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@OP:

I saw yesterday the price tag of the sister model from the vintage WD cover art: 25 Euros! Yeah, I won´t pay that much for her. 15 Euros on the other hand would have been acceptable.

 Huron black heart wrote:
With the recent price increases in mind and various differing opinions on the matter, I'm curious to know what your limit would be on model prices.

$50-$60 for a tank is okay.

$60 for 10 infantry is not.

Actually, I play sisters and pay $10 a model, so I can't really speak.

I have not buy any sisters from GW in a long while, The models they have put out recently have not been what i have wanted.
And the new one is $55 ;o like, no we are not there yet.

 Huron black heart wrote:
If somebody had told 30 years ago what the prices would be today I'd never have got into this hobby at all.

I might've stared at them as if they were crazy.
But I'd still have bought in. Afterall, early 90's me needed stuff to play with then.

At the end of the day, they can charge what they want, and we will all spend what we want.

I know what the models are physically worth, and GW definitely overprices them, but if people are paying it good for them.


I will not support them if they CONTINUE to raise prices though. The game is fun, and im glad they made it, but why on earth would I pay $100 for a light tank, when I can get the same model recast (at only slightly worse quality) for $35?

If they were actually at the point where they NEEDED the cash or they would go bankrupt then I would consider it, but atm they are just being greedy and ignoring their competition.

The thing is, I am aware that the design of the models is a very expensive process, and that everything that goes into them - packaging, advertisement, distributions, etc also has a large cost.

Models need to sell a lot before they even break even on the investment, but that's not to say that they aren't priced on the high side.

 Ishagu wrote:
The thing is, I am aware that the design of the models is a very expensive process, and that everything that goes into them - packaging, advertisement, distributions, etc also has a large cost.

Models need to sell a lot before they even break even on the investment, but that's not to say that they aren't priced on the high side.

And this is wrong, did it ever ocure to you that the new CSM and primaris share hights? The GSC do with IG ? Some parts perfectly interchangable?

That's all saved cost because they took the same standards allready established in previous sets.
Even the layout of the sprues is relativly standardised.

And the margin between ressources invested and the endprice is gigantic .

 Ishagu wrote:
The thing is, I am aware that the design of the models is a very expensive process, and that everything that goes into them - packaging, advertisement, distributions, etc also has a large cost.

Models need to sell a lot before they even break even on the investment, but that's not to say that they aren't priced on the high side.

Although I don't know the answer, is it really all that expensive for GW to produce new kits?
They already have the sculptors, the machines, the warehouses and infrastructure for selling them in place. I understand the moulds for plastic kits are expensive, but even then I wonder quite how much they need to sell a model for to simply break even, and of course they actually want to make a profit.
Old kits being increased in price is poor policy in my opinion, heck a lot of companies would sell them cheaper once there are newer kits.
GW has always been expensive, but it has just gone beyond what I am willing to pay.
I sense the new pricing may be a step back for GW's overall profit margin.

I'm not proud of it, but I'm not especially sure there's an upper limit. I mean, I probably wouldn't spend £50+ on a single Space Marine sized character miniature, but I probably have spent in that region buying bits to convert one.

My usual hold back is whether I think I like the look of something, and could realistically paint an army of something it, rather than if the price is fair or not.

 Ishagu wrote:
The thing is, I am aware that the design of the models is a very expensive process, and that everything that goes into them - packaging, advertisement, distributions, etc also has a large cost.

Models need to sell a lot before they even break even on the investment, but that's not to say that they aren't priced on the high side.

That has not been true for GW for a long time, the design work is done using a digital bible from which basic parts are pulled before being reskinned with new detail which is then saved to the bible all by salaried staff who are paid a fairly basic salary. Give them another few years and they might not even need digital sculptors just people who are good with Lego

The big cost of plastic models is the moulds as everyone knows however keep in mind that GW as far as I am aware still make there own, so most of the costs you see quoted by people are based on hiring a 3rd party to do it. Again GW have salaried staff doing this and they are using more aluminium moulds so the costs are relatively low for them, there is an opportunity cost because they can only make x amount of moulds in the time they have available though.

Packaging is likely there biggest cost but I believe they want to bring even that in house when they open there new facilities, advertising is unusual for GW in that there customers actually buy the advertising off them in the form of White Dwarf. Distribution is probably a big one but no worse than any other company who have not put up the prices by 200%+ in last decade

As for what I would spend well I shelved my GSC after I worked out what it would cost to build 1750pts worth and used the bits I had for KillTeam, I think the 40k primaris characters are borderline robbery as are most of the newer boxed plastic characters.

My last big purchase was the new lord of the rings box set but they even ruined that by whacking the prices for the cast on demand stuff up.

Honestly I have enough stuff both GW and FW to keep me occupied for the foreseeable future not including other manufacturers. I think the only thing that might tempt me was a new Inquisition army. What put in perspective for me was I literally just ordered a Alienware 34" ultrawide pc monitor that is being paid for by not finishing my GSC army or buying any GW products for a couple of.months.

I’d prefer $5-7 a model for basic infantry, $50-60 for tanks. I’ll flex a bit for big/cool looking stuff.

$80 for a LR/Repulsor tank was pushing it. I will not spend $100 on one. One of the reasons I picked up my last LR was I got the DW one with sprues for both variants and the extra accessory sprue.

Despite liking the looks of the new primaris characters, and even the old plastic mono-pose, $30-35 was more then I’m willing to pay for a single character. Especially when you could custom make characters out of the veteran boxes (or GK squads for librarians). I own a couple of primaris characters, but they were gifts.

