AoS LVO Seraphon Battletome Reveal.

If they updated the models for blood bowl maybe they already have the sculpted done for aos. Just because they didnt show us anything at lvo doesnt mean we arent getting new models. I would be very surprised if they dont update models for the range, easy money for them and keeps players happy.

 

I agree. My waiting for an update has been KEEPING me from buying new models (except for recently when I bought lord Kroak and a Sunblood*).

*It seems like the chonkier models like the Slann and Sunblood are less prone to warping and breaking.

 

How big is your Temple Guard unit / how small are we thinking this is?

Looks like at least 150 x 125mm at the top? That is my guess. (28 TG and 1 Slann on top.)

How do you figure it is easy money?

A brand new injection mold for a plastic kit costs at minimum £10,000 more like £20,000. That is just machining the stainless steel mold. If they decide to update a kit, they instantly go £20K into the red and that doesn’t even consider paying the sculptor and other costs.

£20,000 investment divided by £25 is 800. Are there really 800 people on earth who want to buy a box Saurus? 400 new players who will want two boxes each?

Deciding to update models is risky and expensive it is not just automatic easy money.

 

@pendrake Modeling for Sauras has already been done, if BB is anything go off of. And if not, the CAD program still has the Old Blood assets and every other aesthetic asset for Seraphon.

And buying boxes? If they come 10 models to a box, and someone wants to field two units of 30, or multiple units of 20, then that is at least 6 boxes.

I know I would personally replace my 70 Sauras with new ones. Bulk out the new sculpts with backline old sculpts if necessary.

So 800 minus 6 boxes at the very least. 10 if I'm feeling frisky about supporting an army I love.
They would very much make their money back.

 

At the current quality of models any new model that gets released is a license to print money.

Only question is if your return on investment is really nice, or obscene.

I have no problems with GW chasing the real big money, but then they should be honest enough and communicate it. Their blatant favouritism of power armor in 40k and new factions in AoS while stringing everybody else along is pissing me off. Tyranids will have their six year anniversary without new models in March/April.

 

If they make Saurus more elite(like they should be), you hopefully wouldn’t have to buy THAT many.

I feel the same way. They really seem to hate the non-humanoid factions like Seraphon, Skaven, and Tyranids for some reason. At times it even seems like they’re actively trying to avoid them, and it drives me crazy!

 

You must be looking at a different model if you think you are going to get 28 TG and a slann on top of that ziggurat. You would get the slann on top and maybe 4 TG. Although then you miss out on the portal thing on top

 

I think the reason is, it's to hard to update old factions. It's hard for them to incorporate modern designed models in old ranges.
Like the Sisters of battle. They prefer to update the whole range at once.

6 years is nothing. 40k Squats haven't gotten any new models since rogue trader.

 

in the case of saurus they would need to update "only" 3 kits (warriors, knights and guards) since the rest of the faction doesn't bear any strict design connections with them like the skinks do with the stegadon, bastiladon, etc.

but kits aren't coming: we've got no rumour engines, we've got a rumoromonger confirming it and the presence of the blood bowl saurus means nothing since BB teams assets don't get used for mainline stuff.

 

arguably 2 you could make warriors and guard into a double box

 

Yes, if i am not mistaken, don't the start collection boxes, come from China as well? so they would have shown up in the shipping bill?

 

That is some good math... looking at it I assumed it was smaller than that but I think you might be right. My unit is about that size, it looks like it might fit? Bit smaller than the platform I made

Spoiler

 

That's just not true. Wide spread of model age is the default state in most 40k armies, and it works well enough.

And dead armies don't count.

 

There must be reasons why they do it the way they do.

I personally disagree. The Skaven faction is an example of really mismatched sculpts. Lizarmen as well.

In 40k the older models stand out like sore thumbs. Khorne Berzekers being a good example. Obviously some factions hold up better then others.
The Orks always done really well in this regard because the basic ork model looks good, and they have a make shift design that's easy to expand on.

But things like Necrons. They would be easy to make new models for, as the Necron look is so standarised. But what happens when the Necron look stars to look outdated?

