Many Mithril Pages @ Faerylands

twrich wrote:

And GW makes Mithril look good by comparison

It is finerly happening! GOOD! Big mouth get's a kick in the behind. When they started they sold a lot of figures cast with shit metal which was eaten away by lead rott. Now they sell plastic. I wonder what was better? The old metal I guess, at least I don't have to look at these minis anymore....

Though my point of view is not as... negative as Holger's,  I must admit I have never liked GW... First because , from the beginning, I try to defend a collector point of view for figurines.... as opposed to wargaming... And though GW has produced roleplayin/collector figurines (citadel etc) it is mainly because of them (and Warhammer) that this image of the small figurine (32mm) was necesarrily associated with wargaming by the mass people.  Don't get me wrong, I am not angry at wargamers or anything... but at the marketing force that put in front line the wargaming possibilities, putting back the collecting aspect. I always supported the idea that both should exist without confronting each other... Many brands of figurines have disappeared because of what GW has done...

And besides, there is a style...... Mithril is realistic, GW is fantasist in the shapes and design of  their figurines... I always have liked realism....  Mithril is to GW what Everquest 2 is for Worlds of Warcraft (for those of you who know these references)....
And I am a long time fan of EQ2 and I don't like WoW at all for the same reasons I don't like GW... mass people, simplicism, unrealistic design of characters.

Who besides Mithril makes realistic figurines? excepted the famous collector figurine brands such as Pegaso, Andrea, and all sorts of historical figurines. The fantasy ranges are ... left only with Mithril... (even Andrea 32mm is too fantasist for me, unlike the 54mm)

Wendy wrote:

I would be more ambivalent towards GW if they hadn't been such a bully to other companies.

I think that sums it up about perfect Wendy.

Hmmm...mixed feelings about this one.  Although I don't particularly care for the way GW pushed it's weight around with licensing and other marketing issues.  And some of their figs are good, and some are utter crap.  All are VERY expensive for a mass-produced item.  I make of point of almost always buying GW stuff second hand to save myself money and to protest the way the market themselves. 

The fact remains that they put wargaming, specifically fantasy wargaming, back into the forefront of the gaming community.  In my book, that is a good thing. 

There's a lot of rumblings in the historical gaming community about how hard it is to keep doing business as a figure manufacterer, and how many brick and mortar hobby shops have closed here in the States.  I think a lot of that has to do with the universal availability of hobby supplies on the internet via E-bay or direct sales.  It makes brick and mortar redundant.   GW has fallen prey to the same pitfalls as Starbucks.  Over-expansion, loss of core identity, and watering down of the brand.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are going to hobby shops with my Dad, who was always shopping for model railroad items.  I still recall seeing all the racks of the old Ral Partha and Grenadier D&D figs.  GW's stores were fun in that same way, if more slick and sales oriented.  I can only hope they introduced a generation of youngsters to gaming, collecting and modelling fantasy figures.

BTW, my 3 1/2  year old son, Max, wants to say "HI" to the crowd in the Pony!  This summer, I'm going to read him the Hobbit as a bed-time story for a few weeks!   

I don't wish GW to be closed down eighter, but what's going on at the moment may get them thinking again....Hopefully the thoughts will go in the right direction!

Regarding Great Eagles:




Gamezone makes fine minis for GW-games. They are also available with riders, but all their stuff is deliberately GW style. See here a pic with rider to get a figure of their size:



They will do fine for a conversion with Gandalf should the suggestion not win.

Regarding GW, I don`t think they will vanish soon. If they run into serious financial trouble they will close their stores.

Last edited by Axel (Tue, Feb12 2008 11:35pm)

Nice eagles!

I already ordered a couple. I will post how they build and look in real when they arrive in around three weeks. Sometimes Gamezone have problems with the fit of their kits, though the price is usually acceptable. 15€ for an eagle is not over the top, if compared to the prices of GW or (due to their low numbers) Mithril.

The second eagle would make a great diorama with Frodo and Sam after they disposed of the Ring...

The Perrys don't design all the GW LOTR figures, Master Estel - more's the pity - and they didn't design these. They're the work of the dreaded Gary Morley, who is happily no longer with GW but has left behind a seemingly substantial quantity of figures yet to be released. About half a dozen designers are currently working on GW's LOTR range.

And what's this nonsense about tea? You'll never get hairs on your chest that way.

Thats the way! Have some ale. I try to grow some hair on my chest with drinking ale.....Hmm I must be a elf too. I have only managed to grow 5 hair on my chest in the last 45 years. I guess I have another 5000+ years to go to see at least some (555hair) results.