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I'd personally go with only recasting if it's a conversion/OOP model/or a rare bit (one per kit, etc.), though personally I don't see the problem unless it's mass produced (recasting one marine into entire squads) or selling them on (unless they're OOP/converted and the buyer knows about it.)

I report them to GW legal when I see probable recasts on Ebay but I don't necessarily think it's an innately bad thing to do. (Making profit out of genuine people is)

I would do something like recast missile pods for battlesuits because GW don't give us enough but I don't have the first clue as to how.

In all honesty I prefer paying for my mniatures anyway - if I have to save up for something I'll proxy it for now.

Davylove21 wrote:I report them to GW legal when I see probable recasts on Ebay but I don't necessarily think it's an innately bad thing to do. (Making profit out of genuine people is)

I would do something like recast missile pods for battlesuits because GW don't give us enough but I don't have the first clue as to how.

In all honesty I prefer paying for my mniatures anyway - if I have to save up for something I'll proxy it for now.

I would admire your position more, if you didn't compromise yourself by saying you'll report people but then say you'll happily cast missile launchers because GW don't give you enough? Otherwise I think you are pretty much right on.

A bit or a piece here or there or as part of a conversion is fine with me. Not much more.

I think GW dug themselves a rather big hole for recasting.

I can think of 100+ bits that could be useful recasting, not including models for Warhammer.

I can think of 0 for WarmaHordes.


If a box of Space Marines came with every possible variable bit (which it should), then recasting would probably be a lot less popular.

One of my blister pack of metal sisters of battle I bought recently came without a backpack. A mail to them about it asking if for a replacement backpack resulted in them sending the same blister again. Great customer service, but now I have the same problem: 1 backpack, 2 models.

Only option I had was to turn to Ebay it seems.

Its strange how everyone can get very uptight about the legality of re-casting when you can sculpt and use bits and pieces of original gw pieces and get some great results for sometimes less time and cost (as long as you've developed the skills)

cant see that its really viable, casting isnt easy, plus the expense?? is it worth it?

Anything you heavily modified or created yourself should be absolutely fine (IMO). The only other real exception for me is something no longer being produced. A product that is discontinued or from a limited run should be fine to replicate, because lets face it some of the old stuff looks sweet.

I have no problem with recasting. Just not selling it. Only for personal use.

Okay IMO if your products hit the insane pricing GW is doing at this moment. The pricing nowadays DISCOURAGES players to keep buying their products and scaring away most people that want to start playing.

 swordwind99 wrote:
cant see that its really viable, casting isnt easy, plus the expense?? is it worth it?

For a one-off, no.

But if you're making a mould, you are wanting more than 1.

It gets closer to "worth it" for 10+.
It's closer to cost effective at 20+
It stops being so after 50, usually (mould life comes into it as well. Many resins chemically attack the moulding rubbers - mould release can extend the life, but it's only a delaying tactic).

 Waaghboss Grobnub wrote:
Okay IMO if your products hit the insane pricing GW is doing at this moment. The pricing nowadays DISCOURAGES players to keep buying their products and scaring away most people that want to start playing.

Recasting would be a non-issue if GW, in particular, would not price their items to a point where people would consider buying a recast.

Recasting for resale is illegal, full stop. However if some Chinese garage recaster can sell a Riptide for $35.00 and still make money on it, at a third of the price of one from GW, then there is some kind of huge problem. I know all of the "hidden" expenses in making a new model like that, but I would prefer a fast nickel over a slow dime, and not have to compete with recasts.

I support recasting, but only because I feel GW brought this on themselves. They are the very stereotype of an evil corporation.

Call me immoral if you like, but if GW had acted differently, more of my money would fall down their pockets.

All in. I don't have a problem with recasting or selling. If the product was at the right price point, or included the right options, then there is no demand for recasts. We're in a capitalist society, there is a need, and the recasters are fulfilling this need. Protection of IP is denying competition, which goes against capitalism. Companies can produce something very similar to an iPhone, but they either don't do make it as well, or they don't market it as well, so people buy the real deal. Apple have stated they won't bother taking out lawsuits against companies who have stolen their ideas because they make a superior product, market it extremely well, have it do everything their customers want, and sell it at a price that consumers can live with. If GW did the same, the re-casters die.

I support recasting, if only because that is the only way to get new Specialist models now.

 Waaghboss Grobnub wrote:
Okay IMO if your products hit the insane pricing GW is doing at this moment. The pricing nowadays DISCOURAGES players to keep buying their products and scaring away most people that want to start playing.

I know it did for me. Haven't bought a model in years. At least the books seem reasonably priced. (Books as in Black Library)

I personally think if you are say replacing a missing weapon/item (say you had 3 meltaguns, but lose one) or say you only have one item that cant be acquired individually and you need more for some army then its fine, but only if you cant get the item legitimately, and I don't think its right to ever sell recasts.

Legally speaking:

Morally speaking: (for personal use only)

Dont ask

Dont tell.

Slip me some free models

I think It's fine until you sell em. Then you're directly harming the company (I dont care if you sell GW recasts though. They are EXTREMELY overpriced.)

I feel that recasting OOP can sometimes devalue the existing copies, and it's a little unfair on those who saved them or kept pieces as investments. To me it's a case-by-case thing.
Sometimes it does, sometimes it does not.

Recently it's been on my mind, as I've had to buy what is quite likely a recast piece to get parts to repair an OOP kit. Did I want to give that person money? No.
But, otherwise I have a huge chunk of stuff in my house that I can do nothing with, I already paid for it, and the original company washed their hands and basically said, "See if you can find someone to quietly cast the parts."

I don't really believe in the merit of pirating anything that's currently in production, but I'm not going to judge people who do. I've seen reviews of folks getting really excited by the quality of Chinacast items, and it confuses me on a visceral level.

I'm one of the few who disagrees with recasting oop models. I don't think that not being able to buy them new, or not wanting to overpay entitles you to buy illegally, if you missed out you missed out. Wanting it doesn't make it ok. I've wanted the 2000AD klegg models for years but didn't want to pay inflated ebay prices. I kept my eyes open over the years, and finally got them for £8 this week.

It also begin to infringe on LE models, and devalues them and removes the specialness of having them.

Absolutely. And it also only takes one person along the purchasing chain to not realise what they have is a recast, and it becomes a muddy mess. My female IG commissar is a recast, I'm almost certain (blank casting tab and bright, shining edges). However I'm also certain the person who sold her to me didn't know this, as it was part of his son's eBayed collection.

I am in support of some OOP works being recast for very specific reasons. If something is broken, or in some extremely old cases has an issue like lead rot, I don't see the harm in replacing or preserving your own copy. In some collections, folk have one or two of the only existing copies of some minis, for now defunct companies. Admittedly, archiving is very different to reselling.