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Indeed, it was about 2005 that GW decided a new strategy to fix their problem of falling sales -- regular substantial price increases.

Well, the price increase on paints is finally going to push me to Vallejo. Not a huge loss for me.

 Kilkrazy wrote:
Indeed, it was about 2005 that GW decided a new strategy to fix their problem of falling sales -- regular substantial price increases.

It's for this reason along with the very regular gaming tax (Annual/Bi-Yearly re-released codices and rule books) that I've stopped buying GW products.

They do lovely models (in many cases) but that's not enough to justify the prices.


I'm downsizing my forces / selling some of them off as I don't want to be beholden to GW. I'm selling off my Dark Eldar army (currently old codex, didn't buy the new one) and a mostly complete Plague Marine army (again, their codex will be invalid soon).

I still only have the 6th Ed. rulebook as I expect 8th Edition will be released early next year and I can just skip out 7th altogether.

My Thousand Sons will remain, my Orks will remain (although they don't have the current codex) and I will be downsizing my Space Marines (down from 5K) to perhaps 2500pts.


I've ended up moving to SAGA by Gripping beast (where all the army rules are in the main rule book and are not invalidated by new book releases) as well as a game published by Osprey Games called Ronin - again all rules and units/factions are included in a roughly £11 book.

After playing these two, I can safely say their rules are clear, crisp, fun and sensible. I do feel rather let down in many ways by GW :/

Sadly for me, the regular price increases (in the form of new kits and reboxings) is causing me to reduce what I buy on things I don't really "need'.

For example, I was thinking of picking up a dunecrawler for a terrain project I am working on.

its $66. For a vehicle thing. Three sprues. what the hell?

Even at my FLGS that gives discounts, it just too much.

I used to buy every new codex, just to have them - kind of for completeness, but also I used to like to read the fluff.

That stopped about a year or so ago.

Note: this is not a complaint, nor am I saying 'their prices are too high" or they don't have value, etc.

I am saying that for me (and many of my friends - several others used to buy every book) I am not making as many purchases as I would have if the prices were less.

davethepak wrote:
Sadly for me, the regular price increases (in the form of new kits and reboxings) is causing me to reduce what I buy on things I don't really "need'.

For example, I was thinking of picking up a dunecrawler for a terrain project I am working on.

its $66. For a vehicle thing. Three sprues. what the hell?

Even at my FLGS that gives discounts, it just too much.

I used to buy every new codex, just to have them - kind of for completeness, but also I used to like to read the fluff.

That stopped about a year or so ago.

Note: this is not a complaint, nor am I saying 'their prices are too high" or they don't have value, etc.

I am saying that for me (and many of my friends - several others used to buy every book) I am not making as many purchases as I would have if the prices were less.

I hear you. I used to buy every codex when they were soft backed, even if only for bathroom reading. While GW has gotten away from sweeping increases on everything, the new kits and reboxed sets are simply becoming too expensive.

davethepak wrote:
nor am I saying 'their prices are too high" or they don't have value, etc.

I am saying that for me... I am not making as many purchases as I would have if the prices were less.

Uhmm...

Sweet Jesus, just saw what's gone up on the GW site today!

http://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Ten-Man-Assault-Squad

£50 for a squad of 'new' assault marines. - That's the same as a Stormraven Gunship

Or £30 if you buy two of the old boxes from Darksphere to make a 10-man squad.

Those grav pistols are mighty expensive!



At least the Chapter Upgrade packs on in-line with previous upgrade packs like the Iron Warriors and Chaos Biker packs

I look forward to next week's release, the AUD$70 Dev Squad.

$14 points per Marine. Kit damn-well better have 4 of each gun.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
I look forward to next week's release, the AUD$70 Dev Squad.

$14 points per Marine. Kit damn-well better have 4 of each gun.

