# Does anyone like GW?



## hippypancake (Jul 14, 2010)

Well since I've been on here I have only see hate for GW some (ok most) I'll agree with such as being dicks and only updating the best selling armies. But people also say that GW are the worst places to game ever. Now I do have a flgs that I chill at here in Lynnwood WA but I also go to the GW as well and must say at the moment with only the Manager there everything you guys say ("It's always crowded" "They keep asking me to buy or pre-order something) doesn't happen when I walk in there is usually a groupd of 7 to 8 people that are talking around the modelling/painting table with the manager with them, and when he sees you the only thing he says is "Hey, how's it going?" not "Hey we just got a new tank do you want to pre-order it" In fact the GW works a lot like the flgs I go to the regulars are practically staff when a new kid comes in I'll hear the manager ask them a few questions about what they are interested in (Fantasy, LotR/WotR, or 40k) and after he gets the info he'll call over a regular introduce the two to each other and the regular plays a game with the newbie on the intro table. So I have to say does ANYONE have a store like that or am I just lucky?


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## rokar4life (Jun 21, 2008)

I love GW, without them I would have inferior plastic spacemen and no where to play with them. Also I've only been around 2 GW's on a regular basis and I haven't felt like they're trying to sell me anything, just provide a fun place to play.


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## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

why would I play somewhere where mentioning the word "soap" is worse than dressing up as Himmler and punching a child in the face and selling there little sister to Gary Glitter?

plus I can't play WWII, napoleonics, BFG, inquisitor, Mordheim or anything fun in a GW, so why even bother?


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## Bodhi (Aug 17, 2010)

I am lucky enough to have a few different GW stores near me. Once I went into one that's a rather small shop located inside a mall. I went in and started talking with the guy and he starts to put items on the counter for me telling me what I need. I walked out. That's it. That's the only bad experience I've had at a GW. 

I am also lucky enough to have a battle bunker right across the street from my work. Those guys have been awesome. They are salespeople, but they have never been the least bit pushy. They are fun to talk to, we have some good games with each other and the battle bunker has some nice tables set up. They don't even get too pushy about the state of your models. They won't let you play with un-primed models missing arms, but they don't get crazy. They just seem like good people to me, sometimes I go there and just paint at the large table they have set up. Just to have some people to shoot the shit with while I paint. 

Maybe I'm the exception to the rule. I've certainly heard some people get very upset with the "redshirts" but I've rarely (read once) experienced it myself.


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## Col. Schafer (Apr 15, 2008)

Obviously there are exeptions to every rule, but by and large GW just isnt as well run as most (again exeptions) smaller stores. People are prone to exagerate (heres looking at you stella) but at the heart of every exageration is a legitimate complaint. 

Basicaly, the average game store is just more laid back. (again, exeptions) so hard core gamers might like it more. enforced painting rules means games are "prettyer", and they are more likely to enforce the "real" rules witch a torny focused player is more interested in. 

My FLGS (for example) in stark contrast has no rules whatsoever about modeling quality (one guy uses a cardboard box for a manticore) and the owner is prone to make up random and epic scenarios durring leauges. For example, the last time I played there for a leauge, there was an objective on each corner, and one uin the center, the one in the center gave you 50 points every turn you held it (including your oponents) and the corners were worth 150 at games end, VPs were enforced. Oh, and everything had to deep strike. 

Me, I prefer my FLGS. :biggrin:


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## Captain Galus (Jan 2, 2008)

I don't hate GW because they make a great product IMO. Saying you hate GW but still using its product is like saying you hate your girlfriend but still screwing her.

It's just plain silly.


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## Blue Liger (Apr 25, 2008)

Heck Yes I like GW I work for them good pay and little extra too! 

Before I worked for them however I still did liek them too our store as like most in AUS are fairly laid back, the reason they ask questions about your hobby when you enter is to guage whether you want to buy something or if you are happy doing your own thing, if your a regular at your GW store they still tell you about things but they will never push sales even with new comers to the hobby


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## Amoeba Bait (May 31, 2010)

GW Woden! That store IS my flgs. Occasionaly the staff will ask you whether you are goning to buy something (eg: Hey, are you getting in on the new Fantasy Rulebook), but they're not the pushy used-car salespeople that others make them out to be.

