Probably; I'm thinking that cost was a factor in its' failing but really it isn't that bad when you part it out.

-2 Goblin sets: $80 Cdn
-Goblin King: $50 Cdn
-2 Goblin Heroes: $40 Cdn
-Good Hero sprue (based on the MoM Fellowship): $60 Cdn
-Half a rulebook (as points, etc are missing): $50 Cdn
-Half a Goblin Town: $35 Cdn
-Multi-part plastic Hero: $20 Cdn

For a total of $335 Canadian; more than double the $150 price tag. Of course, not everyone wants Goblin Town Goblins (I got my set the day it was released and I still haven't painted a single one of them) but the fact that it was the only place you can get the main protagonists of the film series is a big boost. Obviously, some will have wanted to wait for "Fine"cast versions, but seeing as we still haven't seen them I think this was a safe investment.

Sad that they haven't sold enough to justify a second and third one. There's always hope, I suppose. I'd really love a big box full of Dwarves and Orcs!

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Gondor: 2339pts
Rohan: 1318pts
Dwarves: 2482pts
Elves: 1091pts
Mordor: 2305pts
Isengard: 1762pts
Moria: 1463pts
Evil Men: 381pts

Perhaps the reason they haven't released another set of the company yet is because GW are still trying to shift the 'limited edition' plastic set. They don't even sell it separately, which to me would be a worthwhile sales tactic. I've had six or seven people say to me that they're willing to part with up to £45 for that plastic sprue alone, without all the Goblin Town extras.

With regards to a starter set for film 3 however, I think it's more than likely they will release a new starter set. So far in the Hobbit (films and GW miniatures), there hasn't been a single 'epic' scale battle, besides Azanulbizar, which was not exactly 'epic' in scale compared with any of the major LOTR battles (Helm's Deep, Pelennor, Black Gate - though it maybe rivalled Black Gate), or the Battle of the Five Armies.

It would make sense, in my opinion, to release something of a 'create your own' starter set. Obviously, this won't happen, but it would be nice to have a starter set personal to someone starting the hobby, who is not interested in, let's say Dwarves or Goblins - which rules out the starter set for AUJ. Instead, why don't GW release, say 10 plastic boxes of standard troops, 2 different troops boxes of 10 miniatures for each of the five armies, and let buyers choose four boxes of opposing factions (e.g. Dwarves and Dol Guldur Orcs) they would like to play with and begin collecting, and throw in some ruined Dale terrain, for example:

'There and Back Again' Starter Set =
+ 1 box of 10 plastic Iron Hills Dwarves Militia
+ 1 box of 10 plastic Iron Hills Dwarves Hammerers
+ 1 box of 10 plastic Dol Guldur Orcs
+ 1 box of 3 finecast great bats
+ Dale terrain (three ruined walls, a rock, maybe a statue?)

Something like this, if you see where I'm heading?

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Wise Old Elf

Games Workshop should hire you, no joke

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Go The Glorf!
My W.I.P - viewtopic.php?f=50&t=28062

That actually sounds like a great idea

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Soon Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone!

Thanks very much. I've been thinking this since I saw the Mines of Moria starter for the LOTR SBG, back in 2006 I think, correct me if I'm wrong?

It just makes sense. Why advertise a game containing about 20 different factions, by introducing players with a limited choice of these factions, and 9 times out of 10, an army they will never play?

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Wise Old Elf

FTFY... Lets not encourage them

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Cheers
Athelas

Besides which, 3 "Fine"cast Bats would retail around 40 quid/ $80 Canadian - around half of the price of such a boxed set. (If it follows the EfGT pricing.)

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Gondor: 2339pts
Rohan: 1318pts
Dwarves: 2482pts
Elves: 1091pts
Mordor: 2305pts
Isengard: 1762pts
Moria: 1463pts
Evil Men: 381pts

I was thinking the bats would be a little smaller than the eagles, but large enough to pose a threat for them, seeing as its likely that the eagles and bats will be fighting each other in the film, just because that would work cinematically. Based on which, three finecast bats would be suitable per box, or plastic ones, either way, retailing at the same price as the eagles.

I agree with your hatred of finecast too, although I think it works well for larger miniatures, like bats, or to relate to an existing product, the Dweller in the Dark. It's only when it comes down to single units that I have a problem, they're so small that any extreme detail is riddled with flash about 85% of the time. I'm with 100% plastic miniatures all the way - but that's never going to happen...

