"Worst deal in wargaming?" Topic

What manufacturer produces desirable products (to you) that are regularly outside of your financial reach?

1. GW
2. Miniature Building Authority
3. ?

I would love MBA buildings, maybe if I win LOTTO…

MBA are not the worst deal. They are reasonably priced. I just can't afford them.
If all manufacturers priced their goods to what I could afford, they would go out of business.
As for GW, I don't care what their price is, I just don't like them.

A bad deal isn't as you describe. A bad deal is when you pay any amount for something that isn't worth what you paid.

I have to say Foundry, I would buy a ton of their stuff but unfortunately they are WAY too proud of their minis.

Grand Manner. The shipping cost to the States often exceeds the cost of the products themselves.

Anything GW, but especially their paints. Expensive with no shelf life whatsoever.

Grand Manner: lovely buildings but the shipping is prohibitive.

Yes, MBA are expensive, but it's much, much more of a "get what you pay for" deal. As for #1…

Anything GW, but especially their paints. Expensive with no shelf life whatsoever.

On counting my GW paints, I find I still have in service:

1st Edition (Coat d' Arms pots): 4 (!)
2nd Edition (Tall hex-bottomed version of above): 9
3rd Edition (Short, hard-plastic hex-bottom): None remaining
Current (4th?) Edition: Had 6, have 3, likely none in six months.

So, yeah.

GF has it--Flashy's OP question doesn't really match title question.

And +1 Winston (unfortunately).

I'm (ex)UK and I don't see that you can call Foundry overpriced really. 12 quid for 8 miniatures, or 6 command/characters? That's pretty much what most other 28mm companies charge, isn't it?

I suppose the one-off 2000AD and fantasy models are pricey, but are they really more expensive than other manufacturers? I paid £25.00 GBP for the Angel Gang from Mongoose/Warlord.

MBA has always given value for cost. I don't buy them in en mass but they are centerpiece models and worth it to me.

I'd love to buy Hexon but cross pond shipping is simply too brutal but that isn't a Kallistra issue but rather a USPS/RM issue.

I agree GW's current paints are a bad deal not because I per se hate GW but rather, as has been mentioned, they have the shelf life of a fruit fly.

You're right – I accept your criticism. The title is what should go not the question in the post.

If Wings of Glory planes weren't so expensive I'd buy more but there is no way I'm forking out £40.00 GBP – £65.00 GBP for a big bomber.

If Sails of Glory were cheaper I'd start collecting them but they are too expensive to me.

Both are pretty high, as is that Italian company that produces those very lovely renaissance castle pieces.

MBA looks reasonably priced compared to them.

MBA has turned out to be one of the best deals for me personally. I have several of their buildings purchased over the years. They are worth saving up for, they are some of the most used pieces of terrain I have.

Horses for courses I guess, and how good a deal something is depends on how often you use it.

All of it, the money where I live is basically worthless unfortunately :( I'd be ok if I didn't need to eat but that's a necessary. The thing with Foundry is we expect them to have better deals and higher turnover to kick-start newer stuff. And even though they have some great stuff their packaging and sales model is old. I'm sure if they re packed their range into starter armies for the main rules out there with savings on those items then they would be more affordable and saleable.

I agree that the title is a little misleading. Personally a worst deal is paying for something with high expectation and getting something that looks terrible.

Now, the title should have been something like, "What do you consider good but too expensive?"

Forgeworld: I need a few Titans for my army.

I'm (ex)UK and I don't see that you can call Foundry overpriced really. 12 quid for 8 miniatures, or 6 command/characters? That's pretty much what most other 28mm companies charge, isn't it?

Command aside, in most cases, it's eight minis with no variants, or maybe two per pack. If there is more variation than that, it's six.

If Wings of Glory planes weren't so expensive I'd buy more but there is no way I'm forking out £40.00 GBP GBP – £65.00 GBP GBP for a big bomber.

If Sails of Glory were cheaper I'd start collecting them but they are too expensive to me.

Again, expensive, but IMO, they are quality prepaints and worth the money. It's easy to set a relative value on raw, likely unassembled minis. But ready-for-play prepaints, with clean paint and decal aps? That's a good bit harder.