Recently we had Mathew Farrer (ie: Author of Enforcer) in for a book signing at GW Woden. Just thought I'd put it out there


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## Shaun (Aug 7, 2010)

I don't have a flgs and until 2 weeks ago not even a local retail source to order from, I have been into 4 or 5 GW shops in Maryland USA, Auckland NZ, and Singapore.


The most enjoyable store was in Baltimore, this is my observation. Of the countless hours in those stores I kept a watch on the counter. some nights 4-5 hrs with 8-20 people moving (gaming) through the store there was less than $50 going into the till.
After a few nights seeing the same pattern Its obvious GW don't keep the store open purely for retail is it ?
Those that hang in the store get the benefit of the stores boards and paints, GW's profit is generated by those that get in, buy stuff and get out.
I am guessing that a lot of the posters here are also the gang that hang in the store.

It was also hilarious painting away in one store and listening to the parrot pitch "hey kid you ever played warhammer" ?
The most successful retailers were more laid back, I guess it comes down to the personality of the store and the veterans it attracts rather than a GW marketing matrix.
I enjoy the GW atmosphere just some stores more than others


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## yanlou (Aug 17, 2008)

i really like GW. 
The stores iv been to the staff are great; very talkative, funny, easy to get on with and happily give advice. 
Iv never experienced staff members trying to shove stuff down my throat, they usually just ask what I'm doing at the moment army wise and ask how its going and maybe suggest what i could buy next, so overall they're good


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## Cato Sicarius (Feb 21, 2008)

Stella Cadente said:


> why would I play somewhere where mentioning the word "soap" is worse than dressing up as Himmler and punching a child in the face and selling there little sister to Gary Glitter?
> 
> plus I can't play WWII, napoleonics, BFG, inquisitor, Mordheim or anything fun in a GW, so why even bother?


Riiight... T-Two things there.

One, people at GW's DO in fact bathe, if they don't where you live then sorry for your misfortune.

And, two, um, if you don't find 40K fun, then why are you hanging around the 40K section of the site? Surely you should hang around the Hobby section, as of playing and "hobby-ing" you apparently prefer the latter ("plus I can't play WWII, napoleonics, BFG, inquisitor, Mordheim or anything fun in a GW").

In answer to the OP, yes, of course I like GW. The mine is apparently just like yours.


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## Sarge1447 (May 11, 2010)

Shaun said:


> The most enjoyable store was in Baltimore, this is my observation. Of the countless hours in those stores I kept a watch on the counter. some nights 4-5 hrs with 8-20 people moving (gaming) through the store there was less than $50 going into the till.
> After a few nights seeing the same pattern Its obvious GW don't keep the store open purely for retail is it ?


You must've walked into my store, the lowest grossing GW store in the USA :biggrin: Not joking, our manager told us one day that the GW monthly sales report had come out, and our store had made the least money in the entire US. But I love my FLGS, (almost) everyone there is great to be around and the manager never really pressures us to buy anything. I really hate GWs pricing though, as it seems nothing has gone down in years, and most things have increased in price.
EDIT
Also, is it really true that we aren't allowed to play specialist games in store? We've been playing Mordheim here for quite a while, and the manager even set up a Mordheim campaign...


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## KingOfCheese (Jan 4, 2010)

Sarge1447 said:


> I really hate GWs pricing though, as it seems nothing has gone down in years, and most things have increased in price.


Ummm... Its called inflation dude. :crazy:



Only ever been to a GW store a couple of times.
Bunch of kids playing wardollies while others come in and laugh at them.

Everytime i looked at a box of models or a codex, id have the GW employee jumping up behind me saying "buy this buy that".
Hmmm... How about get the hell out of my face and go back to jerking off over the 10 year olds. If i want to buy models then ill buy them off the net at 40% off.

