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Made in de
Regular Dakkanaut



Germany

First of all, everybody is free to spend their money on whatever minis they want, of course.

Just curious, is there a big percentage of GW "purists/officialist" in your local community?? I mean people that only ever buy GW minis, not even bits from any other manufacturer...

   
Made in gb
Gore-Drenched Khorne Chaos Lord




Well this feels like an inflammatory post. But yes, to show some extremes, one guy who will happily buy 3rd party but has never attempted a conversion at any point. Another who is a GW plastic purist who claims anything else looks bad who owns a resin and an fdm printer.

That said it feels like you find the concept of just buying the "proper" stuff as werid, which in itself is an odd take.

I suspect this thread could turn nasty as people start trying to mark their territory.
   
Made in gb
Using Object Source Lighting







Yes and I think that's the way it should be. If you are collecting a space marine army makes sense to support the company that created spacemarine armies. If you are collecting an infinity Yujing army then I will get all the minis etc from the official company that created them, same with warmachine and all other companies etc etc.

This is what supports these companies to continue to deliver the things you want to collect.

   
Made in si
Foxy Wildborne







 NAVARRO wrote:
This is what supports these companies to continue to deliver the things you want to collect.


This is the long and short of it. For example, I want to collect Mk4 and Mk5 power armour in the modern HH scale, so I support the independent artist who makes them.

The old meta is dead and the new meta struggles to be born. Now is the time of munchkins. 
   
Made in gb
[DCM]
Chief Deputy Sub Assistant Trainee Squig Handling Intern






Well….theres me?

It’s not a snobbery thing, so much as GW makes what I want, so I buy it from them.

I’m not interested in 3d Printing myself. And for the few bits I might want printing (spare sponson mounts to make the most of my Heresy Spares) don’t justify the investment costs and general fannying about. So, for that? I’ll politely ask my mate if he can fart a few out.

But buying knock-offs, recasts or STLs made by scanning an existing GW product? No thanks. Not my bag.

Fed up of Scalpers? But still want your Exclusives? Why not join us?

Hey look! It’s my 2025 Hobby Log/Blog/Project/Whatevs 
   
Made in ru
Hurr! Ogryn Bone 'Ead!






What should i do if there no official GW whenever, we have 80% percent import tariffs for 20 years for anything have local analogue( even if it hek polytene soldiers not related to 40k, but local company claimed that GW make them broke), and prices for GW kits x2 -x2.5? Would you support GW if GW don't give you a chance? I've bought GW kits from time to time if price at least close to GS internet store. Do you wanna cadian shock troops for $90-$120? me don't

My IG strugles feel free to post your criticism here 
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka




NE Ohio, USA

There's a few.
For the most part they fall into one or both of the following categories:
●Tourny players
●Younger/newer players - who haven't realized that you don't neccesarily need GW models to play GW games. Especially when your not in a tourney environment.

But a combination of us old Guard doing whatever the we please, easy access to 3d printers + files for a bazillion alternative models (some really good/cool), and ever increasing prices for "official" is converting them.
   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka





"IN THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR KEEP FIRING!!! SUMMON THE TYHPONS AND VINDICATORS BEFORE ALL IS LOST! STAND FIRM BROTHER MARINES!"

Well, I have been looking into Squishmallows as Titan proxies because they're much softer, don't break when they fall off the table and you don't have to paint them. Much cheaper than GW prices.

Casual gaming, mostly solo-coop these days.

 
   
Made in si
Foxy Wildborne







 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
But buying knock-offs, recasts or STLs made by scanning an existing GW product? No thanks. Not my bag.


I'm ultra meh on scans of current models (for unknown reasons, I dislike scans more than recasts) but I've recently been convinced that scans of OOP stuff can be a genuine and valid endeavor for preserving, or at least documenting, its artistic value.

The old meta is dead and the new meta struggles to be born. Now is the time of munchkins. 
   
Made in de
Joined the Military for Authentic Experience






Nuremberg

I have absolutely zero loyalty to any company or producer and I don't see any reason to have loyalty to GW in particular. They're happy to eliminate lines and miniatures and people tell me they're a business and need to make money. Likewise they'll support certain well selling factions over others without making that explicit to new starters (that they might choose a second or third class faction and get no support or actively have their faction cut to ribbons) and if people complain they are told GW is a business and needs to make money.

Well, cool. That is true. They are just a business, little enough art in it these days, and so if they make models I like the look of for a price I find worth it (rare enough these days outside of discount boxes, and becoming rare even there!) then I'll happily buy it. If not, I'll buy elsewhere where I do find value. No rancor really, I used to be annoyed at GW but moving away from that mindset has been far more pleasant. I just buy what I think is decent value that might fit with a project I have in mind and do not care, at all, in any way, if it is official. And because of that, I don't participate in the GW community IRL really any more.

