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 Lansirill wrote:
Would I love to see some of that stuff made as movies instead of stretching The Hobbit out into 3? Sure. But, hey, I'm happy to just read the darn books instead.

Not for some time. Christopher Tolkien and/or the family owns pretty much everything written by J.R.R.Tolkien except LoTR and the Hobbit. And last I heard (been a few years), they don't want it commercialized. They would've stopped the LoTR/the Hobbit movies if they could. They are just right now going to court against New Line for another 80 Millions for "debasing" Tolkien's work with silly computer games, etc.. .

 His Master's Voice wrote:

 Agamemnon2 wrote:
I like the dwarves, they all look very individual (and probably decent likenesses of the actors). The scale interests me. Is it just me or does Gandalf seem taller than his old LOTR versions? And some of the dwarves, too, again compared to, say, Gimli or the other LOTR dwarf range.

Depends on the dwarf in question it seems.

Isn't Thorien Oakenshield(spelling?) meant to be tall for a dwarf. So the other dwarf miniatures shouldn't be the same height.

I prefer the Hobbit, and am stoked it'll be done justice.

Advance Orders are up.
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/armySubUnitCatsLarge.jsp?catId=cat970003a&rootCatGameStyle=athletic

...so the whippy sticks have finaly been replaced - but they've been replaced with some stupid ruler.

Instead of a proper tape measure. Gah...

Oh look, ANOTHER limited edition. Thanks GW!

Looks pretty neat, it was actually buying the Mines of Moria starter set that got me into miniature wargaming, before I moved onto 40k. But holy gak, these kits are expensive. I mean, as an Australian, I am used to paying through the nose for GW's kits, but omg is this expensive. I had to double check to make sure I wasn't accidentally on the New Zealand currency website by accident. $140 for 3 plastic trolls? Get out of here, GW! Thunderwolf Cavalry has the same three 60mm base sized models, but with far more bits and comes at $91. I dont know how GW expects anyone to want to start paying for this. Entry cost just seems way too high to both wanting to get into.

Unless the movies are that good.

I really feel sorry for the bright eyed innocent prospective hobbyist who wants to reenact the movies on his dining room table who will fall victim to this blatant price gouging.

I've made my peace with GW's pricing, I accept it even if I don't like it and I take measures to pay as little as I can.

I'm slightly concerned where this could lead if management judge it a success though..

It's a significant jump, to be sure. I certainly hope this pricing model wont continue into the other games (40k, WHFB), and that this is just GW shamelessly trying to cash in on the soon-to-be-released-and-long-awaited-for Hobbit moves. Perhaps the price is so high because they needed to make up for the costs of licensing? and keeping the whole thing under wraps? Who knows.

It's also possible that New Line set the prices.

Glad I had no interest in this because my god the prices are high. I also think the trolls and goblins are really poorly done. I know they are going for a more realistic look but the orks in particular look nothing like what I picture Tolkien orks to look like. And didn't we see goblins in the other movies that looked alot more like the fantasy range than these?

Well look who's just stuck their middle finger up to their casual gamer's market. £50 for a plastic kit is really not going to attract the kids. The regiment (or whatever they're called) kits aren't half bad though, and in general the quality of the sculpting's gone up a lot since the last film's releases. However, that they're charging silly prices or so few models is a no, no. Sure GW's been doing this for years, but they're now edging into the collector's market rather than the gamer's here. Presumably you could buy the official film sculptures for similar prices (sure you wouldn't be able to buy the amazing balsa wood and sprue goblin village, but sacrifices must be made), which really would be what the bigger fans would be into, not little 28mm figures. =P

 Kanluwen wrote:
It's also possible that New Line set the prices.

I really doubt that. Otherwise Newline would be setting the prices for all the groups making Hobbit merchandise, and I don't think they have that kinda power.

I think it's more a case of GW's typical MO - short term everything. They found out last time how long the LotR bubble lasts. This bubble will be shorter, as the movies are coming out far more quickly, so they're going to rake in whatever they can with seriously overpriced models (the trolls... WTF?) so that the bubble is the biggest it's ever been.

