The state of Games Workshop

Smithnikov_v1legacy

New member
May 7, 2016
1,020
1
0
Meh, I'll still play their stand alone games (Dreadfleet is still a hit with our group), maybe some Warhammer Fantasy with the OLD skirmish rules, but getting into official stuff. Fergit it.
 

Smithnikov_v1legacy

New member
May 7, 2016
1,020
1
0
American Tanker said:
I'll keep saying it even after you get tired of it: My favorite Primarch is Corvus Corax of the Raven Guard. He just seems more in line with my idea of combat: Know everything you can about your enemy, strike without warning, exploit his weaknesses to the fullest and end the fight as quick as possible, preferably before he has a chance to really make it a fight. But of course, where I differ from the mainline Raven Guard is in my preference for eliminating the enemy at a safe distance, hence why I prefer the RG's Second Founding Successors, the Raptors.
*Fistbumps fellow RG lover*

We are Closer Than you Think, And Our Blades are Sharp.
 

James Wingate

New member
Mar 18, 2011
3
0
0
Incredible. You know, every GW store within driving distance has closed and between that, the ludicrous price increases of recent years, and the whole age of Sigmar thing, I feel no regret over switching to Kings of War and Warpath.
I started playing as a kid because all my friends Dads got them into the game. My first ever kit was a box of tau fire warriors for $25 now its double that. and half my old army would be illegal now anyway since I made a lot of imperial guardsmen into fire warriors and kroot into weird stuff.
 

WindKnight

Quiet, Odd Sort.
Legacy
Jul 8, 2009
1,828
9
43
Cephiro
Country
United Kingdom
Gender
Female
jademunky said:
See now, I have never actually played the tabletop and just admired it from afar due to the insane price tag but has anyone ever explained the justification for plastic miniatures to cost so much? I mean, seriously, children's toys are just as detailed and a fraction of the cost. Granted, I don't expect GW to be able to leverage the economy of scale that Mattel does but still.
It gets better - GW used to sell metal miniatures for those units not cost effective to mass produce in plastics. They eventually swapped metal for Resin, a much cheaper material, and basically used the exact same sculpts/molds for casting them.

When another gaming company did they same thing, they passed part of the savings on to the customer, cutting the prices.

GW called the 'new' resin miniatures 'finecast', and bumped the price up.
 

jademunky

New member
Mar 6, 2012
973
0
0
Windknight said:
When another gaming company did they same thing, they passed part of the savings on to the customer, cutting the prices.

GW called the 'new' resin miniatures 'finecast', and bumped the price up.
It kinda sounds like a family member of mine who sells overpriced plastic figurines to retirees. They use a lot of trademarked terms to make their crap sound impressive too.
 

jademunky

New member
Mar 6, 2012
973
0
0
bastardofmelbourne said:
What GW never really realised was that if they dropped their prices, they would sell more models. Instead, as sales wane and the player base stagnates, they keep jacking up the prices incrementally to make up for the lost sales, which drive more people out of the hobby, which reduces sales, so they jack up prices some more...it's a vicious cycle that has been going on for a long, long time.
Such a strange company. They jack the prices when average prices for similar products go down. Seem to take their lore way too seriously for how downright silly it is and, treat their in-store matches with Olympic levels of nitpickiness and yet will hand out their video-game license to ANYONE.
 

Zontar

Mad Max 2019
Feb 18, 2013
4,931
0
0
Gethsemani said:
I got into X-wing earlier this year (much smaller scale admittedly) and for the price of about 1,5 squad boxes from GW I had enough ships to outfit a decent Rebel and Empire list with some ship and upgrade choices. Add to that that X-Wing includes all the rulers, dice and markers you need to play in the core set (which is very price worthy) and GW seems to be actively gouging you when they require you to buy necessary accessories at a mark-up.
Yeah, I've also been getting into X-wing (they're so cheap and literally every place has some), and the game is pretty good too, but fuck if I can't seem to find a Y-wing anywhere. How is it that the second most iconic rebel fighter sized ship is nowhere to be found?
 

Hawki

Elite Member
Legacy
Mar 4, 2014
9,651
2,173
118
Country
Australia
Gender
Male
Zontar said:
Gethsemani said:
Yeah, I've also been getting into X-wing (they're so cheap and literally every place has some), and the game is pretty good too, but fuck if I can't seem to find a Y-wing anywhere. How is it that the second most iconic rebel fighter sized ship is nowhere to be found?
Hmm. Much as I love the Y-Wing, I thought I was in the minority for liking it.

The more you know...
 

Zontar

Mad Max 2019
Feb 18, 2013
4,931
0
0
Hawki said:
Zontar said:
Gethsemani said:
Yeah, I've also been getting into X-wing (they're so cheap and literally every place has some), and the game is pretty good too, but fuck if I can't seem to find a Y-wing anywhere. How is it that the second most iconic rebel fighter sized ship is nowhere to be found?
Hmm. Much as I love the Y-Wing, I thought I was in the minority for liking it.

The more you know...
Oh I love the Y-Wing, by far my favourite design in all Star Wars for a fighter sized craft.

