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The old back catalogue in the 90s was great, and I would be delighted to see something similar return, right down to the yellow trimmed catalogue pages at the back of white dwarf.

But I'm not going to pin my hopes on it.

Would be a legit way to stop overprized ebay sales.

 General Kroll wrote:
The old back catalogue in the 90s was great, and I would be delighted to see something similar return, right down to the yellow trimmed catalogue pages at the back of white dwarf.

But I'm not going to pin my hopes on it.

Yeah, I think people are getting misty-eyed over this. I hope I'm wrong and that people get the old models they want, but I member the spare parts service, and if anything makes money, you don't get rid of it.

There would be sound economic reasons for its shelving and there will be sound economic reasons for not bringing it back.

Would any company put a load of time and effort into something, just so two people could get a Squat flamer from 1991 or something?

It would not be worth their while. 10,000 squat flamers yeah, if the demand was there, but not the niche level people are hoping for.

I wonder if this is going to lead to more models going to LCTB but being available through this service. For example the entire sisters range and the empire range.

It would make a lot of sense for GW to licence these older models to other companies.

They do all the leg work, GW gets royalties.

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 General Kroll wrote:
The old back catalogue in the 90s was great, and I would be delighted to see something similar return, right down to the yellow trimmed catalogue pages at the back of white dwarf.

But I'm not going to pin my hopes on it.

Yeah, I think people are getting misty-eyed over this. I hope I'm wrong and that people get the old models they want, but I member the spare parts service, and if anything makes money, you don't get rid of it.

There would be sound economic reasons for its shelving and there will be sound economic reasons for not bringing it back.

Would any company put a load of time and effort into something, just so two people could get a Squat flamer from 1991 or something?

It would not be worth their while. 10,000 squat flamers yeah, if the demand was there, but not the niche level people are hoping for.

They ostensibly cancelled the old mail order service because they didn't consider the effort and expense of storing bajillions of parts worth it. That concern is substantially alleviated if they're using an actual "made to order" system ie they only produce the item once someone pays for one, and is also a position that could have been reevaluated more recently in that the new management could consider the intangible value of the goodwill such a move would generate to be worth running a more extensive back catalogue even if it wouldn't make them a fortune in cold hard cash.

I'm not saying it will happen, it probably won't, but I don't think we should take the thinking of 2008 as gospel given that same thinking is what led to them canning Specialist Games, which are now returning.

The best thing right now for GW to sell again for a range they are trying to breathe new life into would be the Mines of moria box. It was far superior to the current escape from goblin town.

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:
if anything makes money, you don't get rid of it.

Resources are finite. Allocating them to where they can generate the most value is the correct way of running a company, so yes, a profitable branch of the company can and often will be shut down if another angle of business is expected to bring in more profits.

Historically, GW was hit and miss with predicting what will make them money and trigger happy with cutting off limbs before seeing if they can be made to work better, but I doubt the bitz service actually ran in the red. It probably wasn't profitable enough in a period when they needed money somewhere else.

 Yodhrin wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 General Kroll wrote:
The old back catalogue in the 90s was great, and I would be delighted to see something similar return, right down to the yellow trimmed catalogue pages at the back of white dwarf.

But I'm not going to pin my hopes on it.

Yeah, I think people are getting misty-eyed over this. I hope I'm wrong and that people get the old models they want, but I member the spare parts service, and if anything makes money, you don't get rid of it.

There would be sound economic reasons for its shelving and there will be sound economic reasons for not bringing it back.

Would any company put a load of time and effort into something, just so two people could get a Squat flamer from 1991 or something?

It would not be worth their while. 10,000 squat flamers yeah, if the demand was there, but not the niche level people are hoping for.

They ostensibly cancelled the old mail order service because they didn't consider the effort and expense of storing bajillions of parts worth it. That concern is substantially alleviated if they're using an actual "made to order" system ie they only produce the item once someone pays for one, and is also a position that could have been reevaluated more recently in that the new management could consider the intangible value of the goodwill such a move would generate to be worth running a more extensive back catalogue even if it wouldn't make them a fortune in cold hard cash.

I'm not saying it will happen, it probably won't, but I don't think we should take the thinking of 2008 as gospel given that same thinking is what led to them canning Specialist Games, which are now returning.

I'm half agreeing, half disagreeing, if that makes sense.

Yeah, made to order is far superior to having thousands of bits lying around collecting dust, but even with made to order, surely economies of scale come into it? Would you fire up a machine just to make one old meltagun for example? Then the postage and packaging, and for what, maybe a few pence profit?

The community goodwill bit I can get, but economies of scale will factor in the thinking for this plan.

