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So I have done some casting. Mostly weapons, like PGs for my DKoK army. I would have had to spend a lot of money to get the 22 PG I have in my army currently. So I made a mold and cast them from resin. I know this seems to be some type of sin. I will go to the same hell as betrayers and mutineers but, I had a need and I never sold a one. My real question is this. For personal use would you feel its so wrong to say recast a genestealer cult or for that manner any rare hard to find OUT OF PRODUCTION and costly mini that you need a lot of to field an army? These minis are really hard and expensive to try and get from ebay. In some cases 20$ a mini and up. If I recast say 5 different sculpts would I be a bad guy?

This is me justifying my supposed future transgression. Expense is so high to get original minis and availability is so low recasting is a quick way to fix the issue. These would only be used in my local games at a non GW FLGS.

No, it is not ok to recast in-production models instead of buying them, and it's against forum rules to discuss it.

I guess my point was missed. Genestealer cult isnt in production. They are infact oop and have been for some time.

 Devoted-to-the-machine wrote:
I guess my point was missed. Genestealer cult isnt in production. They are infact oop and have been for some time.

That does not matter at all. Recasting of ANY product that you don't own the rights to, regardless of personal or commercial use, is illegal.

GW has every right to discontinue a product and let it die out. You have no right to make more, unless GW licenses you to do so or sells you the rights entirely.

IB4 "personal use is legal". It very much is not. Ever. At least not in the United States.

If the model is out of production, I think you are in the clear, morally speaking. You did your bit, but there's only so much that you can do. The system failed you. Time to take the law into your own hands.

As a side note, I would edit your initial post to remove the mention of casting plasma guns. It gives a negative impression right off the bat. (Imagine if I had a post that went along the lines of: 'So, I beat this one guy senseless because I didn't like his accent. Would it be okay to beat someone senseless in self defense?') I don't think your actual question is even breaking any forum rules, but I might be incorrect.

In any event, I hope that helps, and good luck with your genestealer cult. Whether you cast your cult in resin or "find one on ebay really cheap," I hope to see a finished product in the Showcase sometime soon!

Being out of production is not the same as being out of copyright.

It is the copyright holder's right to choose whether or not to make their product available, and at what price. The law doesn't have an exception in it that would make it acceptable to cast your own just because the product is not currently available, or costs more than you would prefer to pay.