They're losing market share and not making enough profit, so are trying to "cut the fat" to make things look good at the next shareholders meeting.

Simple as that.

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"EPIC: Total War" Lead Developer

Now living in Boston... any EPIC players want to meet up?

Who are they losing market share to?

Perhaps they would be doing better if they came up with a business plan that wasn't thought up during a night at the pub.  

Oh well, guess it is time to fall back to GWSOP...Grit the teeth, and take it.

Video games, other minis companies, other hobbies, etc, not to mention the "economic downturn".  And without "movie support", the LotR line can't be bringing in that much.

As to accepting GWSOP, well, if you don't care about GW and you're not going to GW run events, there are *tonnes* of 6mm model makers for almost all your needs for EPIC scale models.

Available 6mm Ranges

You need never buy a GW model again and can still enjoy the great game of EPIC!

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"EPIC: Total War" Lead Developer

Now living in Boston... any EPIC players want to meet up?

GW are quite sensibly looking after their core market, which definitely isn't any specialist gamer.

Keeping a steady influx of new recruits into their stores to keep on buying all the latest releases is what will make the company the most money.

Reducing the number of lines carried in store means less wasted money lying around in stock rooms waiting for the off chance a SG gamer will pop in.

I also think not selling SG in independant stores kinda makes sense too. Keep the indies selling more core product and don't let them dilute this sales arm with lines that GW do not really want to expand or renew.

It isn't that I don't care, any war gaming company that is successful is a boon to the hobby (I certainly don't want to see them tank.)  Their business policies (not only regarding SG) really annoy me...and just about every other gamer interested in their lines I've talked to.  My friend, the store owner, has no end of problems when dealing with GW, their system really is not that user friendly from what I understand.  It just seems to me, sometimes, they really don't want to be in business.

I really don't see SG games taking away valuable shelf space from the core lines either.  Over the years I have only seen a very small amount (maybe half a panel) of SG material in gaming stores I've been in (including GW stores) next to tons of WH and WH40K product.


I was planning on going to Games Day Toronto 2010, but that idea got flushed with the most recent news from GW.  So, it is not for the lack of effort on this front.

At any rate, I hope FW at least brings back the Warhound Titan in Epic scale.  I would order one of those to be sure.

And if we are honest with ourselves, from a lot of reports the quality of the GW run events has seriously declined. Whereas, independently run events (e.g. Adepticon) are booming and continue to grow as their reputations increase.

Given those circumstances, I think it wise of GW to let the actual running of the events go to established independents, send a couple of thousand dollars/pounds in prize support to their selected events, then let the various participants focus on the areas they are really good in. GW (marketing), Conventions groups (logistics), Gamers (revenue).

Then the gamers get a well run (hopefully) gaming event, supported by local people,  prize support, GW reduces their marketing costs, everybody gets a win.

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Honda

"Remember Taros? We do"

- 23rd Elysian Drop Regiment

"...the quality of the GW run events has seriously declined."

I have heard as much lately.  My friend went to Games Day last year or the year before and said that it wasn't that great.  Not much support from GW apparently.

I really regret not being able to make the Birmingham show in '05 when I was over in the UK.  Especially as I went through Birmingham on the train, unfortunately I had no where to stow my luggage for a couple of hours.

Who knows, maybe in couple of years I'll be able to make the Baltimore show.

Minor Necrobump here but the majority of the desparation order I had put in when this scare started up,  4 packs of Chimeras with Heavy Bolter turrets (the only Chimeras "Left in Stock" when I ordered) FINALLY showed up today.  I'm still waiting on one pack of Salamander Commands but since I found a pack of those at Gen Con Indy last August I'm not so worried about them.

I rang up Monday to buy some etched brass from forgeworld - I no longer ask about epic as I've been told so much rubbish by them in the past.

I decided, on the off chance, to see if there were any warhounds - and there are, quite a few items which have disappeared from the online store or are lsited as out of stock are available. Most of them in limited quantities and with no firm news on whether more will be made. So if you want them get them now.

Available but either not on website or listed as out of stock-
Warhound with standard weapons load
Hammerhead w railgun
Broadsides
Devilfish

Not available
Pathfinders
Fire warriors
Stealth
Crisis
Command pack
Other warhound

I only asked about the titans+tau

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www.epic-uk.co.uk
NetEA NetERC Human Lists Chair
NetEA Chaos + Black Legion Champion

Well thats interesting, considering that I made an order almost a year for Recon packs and Stealth packs, and only the Recon packs arrived! I think that I will be on the phone tomorrow morning.

Thanks for this.

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https://www.cybershadow.ninja - A brief look into my twisted world, including wargames and beyond.
https://www.net-armageddon.org - The official NetEA (Epic Armageddon) site and resource.

That's interesting.  A guy who's going to be making an order on Monday (of which I'm going in with to help him get to the magic 250 quid for free shipping (we're in the US) I'm getting a Reaver, was told that warhounds weren't in stock.  I'll have to tell him that the primary loadout one is in stock.  How much are they?  I'd like to get 2 if possible.

This is really frustrating. I won't have the money spare to get anything for a couple of weeks. By which time I suspect they'll have all gone if they're in limited supply now.

And I could really do with a pair of Warhounds for my Chaos army.

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"Good ale, the true and proper drink of Englishmen. He is not deserving of the name of Englishman who speaketh against ale, that is good ale."
- George Borrow

£18 for a pack of 2

Also all the items I have receieved - recon, broadsides, devilfish, hammerheads, skyrays, tigersharks+ warhounds have been in the new darker resin and have been 100% perfect casts. The warhounds definitely have a new mould as there is no miscast on the carapace corner which has been on all warhounds I have seen for several years.

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www.epic-uk.co.uk
NetEA NetERC Human Lists Chair
NetEA Chaos + Black Legion Champion

Where are you guys seeing this?

I do not see HHead Railguns, Broadsides, or Devilfish on the web.

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