As for specialist games, it was a bad move getting rid of them, and I'm somewhat glad they're brining them back. Board games are very popular these days, and stuff like space hulk, bloodbowl, even dreadfleet, made to a high quality, will sell, so that makes sense.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 His Master's Voice wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:
if anything makes money, you don't get rid of it.

Resources are finite. Allocating them to where they can generate the most value is the correct way of running a company, so yes, a profitable branch of the company can and often will be shut down if another angle of business is expected to bring in more profits.

Historically, GW was hit and miss with predicting what will make them money and trigger happy with cutting off limbs before seeing if they can be made to work better, but I doubt the bitz service actually ran in the red. It probably wasn't profitable enough in a period when they needed money somewhere else.

That may be, but like I said above, nobody is going to stoke the forges just to make 1 Genestealer Left Arm from 1993 or something.

Market research will have to figure in this IMO. Perhaps a legacy range, featuring a limited run of classic models, or the 10th anniversary of the Armageddon campaign, for people to snap stuff up or something...

If you build it, they will come, may work for field of dreams, and may sometimes work for buisness, but not all the time.

It could be that this is intended to be market research,

with GW clearly starting to play with some of their legacy stuff like harlequins and genestealers they could use the made to order system to get a pretty good idea of what ranges/games etc have a strong inbuilt fanbase to sell to

as without any cash in the equation it's always easy for people to scream for dreadfleet, pygmies, squats etc (and perhaps even belive they mean it), but when the news stuff comes out that doesn't mean they'll buy

but if made to order shows steady sales of a particular type of thing it's going to be a strong indication there's money on the table if the reintroduction is handled well

Ultimately it is probably the success on forgeworld that has led to this. It has shown that people will pay large amounts of money for small runs of unique figures.
I imagine that when Rountree did his review he that that the business model of forgeworld could be leveraged in other ways. I believe that some forgeworld products are already essentially made to order.

as without any cash in the equation it's always easy for people to scream for dreadfleet, pygmies, squats etc (and perhaps even belive they mean it), but when the news stuff comes out that doesn't mean they'll buy

Exactly. people may talk the talk, but they have to walk the walk and buy the stuff, otherwise made to order will nosedive.

I doubt it will be Made To Order for that one bit just you want.

More likely a set range of moulds, time to opt in (and pay to secure), then once monies in and run worthwhile they spin up the moulds.

Anyone else hoping for Inq54 minis?

 bubber wrote:
Anyone else hoping for Inq54 minis?

If that Vindicare came back...

I would be on that so damn fast it wouldn't even be funny. Back when he first came out, I ordered one through my FLGS and because of production issues(the owner of my FLGS put me on the phone with his GW rep at the time and we were flatout told the reason why they couldn't fulfill the order was because the camo cape was tearing the moulds apart) I never got one.

daemonish wrote:The best thing right now for GW to sell again for a range they are trying to breathe new life into would be the Mines of moria box. It was far superior to the current escape from goblin town.

Why do I have the feeling it will not be $75 Canadian that it went for when it was released the first time. Great box set.

 Kanluwen wrote:

 bubber wrote:
Anyone else hoping for Inq54 minis?

If that Vindicare came back...

I would be on that so damn fast it wouldn't even be funny. Back when he first came out, I ordered one through my FLGS and because of production issues(the owner of my FLGS put me on the phone with his GW rep at the time and we were flatout told the reason why they couldn't fulfill the order was because the camo cape was tearing the moulds apart) I never got one.

So I shouldn't mention that I have 2 then (the first had a slight miscast on a foot so GW sent me a free replacement)?

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 General Kroll wrote:
The old back catalogue in the 90s was great, and I would be delighted to see something similar return, right down to the yellow trimmed catalogue pages at the back of white dwarf.

But I'm not going to pin my hopes on it.

Yeah, I think people are getting misty-eyed over this. I hope I'm wrong and that people get the old models they want, but I member the spare parts service, and if anything makes money, you don't get rid of it.

There would be sound economic reasons for its shelving and there will be sound economic reasons for not bringing it back.

Would any company put a load of time and effort into something, just so two people could get a Squat flamer from 1991 or something?

It would not be worth their while. 10,000 squat flamers yeah, if the demand was there, but not the niche level people are hoping for.

They shelved specialist games(including game that exceeded their own expectations by 400%) and are bringing them back.

Gw makes plenty mistakes. Not every shelving was correct.

 Polonius wrote:
All of the 2nd edition ranges (Catachans, Cadians, Mordians, Tallarn, and Valhallans) had all five heavy weapons, two sergeants, three of the four special weapons, and an officer. (Praetorians were just Mordians with new heads, plus a bugler and standard bearer model). Tallarn and Valhallans also had special characters.

