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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

Very revealing! It's something I hadn't really considered - that they actually don't intend for the current pricing to be viable for gaming. Not sure it's a very good idea!

I will assume this means it is highly unlikely we will see any more plastic sets?

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Better, though difficult, the right way to go, than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe. John Bunyan - Pilgrim's Progress

I can't say I am surprised. I don't collect plastic. I will not buy Fine Cast. They don't really have much to sell me.

I am still a fan of LOTR and the Hobbit and the Movies.I won't comment on GW they are no longer relevant to me.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

For myself its sad to see the company that really inspired my love for table-top gaming going this direction. I hate the price hikes and I know they're unnecessary beyond share-holder happiness, but I am sad to see in many ways the death of what used to be a great company, with some employees who still are great. I genuinely hope they turn around and maybe do two lines, a streamlined gaming realm and more of a collector line with various IP's

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

Yup. Personally, I'm past hoping that they change tack now - don't think it can happen without some massive shocker financially. I think in the end the ideal would be for them to become an IP holder, and little else. Other miniature companies can take the licenses and produce games and models that are deserving of such god licenses as they hold - and I do genuinely think that the two warhammers are excellent settings (though it seems WFB is now going away for all intents and purposes - it'll live on in my heart).

I dream of companies like FFG doing starship combat in the 41st millenium, or talented sculptors getting the chance to cut loose on 40k/WFB without massive official oversight, creating models and games that are labours of love rather than accountancy.

Nice find Charles, interesting reading. Model lead and not game lead, I guess thats why some stores are now called "Warhammer" and not GW

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Harfoots-The first of the Hobbit people to cross over the Misty Mountains and enter Eriador.

So... Can we have LOTR and Hobbit as a colectors range then? we already have the stats and we can make up the rest among ourselves. I know this guy is just speculating as much as any person on the planet can with a little inside experience but not actual facts. But really nothing new is reported since many already speculate the same stuff based on releases, we still have no idea what GW is thinking nor what the future of LOTR and Hobbit will be.

Of course at the new local store opening this past weekend I talked to the owner. They forced him to take hobbit models even though they don't sell (according to him). I coughed and said I would buy them if he had actual stock and not the bare minimum of stuff everyone has (efgt and eagles) and before he can say special order I had to chime in and say I can order online myself and not have to drive to pick it up, but thanks for not trying.
He also said after the End of Times there was to be a WHF reboot but with smaller forces and focus on actual formations. So there will be special formations shapes that cause different rules to apply (like a spread out formation is less harmed by volley fire, a shield wall formation is less prone to charge attacks and such). Won't know more until it actually develops, but that sounds like a game to me, and one that is small amount of models so each one can be a collectors piece too.
Hordes and War Machine seem to have the market at that store though and apparently GW is happy to give it to them.

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http://www.sithious.webs.com

That's an interesting claim by the shop owner. The GW trade rep I'm speaking to has made the counter claim, I don't have to order anything but what I want to for my store

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

GW will lose out. This is a community based hobby, and without the gamers they will lose a big part of their market. Personally I like their collector's pieces, like Nagash and Smaug, because I'm really a collector, but those models are just too expensive and difficult to paint for gaming. (Not to mention you'll always be scared of a breakage at a tournament, never mind carrying the model to your friends house!)

It started a while back, with Finecast, which takes detail over strength and gamer's worth. Models that are finicky and require complex building. But these are truly GW's End Times for the gamers.

Elladan

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The Sons of Elrond

We have the Appearance of Men, the Souls of Elves, and Behave like Dwarves.

Silthious, could you tell me which store is the one you are referring at? I also live in MA, and are searching for stores to play the game.

I don't buy this whole 'change of direction' thing at all. I can't see any indication of a move towards collectors and away from gamers. Yes, this is a collecting hobby, it always has been. And the rules are there to sell models- but this has always been the case from the very start.

I find it odd that we have seen more rules releases; codexes, army books and expansions over the past 2 years than we had in the previous 10 years, and yet people think that GW are moving away from gaming!

True, there have been many new rule releases, but that doesn't mean their gamer friendly. We don't play other GW game systems ourselves, but I have heard a lot of people complain and even stop WFB and 40K because of the new rule systems and the rumors of the upcoming new edition.

All that gamers really want is a good solid rule system that is not always changing (and doesn't always need to be updated) and a comprehensive range of miniatures that are affordable and usable. GW is not providing this anymore.

This is especially obvious with the new Hobbit releases. Finecast basic troops are a gamer's nightmare, and The Battle of the Five Armies Supplement was released as a kind of after thought for those crazy people who still want to play games with their models.

We have to remember at the same time though that Priestley is working for Warlord, and is currently creating the new Beyond the Gates of Antares system. Though formerly a GW guy, it might be in his interest to bash GW to get more gamers for his own system...

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The Sons of Elrond

We have the Appearance of Men, the Souls of Elves, and Behave like Dwarves.

A new store opened in Auburn. It is not close to Boston, but is close to me in Worcester. I am only available on Sunday's for games so if you decide to head out there on that day then let me know. They do have a nice set up there. I was also told that if I can set up a monthly tournament there then I can get a discount card (10% all the time, 20% on the tenth of the month) which I would of course be happy to order things for everyone in my tournament group with each month. Anyway, the store is called "the Battle Standard".

Currently the discount card costs $55 a year. That means you would have to spend $550 before it paid for it self and you would then start saving money. Normally this would not be an issue, but since I can order stuff online for 20% off and have it delivered to my house, I am not seeing the draw here. Also the Whiz in Westboro has more table space and has a 10% discount system as well but is offered as a $10 coupon for every 100 you spend, at least that is free though. So maybe the Whiz is a better option for you to play, it is closer, is on rt, 9 in westboro and has tons of tables.

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http://www.sithious.webs.com

All these things make playing battle companies so much more fun.

And playing FOW more affordable.

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Ninth Ruling Steward of Gondor. Dior was born in 2328. He was the son of the Steward Barahir

Interesting

I personally see only one difference in this whole thing: prices have gone up. Period. Everything else is kinda looking the same, they are just ripping people off by constantly releasing rule updates and increasing their prices for model sets. A Space MArine Tactical Squad, or a Hunter Orc Warband is costing 20+GBP. While ideally, I would hardly even pay 15 for ither, since it usded to be like 12 or soemthing and it was great and affordable! I remeber days when I would grab like two Battleforces of the shelves without even looking back, while now I think twice before doing that today and instead go to surf eBay, which doesnt exactly help the support of the official release... sad, but it's the only option left for now. And Wayland Games online store comes in handy here as well at times of course!