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So for all you hobbyists who have WD subscriptions...was there ever a WD where GW put a lengthy tutorial about magnetization? I mean they used to have tutorials for everything...from basing over drybrushing and terrain building to weathering and greenstuff sculpting.

With GW increasingly switching over to dual and triple kits because they love their fanbase so much and want to give them sheer unlimited options from purchasing just one box, wouldnt the deal be complete if GW also sold all sorts of magnets in their webstore and printed magnetization pictures in the model assembly manuals that come with the box? I mean they already allow us to build essentually 2 different units per box now, helping us save a lot of money, so why do we have to resort to tutorials in various 40k forums made by fellow users?

GW already provides us with the luxury of a large choice of "how to paint" books for almost every faction in the webstore that frankly few people actually buy. Wouldnt all that ink be put to better use if GW published a "How to magnetize" series of books for each faction? They'd sell like hot cakes..

Because you're supposed to buy a kit for every configuration, not adapt one for all the possibilities.

Yeah. You can't sell product if they only need one box

GW don't really design their dual kits to be magnetised easily for swapping. If you find a kit can be magnetised easily I think it's more coincidence than design.

GW for years have been getting away from doing general hobby articles, so it doesn't surprise me at all that they haven't touched on magnets at all.

Yeah the Dual Kits are excellent, but they're not designed with " You can totally build all of these then with magnets swap them out.

Although with enough hobbying skill you probably could.

It'd just take a lot of time.

There are a couple, the Herald Of Tzeentch/Burning Chariot seems to have been specifically designed to avoid magnetisation, but then the Khorne Herald/Skull Cannon is simplicity itself, so either it is something that some studio members consider when designing the sprues and others don't, or, as you say, is just coincidence.

Yes, I agree, it would kinda be counter productive for them to do so. Of course, it doesnt mean we dont do it anyway.
So even though I'm sure they know we do it, they dont want to officially condone it. lol
Even if they did, I think selling magnets themselves would not be worth it to them.

 Azreal13 wrote:
Because you're supposed to buy a kit for every configuration, not adapt one for all the possibilities.

Exactly. GW (at least under their current management) is never going to provide advice on how to do more with fewer purchases. A multi-unit kit is an opportunity to choose which unit you want to build and then discard the extra parts, not a way to avoid buying a second unit.

And really, what kind of WAAC TFG would want to change the options on a model? You're supposed to decide which option fits your fluff, build that one, and never even think about doing something as tasteless as changing a weapon to make your list stronger.

AllSeeingSkink wrote:
GW don't really design their dual kits to be magnetised easily for swapping. If you find a kit can be magnetised easily I think it's more coincidence than design.

GW for years have been getting away from doing general hobby articles, so it doesn't surprise me at all that they haven't touched on magnets at all.

I don't find this to be true, other than in dual kits. Many other (especially on IoM) models seem to be perfectly tailored for magnets. The combi weapon on the new tactical squad. The melee weapons on the new space marines boxes, almost every conceivable turret on the IG vehicles. The rhino variants with the doors and too hatches etc.

I remember when they did articles, they did one for the Volley Cannon/Helstrom Rocket From empire fantasy. At the end they recommended to not glue them to the wheels so you can use both when a list requires it.
All I was thinking was "But then I Wont buy more of your stuff"

GW doesn't do it because you suck and we hate you

I had been try magnet on my model.. But I find every thing are too wobbly include my opponent magnet model. Some time it just fell off when you move it or it look ragdoll.

Right now I am glued everything instead. I only aim which suitable before glue it.

Sir Arun, agreed that they don't actively promote it, but I wouldn't say its on their heresy list either. I can recall some old White Dwarfs (pre 1999 anyway) that featured collections containing magnetised minis. So the absence of tutorials may be inconsiderate rather than deliberate. I could be wrong, but I haven't seen them publish any articles on pinning either, and that's a modelling techniques that doesn't hurt their sales at all.

One thing I discovered IS on their heresy list is paint stripping -a while ago I asked a GW employee about the best solution to paint strip a 2nd hand land raider I'd just bought. "Oh that's as good as dead, you'll never get the paint off!" he replied "You may as well use it as a wreck, because that's all its good for." Yeah, right!

 thegreatchimp wrote:
Sir Arun, agreed that they don't actively promote it, but I wouldn't say its on their heresy list either. I can recall some old White Dwarfs (pre 1999 anyway) that featured collections containing magnetised minis. So the absence of tutorials may be inconsiderate rather than deliberate. I could be wrong, but I haven't seen them publish any articles on pinning either, and that's a modelling techniques that doesn't hurt their sales at all.

