People can’t stop pointing out how old the miniatures in The Old World starter boxes are. What gives?
It never fails. Whenever folks are having a discussion about The Old World army boxes, someone feels the need to count all their fingers and all their toes, then shout “those models are this many years old!” Frequently, this is cited as proof of GW’s lack of faith in TOW’s success and their unwillingness to invest resources in it, or their narcissistic nostalgia farming and profit chasing. It seems that some folks look at old models and think that they are inherently inferior.
Really? Y’all are upset about the age of your models? Guess what, some of the best models in my collection are the oldest ones, and they are waaay older than 20 years. I’m not talking about the models I like the most, though they are frequently one and the same. I am talking about the best models, the ones that stand the test of time by virtue of their sculpting and functionality; their proportions, posing and use on the tabletop. There are loads of new miniatures that fit this bill, but why do so many old minis hold their value so well? It’s not just nostalgia.
Some seem to think that the cost of miniatures should stay the same, or even drop with age. Well guess what? Bretonnian Men-at-Arms are not a Buick Century. You aren’t buying an item that was produced in 2004 with 20 years of wear and tear. Those miniatures and boxes were produced with supplies purchased at modern prices, by workers paid modern rates. I have seen it suggested that the design investment of these miniatures was likely paid off decades ago. Ok, but Skeleton Chariots are not prescription drugs. If you are looking for the low cost, generic brand, might I suggest checking out Mantic’s Kingdom of Dust.
Where did this idea come from that older models need to be resculpted? I know exactly where, and you do to. How many times has GW released tactical, assault and devastator squads over the years? How many of those constituted meaningful redesigns versus adding some extra bits? Eldar Guardians got a new kit recently that looks great, but I don’t know if I could actually tell it apart from the last one. Meanwhile, Catachan Jungle Fighters still look like this:
My point is that resculpting and redesign should be a question of quality and necessity. 20 archers that are going to be ranked up don’t need a modern treatment of super dynamic posing and extra bells and whistles all over their armor. They need to be fun to paint, look good and rank up well. These 20 year old kits fit this bill perfectly.
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
