Yeah, GW offended a lot of people twelve or so years ago when things got real kiddy. "Year of the Yellow Rat", I've heard it called, as GW leapt for the kiddy market just as Pokemon hit the country: with demonstrated results. But, the new releases are noticably less kiddy and do a far better job of being a wargame instead of a twinking competition*. Not entirely there yet, but working on it.

Somehow I don't think Airfix can penetrate the wargames market at all... and that is where this is leading. Good on 'em for generating new gamers, but if GZG can't beat GW in the wargames front**, I very much doubt that Airfix can. GW are also putting some effort into supporting the out of print/old school games, which is a definate plus for the fans of the fringe games (which were arguably some of their best). Heck, we even have WFRP again.

I would also like to point out for those snobs out there that GW "Plastics" are not the crappy ones of old. They're every bit as detailed as the old leads were. Plus the LoTR figure game gives them a big 'in' to the market atm, as well as a phat wad of cash.

Now all they need to do is to start being nice to their staff.

*Their greatest flaw... but recently I've even heard rumours that the latest army released doesn't allways destroy all resistance in the White Dwarf battle report!

**Good rules, cheap models and excellent mail-order service: I'd recommend Full Thrust over Battlefleet Gothic any day.

"MADE OF SOLID MING"

The Airfix stuff is a bit poor though, 10 out of ten for effort though. It just doesn't cut it in terms of visuals and design, which GW are masters of IMHO. The troop minis look OK though.

Looking at all the new big 40K stuff makes me want to win the lottery so I could afford a few warhound titans and some of those funky big tyranids....Ahh it could be me!

^{There is no way you can disprove to me that all reality we percieve, was concieved in the mind of a plastic troll. Now hand me my pills.}

Now this my friend is mobile artillery.

Oh dear, I'm afraid I looked at Robogear, and my first thought was "Oh! Zoids!" then my second thought, was "but not as cool".

I've been playing on an off GW stuff tfor about 13 years now, having collected Warhammer, 40k, bloodbowl, necromunda, spacehulk, and LOTR..

The big failing GW has is that (now at least) they've become the 'Man utd' of wargames. All they seem to do these days is re-release their stuff, tweaked, and with a price rise attached.. (I came across a price list the other day from 1994, and the difference in some of the prices is scary, most things have either dounble or trebled in that time).

They're too focused on making nice models (at nasty prices) and not really about the game..

IMO of course

What I'm hoping is that there'll be some credible opposition appear (GW have had it too easy for too long) that will make them innovate again.

Its kiddie (some would say simplified) compared to what it used to be, but its still brought lots more young people into it. I know I started on the GW stuff when I was about 10 and Ive stuck with the hobby (though I moved onto LRP).

Would I be posting here now without GW? I doubt it

I suspect the story is the same for a lot of people here, as it will be for the next generation of LRPers

The quality of their models is considerably better than most rival companies, and though they are expensive they have considerably larger overheads than most other companies.

£30 for a rulebook does seem excessive but its 288 pages long and full colour. Don't know if its hardback or not the websote doesn't say. I've paid more than that for books half the size with decent artwork in them

They've got their bad points but I wouldnt get rid of them if I had the option

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