In third edition, Catachans added (in metal) the grenade launcher, along with snipers, demo charges, heavy flamers, and an underrated collection of officers. Cadians added a bunch of stuff, including metal snipers, new Plasma and Melta models to match the plastics, and both regular officers, and a command box with senior officer, standard, and medic. They also gained Creed/Kell.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 JohnHwangDD wrote:
Tallarn only had Plasma, Melta & GL, but no Flamers. Never had them, never will. Not sure what Mordians were short.

Catachans originally missed the grenade launcher, but got on in third.
Cadians missed the grenade launcher
Mordians/Praetorians missed the plasma gun
Tallarn missed the flamer
Valhallans missed the plasma

Also, a number of ranges include a vox caster, including the valhallans, cadians, and Catachans. Also interestingly, most ranges had at least eight different sculpts for lasgunners.

Great summary, thanks.

I'm pretty happy with my metal IG collection ATM, but they are great models and I'd love for all of them to be back in prodcution.

The metal Cadians in particular are fantastic models. The metal Catachans are dogs, just terrible, but outside of them I don't think there is a loser in the bunch. Up there with the Necromunda range.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

RazorEdge wrote:
The Bitz service lasted until 2008.

Thanks Obama!

 bubber wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

 bubber wrote:
Anyone else hoping for Inq54 minis?

If that Vindicare came back...

I would be on that so damn fast it wouldn't even be funny. Back when he first came out, I ordered one through my FLGS and because of production issues(the owner of my FLGS put me on the phone with his GW rep at the time and we were flatout told the reason why they couldn't fulfill the order was because the camo cape was tearing the moulds apart) I never got one.

So I shouldn't mention that I have 2 then (the first had a slight miscast on a foot so GW sent me a free replacement)?

I pretty much hate you right now.

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
I'm pretty happy with my metal IG collection ATM, but they are great models and I'd love for all of them to be back in prodcution.

The metal Cadians in particular are fantastic models. The metal Catachans are dogs, just terrible, but outside of them I don't think there is a loser in the bunch. Up there with the Necromunda range.

I'm of much the same mind. While I would like the option of more metal Cadians, and was pursuing it at one point, at this point, I have so many metal IG, I can't justify buying more stuff that I just won't play.

what if... just what if... they release BFG and epic like this for now

 Kanluwen wrote:

 bubber wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

 bubber wrote:
Anyone else hoping for Inq54 minis?

If that Vindicare came back...

I would be on that so damn fast it wouldn't even be funny. Back when he first came out, I ordered one through my FLGS and because of production issues(the owner of my FLGS put me on the phone with his GW rep at the time and we were flatout told the reason why they couldn't fulfill the order was because the camo cape was tearing the moulds apart) I never got one.

So I shouldn't mention that I have 2 then (the first had a slight miscast on a foot so GW sent me a free replacement)?

I pretty much hate you right now.

haha, i've got one, too...
been thinking of painting that bad boy for a decade...
just need to find a cool 54mm plinth w/ terrain to place him on...
the texture of the cloak is amazing...
not hard to see why it would ruin molds...


it will be interesting to see what becomes of this idea...
there are not many kits that i missed out on, except the things that didn't interest me, but i did miss out on the Diaz Daemonettes and Seekers, and a couple of the Empire mounted characters and infantry...
can't think of anything else...
if i gave something a pass the first time around, it was because i had no interest in the model...
nostalgia hasn't changed that one bit...

my big thing are all of the models that i had to skip because they came out after Finecast, like the Ogre characters, and Farsight...
i would be happy with those in metal

cheers
jah

I would really like some of the 54mm models. The demon huntress would be a great gift for my brother, so hopefully that'll come back.

Yeah i want to get a 54mm Artemis.

Imagine all the money they could've made if they let you bitz order Grav cannons directly.

 Crazyterran wrote:
Imagine all the money they could've made if they let you bitz order Grav cannons directly.

Or any bitz for that matter. I remember the Slave and Prisoner models always selling out. They were around $8 apiece.

I'd love to just be able to order any bit be it plastic or metal. Multimeltas, specific helmets, LEGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah, the Bitz Service. I remember that. Fondly. I used to use it a lot. The last Bitz order I placed included the Mordheim Elf Mage (the Jedi-looking one) and some other random parts for conversions. I really doubt that this is a return to those glory days, but it would be so good if it was...!

 bubber wrote:
Anyone else hoping for Inq54 minis?

I want that Eldar Ranger so badly.

This is great news...highly excited about this; a real step in the right direction if they re-release some of the stuff beyond the last 7-8 years.

My wish list would start with:
-Teutogen Guard
-Bigger bulkier Savage Orcs
-Sartosan Pirate, Vampire
-Gothic Fleets