digging the archeovaults of GW

i'm from an ancient time, were people in the Hobby were more collectors than players (or 50%-50%) ....
i know that it's a rearguard fight, an impossible-to-win fight (they are the most beautiful fights ) but nevertheless i want to fight it, to slow time and trying to slow the inexorable evolution of GW and the hobby (note that there's a strong rumour that GW will soon pass to resin for their heroes).
I love metal minis, their poses, thier diversity, the imagination of their sculptors and the mystic of their weight ... watching an old catalogue always make me shiver in expectation, cause, though i saw them hundred times, i always find something "new" and amazing.

So i open this post to present to the younger of ours brothers the treasures of the past.
if it intrigues you, go to http://solegends.com

first treasure from rogue trader :
the first Jokaero (with gyrinx=eldar cat and some ferret)
http://solegends.com/obscure/91280127.jpg
marneus Calgar + the old dreads
http://solegends.com/citcat88/4104spacemarines-02.jpg
the old Grey Knights
http://solegends.com/citcat911/c2018smgreyknighttermina-01.jpg

i'll try to focus on 40k minis (as it's first a 40k forum) but sometimes i won't help myself to post some old beautiful metal mini from other range

Aubec

I am also a vetran from the Rogue Trader era, but I am not sure I understand your point.
The new models are FAR superior in manyways from the classics... Detail, quality of mould, conversion potential, etc...
Nostalgia is not going to stop the progression of the hobby brother, but that is not to say that you can't keep collecting them.
As for winning the fight.... The odds of a Grey Knight falling to Chaos are better .

Haha, old calgar is so much win.

I have to agree that new plastic models is not all great (look at the new GKT, far inferior to the old metallic)

But i myself happen to love resin, and metal have that evil way of chipping.
Damn you metal models!

So in the part of going back to metal, to say no to resin. I am against.
But to nostalgia, and to preservation of the past, i say AYE!

And you could try to bring up that claim of yours at my hobby club, oooh so much hate you would get it's not even funny.

But then, most of them are the new age of hobbyists, people who care not of their models per se and just wash them to a liveable standard and then game for all it is worth, jumping on the next army when the bandwagon comes rolling.
They shun metals as a vampire shuns the sun and would rather build a horrid model that does the job (as i've seen, *shudders*)
Than get the actual metal model which is very nice. Often at least.

I say remember the old days, and learn from your mistakes and victories.

Gw, you failed the new terminators.

i do have nostalgia for this forgotten period, where even the rulers of GW were collectors and passionates... now they are bank accounters !!
my point is NOT : before was better than today... because you had more choices than today. (well yes a little ... :-) )
1 : you can't collect plastic ... so collectors as i am are clearly not the prospects of GW
2 : No the minis today are NOT superior of the classic range ... i can show you many minis (even in pre-slotta range) that are far more detailed than those of today
3 : plastic is NOT cheaper ... that's a lie ... but the GW margin is bigger (but not so cause the plastic moulds are very expensive, but last about 100 times more than the metal moulds that is true)
4 : the plastic sprues give NOT more opportunities of conversions... conversions are way easier though, i have to admit that, but i can show you brother Constantine some dwarf regiments of mine without a single mini identical with another and you'll see that there was more diversity by then than with the plastic regiments

but

my point is : show to the ones that don't know that times the beauty or the originality of some metal mini made by artists sculptors and not by computer.

Aubec

What do you mean when you say that you can't collect plastic models?

I still feel that there is more potential for variety in the new models... I had Bugman's dwarves boxed set, Skarlock's archers, and the original terminator boxed set.... They were not bad models and did have pretty good levels of detail, but definitely nothing that IMHO can't be replicated and/or improved on with today's models. Usually boxed sets of metals would include 3-4 standard troops that would repeated a couple of times.

Not for one second do I believe that we should forget where we have come from, but neither do I believe that we have not been moving forward with plastics and resin.

Is GW money hungry?....... Absolutely.
Are their models getting worse?........ That is a subjective question that each of us have our own opinions on.

Well the new plastic terminators are definitely a step up from the original plastic terminators in space hulk. All in one with big banner poles for all.

I like being able to convert models with plastic, but I appreciate the detail in the metal ones.

The problem with the ease of conversion is the mess a lot of people make of it- it's like they've never actually looked at how real people move. And some of the vehicles... I know my gorkamorka trucks looked a bit slapdash, but I was young, playing orks and rolling up random upgrades on a campaign table. At least 2 of those are good excuses.

Well, if I'm completly with you, being a much more collector than player, I must admit I also agree with Brother Constatine.

I knew this Solgend website, and a friend of mine managed to order some old reference.

I'm very unsure I can tell wether I prefer plastic or metalic range... Some metal figures are just awesome, but plastic minies can be very cool too. And after all, each metal figure was at first a resine one!
And on that particular point, if GW comes to produce its heroes in resine, it would make a link with other model companies like Verlindel, that only produces with resine. The problem is prices would grow again... But resine makes very sharp details...
To finish, GW has become a greedy compagny, the only branch of it reminding me of the origin is Forgeworld... with its expensive fantastics resine models!

Nice old models. The dreads were simply silly that way, at least IMHO. I like the new ones better.

One more thing, did the spears on the old GKTs have that bolter stuff on the tip of the spear? I can't make it out any, and according to fluff, initialy they did have a bolter.

DonFer wrote:Nice old models. The dreads were simply silly that way, at least IMHO. I like the new ones better.

One more thing, did the spears on the old GKTs have that bolter stuff on the tip of the spear? I can't make it out any, and according to fluff, initialy they did have a bolter.

Yes there is actually a bolter on top of the back of the halberd blade

There are also bolters on the swords for those models

Was Gorkamorka really released in 1997? Man I feel old now.