Each box will have half a tactical sprue and a single demi-sprue with a random heavy weapon. Heavy bolters are commons, missile launchers are rares, plasma cannons are ultra-rare, and lascannons are one in a thousand, foil-stamped hologram sprues. Gotta Collect 'em All!

 the_Armyman wrote:

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
I look forward to next week's release, the AUD$70 Dev Squad.

$14 points per Marine. Kit damn-well better have 4 of each gun.

Each box will have half a tactical sprue and a single demi-sprue with a random heavy weapon. Heavy bolters are commons, missile launchers are rares, plasma cannons are ultra-rare, and lascannons are one in a thousand, foil-stamped hologram sprues. Gotta Collect 'em All!

Following the comic book industry collapse from 15-20 years ago you forgot the signed limited edition prints, or the sets that will be make in different colors. Sure you'll wind up painting them anyway, but you'll need to buy Moar so you can brag that you have the blood Angels red plastic assault squad sprue in mint condition, not to mention the ultra smurf blue tactical squad with only slight fixing on the edge of the sprue. But your still after the hard to find dark angel green scout squad sprue as only four of those have ever been known to come out of the closet.

I had to check and make sure that I hadn't accidentally chosen Aus as my country. $82usd for 10 miniatures is a heavier tax than the previously egregious blood knights. There can be no excuse for a price that high for 10 models but I'm sure that someone will be along shortly to tell me to shut up and feel privileged that GW even offers these models for sale. Just think for a moment what you can buy in the real world for $82.

Go home Games Workshop, you're very drunk.

I like that the new limited edition Space Marine book is 130 euros (so maybe $145?). Now THAT is a good investment that won't become valueless in two years, no-siree!

 agnosto wrote:
I had to check and make sure that I hadn't accidentally chosen As as my country. $82usd for 10 miniatures is a heavier tax than the previously egregious blood knights. There can be no excuse for a price that high for 10 models but I'm sure that someone will be along shortly to tell me to shut up and feel privileged that GW even offers these models for sale. Just think for a moment what you can buy in the real world for $82.

That's just plain crazy for plastic models. GW buisness plan keep raising prices on models to make up for falling sales. Soon people are going to need a second job or a personal loan just to buy GW stuff

$82... for ten models....

Ten plastic models....

The question is no longer 'Is GW CRAZY?!' but, rather, 'How CRAZY Is GW?!!'

Goodbye, GW. They are coming to take you away, ha, ha!

The Auld Grump

 Chute82 wrote:
Paints will be going up 25 cents a pot
Hobby tools 3~10% up in price
Glue up 35 cents
Spray paints up $1.25 a can
Aegis defense line will be $37
Realm of battle board going up to $330
Realm of battle board imperalis $363 June 1st

Honestly the only thing I buy from GW hobby-side is the paint pots. This is because I'm kind of locked in. I have used them so long that it would look weird to do an army in anything else without custom blending certain shades.

They've already pushed me out of 40k and it appears they're pushing me out of fantasy (I won't derail the thread into discussing the mess that is those things) and while I do feel suck with the paint pots, if it gets too much worse they'll push me out of that as well.

I get it, this is an expensive hobby, I am not crying about having to spend money, but when I look at GW spray primer compared to say board to pieces, which is better quality (imo) has an adjustable fan-tip nozzle AND is half the price... well...


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 agnosto wrote:
$82usd for 10 miniatures is a heavier tax than the previously egregious blood knights.

Are you sure? Because Blood Knights are $99 for 5 AND are finecrap AND are monopose AND come with no extra bits AND look just plain stupid with the batwings everywhere.

Not saying $82 for 10x assault marines is sane, I did a doubletake myself, but I think blood knights still take the cake on stupidity.

I don't understand that shock of the 10 man squad... The five man box is $41. X2 is $82 dollars.

I was shocked that the new 5 man box was more expensive than the Vanguard box. Which means the Vanguard box is going to get a hefty price increase.

Love how of course no discount. $82 for 10 plastic dudes that are only a fraction of an army.

Also they apparently have another insanely priced bundle (just under $1000) with exclusive rules in it.