I don't know why Foundry continues to be bashed; there are a number of manufacturers who charge in the same ballpark or more for 25mm figures. At one time I would lead the charge against Foundry's prices but, as time moves on, others have come up to Foundry's pricing level or have passed it.

OK,given Flashman's title question:

Who charges $30 USD for one plastic 28mm figure?

You know who.

> What manufacturer produces desirable products (to you) that are regularly outside of your financial reach?

The answer to that question is MBA. Though it is not a bad deal as others have said, just out of my price range. I drool over it every time I see it though.

Got to say GW….

outstanding sculpts but got burned on the game a year stuff back in the 90's. Does no good to have great figs when they either drop the whole line and stop supporting it or Nerf your expensive super unit a year later.

I felt the same about Foundry until I painted some for a friend and then bought some. The level of sculpted detail made me realize why they can get away with a relatively high price.

Command aside, in most cases, it's eight minis with no variants, or maybe two per pack. If there is more variation than that, it's six

The Maximillian ones I have are 8 different to a pack, I think. The early ren too?

Responding to the post title, the worst deal in my experience came from Grand Manner. I bought a limited edition set that was quite expensve, but it intrigued me to have a limited edition, unique set. Then the deal went bad when Grand Manner released the set again, and then even discounted it! What happened to the limited edition promise that I paid extra for? Bad deal.

The Maximillian ones I have are 8 different to a pack, I think. The early ren too?

Yes, a lot of the very oldest Perry medieval and Renn infantry are still eight per. I did say "most cases".

I find MBA to be quite a good deal. I own quite a bit of it and think its one of the best terrain investments I made next to GeoHex.

I also find Grand Manner a bit outrageous and a PITA to deal with. I buy very little from them.

Expensive crap? A lot of Battlefronts stuff.

Expensive beautiful things? MMS

Smart Max miniatures' Smog 1888.
I own three, bought at half price but still expensive. I haven't dared painting them yet.

I don't know why Foundry continues to be bashed; there are a number of manufacturers who charge in the same ballpark or more for 25mm figures. At one time I would lead the charge against Foundry's prices but, as time moves on, others have come up to Foundry's pricing level or have passed it.

I don't order from them either.

I've had about 4 orders on the foundry ready to hit order on. But the price is to much (same with other manufacturers too)

Had they priced them £1.20 GBP instead of 1.6-1.8 I would havedt dropped sevral 100 pounds over the last year at their doorstep.

But after they dropped the free packs on bigger orders. I can't bring my self to buy from them.

But a few 100 pounds lost from me is nothing when other people dropp 1000s of pounds on them. I'm simply not the type of customer they want.

Shipping on Grand manner. I would order from them all the time if they had a US distributer.

The manufacturers get it pretty tough. Customers that are hard to please and want everything – including the most obscure units, including command – at discount prices.

On the whole, I think we're pretty bloody lucky to get what we get for what we pay.

Nothing at all to do with the manufacturers, but ever since the US postal service increased its foreign postal costs up to astronomical and beyond, I haven't bought anything from the US.

Shipping outside the States pushes the price too high for me. I can get things much cheaper from the UK oddly enough, even though I live in Canada.

(Actually, there are two exceptions. Warlord and Old Glory. Warlord, because their shipping costs are still quite reasonable, even free in many cases. Old Glory, because even though their shipping is necessarily high, with the OG army discount card, it nets out to not too bad).

Love Grand Manor buildings, but are very expensive with brutal shipping charges. However, if you order several buildings the shipping becomes more reasonable as it seems to be based around fixed box sizes or weight brackets.

Christopher

GW for me. The Finecast figures are rubbish.

"Expensive beautiful things? MMS"
Agreed.

MBA, I wish I could afford, still buying lottery tickets.

GW. Their prices are astronomical compared with everyone else.

"GW. Their prices are astronomical compared with everyone else."

They really aren't.