But that's old GW you're talking about, not the current management. GW used to give advice on things like that, back when they cared about the tabletop wargaming hobby and not just the "buying Games™ Workshop™ Products™" Hobby™. Now the entire concept of using non-GW products for anything is gone, and GW wants to sell you the GW "hobby" where you buy GW kits in GW stores, build and paint them with GW paints and modeling supplies, and play with them on GW tables full of GW terrain. Even the idea of converting your own models is starting to disappear, as the goal is to have every unit in the codex have a plastic kit and every plastic kit have its own rules. You aren't supposed to invent your own cool stuff, you're supposed to choose which GW product to buy and do everything the official "GW approved" way.

 Zewrath wrote:

AllSeeingSkink wrote:
GW don't really design their dual kits to be magnetised easily for swapping. If you find a kit can be magnetised easily I think it's more coincidence than design.

GW for years have been getting away from doing general hobby articles, so it doesn't surprise me at all that they haven't touched on magnets at all.

I don't find this to be true, other than in dual kits. Many other (especially on IoM) models seem to be perfectly tailored for magnets. The combi weapon on the new tactical squad. The melee weapons on the new space marines boxes, almost every conceivable turret on the IG vehicles. The rhino variants with the doors and too hatches etc.

I'm not familiar with the new tactical marines, but looking at their sprue on the GW website it strikes me more as trying to stop you from making 3 combi weapons from 1 box rather than trying to encourage magnets (it actually looks like very small and fiddly parts to magnetise).

As I said, "If you find a kit can be magnetised easily I think it's more coincidence than design."

Vehicles are always going to be inherently easy to magnetise, the only way they could make it hard to magnetise is if they either didn't give you all the necessary options or if they made much of the core components integral to the design of the guns (like Mek Guns).

It's not GW trying to help you out by making vehicle weapons swappable, it's just coincidence that they kind of have to give you all the available options and by doing so it makes it (somewhat) easy to magnetise.

Compare that to Battlefront who are actually casting their models with hollows specifically for the sake of having magnets (though in that case it's not for changing options so much as ease of use).

Want a Predator Annihilator with lascannon sponsons when you have one with Heavy Bolters? Buy a new Citadel Miniatures Predator kit. Want one with a HK-missile? Buy another one! Forge a narrative by being like the Imperium of Man: Take the costliest and least effecient solution to every small problem'

You know, it just occurred to me that on large models, GW could charge a hefty premium if the weapon configurations were premagnetized and out-of-box swappable

They could make both a magnetic and non-magnetic version. And although it's hard for a hobbyist to magnetize certain models, it would be much easier (and more precise) for GW to do this.

Why doesn't GW sell magnets? Because it would be very hard to successfully brand magnets. GW can get away with branding all the other hobby tools and supplies and convince people that those items are specially made to GW's exacting specifications, but magnets would be hard to do that with.

AllSeeingSkink wrote:

 Zewrath wrote:

AllSeeingSkink wrote:
GW don't really design their dual kits to be magnetised easily for swapping. If you find a kit can be magnetised easily I think it's more coincidence than design.

GW for years have been getting away from doing general hobby articles, so it doesn't surprise me at all that they haven't touched on magnets at all.

I don't find this to be true, other than in dual kits. Many other (especially on IoM) models seem to be perfectly tailored for magnets. The combi weapon on the new tactical squad. The melee weapons on the new space marines boxes, almost every conceivable turret on the IG vehicles. The rhino variants with the doors and too hatches etc.

I'm not familiar with the new tactical marines, but looking at their sprue on the GW website it strikes me more as trying to stop you from making 3 combi weapons from 1 box rather than trying to encourage magnets (it actually looks like very small and fiddly parts to magnetise).

As I said, "If you find a kit can be magnetised easily I think it's more coincidence than design."

Vehicles are always going to be inherently easy to magnetise, the only way they could make it hard to magnetise is if they either didn't give you all the necessary options or if they made much of the core components integral to the design of the guns (like Mek Guns).

It's not GW trying to help you out by making vehicle weapons swappable, it's just coincidence that they kind of have to give you all the available options and by doing so it makes it (somewhat) easy to magnetise.

Compare that to Battlefront who are actually casting their models with hollows specifically for the sake of having magnets (though in that case it's not for changing options so much as ease of use).

It really isn't and it's MUCH more easy to magnetize and swap/kit bash the new special weapons, rather than having to cut the handle and magnetize specific points. Furthermore, it's stupendously easy to magnetize the melee weapons and pistols now and having some former Leman Russ's I will say that they don't hold a candle next to the new ones when we're talking about magnetizing. I honestly believe they design the dual kits to not be interchangeable and other parts easy to magnetize, the vast majority of the special weapons in the 3 new space marine boxes all have holes in the joints of the hands, were you can easily fit in a magnet.

