that has GW minis for very low prices, especially FW minis, then it is a recaster. Sure as shootin.

It's against forum rules to post the name and/or link to those sites. Try not to get Dakka Dakka in trouble!

Yes, they're illegal copies/recasts.

Please note people there's no need to mention specific names, sites or add links here.

Thanks,

Thanks for posting name of site, it's just what I may have been looking for

Love the translation errors: Space Marine Porcupine APC rather than Razorback APC..... lol!

Can anyone recommend them?

The lower the price, the lower the quality.
That is usually how things work.

Sethorly wrote:
Thanks for posting name of site, it's just what I may have been looking for

Love the translation errors: Space Marine Porcupine APC rather than Razorback APC..... lol!

Can anyone recommend them?

If you go for them, do so at your own risk. They are taking GW's copyrighted stuff, and you risk defective models.

When it comes to GW it's not just quality that you pay for. I'm all for paying less for less anyway - I've always thought GW should do cheapo plastic versions of their main troops so it's easier for those new to the game or those only interested in the game rather than modelling to play.

edit/ thanks haraldus.

Sethorly wrote:
and you risk defective models.

Not like some of those finecast monstrosities

Buying in such shops is simply accepting the fact you are supporting stealing. Its, even in matter of quality, same as buying burned copies of DVDs or games.

Yeah, its cheap, but its simply not OK to take someones work, copy it and than sell it...

Yet no discussion of ethics is complete without talking about the ethics of the legitimate seller.

Eh, I would not recommend them.

Ran into a player once with a really nicely painted army. I started to notice how some of his models seemed deformed - arms were not exactly straight, backpacks did not seem to be pointing out at the right angles, lots and lots of little things that you would only notice if you looked closely.

The issue was the plastic they used to make them was flimsy. They deformed over time and were very susceptible to melting in the sun.

Turned out everything came from a Chinese recaster. you could almost tell the difference between the ones that did and did not. He had 2 copies of a librarian, side by side you could see the difference in details.

I have purchased some knock offs of FW mk3 armour pieces (only need backpacks, legs and arms).... it was not justifiable to buy the full mk3 sets, 5 marines at a time for what I needed.

The cast is well done, but I would never buy a full kit from one of these sellers.

Sethorly wrote:
Yet no discussion of ethics is complete without talking about the ethics of the legitimate seller.

Sorry mate, but when you try to run your own bussiness, you'll know how fething this chinese (and not just chinese) style is. But OK, no more talking about it.

 UlrikDecado wrote:
Buying in such shops is simply accepting the fact you are supporting stealing. Its, even in matter of quality, same as buying burned copies of DVDs or games.

Yeah, its cheap, but its simply not OK to take someones work, copy it and than sell it...

Who buys burned DVDs or games any more?

You just torrent it and burn it yourself

 louisb1304 wrote:

Sethorly wrote:
and you risk defective models.

Not like some of those finecast monstrosities

Funny, I was thinking the same last night when i was trying to paint a finecast Chaplain I got from GW. The mold didn't separate from his leg and he has a huge block of resin around his right foot. So I spent about an hour or so trying to file it down and sculpt it to look like a foot. Probably would have been better off with a re-caster in that instance.

As much as I hate to admit it, some of the recasts are of better quality. Somebody at our local shop got a FW Storm Eagle, and another person brought a recast one. Side by side, the recast had better quality control and there was MUCH easier to assemble.

Don't mistake my statement for supporting the recasts, just offering testimony where it was asked for.

I've paid the piper for my Scorpion Mark II, and the Pulsars sag...but still worth the roughly $240

 A Town Called Malus wrote:

 UlrikDecado wrote:
Buying in such shops is simply accepting the fact you are supporting stealing. Its, even in matter of quality, same as buying burned copies of DVDs or games.

Yeah, its cheap, but its simply not OK to take someones work, copy it and than sell it...

Who buys burned DVDs or games any more?

You just torrent it and burn it yourself

Surprisingly, there are still people...nope, I dont get it either

On my blog i have done some looking into recasts. But i will say DO NOT BUY FROM CHINESE SITES. My blog has heaps of info you just gotta look for it down the track. They are normally labeled cheap games workshop.