On 3D printing, I don't have one and have limited interest in getting one. Just don't want to deal with the fuss, and am happy with the challenges provided by not having everything on demand. A bit of kitbashing and toybashing is fun and the results might not look as cool as a 3D print done by a talented digital artist but it's mine and I made it myself, and I like that.

These days I'm mostly buying North Star stuff with a smattering of historicals and the odd Wargames Atlantic, though I find their value is a bit less than the North Star kits to me. I do pick up a GW box every now and then, and when the Start Collectings were good value I bought one for every faction I was interested in. I've bought a couple of Combat Patrols but I don't find the value is there for most of them, and I'll buy the odd box like the Squig Rider Orks that deliver on a concept I've wanted to see for a long time.

I don't really see why anyone should do anything else to be honest - loyalty to the company is a one way street, they have no loyalty to you as a customer and will dump you as soon as they perceive a more lucrative market segment to appeal to.

   
Made in us
Arch Magos w/ 4 Meg of RAM






The Land of Humidity

My only game store (within 2 hours of travel) is a Warhammer store.

My options are limited. The manager says I can use 3d printed head swaps or other minor upgrades as long as I don't talk about them or bring attention to them.

If I want to use a 3d printed model l, it better look damn near perfect to the real thing.

 BorderCountess wrote:
Just because you're doing something right doesn't necessarily mean you know what you're doing...

 
   
Made in gb
[DCM]
Chief Deputy Sub Assistant Trainee Squig Handling Intern






 lord_blackfang wrote:
 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
But buying knock-offs, recasts or STLs made by scanning an existing GW product? No thanks. Not my bag.


I'm ultra meh on scans of current models (for unknown reasons, I dislike scans more than recasts) but I've recently been convinced that scans of OOP stuff can be a genuine and valid endeavor for preserving, or at least documenting, its artistic value.


That’s definitely a notch on my sliding scale of acceptability.

Same with WD articles. Not all the early ones were put into compendiums, especially stuff like Titan Legions era Epic rules in WD.

There? I can either hunt down good condition second hand ones, or go spelunking for a scanned version. Either way, my root to them just doesn’t involve GW getting money. So no harm, no foul.

Recast/scans of minis? Depends what the person is charging for them. Also, as a hangover from my Star Wars collecting days? Recasts can be sold honestly, then resold dishonestly as non-repro damaging the overall market.

But hey, opinion is opinion, Dear Thread. My reasoning not to do something shouldn’t upset you any.

Fed up of Scalpers? But still want your Exclusives? Why not join us?

Hey look! It’s my 2025 Hobby Log/Blog/Project/Whatevs 
   
Made in gb
Dakka Veteran



South East London

Yes, I am one.

Not only will I only buy GW official models, I will only play against opponents using official GW models.

I expect to play the game I have spent time and money investing in, and love to play battles with painted models and terrain. But if somebody turns up with a proxy army, using another company's minis or files they have found online, I won't play them. I want to recreate battles I see in official codices and books.

I love my hobby and I love Warhammer, and if I want to continue playing Warhammer then I need to make sure the creators of Warhammer get the credit and the financial support to continue doing so.

I am not saying others shouldn't be like me, but I have a preference and that's my choice. I know others will fervently disagree, lol.

"Dig in and wait for Winter" 
   
Made in de
Regular Dakkanaut



Germany

Dudeface wrote:
Well this feels like an inflammatory post. But yes, to show some extremes, one guy who will happily buy 3rd party but has never attempted a conversion at any point. Another who is a GW plastic purist who claims anything else looks bad who owns a resin and an fdm printer.

That said it feels like you find the concept of just buying the "proper" stuff as werid, which in itself is an odd take.

I suspect this thread could turn nasty as people start trying to mark their territory.


Not my intention, some examples are someone that would never buy a Wargames Atlantic kit for getting lots of bits, in order to convert soldiers for TOW's Empire.


 NAVARRO wrote:
Yes and I think that's the way it should be. If you are collecting a space marine army makes sense to support the company that created spacemarine armies. If you are collecting an infinity Yujing army then I will get all the minis etc from the official company that created them, same with warmachine and all other companies etc etc.

This is what supports these companies to continue to deliver the things you want to collect.


I am refering to precisely people that would never buy Infinity for instance.
   
Made in gb
Using Object Source Lighting







 Da Boss wrote:
I

I don't really see why anyone should do anything else to be honest - loyalty to the company is a one way street, they have no loyalty to you as a customer and will dump you as soon as they perceive a more lucrative market segment to appeal to.



Well getting say a Aeldari army from GW is supporting that product and voting with your wallet that you like it and want more of it. Is that being company Loyalist or simply buying a product you like from the source?
I think you're mixing two different things, for example I dont touch said company finecast or even rulebooks these days, since the product itself is not what I want it to be so I simply dont buy.