Yes, GW stores annoy the hell out of me.
Hiring a venue and playing there weekly/fortnightly is much better.


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## slugsung88 (Aug 14, 2010)

I went to my second GW stores in 10 years, and I was pleasantly surprise by how they treat their customers. I was afraid that they would hassle me and not leave me alone but this store was much different. I came in yesterday and the lady at the counter said "can't I help you with anything" and I reply "I'm just look around". 5 minute later another staff (who didn't know I was already ask) ask me the same thing and I said the same thing. There were 3 kids at the painting table, 2 boy playing a game, and around 5 people (including 2 staff) at another table playing a game. They left me alone for the whole duration of 30 minute and I felt so relieves that I could just look up the miniature painted in the glass case and not have to worry about another red shirt bothering me. 

My store was a small store, so I'm very happy it was a suprisingly pleasent experience. 

The Staff were not really super nice but they were not pushy. They were just so laid back and somewhat seem annoy by some of my questions. The other big GW store was very helpful but also pushy, so I guess that the tradeoff.

I'm lucky too?


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## kharn-the-betrayer (Jul 16, 2010)

Stella Cadente said:


> why would I play somewhere where mentioning the word "soap" is worse than dressing up as Himmler and punching a child in the face and selling there little sister to Gary Glitter?
> 
> plus I can't play WWII, napoleonics, BFG, inquisitor, Mordheim or anything fun in a GW, so why even bother?


Then Why Are you on this forum?


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## search116 (Aug 9, 2010)

It's a love hate relationship, I love there models and games, but I hate there pricing and the fact the nearest GW is 25 miles away


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## Putch. (Jul 13, 2010)

I love GW for one reason, sure their prices are high and the staff is pushy. But what I would I be wasting hundreds of dollars and what has probably added up to weeks of my life doing then? I love the hobby, I love the games.


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## OpTi (Aug 29, 2009)

i guess i'm lucky as i have 2 GW's in the city i live in and the staff are fine and aren't the stupid pushy sales type and at least in the store i goto actualy know the rules and don't say stupid shit like "Possesed are great in rhino's!".

We also have thursdays as vets night for all the players to just come down and play some games and chat. I'm lucky in that there's some decent players to play against and thursdays is usualy devoid of the tools that have loads of armies yet don't even know the basic rules let alone the rules for their armies (like the ones from today GRRRRR).

So ye our stores here are fine i guess, don't know what it's like on other days as i only go in on vets night, if saturdays are anything like when i was younger i'd dread to go in then.


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## Unforgiven302 (Oct 20, 2008)

Hate GW? No. I do not hate them. The store near me has only been around for 10-12 months now and the guy who runs it is very friendly and never harassing or annoying. He is quite knowledgeable about the products and the rules and is a nice guy in general. As for the company side of things, their customer support has taken care of me on a few occasions were parts were missing or damaged. Never a rude comment or issue with getting me the parts I need to make me satisfied. If I hated them I would not be buying or supporting their products.

My only complaints are that the prices are hard to swallow and the lack of regularity in which they update their systems is just annoying, and honestly, a failure on their part. If they could release a new edition rulebook AND all the codices at the same time, it would be worth the wait for it all. Let the new models trickle in here and there, but lump the books together in one big release every 4-5 years. None of this, wait 10 years for an updated codex only to have it ruined by a new edition of the main rules only a year or two later. Poor planning.


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## KingOfCheese (Jan 4, 2010)

Captain Galus said:


> Saying you hate GW but still using its product is like saying you hate your girlfriend but still screwing her.
> 
> It's just plain silly.


Actually, you just described the typical married couple. :laugh:


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## Tzeen Qhayshek (May 4, 2010)

There is no way inflation counts for their high prices. I refuse to believe that.

I love their product. I hate what they have done with it.


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## Sarge1447 (May 11, 2010)

Tzeen Qhayshek said:


> There is no way inflation counts for their high prices. I refuse to believe that.