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Wise Old Elf

It wouldn't work, instead of people buying the box sets of troops they've just buy a Starter Set every month to get the best value for money out of their plastic boxes, and there's no way to limit a Starter Set of Boxes to 1 per person.

I don't think that matters really, from a sales point of view, GW is more likely to generate a larger profit from selling stock at a marginally lower price, because consumers are more likely to buy. Supermarkets never lose out on profits just because of 'buy one, get one free' offers. And then of course, there is always going to be a large portion of customers, like myself, who won't be able to afford starter set prices every month, so will therefore continue to purchase monthly single boxes at the standard price anyway.

GW would only be losing about 15% of its income based on price, but because of the strong likelihood of more customers, and thus more sales, their overall turnover would remain the same or increase. I'm no expert on running a business, although I am a self employed artist, but the little knowledge I have makes it certain that such a sales tactic would succeed. But anyway, I've drifted off topic.

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Wise Old Elf

I think the sales technique of "buy 3 boxes, get 1 free" is just never going to happen at GW. It'd be great for sure but they would rather sell less at higher margins. Never in the 12 years I've been involved with the GW hobby have I seen stuff like this apart from the "mega armies" boxes.

Or they could just release all the rules online for free. Then people could check out the rules before they considered buying anything.
Put that one down in the "never gonna happen" box though.

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"Release the Kragle!"
They were waiting 45 minutes to make that pun.
Totally worth it.

Don't be ridiculous! That's like selling a whole warband in a single box (a la Mirkwood Rangers, Palace Guard, Dale Warriors, Lake Town Warriors...... etc....)! Completely dream-worthy!

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Wise Old Elf

I'm hoping this is sarcasm considering they've reduced box sets from 24 to 12 to 10

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Commission Painting @FB http://www.facebook.com/squyrepainting
Commission Customers include:
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MiniWargaming

If there was a starter for DoS it would have been great. Laketown plastic troops + Legolas and Tauriel vs Hunter Orcs with Bolg and Fimbul, with Laketown terrain.

Or possibly Legolas and Tauriel with Mirkwood elves vs Hunter Orcs with Narzug and Bolg, with Mirkwood terrain. Though for obvious reasons everyone would prefer the Laketown plastic troops It wouldn't have been too outlandish, I feel, since GW commonly has plastic versions of models only available in the starter, and alternate metal or finecast versions sold outside of the box. This would be like the Fellowship, the cave troll, etc and this happens frequently in the two Warhammer games too.

Oh well, a boy can dream v.v

I find sarcasm can be both the lowest form of wit, and most accurate description of GW sales tactics. Yes, it was sarcasm.

Tezzy = I can't help thinking that the Company in Barrels (plastic version), Tauriel, Legolas, 10 Mirkwood, Bolg, Fimbul (new plastic for DoS) and 24 Hunter Orcs might have made a decent sized starter set too, alongside some Mirkwood terrain perhaps (like the little fortification where Kili has to pull the lever and takes an arrow to the knee - that would have made an interesting scenario actually)... but alas.... no.

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Wise Old Elf

Although I frequent the Warhammer World store as its my nearest store, I dont normally get involved with the gossip but heres what I've been told (although I dont know whats going to happen, of course):

They've made a DoS starter set but because EfGT didnt sell as well as was hoped, they shelved it. This says to me that we probably wont get a third film starter set

They've made laketown scenery but aren't releasing it due to poor sales of the first films miniatures

Other models have been made but won't ever be released (no idea what, or how many though Im afraid)

Mirkwood rangers sold out all over the world which is good news

The initial strategy was based on the return of the king sales, which, when looking at it retrospectively was ludicrous

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“Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, all courses may run ill.”

Well, if it is true That's really sad.

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He knew now why Beregond spoke his name with love.He was a captain that he would follow,even under the shadow of the black wings

It is. I don't quite understand the thought behind not releasing scenery though, I reckon it'd sell like the proverbial hotcakes. The rest I can understand.

It didn't sound like sales were disastrous, just not on the scale they wanted so not all bad news.

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“Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, all courses may run ill.”

Expecially when their last release is the laketown guard...
Well i suppose that this is the end of the finecast thorin's company ( not really a great loss )

That said, I was quite sure that there wasn't no Dos starter mainly because I think that the current rulebook is intended to last some time. I don't know if GW will ever release a starter without a new set of rules

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He knew now why Beregond spoke his name with love.He was a captain that he would follow,even under the shadow of the black wings