Jamros wrote:
It would be a stretch, but regarding the notion that GW would drive LotR customers away due to complaints could be a realistic possibility if the complaints we're talking about are the ones that come from WHFB and 40K players, who view LotR as a waste of GW's resources, time, and space. To "appease" these fans, GW could slowly, literally, destroy their own LotR base, until the next licensing runs out, at which point they would push WHFB and 40K even harder to make up for, what would be at that point, a relatively small amount of losses. It's way, way, way too far-fetched. I think GW likes LotR; I've said so before.
Here's how I view the situation. Games Workshop predicted that War of the Ring would be a greater success than it was--either that, or it was just a quick cash-in on an aspect of SBG that was lacking (big battles) during a period in which LotR sales were really slowing down. Either way, Games Workshop was simply trying to keep their LotR range alive until the Hobbit because 1) whenever the Hobbit film would be released, they would get a great pay-off, 2) the "Lord of the Rings" brand name is a really great marketing tool, 3) they can make maximum profits with minimal support for a name that big, and 4) to some extent, they have to "like" LotR. During this interim period between film series, GW has gone through a lot of material for SBG, and made WotR to get as much money as they could, until now, with the SBG is just about hanging on by a thread.
The Hobbit films spell a necessary return of the Strategy Battle Game, due to the complete lack of mass combat save the Battle of Five Armies, and therefore, a necessary scale-back on WotR, which was not profitable enough to be worth marketing alongside a resurgent SBG and most Hobbit scenarios. With this in mind, Games Workshop realized it had to steer customers and fans, old and new, back towards the SBG. Their best solution, the one that would generate the most profit with the smallest amount of marketing, would simply be to repackage the plastic infantry boxed sets, and up the prices. Less miniatures, for more money. LotR fans will now more naturally choose SBG over WotR--yet, come BoFA time, WotR will likely be encouraged again, with these prices two years out (if not increased) and now the norm. I think this kind of fits in line with the rumors of an unconfirmed new SBG book soon, and of course the types of situations we should expect to see in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, based on the book.
Games Workshop believes that their products are worth what they charge for them, and when people keep purchasing, they're proven right. A lot of us, including me, have said, "This is the last straw. I'm not getting into the Hobbit, except for, um, maybe one boxed set, to, you know, paint." I'll bet a boxed set of our intrepid dwarf, wizard, and hobbit heroes in Finecast by then will probably be $80-ish. Still, others have said, admiring the miniatures, that if they want to play SBG or WotR, they feel compelled to only use GW miniatures. GW is good at what it does.
As much as I hate it, you're right. If they miraculously didn't increase prices in the next 2-3 years, I would look back on this as a decent move on GW's part. If they jack their prices with each movie, I will be pretty ticked off.
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). But I've since encountered other manufacturers, who offer me similar models (if not based on the LOTR IP) at twice the model count and half the price of GW - (really 
44 and 32 Saxons for £20 and £15). And theres several games out there just as good as SBG - SAGA and Age of Blood are games I intend to play soon.