Which is why it pisses me off that I can't find anywhere that has them in stock, the thing hasn't been resupplied in over a year and the company hasn't updated their list of "what's coming" in 7 months.
 

Sonicron

Do the buttwalk!
Mar 11, 2009
5,133
0
0
Souplex said:
I visit a local gamestore on a weekly+ basis. There's always an employee painting minis, but I've never seen anyone play 40K there. It's all D&D, Magic, and miscellaneous boardgames.
Well, it depends on the stores, of course. All I'm saying is I've seen people play these tabletop games in local game stores. Oh yes, and I just remembered GW have their own stores, and people play there as well. But really, most of the (few) matches I've watched were played at small tournaments organized by a local nerd crew. For example, when I was still at university there used to be an annual event called UniCon, where people got together to play tabletop games, pen & paper RPGs, CCGs etc for two days and nights.

RaikuFA said:
And there in lies the issue. I live in NJ, there are no game shops here. Not even comic shops. When I lived in CA there was Warhammer stuff but I don't think anyone bought it.

Based on what I've read though this game is going the way of the dodo.
I don't know about that, tabletop gaming is not my sphere of interest. What I CAN say is that I'm a huge lore nerd - got about 200 40k novels on my shelf. And the way Black Library has been fracturing their range of products over the last few years really annoys me. I mean, I really want more quality stories, but it has become difficult to keep up with the release schedule and weed out the increasing number of duds, and I'm a guy who follows this stuff almost religiously.
 

Elijin

Elite Muppet
Legacy
Feb 15, 2009
2,045
1,007
118
Even when 16 year old me played Warhammer I'd rather have fired all my models out of a cannon than be doing anything considered official. The people, places and company are vile.
 

Silentpony_v1legacy

Alleged Feather-Rustler
Jun 5, 2013
6,760
0
0
Elijin said:
Even when 16 year old me played Warhammer I'd rather have fired all my models out of a cannon than be doing anything considered official. The people, places and company are vile.
They've gotten really worse latetly. Old GW not only featured other companies models in their White Dwarf, there was masterclass instructions on how to convert X into Y all the time!
Ever since the Recession they've just been a dick about everything, then charge you $49.99 for the privilege.
 

Elijin

Elite Muppet
Legacy
Feb 15, 2009
2,045
1,007
118
Silentpony said:
Elijin said:
Even when 16 year old me played Warhammer I'd rather have fired all my models out of a cannon than be doing anything considered official. The people, places and company are vile.
They've gotten really worse latetly. Old GW not only featured other companies models in their White Dwarf, there was masterclass instructions on how to convert X into Y all the time!
Ever since the Recession they've just been a dick about everything, then charge you $49.99 for the privilege.
I'm not super sure where 'lately' sits. I played in like '99/'00.

And even back then I had to resort to only playing in private with friends. GW is a magnet for people who don't understand basic social niceties about interaction or personal hygiene, the staff are only better 1 in 3. Back in my day if you wanted a fancy model you had to order it online from forgeworld for hundreds of dollars! A baneblade for $140 sounds like a deal to me. Was a $300 custom made 3rd party unit....


Though I do remember neato conversation spotlights in the white dwarf issues.
 

Here Comes Tomorrow

New member
Jan 7, 2009
645
0
0
Honestly that sounds like a regional manager issue rather than a GW-wide issue.

I've known many a store manager in my time in the hobby and in 20 years none of them have been that strict and will generally let you do what you want within the basic rules. I even managed to play a full game with a 3rd party model under the "just this once" rule.

American GWs seem to have a lot more...staff issues, than UK stores though.

Honestly, as someone who left the Warhammer side of the hobby for a while after they killed Fantasy I like what Nu GW are doing and the direction it's headed. Their price gouging on new kits isn't horrible and their starter boxes are really good value. Yes a Baneblade is $140 but that things is HUGE and it's an expensive hobby regardless of the game. Except maybe Malifaux. Eh, even then. I mean people spend more than $140 on a night out. Have you seen the price of some of the bigger Lego Star Wars kits? The Death Star is like $550. In fact, I recently broke my mini GW Product Boycott and got the Triumverate Of The Imperium because the lure of plastic Sisters was too great and I was surprised it was as cheap as it is.

I'm excited about NewHammer, I'm not really into reading into armies online or whatever broken list of the week is so I'm looking forward to putting my Sisters Of Battle on the table now that they have decent rules and having fun. Or my Nids. I also have Imperial Guard, Grey Knights and Necrons.

But I would never go near a GW store (or WH40K tournament) for games. My opinions on the people who play in the store are generally negative. It's really only a game I'd play casually with friends in their or my house or at a non-GW affiliated club or location.
 

gigastar

Insert one-liner here.
Sep 13, 2010
4,419
0
0
Well if thats what the GW stores are being told to enforce then im guessing the HQ's new policy is to drive away consumers so they can justify closing their shops and then switch to selling kits by online orders only.

Its the only thing that makes the slightest lick of fucking sense.

Discounting GW just being draconian cunts. And i admit, thats a likely prospect as well.
 