I agree, inflation is (approx.) 3% annually. In the 2 some years I've been in the hobby, prices have risen substantially more than 6%, closer to 10 or 15 percent, so it's more than just inflation bringing up those prices.


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## KingOfCheese (Jan 4, 2010)

The prices have risen about 60% since i started playing.
But i can tell you right now that the cost of bread, milk, fuel, etc, has increased a LOT more than 60% in that time.
On the other hand, the cost of technology has decreased.

Wages have increased by more than 60% in this time too.
In actual fact, doing the same job now compared to back then, a battleforce only costs me 4 hours in wages now, compared to 6 hours back then for doing the exact same job.

Not everything inflates the same amount as the dollar. Some things get more expensive, some less.
Overall, there is nothing wrong with the price increases.

I know this is a forum for discussion, but we dont need every second thread being a bitch about GW price increases.
Live with it, or get another hobby.


(And yes, i have had this rant before)


EDIT: Sorry, this isnt directed at any of you in particular, just the whole interwebz in general.


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## Daddysen (May 31, 2010)

i think when people say they " hate GW " i think it is when they nerf an army. like a long time ago in a galaxy far away a race known as squats just got " lost in the warp" for better explination. and recently certain chapter of chaos space marines " iron warriors" was just ignored in the new codex. so all those iron warriors players who faithfully bough all those tanks for their army now have a bunch of expensive models they can't field unless they build a new army. it makes us feel kind of taken advantage of plus if you serious gamer at all and actually painted and converted stuff. its kind of disheartning when you spend all that time on a model and then a new codex comes out and you cant even use it. As for me i really do love this game but i feel that GW listens to its marketing department more than its consumer that is the only thing i have a problem with.


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## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

Cato Sicarius said:


> One, people at GW's DO in fact bathe, if they don't where you live then sorry for your misfortune.


judging by previous topics where the majority of people quite clearly point out they do not, then bs.


Cato Sicarius said:


> And, two, um, if you don't find 40K fun, then why are you hanging around the 40K section of the site? Surely you should hang around the Hobby section,


I do find 40k fun.........well back in 3rd anyway, but I don't find it fun playing it in a GW full of unwashed teens and men with big beards looking at the kids playing in weird ways while receiving verbal diarrhea from players for not taking unit X in my army and that unit Y is rubbish and being told I should play space marines because army Z is shit.


Cato Sicarius said:


> as of playing and "hobby-ing" you apparently prefer the latter ("plus I can't play WWII, napoleonics, BFG, inquisitor, Mordheim or anything fun in a GW").


yes I do actually.....don't see anything wrong in preferring to play WWII to 40k, its the same as a 40k player preferring that to fantasy, so whats the problem there?


kharn-the-betrayer said:


> Then Why Are you on this forum?


you can't smell through Forums, that technology has not been invented yet.

plus I've already explained a dozen times calmly why I fell out of favour with GW, but of course its easier not to read those previous posts people make and discover the reasons for there ever decreasing interest.


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## bitsandkits (Mar 18, 2008)

Stella Cadente said:


> plus I've already explained a dozen times calmly why I fell out of favour with GW, but of course its easier not to read those previous posts people make and discover the reasons for there ever decreasing interest.


go on explain it to us again you know you want to :biggrin:


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## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

bitsandkits said:


> go on explain it to us again you know you want to :biggrin:


heres 20 pages you can go through
http://www.heresy-online.net/forums/search.php?searchid=681721
one of them should still be there


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## hippypancake (Jul 14, 2010)

Stella Cadente said:


> heres 20 pages you can go through
> http://www.heresy-online.net/forums/search.php?searchid=681721
> one of them should still be there


actually none of them are there


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## Widowmaker666 (Jul 30, 2008)

Stella Cadente said:


> why would I play somewhere where mentioning the word "soap" is worse than dressing up as Himmler and punching a child in the face and selling there little sister to Gary Glitter?