Im loyalist to X Product not X company. Different things.
Like I have the full OOP rackham confrontation Uraken goblins and love that collection, why in gods name would I fill it with third party knock offs or bits? See the point?

Dont get your sentiment of not understanding why would other people do something different from you either. I mean if GW would go prepainted minis I would drop it immediately but I can understand other people having a different approach.

   
Made in de
Regular Dakkanaut



Germany

StraightSilver wrote:
Yes, I am one.

Not only will I only buy GW official models, I will only play against opponents using official GW models.

I expect to play the game I have spent time and money investing in, and love to play battles with painted models and terrain. But if somebody turns up with a proxy army, using another company's minis or files they have found online, I won't play them. I want to recreate battles I see in official codices and books.

I love my hobby and I love Warhammer, and if I want to continue playing Warhammer then I need to make sure the creators of Warhammer get the credit and the financial support to continue doing so.

I am not saying others shouldn't be like me, but I have a preference and that's my choice. I know others will fervently disagree, lol.


That's perfectly fine!!! I do not like minis that do not resemble the lore.

But you don't play any game that is not GW? I was referring to that, more than "scans/3D/rip-offs" etc...
   
Made in gb
Using Object Source Lighting







SU-152 wrote:



 NAVARRO wrote:
Yes and I think that's the way it should be. If you are collecting a space marine army makes sense to support the company that created spacemarine armies. If you are collecting an infinity Yujing army then I will get all the minis etc from the official company that created them, same with warmachine and all other companies etc etc.

This is what supports these companies to continue to deliver the things you want to collect.


I am refering to precisely people that would never buy Infinity for instance.


I see what you are trying to say, basically someone that refuses to look at anything else but GW. Its difficult to know if that is what someone doing deliberately or if its something else like " I dont have time for more hobby so I stick with just this" or " Its more convenient to get GW so cant handle the hassle of finding options".
It can be so many reasons but lets say you know, for sure, someone just wants GW because loves GW as a company... Well if that makes them happy then good for them? Personally I think that person would be missing out so much.

   
Made in de
Oozing Plague Marine Terminator





Well, I find myself having started armies that GW wrote interesting fluff for but never created minis for. I started my DG when there was just a single metal squad for Plague Marines, so of course my Havocs, Bikes, Obliterators are 3rd Party miniatures because GW didn't have any.

Likewize, my Snakebites do feature some GW models, but they're heavily converted using 3rd party or GW fantasy bits.

My Nurgle Daemons have 30 GW Plaguebearers and about 40 non-GW Plague Bearers, not scans or recasts, but different approaches to the same concept. I find that quite important especially for a horde army and wouldn't want to paint 100 miniatures of the very same style.

In my community there are no purists, GW is just one producer among others for the armies we want to create. And with GWs practice of taking units and models OOP, there are other parties getting more and more interesting. One player recently started an Inquisition army and found the more interesting and better looking models at artelW, for example.
   
Made in gb
Dakka Veteran



South East London

Ah, apologies, I see what you mean.

I will absolutely play non-GW games, and have done in the past. However, this tends to be small skirmish games or, more predominantly, board games now. And that's literally because I have so much GW stuff sitting waiting to be played with.....

"Dig in and wait for Winter" 
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





I personally prefer "official". I like getting the right models, having them painted with the right equipment, etc. I just don't hold anyone else to my standards.

That's not to say I don't get annoyed with things that feel cheap or low effort. There's a world of difference between someone who's really excited about a model and proxied it in and someone who spends a couple hours telling you how proud they are to have gotten one over on GW with their unpainted pile of print lines.

Ultimately though, everyone has their own priorities and resources and people make do with what they've got. I enjoy seeing what people have created and the pride they have in their work. I prefer the official stuff for myself, but I don't need everyone to be me.
   
Made in gb
Gavin Thorpe




I'm fortunate to be at a point where the biggest barrier to my hobby is time, and not money. I can generally afford to buy 'proper' GW but rarely find the time to actually build and paint anything. I'd say that my priority is getting the aesthetics perfect, or as close as possible. I therefore use a mixture of official and unofficial depending on what I personally perceive to be the best model available.

For my specialist games like BFG, Blood Bowl or Warmaster, it's all prints all the time. I don't think there's much scene left for officaldom here.
For 40k and 30k it's more of a mixture. I personally think the current Arbites models are lovely and so I have no issue using the proper kits, although I shop around to minimise the cost. But stuff like Breachers, I genuinely prefer some of the printed options available so use them instead. And for my Agents, I still love the old 3E metal variants so I mix those in alongside the current offerings.
For 30k I use the new Saturnine plastics but mixed in with printed bionics. I've also found good copies of the Legion-specific units which I prefer because they are scaled more appropriately to the new plastics.

