www.robogear.co.uk

its a new futuristic tabletop battlegame by airfix. It looks reasonably good!

I've taken a look at the rules (you can download them for free- unlike GW where you have to buy them for 30quid!) and the game is quite well thought out (except that you can either roll dice to see if you hit, or you can physically fire the guns - they're spring loaded!. a bit kiddy for me, but it may be fun!)

Also, the starter set is £30, and the GW starter kit is £40!

Maybe now that there's a rival company with as much (if not more) muscle when it comes to distribution and manufacture, games workshop will realise that they can't take their customers for granted and actually make something good, like they used to!

Either that or they'll die a death, either is good for me!

What utter trash, those models actually manage to look goofier that the shit they put out for Warzone, and the paint schemes are pure "red period" GW.

Looks to me like Airfix are trying to reinvigorate their flagging market (how many kids build models these days?)

Off into the heap with Starship Troopers, Warmachine, Confrontation and all the other products that will supposedly spell the doom for GW. All the games that you see a few random bits from in travelling man but otherwise you have to buy off the net.

Sure you might get this stuff popping up in Toys 'r Us, but that's hardly going to capture the market, limited trade, limited appeal, limited age range, ask GW what happens when you overly focus on the younger market... 

When another company manages to set up its own distribution chain and have a range of systems and products for all tastes, and provide the same level of hobby support and simulate interest across a broad range of ages (and both genders) then maybe we can talk about competition...

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SINergy: Denton Mandell, Captain Drake Alexandrovich Musaveni

SGUK: Maj Richard Calvin (RN)

I can't see the site, how do the prices of the models compare?  It seems that every time I get enough money to think about GW stuff, they up the prices.  I mean 25 squid for 5 plastic models?  You what?

Nope.

Yeah, some of them do look a bit ropey, but them so does a fair bit of GW stuff. what is "red period"?

Probably not that many, but then there's also probably a lot more adults who build their models (including me)

isn't that exactly what GW is becoming??

dumbed down rules, constantly re-releasing stuff to make the most of the 'must have the latest' fad kids have, CCG, etc.

Take a look at GW's share price.. its been declining for 18 months or so now.  

I think you're missing the point of what I'm saying though.. its not that I particularly like this stuff, I think its childish pap (but then I think that's true of GW these days), its that another company with a similar amount of muscle (in terms of distribution and production) is now offering a (significantly cheaper) alternative. Maybe now GW will get of its smug "we make the bet model soldiers in the world" arse and actually do something* to win and keep its customers past the age of 16.

* by do something I'm of course excluding the "re-release with minor tweaks at an increased price" cycle that GW is perpetually locked in. 

A few years back, someone was hawking a 40K license round soho, looking for a TV deal.  I haven't heard anything new on that for a while, but if GW are biding their time for anything, it's probably that.  But I imagine that they are just consolidating on core business.

T.

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Er... that's what he meant, surely?

Oh, and I first saw Robogear a couple of years ago and didn't think it would hurt GW then either.

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Quis custodiet ipsos custard?

I suspect products like this could help them. Kids start playing the airfix game and then get into wargaming, buying some GW stuff would be the logical next step once they are 'hooked'. 

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RL: Mr Sofar

Curved core weaponry and bespoke stuff.

ShelfordFX