And people still support this horsegak.

WayneTheGame wrote:
Love how of course no discount. $82 for 10 plastic dudes that are only a fraction of an army.

Also they apparently have another insanely priced bundle (just under $1000) with exclusive rules in it.

And people still support this horsegak.

i, for one, don't have a problem with price increases...
i just don't pay retail for the things i want...

if i want something, whether it be a miniature, a surfboard, or whatever, i buy it...
price doesn't matter one bit...
all that matters is how badly i want something...
once i know i want something, then i go looking for the hook-up, because i like that feeling of getting a deal, instead of paying full retail...

personally, i am glad that my friends in the GW design studio are gainfully employed to write, sculpt, draw, and paint...
as long as they keep producing products that i want to paint, i will be happy to buy them...
if i can help my friends continue to live the dream, that's awesome to me...
behind every miniature manufacturer in this industry are real people with families to support, people who i care about, and am happy to support...

cheers
jah

 jah-joshua wrote:
personally, i am glad that my friends in the GW design studio are gainfully employed to write, sculpt, draw, and paint...

Unfortunately if they price everyone else out of 40k, they won't be doing too much of that any more.

 Shas'O Dorian wrote:

 agnosto wrote:
$82usd for 10 miniatures is a heavier tax than the previously egregious blood knights.

Are you sure? Because Blood Knights are $99 for 5 AND are finecrap AND are monopose AND come with no extra bits AND look just plain stupid with the batwings everywhere.

Not saying $82 for 10x assault marines is sane, I did a doubletake myself, but I think blood knights still take the cake on stupidity.

I had no idea they had gone that high. I stand corrected.

 jah-joshua wrote:

personally, i am glad that my friends in the GW design studio are gainfully employed to write, sculpt, draw, and paint...

Personally I'd rather see GW collapse and have all that talent snapped up by the other, better companies on the market who will not tie their hands, put them under insane deadlines and generally stifle creativity while engaging in pervasive business practices (at best).

Seriously, compare some of the recent Eavy Metal paintjobs to the stuff the painters have on their own personal facebook pages and the difference is night and day. The official stuff makes them look hilariously incompetent while their own personal projects are great. Either they have ridiculous schedules or are being told to dumb everything down.

I think this is a good example of that, I find it hard to believe the weapons and the hair/fur where painted by the same person:


I can't imagine the artists like having to include the latest kit in every new friggen bit of art like they have lately. The Knight release last year was probably the worst offender off the top of my head, it was the same bloody picture but with the knight recoloured and the armies clashing in front of it swapped around half a dozen times.

As much crap as PP get for being all about the game and having no hobby side of things to it that is very much a bad stereotype that comes from the players, not the studio, who consider themselves a company of creative types for creatives. In their podcasts they talk about sitting down to write a fluff bible of 400 pages then having to stop themselves at 800. The damn CEO of the company recently did the artwork for the 10th anniversary No Quarter. That is the kind of company I want employing the creative types currently stuck in the GW design studio.

Why is everyone comparing the 10 man set to the price of the 5 man set, especially when the assault squad is a 5 man box, and the 10 man set is probably just 2 boxes of 5?

I mean, this would be like people getting excited over a CAD$180 set with 6 centurions.

AllSeeingSkink wrote:

 jah-joshua wrote:
personally, i am glad that my friends in the GW design studio are gainfully employed to write, sculpt, draw, and paint...