For something like the new Chaos Raptors, I personally think the new ones are awful so I would just use prints for all of them. However I still prefer proper GW plastic for vehicles as I find resin is still prone to pit-marks from the supports and want to minimise print lines on big, flat panels.

So basically I don't care for officialdom but just use the best models for the task, if my extremely subjective opinion.

WarOne wrote:
At the very peak of his power, Mat Ward stood at the top echelons of the GW hierarchy, second only to Satan in terms of personal power within the company.
 
   
Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut




UK

Most people I know in the hobby buy official models.


They tend to buy knock-offs when its big forgeworld style models or out of print stuff. Heck I'm fairly sure there's a healthy bunch of metal models on ebay which are not authentic secondhand but are recasts instead.

But for the most part people want to support the hobby they love. This means buying official models - often because that's directly supporting the local store (be it 3rd party or GW) and thus keeping interest in the local area.


I've always said it myself as well - if you want the hobby to thrive put your money in the support structure for that hobby. Local stores; 3rd parties; own brand - support the chain. Sure the individual makes no impact; but everyone in an area supporting a store does; every store in a region makes a huge impact on a company etc....


A Blog in Miniature

3D Printing, hobbying and model fun! 
   
Made in ca
Tail-spinning Tomb Blade Pilot






I guess I’d count as one of the “officialists.” I buy directly from GW or from licensed retailers because I want to support the company and make sure they keep producing the miniatures and games I actually enjoy.

That said, I like seeing variety on the table — cool conversions, third-party bits, or creative sculpts don’t bother me at all. I just personally don’t buy or make non-official minis for GW systems. For me it’s about putting my money where my hobby is, but I still appreciate the creativity others bring.
   
Made in de
Oozing Plague Marine Terminator





I mean, with 3rd party bits and models you also "put your money where your hobby is". My hobby is at GW. And Kromlech. And Archon. And Spellcrow. And ArtelW. And Wargame Exclusive. And...
   
Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut




UK

Sgt. Cortez wrote:
I mean, with 3rd party bits and models you also "put your money where your hobby is". My hobby is at GW. And Kromlech. And Archon. And Spellcrow. And ArtelW. And Wargame Exclusive. And...


Yep - conversion parts let you reward the original creator on both fronts. It's the same as 3d print proxies that are significantly different to the original. You're rewarding the creator who made those different models.

Again the best thing you can do with your hobby money is put it into places that promote and support the hobby you love.

A Blog in Miniature

3D Printing, hobbying and model fun! 
   
Made in us
Humming Great Unclean One of Nurgle





In My Lab

I play at an actual GW store, so…

Clocks for the clockmaker! Cogs for the cog throne! 
   
Made in us
Arch Magos w/ 4 Meg of RAM






The Land of Humidity

 JNAProductions wrote:
I play at an actual GW store, so…


I feel your pain.

I have a model that looks official, but isnt... I'm always afraid to try and play with it.

 BorderCountess wrote:
Just because you're doing something right doesn't necessarily mean you know what you're doing...

 
   
Made in au
Longtime Dakkanaut





I play with what ever I like, but I do try and always match the game.
Some factions like chaos/xenos often lack if you don’t want specific GW stuff, or want something specific like a look that you can’t just pull out a bots box full of marine bits and build anything you want.

But i also seen people try and play infinity with GW minis, and they look way out of place. Big guns and weird proportions that look fine in GW games, but look weird and goofy when standing next to more natural proportions miniatures.

I also think some people do take it weird places, like bragging about never giving a company that makes what they like money for some reason.
   
Made in us
Humming Great Unclean One of Nurgle





In My Lab

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
 JNAProductions wrote:
I play at an actual GW store, so…


I feel your pain.

I have a model that looks official, but isnt... I'm always afraid to try and play with it.
The people who game there and the people who man the store are pretty great.
The main issue I have is pricing, but what can you do.

Clocks for the clockmaker! Cogs for the cog throne! 
   
Made in gb
Master Engineer with a Brace of Pistols





Northumberland

I'll be brutally honest and say I've yet to see a 3D printed model that actually looks good.

There's plenty of people out there sculpting with miliput and green stuff and they look fantastic. Some of it isn't to my taste but some really nail my style. but I think 3D printing has a long way to go. It's cheap for people and I see that as a real boon, but I don't see it as a replacement. I've bought a couple of 3D printed things for projects when I couldn't be arsed/ didn't think I had the skill to create something suitable. All of it was low detail because that's where most digital sculpts fall dead.

I think the best way to describe 3D printing is like veggie/ vegan meat alternatives. They can look similar to the real deal and sometimes can taste pretty close but it's not a real contest.

Of course other people think very differently to me but I like official minis for games on the whole.

One and a half feet in the hobby


My Painting Log of various minis:
# Olthannon's Oscillating Orchard of Opportunity #

 
   
 
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