Compare GW to Malifaux:

Wyrd: The Lone Marshall: 1 cavalry figure, Retail $35 USD

GW: Empire General: 1 cavalry figure, 1 foot figure, retail $29.75 USD

Wyrd: Wychling Stalkers: 3 infantry: retail $18 USD

GW: Chaos Champions: 4 infantry, retail $25 USD

Wyrd: Governor's proxy: 1 character, retail $11 USD

GW: Chaos sorcerer: 1 character, retail $15 USD

Or Privateer Press

PP: Cygnar Plastic light Warjack: 1 large infantry, retail $18.99 USD

GW: Stormfiends: 3 Large infantry, retail $62. USD

PP: Dalin Sturges: 1 character, retail $15.99 USD

GW: High Elf Loremaster: 1 character, retail $20. USD

PP: Swamp Troll light warbeast, 1 monster, retail $20.99 USD

GW: Gorgor, 1 monster, retail $24 USD

PP: Mountain King Gargantuan, 1 giant monster: retail $124.99 USD

GW: Glottkin, 1 giant monster: retail $109. USD

I tried to compare like to like, which isn't always easy given that they aren't making exactly comparable products.

So some GW prices are higher, some PP or Wyrd prices are higher. GW prices are certainly not astronomical compared with everyone else.

They are right in line with the best fantasy miniature manufacturers out there.

"Everyone else "? The ones you picked,certainly. Not "everyone else",if you mean wargame miniatures in general.

Consider: Old Glory,with the Army discount: 72 cents.

Or,if you don't like OG,how about the beautiful Ebor figs: with the brigade deal, 80p.

Unfair comparison? Maybe,if you want "High Undead Elf Sorceress" or "Ultimate Giant Monster",or whatever they're pushing as this year's "Required Unbeatable Must-Have Figure". But "everyone"? Nope.

I must say that I find every price you quote laughable. But as always,if you think you're getting a good deal,go for it. I prefer the planet I'm on,thanks.

Let's look at what was said again. We'll call it a little review of basic reading comprehension.

Snurl1 said: "GW. Their prices are astronomical compared with everyone else."

This means that compared to all other companies out there GW prices are much higher. That is what astronomical means in this context.

I showed many examples where GW, when placed next to their direct competition, have similar prices and then said:

"They are right in line with the best fantasy miniature manufacturers out there."

This sentence here basically means that I am comparing Games Workshop with other manufacturers of high quality fantasy miniatures. We could compare the price of cars to the price of motorcycles but we wouldn't be comparing the same thing.

Fantasy in this context meaning:

"the activity of imagining things, especially things that are impossible or improbable."

As opposed to historical miniatures, which are attempts at recreating things that actually happened.

So we can discount Ebor. They make gorgeous historical figures but not fantasy figures.

Old Glory makes fantasy figures but they are not $.72 USD after the discount.

Which is a rather unfair comparison as I was comparing retail to retail.

Old Glory charges $13 USD for 6 orcs. Here they are:

After the discount it is $7.80 USD but that is if you spend $50 USD on an army card.

You can get the Age of Sigmar starter set for about $90 USD or less, I got one for $75. USD It contains 50 minitures.

So $1.80 USD a figure. And some of them are big figures, one is a monster and there are several character figures in there.

The Old Glory figures, which are rank and file guys, after the discount, are $1.30 USD.

So the GW figures are only $.50 USD more than Old Glory fantasy figures when we look at how cheap you can get them.

Which, even compared to the Old Glory price, would not be astronomical.

OK,fair point,perhaps by "everyone else" snurl 1 meant only "everyone else in the world of overpriced fantasy figures".

I was going by the OP's actual question,as clarified by Flashman. I thought I had "comprehended" that. Maybe not.

I presume the AoS figures are plastic. Old Glory figures are metal.

In light of this discussion the worst deal in wargaming should probably be reframed as 'all plastic sci-fant figures'.

Why would you say that? The fantasy and science fiction plastic figures are better than most of the metal ones on the market.

Also plastic figures are better than metal figures in general.

Any manufacturer who produces figurepack sizes for infantry and cavalry that do not equate to the "unit sizes" in the rules , leaving you with leftovers.
Also too many variant additional parts in the vehicle pack or optional kit for figures that just ends up being wasted.