 Wyrmalla wrote:
Well look who's just stuck their middle finger up to their casual gamer's market. £50 for a plastic kit is really not going to attract the kids. The regiment (or whatever they're called) kits aren't half bad though, and in general the quality of the sculpting's gone up a lot since the last film's releases. However, that they're charging silly prices or so few models is a no, no. Sure GW's been doing this for years, but they're now edging into the collector's market rather than the gamer's here. Presumably you could buy the official film sculptures for similar prices (sure you wouldn't be able to buy the amazing balsa wood and sprue goblin village, but sacrifices must be made), which really would be what the bigger fans would be into, not little 28mm figures. =P

I'm one of those 'collectors' who has three LOTR SBG armies and has never played the game. But when I look at these prices, particularly $75 USD for the 4 models of the council - there is no way I'm buying those as a collector, even though I love the sculpts.

I'm also glad that the Hobbit (a fantastic book) has zero draw for me as a table top game. Sad.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:
It's also possible that New Line set the prices.

I really doubt that. Otherwise Newline would be setting the prices for all the groups making Hobbit merchandise, and I don't think they have that kinda power.

I think it's more a case of GW's typical MO - short term everything. They found out last time how long the LotR bubble lasts. This bubble will be shorter, as the movies are coming out far more quickly, so they're going to rake in whatever they can with seriously overpriced models (the trolls... WTF?) so that the bubble is the biggest it's ever been.

In addition to all of that, price fixing is illegal in the UK, if New Line specified the retail prices then they broke the law.

If they screwed them for a massive license fee, that's another matter.

I suspect that the most likely explanation is the correct one.

ROFL at the $745 "bundle". That's FW Titan territory for only the most serious and insane of wargamers, I genuinely wonder how many impulse buys they can get from that.

I also think it's a mistake to have The Hobbit completely absorb the LOTR game. The core demographic of young impulse buyers that GW markets to will be much more attracted to a name like Lord of The Rings instead of The Hobbit.

I genuinely wonder if that mega bundle isn't just to hit you with an astronomic number so the rest will look more legit.

The mega bundle is just one of everything, at the exact same cost as adding each individually to your cart. There is no bundled savings.

I really like the goblin warriors...in fact i've been converting some ghouls to a fairly similar look, for my worker rabbles in 40k.

Less greenstuff work ahead for me now, of course i've got 50 ghouls to go :(

 azreal13 wrote:

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:
It's also possible that New Line set the prices.

I really doubt that. Otherwise Newline would be setting the prices for all the groups making Hobbit merchandise, and I don't think they have that kinda power.

I think it's more a case of GW's typical MO - short term everything. They found out last time how long the LotR bubble lasts. This bubble will be shorter, as the movies are coming out far more quickly, so they're going to rake in whatever they can with seriously overpriced models (the trolls... WTF?) so that the bubble is the biggest it's ever been.

In addition to all of that, price fixing is illegal in the UK, if New Line specified the retail prices then they broke the law.

If they screwed them for a massive license fee, that's another matter.

I suspect that the most likely explanation is the correct one.

I don't think you quite understand what "price fixing" is if you're saying that New Line specifying the MSRP is illegal.

 Cruentus wrote:


I'm one of those 'collectors' who has three LOTR SBG armies and has never played the game. But when I look at these prices, particularly $75 USD for the 4 models of the council - there is no way I'm buying those as a collector, even though I love the sculpts.

I'm also glad that the Hobbit (a fantastic book) has zero draw for me as a table top game. Sad.

Holy crap somehow I managed to miss that through 8 pages of this thread. I was seriously thinking about picking up that box and never really looked at the price (I wasn't planning on picking it up this month.) I'm now starting to suspect I won't be buying anything beyond the starter box. Maybe Smaug and Bard if they aren't crazy. The only other really memorable characters I'd miss would be the trolls which are fairly mediocre sculpts and certainly bordering on the crazy end of the price range.

The Goblin Warriors look like they might make passable, inexpensive (for GW) models for plague zombies though.

Ah well. I'm disappointed but I can't say that I'm really surprised.

Now I knew the prices were crazy, but I just looked at the Goblin kit. It's one sprue. One. The models are single piece. There are no options. They can't be posed any differently.

AUD$55. For 18 static models on a single sprue.