I dont think this would get me into trouble right?

 Icculus wrote:

 louisb1304 wrote:

Sethorly wrote:
and you risk defective models.

Not like some of those finecast monstrosities

Funny, I was thinking the same last night when i was trying to paint a finecast Chaplain I got from GW. The mold didn't separate from his leg and he has a huge block of resin around his right foot. So I spent about an hour or so trying to file it down and sculpt it to look like a foot. Probably would have been better off with a re-caster in that instance.

Not apologizing for poor quality models, but there are plenty of Alien bushes for your Chaplain to be stomping.


I have yet to find a non-Russian DKoK kit on ebay. This will just have to wait, because I cannot justify it ethically and I don't want to encourage them financially.

Forge World has lots of DKoK kits!

For sale!

Right now!

There's also the fact that you are giving people who are obviously thieves your credit card information, who live in a country where it is notoriously hard to recover any stolen funds from.

But, hey, it's your money.

 Psienesis wrote:
There's also the fact that you are giving people who are obviously thieves your credit card information, who live in a country where it is notoriously hard to recover any stolen funds from.

But, hey, it's your money.

Another reason you don't use Chinese strores. But normally your inf doesn't even get seen by them in most cases. But its all dependant on where you look

 kronk wrote:

It's against forum rules to post the name and/or link to those sites. Try not to get Dakka Dakka in trouble!

How would dakka get in trouble? I mean, its one thing to not support companies providing recasts as your own rule, but what the heck can GW do to dakka if a link was posted? I dont see how GW can say if violates some copyright law posting a link to a site violating copy-righted recasts."

At the very least, "hey, look at these crappy recasts" is going to be a problem for dakka?

Not caught up on these laws if they exist so thats why I am asking.

Wow ok, huge amount of people looking. But to avoid trouble my email is up there if you have questions. I will no longer post on this thread as i have been in trouble for talking about this topic.

And KTG you are probably right, but i think its due to all the model sites who use this for advertising and so on, it would be weird to have recasters be put along side them.

But for anyone looking at recasts remember only buy GW/FW ones if you do. Dont buy from china/chinese sites and forget to try support your local store (unless its a GW).

 Swastakowey wrote:

And KTG you are probably right, but i think its due to all the model sites who use this for advertising and so on, it would be weird to have recasters be put along side them.

gotcha that makes sense.

But for anyone looking at recasts remember only buy GW/FW ones if you do. Dont buy from china/chinese sites and forget to try support your local store (unless its a GW).

lol

KTG17 wrote:

 kronk wrote:

It's against forum rules to post the name and/or link to those sites. Try not to get Dakka Dakka in trouble!

How would dakka get in trouble? I mean, its one thing to not support companies providing recasts as your own rule, but what the heck can GW do to dakka if a link was posted? I dont see how GW can say if violates some copyright law posting a link to a site violating copy-righted recasts."

At the very least, "hey, look at these crappy recasts" is going to be a problem for dakka?

Not caught up on these laws if they exist so thats why I am asking.

It's so that they don't give recasters advertisement here. The mods here have said in the past that posting the names and links to recasters will not be tolerated. Just don't want to get any new posters in trouble, you know?

I also wouldnt be surprised at all if the legal eagles at GW went after sites that allow posting specifics about recasters

I bought an Eldar Hornet on eBay from the Russian Federation for a really good price and cheaper shipping and the quaility was very good. I then bought a Revenant Titan off eBay from someone in America and didn't think to ask if it was FW or a recast and I got a recast. I will be putting it together this weekend while watching the playoffs (my team didn't make it so I won't get overly emoutional and smash it). Looking at the pieces it is in great condition and very sturdy.

I have no actual experience with China stuff, so I'd suggest ordering one cheap model and seeing how good the quaility is before spending a lot of money on their stuff. It is illegal to sell knockoffs and counterfits but it is not illegal to buy or posses them. You have only your ethical convictions to deal with.

Having bought a 'backroom' coach bag for a girlfiend and a coworker while in NY I'm no angel, but you gotta keep the women in your life happy...

EVERY FW order I made took exactly 1 week to deliver.