Erunion wrote:
I disagree with certain parts of what you said, aelfwine. I think that GW realizes that all-metal armies are never going to be as popular as armies that can be built with cheap plastic troops. They have stated as much when talking about WHFB and 40K, and they have moved to having at least the core troops and most of the elites being plastic kits. Thus, I don't think that they need to see large amounts of sales of metal models to produce a plastic set. However, your assessment of their market research and cost/benefit analysis is spot on. Hopefully, GW will see that people are willing to purchase large armies (especially with WotR) if it is financially feasible.
Well the gist is that generally GW will turns guaranteed sellers into plastic first; less guaranteed sellers go metal (and elites, who naturally will shift less). If the metal does extra well, then it gets considered for plastic.
The other problem is, right now, that a lot of minis producers are hurting, badly. Metal prices have shot up; so too have plastic prices. Recently WOTC finally cancelled their high selling, but also unprofitable Dungeons and Dragons minis line. Same problem: materials. (I expect, when GW sort out their QA on the finecast, lots of other companies will be following suit with some sort of resin models)
Anyway, its all a round about way of saying: I'll be dead surprised if we end up with plastic Khand, but less so if we end up with a one last plastic hurrah centred on the TLA or something equally obvious. (Also, know what would be just lovely, if said plastics were on the scale of the Rangers of Gondor and Easterlings, so they don't look hilariously stupid beside their metal kin)