Sep 24, 2008
2,461
0
0
Every once in a while, I get the urge to play tabletop. I was brought into the universe via Dark Crusade well over a decade ago. I bought most of the video games, and I do love the lore (when it manages to keep consistent),

And then when I make my choice to do so, I almost literally come across a thread like this or a youtuber coming around like a "Scared Straight" Prisoner.

"YOU GOT ALL THE CHOICES NOW, YOUNG BUCK. I made my bed. I did my choice. I got into this life, and I can never get out. NEVER! You know what I did to get my score? You know what I had to give up to support my habit! AND NOW I'M HERE AND I CAN'T SEE A WAY OUT! You think this is fun?! You think this is a game?! ************, I'd KILL to have the chance you have not to make the choice to get here!"
 

Smithnikov_v1legacy

New member
May 7, 2016
1,020
1
0
ObsidianJones said:
Every once in a while, I get the urge to play tabletop. I was brought into the universe via Dark Crusade well over a decade ago. I bought most of the video games, and I do love the lore (when it manages to keep consistent),

And then when I make my choice to do so, I almost literally come across a thread like this or a youtuber coming around like a "Scared Straight" Prisoner.

"YOU GOT ALL THE CHOICES NOW, YOUNG BUCK. I made my bed. I did my choice. I got into this life, and I can never get out. NEVER! You know what I did to get my score? You know what I had to give up to support my habit! AND NOW I'M HERE AND I CAN'T SEE A WAY OUT! You think this is fun?! You think this is a game?! ************, I'd KILL to have the chance you have not to make the choice to get here!"
"You get up in my tournament, Imma make you my *****, you gonna trim my new model's motherfuckin excess sprue flash when I tell you too, dawg! Imma sell your boy pussy for more Guardsmen and Gretchen, ************!"
 

omegaglory1

New member
Dec 28, 2017
2
0
0
New to the forum, but this discussion caught my eye. I've been an on and off tabletop gamer for the past 20 years, started off dabbling in 40k and now have an ad hoc group playing board games. There are some key missed opportunities and mistakes commited by GW:

1) Failing to recognise the board game revival: I think we've reached peak computer games and many people are gravitating toward more traditional past times. This may or may not be part of a trend toward healthier lifestyles and past times that aren't about instant gratification. Board games are making a come back, with Euro games leading the way. GW failed to see this, which is especially punishing for a business with "games" in its name.

2) Discontinuing their specialist games: GW had many good games under its belt that were challenging and fun, like Mordheim and Bloodbowl, but they were popular in a way W40K and WFB weren't. They could be played with less cost. Mordheim, for example, didn't need you to collect large armies and the rules were already quite well written at the time of release. Bloodbowl was, apart from the assembling and painting of minis, a more or less self contained game (almost board game like). GW tried to half heartedly continue them in the form of online rulebooks and occasional updates, but it could have done better. An occasional re-release would drum up publicity and interest and bring in a tidy profit, at low cost to GW. Existing fans of the games could be kept happy with a free online rulebook, but those who were prepared to buy a shiny new rulebook could be enticed with freebies e.g. limited edition minis, a starting warband.

3) Shafting the independent retailers: this could be simple arrogance on the part of GW. Independent retailers were important to GW. Not in an easily quantifiable way, but independent retailers (often ran by the owner who would himself be a gamer) helped to boost GW's sales and presence in what is already a niche market. Privateer Press, the company behind Warmachine, understands this and has thrived by relying on independent retailers as outlets.

4) Pricing: there probably isn't anything I can say that hasn't already been said.
 

EscapistAccount

New member
Aug 18, 2017
91
0
0
omegaglory1 said:
2) Discontinuing their specialist games: GW had many good games under its belt that were challenging and fun, like Mordheim and Bloodbowl, but they were popular in a way W40K and WFB weren't. They could be played with less cost. Mordheim, for example, didn't need you to collect large armies and the rules were already quite well written at the time of release.
My favourite specialist game was Battlefleet Gothic, whose death left a massive hole in the tabletop gaming scene until this day, literally no one has stuck the landing on a spaceship wargame but GW could have absolutely owned that niche. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Dropfleet Commander but it has so much other wank going on in terms of city combat to capture objectives.
 

omegaglory1

New member
Dec 28, 2017
2
0
0
EscapistAccount said:
omegaglory1 said:
2) Discontinuing their specialist games: GW had many good games under its belt that were challenging and fun, like Mordheim and Bloodbowl, but they were popular in a way W40K and WFB weren't. They could be played with less cost. Mordheim, for example, didn't need you to collect large armies and the rules were already quite well written at the time of release.
My favourite specialist game was Battlefleet Gothic, whose death left a massive hole in the tabletop gaming scene until this day, literally no one has stuck the landing on a spaceship wargame but GW could have absolutely owned that niche. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Dropfleet Commander but it has so much other wank going on in terms of city combat to capture objectives.
I've been considering getting into Bloodbowl, it's almost a self contained game that isn't too expensive to get into and there are many 3rd party models that are basically made for Bloodbowl in mind.

BFG was an intriguing looking one, GW missed out on the opportunities presented by it. Fantasy Flight are killing it with their Star Wars X-Wing and Armada games, fills the starship combat gap n the market.