I was 12 when that was released, and remember that those Orks were one of the first proper multi-part plastic kits out there.

Anyway, back onto topic... I much prefer multi part plastic kits, simply because I like each and every model in an army to be unique in some way. The older metals were nice to look at, but there simply wasn't the variety I wanted. Now I can create a unique model every time I clip parts from a sprue.

I do have a lot of respect for these old models though. The vast majority of them are single piece models, and the amount of detail the sculptors managed to get onto them is staggering.

Loving the old school terminator weapons those are ace IMO!
Plastic can be better but in some cases the metal seem far better designed and proportioned

Wish there was more beasts in 40k! Would be great

Constantine wrote:There are also bolters on the swords for those models

Nice! I would love to put my paws on one of those models. The collector in me needs one

Constantine wrote:What do you mean when you say that you can't collect plastic models?

I still feel that there is more potential for variety in the new models... I had Bugman's dwarves boxed set, Skarlock's archers, and the original terminator boxed set.... They were not bad models and did have pretty good levels of detail, but definitely nothing that IMHO can't be replicated and/or improved on with today's models. Usually boxed sets of metals would include 3-4 standard troops that would repeated a couple of times.

sorry brother C. but i have to disagree with you this time too : for instance with dwarves there were about 300 models (some were scratchs though) and for goblins they were more : about 500 models...
and when i say you can't collect plastic ... i want to say that plastic is not collectible ... i'm a collector I want 1 piece of each metal dwarf model that exist ... it's just not possible and isn't worth the try with plastic
Aubec

the assault termies : i love the hammer and the motion of the termie in the middle
http://solegends.com/citcat911/c2017smterminators-01.jpg
Aubec

Yeah that is nice.

Ahh the good old days eh? Back when Terminators sat on 25mm bases.

some of the old models are classics but i have just put together a box of new GK termies lovely to do poseable huge amounts of options, conversion bits etc
I also have 18 of the old metals nice and more detailed in places but the plastics are better in other ways
for the collector in my I buy forgeworld stuff to create unique and rare units
the collector in me is saving to buy a FW Eldar phanton titan

Eldar phantom titan ey?

Can't wait for the day i can get a warhound.

And those terminators are cool, so small and so small weapons
(The terminators were small, but the weapons is funny enough rather realistically sized, i mean, the modern 40k stuff is ridiculously large.)

I should paint up the old school GKT (aubec style old school old) in nice silver armour and gold.
Just to see what a skilled hand can do with a classic!

Edit: Darn! I just realised after searching through solegends that i only have the old school librarian.
And he's not a GKT after all

Oh well, what should i do with him then.....

I scored 3 of the old school grey knight terminators with the sword/stormbolter combo. They are on 25mm bases and sit a little shorter than the metal GK terminators from last edition codex. I added a 40mm base under it and they are now my ghost knights.

Aubec le noir wrote:

Constantine wrote:What do you mean when you say that you can't collect plastic models?

I still feel that there is more potential for variety in the new models... I had Bugman's dwarves boxed set, Skarlock's archers, and the original terminator boxed set.... They were not bad models and did have pretty good levels of detail, but definitely nothing that IMHO can't be replicated and/or improved on with today's models. Usually boxed sets of metals would include 3-4 standard troops that would repeated a couple of times.

sorry brother C. but i have to disagree with you this time too : for instance with dwarves there were about 300 models (some were scratchs though) and for goblins they were more : about 500 models...
and when i say you can't collect plastic ... i want to say that plastic is not collectible ... i'm a collector I want 1 piece of each metal dwarf model that exist ... it's just not possible and isn't worth the try with plastic
Aubec

No need to apologize Brother. Now I understand what you mean by "collector"! You want to have one of everything. I consider myself a "collector" because I primarily build and paint. I am sure you can see where my confusion was coming from

I think that the old models have nostalgic value as stated before, but apart from possibly using the odd classic bit here and there for a conversion..... I don't really think I have much use for them.

i love the old old minis ... ... am I a geek ?? .... well YES !!
i have 9 of the old GK termies and 4 models of inquisitors in termy armours (2 completes made of the old metal before white metal and 2 bodies without arms)
what i miss is the shoulder shield in the middle of the page ... the one with the skull ... i'm eagerly looking for it (1 model will do though )

for today some minis that i love for their style and for the illustration of the stubborness and the sillyness of what they represent :
the bob Olley 40k Ogryns (btw the fantasy Ogres of Bob Olley are rarer and much more researched) with a lot of options !!
http://solegends.com/citcat911/c2050impguardogryns-02.jpg
http://solegends.com/citcat911/c2051impguardogryns-02.jpg
Aubec

Yeah, i´m back online.
Nice stuff. Most of it i can still find in my own collection. Personally i love those very old Terminators:

today some rarity :
models from 40K for Talisman (version 1983-1985)
i love those minis, even with there flaws (anatomy very aproximate, small size), they have lots of charm and character.
the first appearance of 40k minis (as you can see there's a Custodes and an Astropath already there from those aerly years)
http://solegends.com/citrt/First-RTx-02.jpg
http://solegends.com/cittal/taltimescapewd100.jpg
one of the first SM box
http://solegends.com/citrt/rt01spacemarineswd938709.jpg

EDIT : i have a scratch of the pirate for WHFB : it's a barbarian with a sword all in motion he's beautiful, but i didn't know that he had a 40k brother ....
don't ask me what a Piscean warrior is ... the hell i know !!

Aubec

superb minis Brother Dark Bjoern !!
from what range do they come from ? are they Citadel minis ? (i never saw them i must confess )
(sorry for the double post, but i didn't saw at first glance the DB post)
Aubec

Yeah, they´re old Citadel models.