Unfortunately if they price everyone else out of 40k, they won't be doing too much of that any more.

that is not your problem, mate...
that is their problem, and it is not even in their control...
the design studio is not in control of the company...

i don't deal in what-ifs, doom and gloom, or what the future may hold...
i deal in the moment, and the joy of creative expression...
nothing else matters to me...
it is not my job to worry about what GW management decides to do with their business...
it is my job to paint to the best of my ability, and enjoy the hell out of it...

unless i come across enough millions to buy GW, and run it how i would like to (which means as a private company that is not beholden to shareholders), then there is nothing i can do to change the intentions of Kirby and the beancounters...
i would rather give what little i can to help support my friends, than to throw up my arms, say "Kirby is evil", and not buy things that i like...
me boycotting GW would not help my friends keep their jobs, or get me better Space Marines...

i like Citadel minis, so i buy them...
i also like a deal, so i buy them at the cheapest price i can...
then i paint up a $6 Assault Marine, and sell it for $200 to a collector who appreciates my talent and hard work...
remind me again why i should be upset...

it is perfectly reasonable for you to say that GW may drive themselves into the ground like Rackham did, but i still have boxes full of Rackham minis, there is still a demand for those models, and i can still enjoy painting them, and earn a living off of my hard work painting them to a world-class standard at the same time...
GW and 40K may go the way of the Dodo (which would be a bummer), but there will always be a market for OOP Citadel minis...
i make it a point not to get upset about things that are out of my control, and instead focus on what i can do, which is to put awesome paint jobs on cool miniatures...

cheers
jah

 TheAuldGrump wrote:
$82... for ten models....

Ten plastic models....

The question is no longer 'Is GW CRAZY?!' but, rather, 'How CRAZY Is GW?!!'

Goodbye, GW. They are coming to take you away, ha, ha!

The Auld Grump

That was the correct response...

Notice the uptick on the clearance sales on dakka?


Just saying, Wort, if your still lurking, go tell your masters that the cut is too deep this time, the patient is bleeding out...

 jonolikespie wrote:

 jah-joshua wrote:

personally, i am glad that my friends in the GW design studio are gainfully employed to write, sculpt, draw, and paint...

Personally I'd rather see GW collapse and have all that talent snapped up by the other, better companies on the market who will not tie their hands, put them under insane deadlines and generally stifle creativity while engaging in pervasive business practices (at best).

Seriously, compare some of the recent Eavy Metal paintjobs to the stuff the painters have on their own personal facebook pages and the difference is night and day. The official stuff makes them look hilariously incompetent while their own personal projects are great. Either they have ridiculous schedules or are being told to dumb everything down.

I think this is a good example of that, I find it hard to believe the weapons and the hair/fur where painted by the same person:

Spoiler:

I can't imagine the artists like having to include the latest kit in every new friggen bit of art like they have lately. The Knight release last year was probably the worst offender off the top of my head, it was the same bloody picture but with the knight recoloured and the armies clashing in front of it swapped around half a dozen times.

As much crap as PP get for being all about the game and having no hobby side of things to it that is very much a bad stereotype that comes from the players, not the studio, who consider themselves a company of creative types for creatives. In their podcasts they talk about sitting down to write a fluff bible of 400 pages then having to stop themselves at 800. The damn CEO of the company recently did the artwork for the 10th anniversary No Quarter. That is the kind of company I want employing the creative types currently stuck in the GW design studio.

i hear you, but i am a part of this industry, so i can give a little bit of insight here...

1. yes, the 'Eavy Metal team is told to keep things simple (unless it is a special project for White Dwarf, like the internal Harry the Hammer painting contest, or the custom models that were made when the Ultramarines movie came out) and be very fast...
if they were all allowed to work at their own pace, nothing would ever be on schedule...
if they were allowed to take every mini to a Golden Demon standard, no kid would ever start painting (at least that is the boss' logic)...

2. i am friends with most of the people on the 'Eavy Metal team, past and present, and you are correct, their personal projects are mind-blowing, though i think that saying the studio work "makes them look hilariously incompetent" is pretty harsh...
i think the studio stuff looks just fine for the purpose it serves...
some painters have not been happy with the way the team is run, and quit...
others have been stoked for the potential to advance within the company, and became sculptors...
still others have been content with the job, and are still on the team after more than a decade...

neither the 'EM painters, nor the army painters, that currently work at HQ have ever expressed that they felt their creativity was being stifled, or else they would not still be there...
some people have quit, while others enjoy their work, so they stick around...
no one is chained to a desk...