They really want to make sure there's enough cash above them when that bubble bursts to block out the sound, don't they?

 Kanluwen wrote:

 azreal13 wrote:

 . B.M.C. wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:
It's also possible that New Line set the prices.

I really doubt that. Otherwise Newline would be setting the prices for all the groups making Hobbit merchandise, and I don't think they have that kinda power.

I think it's more a case of GW's typical MO - short term everything. They found out last time how long the LotR bubble lasts. This bubble will be shorter, as the movies are coming out far more quickly, so they're going to rake in whatever they can with seriously overpriced models (the trolls... WTF?) so that the bubble is the biggest it's ever been.

In addition to all of that, price fixing is illegal in the UK, if New Line specified the retail prices then they broke the law.

If they screwed them for a massive license fee, that's another matter.

I suspect that the most likely explanation is the correct one.

I don't think you quite understand what "price fixing" is if you're saying that New Line specifying the MSRP is illegal.

Lol whut?!

Any company enforcing a specified retail price on any retailer is price fixing. The fact that GW is also the manufacturer is largely irrelevant

"price-fixing (agreeing with any other business on a minimum price to sell goods or services at)"

Lifted straight from the UK govt webpage on anti competitive practices.

I know price fixing is more commonly associated with multiple retailers in a market but I'd still contend it could be applied to what you suggest.

Now be careful, I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself falling off that incredibly high horse you appear to be sat on.

I have routinely been amused by the rampant GW price whining on Dakka. Like...for years. About a year or two back, I quit whining about the whining, because hey...they were pretty high. Quit impulse buying, but I still spent a pretty penny on what I specifically wanted.

Still...it is a hobby. Some hobbies are pricey.

But holy **** on a stick...those prices are positively shocking. Makes the decision to sit this one out extremely easy. I love the White Council sculpts, and I'd love to get Thorin's company, but I'll just pay a few extra bucks and get the Legos. Then at least they can fight the Avengers.

 Ratbarf wrote:
This is making me really depressed. Those Goblins are godawful ugly...... I don't mind the trolls, but I'm not exactly taken by them, and the Dwarves by and large don't look very dwarfish.

Yeah, the dwarves don't look much like dwarves...

Well, those prices rule me out. It's a real shame, because of all the people, I always figured I'd be right near the top of the list of people who'd enjoy this release, but there's no way I can afford any of this.

 dienekes96 wrote:
But holy **** on a stick...those prices are positively shocking. Makes the decision to sit this one out extremely easy. I love the White Council sculpts, and I'd love to get Thorin's company, but I'll just pay a few extra bucks and get the Legos. Then at least they can fight the Avengers.

Nice to see you on our side Chuck.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

timd wrote:
Yeah, the dwarves don't look much like dwarves...

The dwarves look like the dwarves from the film who, as it happens, don't look a lot like traditional dwarves either because there's about a billion of them and they have to be visually distinct from one another otherwise audiences will get confused. And that's before we even get into the fact that a lot of them have very similar sounding names (Fili, Kili, Bifur, Bofur, etc.) so they simply must look different from one another.

 Ronin wrote:
Looks pretty neat, it was actually buying the Mines of Moria starter set that got me into miniature wargaming, before I moved onto 40k. But holy gak, these kits are expensive. I mean, as an Australian, I am used to paying through the nose for GW's kits, but omg is this expensive. I had to double check to make sure I wasn't accidentally on the New Zealand currency website by accident. $140 for 3 plastic trolls? Get out of here, GW! Thunderwolf Cavalry has the same three 60mm base sized models, but with far more bits and comes at $91. I dont know how GW expects anyone to want to start paying for this. Entry cost just seems way too high to both wanting to get into.

Unless the movies are that good.

Because good movies justify overpriced products? Over $200 in Australia just for the "The Hobbit: Escape from Goblin Town - Limited Edition" box... o.O.

 Bolognesus wrote:
...so the whippy sticks have finaly been replaced - but they've been replaced with some stupid ruler.

Instead of a proper tape measure. Gah...

The original LotR sets had paper rulers...

 Lansirill wrote:

Well, I've got good news for you then. The Hobbit features approximately 80% fewer hobbits than The LotR did.

Plus a hefty infusion of dwarves.