Speaking of the vet boxes...

The Sternguard box @ $50 makes for $10 a model, which is more than I like to pay. BUT, unlike the primaris kits, where most of the spare stuff is unusable after you build the guys for the box, the sternguard box’s extras will spice up an entire army with shoulder pads and combis for sergeants, interesting bits and bobs, etc. Or you could cut the box down with spare PA bodies and make a 10 man SG squad. Or shake it together with a vanguard vet box and get a whole chapter’s worth of captains. Just a lot of potential there, so I’m OK paying more.

 Nevelon wrote:


Speaking of the vet boxes...

The Sternguard box @ $50 makes for $10 a model, which is more than I like to pay. BUT, unlike the primaris kits, where most of the spare stuff is unusable after you build the guys for the box, the sternguard box’s extras will spice up an entire army with shoulder pads and combis for sergeants, interesting bits and bobs, etc. Or you could cut the box down with spare PA bodies and make a 10 man SG squad. Or shake it together with a vanguard vet box and get a whole chapter’s worth of captains. Just a lot of potential there, so I’m OK paying more.

I was so surprised to see that there were 0 extra bits in the intercessors box. Not even a single power sword or powerfist. Stark contrast to the Vanguard Veteran box I bought the month before.

I have made 3 magnetized captains with it so far. Also used some of the bits with a dark angel veteran box to make a 5 man magnetized Blood Angel veteran squad and I still have bits left for even more weapon options and a few more veterans. 1 more VV box and I could upgrade the rest of my to army so I have 10+ kitbashed vanguard veterans(I use DA company vet robed bodies and helmets painting the fabric in dark red with black armor as all veterans/sergeants in my army) and any weapon choice I would ever want on my sergeants.

That and other veteran boxes really have much value beyond just the 5 bodies. All the bits give you so much extra creative choice and list building choice for your army. The new primaris instead feel like the old tactical boxes were you only had the minimum amount of bits necessary to make 10 guys with a chainsword sergeant, flamer special weapon and ML heavy weapon. Going back 20 years in content design.

This new barebone direction with super expensive upgrade sprues, that still dont have even a powersword, is not something I like. Extra useful stuff feels good and make me willing to spend more money like in vet boxes. But if Im forced to buy extra stuff to already expensive models just to equip them I feel cheated. Or if it is like the old WFB empire kits from 7th edition were they reduced the number of models and kept the price and then justified it with having tons of extra crap options on the sprues instead. Like why would I want 20 more each of feathers, skulls and bags when every model already has 2-3 of each badly sculpted on them. I recently painted a full fantasy empire army of 150+ models and they are all second hand 6th or earlier kits except for pistoliers/outriders. Way cheaper and even better looking than the stuff on their online store that is mostly overcosted bloat.

Well it depends, like others have said I refuse to play a lot of Horde armies due to the cost. But for horde armies I still won't spend more than $25 for a box of 10 infantry (GG Scions).

I put a couple hundred bucks a year max on the hobby for models only (I will still buy the odd codex and campaign books though).

I've already pretty much stopped buying. For me the breaking point was around the release of the new Kharn model and the ridiculous price rise between the older and newer one. Combine that with £22.50 for a Primaris character and it's got to the point where the cost and value of the models seem massively out of proportion. This has been exacerbated by the reduction in options on the sprues. I built a bunch of different Captains and Lieutenants from a pair of Vanguard and Sternguard Veteran boxes thanks to all the bits they come with but the newer kits are so bereft of options and extras it makes the price rises even harder to swallow.

I can only see my spending decreasing further and it's already made me put some new army ideas on the back burner as I'm unwilling to spend GW retail to build a new army from scratch. I've started 3 new armes in the last 5 years and in each of those cases it was only after finding a great eBay deal that I committed to the project. If I'd have had to buy everything retial (even at FLGS discount prices) I don't think any of them would have been started.

Strangely, I’ve found myself here recently buying a large block of 40K models, but it is mostly to fill out the last few spots of my existing armies, then I expect I will be ceasing to buy GW product - rules as well as models.

There already. I have enough of a backlog to keep me busy for a while. And as I have yet to adopt Primaris I can get all the small Marines I want second hand. And my IG Army has zero GW minis so far. Oh well it will have a Stormlord when I get around to putting that together.

The fact that they keep raising prices on literally 20 year old plastic kits is a clear message they think their customers are idiots. How much are people willing to pay for Cadians? An ancient box that you need what, at least 6 of? If not more just to have a viable army.

They are going to hit a wall eventually where there spamware games licenses dry up and model sales can't keep them afloat.

I have a few shops I frequent for big discounts and ebay. I won't ever pay full price for a GW model again probably. They are just too crazy.

For me, $3 per infantry mini, $5 per super-elite, and $35 per vehicle is the limit I found myself at year's ago. For perfect minis, maybe I'll splurge a little more (it's been years).

The thing is, there are lots of great infantry available at $1-$2 per mini. I can buy Reaper Bones knights and bling them out with leftover bolters, bling and icons for far cheaper than buying new Space Marine bodies. For tanks, I bought tons of DUST and AT-43 minis for $10-$25 a pop. The Bronekorpus and even some dollar store or Daiso tanks will look perfectly acceptable with $5 of Ravenwing Sprue bits. The only reason for me to buy GW minis was to capture the flavor of the background...background that isn't so good any more and that plenty of other parties "get" better than the tacticool primaris marines do.