A bit of a complaint about over priced stuff

Why I might stop buying GW products (at least at retail price)

As this section title suggests I am seriously considering slowing or stopping my support for my local GW store. This is a direct result of price changes with items that  I considered the last of the appropriately priced items. I am talking about the troop boxes for Lord of the rings plastics. Not too long ago these boxes were sold for  around 25.00 and included 24 plastic miniatures. This was a good deal for a GW product (other companies can and often do better.) at the last price hike they jumped to 33.00 and that hurt a bit but what happened next took the cake.  recently I was in my local GW and was looking over the LOTR mini’s in anticipation of the new Hobbit release and noticed the troop boxes were smaller. They are now sold in groups of 12 to match the current unit construction rules. My first thought was ok so they have decided to make a cheaper set that allows for a unit in a  box just buy a leader and off you go (Very old school GW if you know what I mean.) Imagine my surprise when I turned the box over and saw the going price. 24.75!  This is the same price 24 of them were just a year ago. I’ve heard of inflation but this is ridiculous. BTW: the new Hobbit Orc hunters are 35.00 for just 12. Wow.

Another reason for stoppage is the New Hobbit stuff. All of the new stuff seems to be more expensive than the rest of the stuff from this company. Take the “Rules Manual”  (GW employees are not allowed to call it a rule book) is coming in at 85.00 (10.00 more than the 40K and Fantasy rules books) and is considerably smaller.  The Boxed game (special edition) is 125.00 as opposed to the 6^th ed “DV” special set that sold for 107.00 just a few months ago.  It goes on… The white council 75.00 for 4 miniatures (are they made of gold?) pretty much all of the Hobbit stuff is priced higher than LOTR stuff and most of it is Fail cast. I am pretty sure the LOTR stuff will soon be matching the Hobbit and have another price hike soon.

All this and I am hearing rumors that the new Hobbit system is being made “Kid friendly” taken as a whole it does not bode well for me.

GW stuff is already inflated (in all their systems) and as stated before other companies have proven that they can do it better. I feel like I am rapidly approaching my price point limit and GW does not seem to be close to stopping with unneeded price increases. Because of this I am seriously thinking of abandoning my local GW store and the website and just stick it out for a week or two longer and get stuff through a 3^rd party distributor as a big discount. I am also rapidly becoming a big fan of alternate miniatures from these “up and coming” (and well established) companies.

 I guess I will wait and see what the new Hobbit stuff is like before I decide.

http://wargamesfactory.com/    Sci Fi and Historical/Fantasy

http://dreamforge-games.com/   -Sci Fi

http://hitechminiatures.com/  -Sci Fi

http://www.manticgames.com/Shop-Home.html  -Sci Fi and Historical/Fantasy

http://privateerpress.com/   -Steam punk/ Fantasy

http://wyrd-games.net/  -Steam punk/ Fantasy

Till next time

RGH