3. GW going under does not guarantee that any of the artists, sculptors, or painters would get another job doing the same kind of work, especially not on salary...
the GW design studio is the biggest in the industry...
the other operations are a handful of people at most, and even that is rare in this business...
the majority of the work in this industry is freelance, and hard to come by, as we creative types are a dime a dozen...

4. PP is a privately held company, which is a whole other beast...
a better kind of beast, i agree, but a whole other way of running a company...
the way a company in a creative field should be, in my opinion, but they are not going to snatch up all of the GW design studio if Kirby finally kills the goose...
they don't have the budget, and neither does any other company in the industry...
i would not be so quick to wish that my friends would have to be out on the street, struggling in the freelance sharktank...

5. PP also has a maximum standard of painting for their studio painter, i know, because i painted for them under Mike McVey, and Ron Kruzie (the current miniature studio head) has been one of my best friends since high school...
the idea is to strike a balance between speed and presentation, with speed taking a high priority...
it doesn't matter how good you can paint, if you can't paint fast you are out...
look at a box of PP minis and a box of GW minis, there is not really any difference in the quality of the paintjobs on either box front...
they are both very nice standards for a hobbyist to aspire to...
clean paint jobs, in attractive colors...

6. Matt Wilson is an artist...
even as the CEO of PP, he is still an artist first in his soul...
Kirby is an account iirc, which means he has no soul, but instead has a void filled with your money...
joking aside, it is not a surprise that the owner of a company, who can't help but draw and express his creativity, is doing the cover for the 10th anniversary of the magazine he helped to create...
if you think Matt doesn't run a business, go up to him at GenCon, and ask him for a free t-shirt...
you will be in for a surprise...

like i said, i am loyal to PP, as the first company to ever publish my work in rulebooks, a company created by three artists who's work i admire, and the employer of some of my friends...
that doesn't mean that i would want to see GW fail, and send some of my other friends to the unemployment office...
i am sure that GW would be a better company if Brian Ansell had not sold, and they had not gone public, but that is not the way things came to pass...

i know that i am just a lone voice in the wilderness, but this is how i feel...
i love GW for the great minis they produce, the jobs they provide, the worlds they have created, and that's it...
i don't owe them anything, and they don't owe me anything...
i buy what i like, at less than Kirby would like me to, and don't stress the rest...

cheers
jah

 jah-joshua wrote:
i make it a point not to get upset about things that are out of my control

I don't get upset either... I just discuss. It's not like I'm kept awake at night worrying about GW. If we didn't discuss things there wouldn't be much of a point in having a forum

I appreciate that you feel GW stuff is still worth buying and painting. You don't have to feel the need to explain that. It's obvious that if you feel something is worth the time and money then you spend the time and money on it... it's so obvious that it kind of goes without saying

For me, GW has long passed the point of being worth my time and money. Though I still like 40k and would rather see it become something I would once again like to put my time and money in.

It should be pointed out though that he only feels it's worth buying and painting if he can get it at a discount. That he refuses to buy retail is pretty much an admission that the retail asking price is way too high.

Also kind of a weird stance to take when you make such a big deal out of supporting the company, and your friends employed at said company. Buying retail supports GW more than buying online at a discount, and buying directly from GW's website supports them the most as they take all the profit from it. But whatever.

 Wulfmar wrote:
Sweet Jesus, just saw what's gone up on the GW site today!

http://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Ten-Man-Assault-Squad

£50 for a squad of 'new' assault marines. - That's the same as a Stormraven Gunship

Or £30 if you buy two of the old boxes from Darksphere to make a 10-man squad.

Those grav pistols are mighty expensive!



At least the Chapter Upgrade packs on in-line with previous upgrade packs like the Iron Warriors and Chaos Biker packs

I didn't notice any vanilla tac squads. Did I just overlook them?

I eagerly await the first meltdown when someone accidentally views the Australian page when checking the new prices. Our 10 man assault marine bundle is $140.