That's what happened to space marines and terminators. So what are they doing? they introduce a brand new range the primaris that will eventually replace all the old space marines.

Also it makes sense as well. They are trying to sell new miniatures to people. If they update the Saurus, most people are probably not going to bother updating their Saurus. So they will only sell the models to people who start a new army or a few die hard fans of saurus.

It would make more sense, to wait until the Lizardmen models become totally obsolete and then reintroduce a new range. Same as the new Aelves.

They probably don't want to mix in the new models with the crappy old models, as the new elf models are so good, people are going to run out and buy them.

Contrast this with Cities of Sigmar. An army with a huge fan base. It would be the army I would most like to collect for. But no way am I buying those dated and crappy models. If they released a brand new Steam tank, I would still not be interested.

But if they made about a new faction using, with a few new regiments and characters. All brand new. Even if it had a tiny roster. I would want to go and collect them again.

The point I am making is this. They probably get a lot more hype and sales from new factions with all brand new minitures in them.

When they introduce new units to really old factions like the skaven. New players are going to think the new models look awesome and then when they puruse the rest of the skaven range and get an eye full of the Rat Orgres and other dated models in the range they loose all their will to buy them.

I am guessing that GW probably makes most of it's money from selling new armies to exsisting players who want more armies. As people tend to buy thousands of points at once. And then never use them anyway.

Once you got your army already built, you probably are only going to add 1 new thing to it every blue moon. The updates can wait.

 

At whichever point they decide to update the range there will be a point where both sculpts will co-exist. Maybe these Coalesced are a new type of Saurus much like the Primaris are a new type of Marine.

From what I've read, since I came back to the forum after the LVO reveal, Saurus leaves a lot to wish for in their stat line? Better save/2W?

 

@samheim Oh I know, I get why GW does this, although I don't agree with that premise at all. In my sample size of maybe 40 people at my local GW that I see often enough to have an understanding of their collections and how they collect new things, the OH NEW SHINY approach does not seem to work whatsoever. Primaris Marines are the only release that did well, and only after releasing the second/third waves and broken rules did it really take off.

From all the people which started a new army, there are about as many people who went with one of the brand new factions compared to the "old" ones. And for AoS it's even worse. Only guys using Sigmarines are kids without money or people using them for Armies on Parade. Nighthaunt is a nonstarter, some people shared some boxes and that's it, OBR had three people pick it up for collection purposes (two of them buy like 80% of new releases so that's not saying much). IDK has one person with a small collection, even the Slaves to Darkness release did not have an impact.

GW forgot about their hardcore fans in their quest to get more people into the hobby. And with the ever increasing amount of armies updates will become less and less frequent. So in the future an army will come out, some new releases in the first year of it's existence, and then forgotten for 5-10 years until a complete revamp? That's a bold strategy.

 

I think this is a misconception. The local game store does not represent everyone who collects miniatures. I haven't played a game in a game store for 25 years.

Also when I was a young man (a very long time ago) I knew this old fart (was even older then I am now) who collected Skaven in his spare room. He had a gigantic army and had never even played one game.

A lot of people just buy things on the internet nowadays. Some people buy them to paint them. And some people buy them just to build them. Some people buy them just to own them.

My goal is to have some nicely painted armies and a nice gaming board one day. But to actually play the game? no thanks! I like everything about it except actually playing the game itself.

If I want to play a game I would play Warhammer Total war or Chaos gate etc.

I don't think that a game store is a great representation of everyone who buys miniatures. I even go to far to say, its probably not even a good representation at all. GW must be doing what they do for a reason, because they are making more money they ever.

Look this is going to sound really nasty, I am sorry. But hardcore nerds at a game store are going to be the guys who are running 12 Salamanders or Razordons because they make nice attacks. Some of the worst models out there.

A lot of people who just love the sculpts, want to see the most amazing new miniatures and run out to buy them. When they see the new High Elfs, it motivated them to remove their credit card from wallet. A lot of people just want those nice models on a shelf, or to paint and show people.

Trust me GW is probably making more money off this one guy, then everyone on this board combined. lol!