 Peregrine wrote:

But that's old GW you're talking about, not the current management. GW used to give advice on things like that, back when they cared about the tabletop wargaming hobby and not just the "buying Games™ Workshop™ Products™" Hobby™. Now the entire concept of using non-GW products for anything is gone, and GW wants to sell you the GW "hobby" where you buy GW kits in GW stores, build and paint them with GW paints and modeling supplies, and play with them on GW tables full of GW terrain. Even the idea of converting your own models is starting to disappear, as the goal is to have every unit in the codex have a plastic kit and every plastic kit have its own rules. You aren't supposed to invent your own cool stuff, you're supposed to choose which GW product to buy and do everything the official "GW approved" way.

Their management and policies has certainly changed in many ways for the worse. Thankfully, with the exception of a few incidents of them being dorks to kids in the store, I find the guys on the front lines amicable and helpful enough though. Truth is they're probably hamstrung, in so far as they're indoctrinated on day 1 not to discuss paint-stripping, and other non-company, budget friendly techniques etc, with customers. Which is ultimately a shame, because if they're not allowed to relate to customers as fellow hobbyists...then you're just left with a salesman really.

Are you saying they've stopped featuring / promoting conversions? I admittedly haven't read it in 10 years, so that is news to me.

Yeah, they really have made a push on the terrain side of things. Though I think they're only going to get maybe a third of players regularly buying terrain. Most I know are sane enough that they'd sooner make their own scenery than fork out €300 on a battle board...

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
Why doesn't GW sell magnets? Because it would be very hard to successfully brand magnets. GW can get away with branding all the other hobby tools and supplies and convince people that those items are specially made to GW's exacting specifications, but magnets would be hard to do that with.

Actually they could make hollows for magnets in their models that are some weird size that's harder to get and then sell you those ones.

Or, as mentioned earlier, they could just include the magnets with the kits and use that as an excuse for a 25% price hike.

 TheCustomLime wrote:
Want a Predator Annihilator with lascannon sponsons when you have one with Heavy Bolters? Buy a new Citadel Miniatures Predator kit. Want one with a HK-missile? Buy another one! Forge a narrative by being like the Imperium of Man: Take the costliest and least effecient solution to every small problem'

Herasy! GW only rediscovered the STC for magnets two decades ago. The manufactorums will begin production when -and only when- the machine god has approved the design and the tech priests have come up with suitable chants for the installation of these arcane, and no doubt very dangerous, devices!

Recently GW's kits have been very magnet friendly.

The new Mortarch kits for example, each of the three characters can be made with a megnet in the saddle. Not a shared peace anywhere.

The new Maggoth Lords look like you just need a magnet in the upper torso.

AllSeeingSkink wrote:

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
Why doesn't GW sell magnets? Because it would be very hard to successfully brand magnets. GW can get away with branding all the other hobby tools and supplies and convince people that those items are specially made to GW's exacting specifications, but magnets would be hard to do that with.

Actually they could make hollows for magnets in their models that are some weird size that's harder to get and then sell you those ones.

Unfortunately making recesses would only create complaints from hobbyists who have no interest in magging, (as there's be less material connecting, it would be a weaker bond, possibly ahrder to glue too.)

 thegreatchimp wrote:

AllSeeingSkink wrote:

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
Why doesn't GW sell magnets? Because it would be very hard to successfully brand magnets. GW can get away with branding all the other hobby tools and supplies and convince people that those items are specially made to GW's exacting specifications, but magnets would be hard to do that with.

Actually they could make hollows for magnets in their models that are some weird size that's harder to get and then sell you those ones.

Unfortunately making recesses would only create complaints from hobbyists who have no interest in magging, (as there's be less material connecting, it would be a weaker bond, possibly ahrder to glue too.)

Or do what BF does and include plastic plugs that go in to the spot where the magnet would sit if you don't want to use the magnet.

AllSeeingSkink wrote:
Or do what BF does and include plastic plugs that go in to the spot where the magnet would sit if you don't want to use the magnet.

That would be ideal.

but once you put the plug in, its in, and will probably be impossibly hard to remove should you decide to magnatize after all.

 Sir Arun wrote:
but once you put the plug in, its in, and will probably be impossibly hard to remove should you decide to magnatize after all.

Well I would classify that as the modeller screwing up rather than it being a bad idea. But even if you do that by mistake you just drill it like you would have if there'd been no hollow in the first place.

The only real negative would be if you don't want magnets, there's slightly more assembly time because you'd have to glue the plug in first which would take like 15 seconds longer (though frankly for most plastic kits you could probably just leave it out anyway).

Simply like others have said, encourages less sales and needs to compete with other companies too much. Way easier to make the models more simplistic and just try to avoid the magnetization part overall.

I seem to recall GW did mention magnetizing ONCE, it was the plastic Carnifex IIRC.

Sometimes the modelling boys can let things slip through that management don't like. Black Gobbo once put up a tutorial for making Thunder Siege Tanks and Destroyer Tank Hunters using a leman russ kit and plastic tubing, but it was yanked a week later presumably after objection from Forge World.