:laugh: I peed a little I think

In response though, GW gave us Warhammer so we must love them for that, of course they are going to try and make money in whatever way they can, they are a business and from my experience they are rather accommodating for a business, in terms of all the articles and what-not they put online.


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## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

hippypancake said:


> actually none of them are there


god damn it *sigh* fine in short
I play Inquisitor, mordheim, battlfleet gothic, necromunda.
I can't play any of the above in any GW I know of.
this is GW's fault and they have no good reason to not allow it other than my money not going on SPESS MAHREENS.
and thats the main reason in simple terms.

I have a reason to not like them, as a customer I have spent my money on GW products only to be told I cannot play with the GW products I have spent my money on.
that is beyond retarded business practice.

and of course attitudes to vets from GW is appalling, and no I'm not referring to you people who play for 2 months with a power gaming assholes list you copy pasted from the internet and label yourselves as veterans.


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## nocturnalK (Jun 15, 2010)

From my memory's of years ago when i lived down south i loved the GW shop.
Now i wish i did have a local, just simply for the fact that i could go in and play at any time, the local club here runs only once a week and i cant always make it.. plus the fact ive played every one there to many times.
Closet to me is over 100 miles away so, so if you have then at least it is a choice to use it or not


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## ChaosRedCorsairLord (Apr 17, 2009)

I can deal with most of the minor problems I have with GW except for one, the price. It's gotten to the stage where I've stopped purchasing stuff all together, because when I do buy models I feel like an absolute douche afterwards at the ridiculous price I've payed for 5 models. 

I've started to give up on the hobby. Not even my love of converting is enough to drag me back. Maybe the DE release will motivate me to get back in to the hobby.


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## turel2 (Mar 2, 2009)

GW's products are great, thier prices not so great.


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## Putch. (Jul 13, 2010)

I think the answer everyone should have is YES! For one reason, you dont like the prices sure, you think some models,sure. 

What are you doing on heresy if you DONT like Gw. Therefore logic says that to some degree, you like it.


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

KingOfCheese said:


> Actually, you just described the typical married couple. :laugh:


Off topic sure but you summed up my life. All the rep I can give.


In aus i don't believe there are gw stores. Only independents. (Well that is the case where i live.) Our local shop rocks. Friendly, not pushy(even though i used to spend upwards of $300 a month and have now dropped back to almost nothing.) Good games nights and play many alternative ganmes. As for GW they make the games i love. So there are problems with the rate of updates and high prices but i wouldn't want to play anything else.


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## KingOfCheese (Jan 4, 2010)

Cheers for the +rep


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## GrimzagGorwazza (Aug 5, 2010)

I wouldn't say i hate games workshop but i have a general dislike for their practices. 
The Gw's near me (Guildford, Woking) are very very pushy about trying to get you to buy something. Last time after being asked if i had considered adding a dp, defiler, and landraider to my chaos army and having a response that i have already got an army which i have designed up to thirty thousand points...he asked if i needed any army cases for that.

Also i went for an interview with them to become a store manager, i travelled across England, spent all day talking about what the job entails and was able to describe each of my armies and why i was building them as well as some of the plans i had in the future and which black library books i had read. I also mentioned that i have been into the hobby since second edition, have completed every GW released computer game and have a warhammer quote tatooed on my arm....I didn't get the job because they didn't feel i was passionate enough about the product. WTF!!!


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## Skartooth (Jun 4, 2010)

To say that you hate GW and still play there games is a bit odd. I don't mind GW, the only reason there prices are high is to cope with inflation. What you have to remember is that GW is a business, and to be successful you have to be ruthless. Look what happened to confrontation, they were a miniature company for hobbyists by hobbyists and no longer exist. GW is sensible and therefore hear to stay, and you can't knock them for that.

Skar


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## gally912 (Jan 31, 2009)

GrimzagGorwazza said:


> I wouldn't say i hate games workshop but i have a general dislike for their practices.
> The Gw's near me (Guildford, Woking) are very very pushy about trying to get you to buy something. Last time after being asked if i had considered adding a dp, defiler, and landraider to my chaos army and having a response that i have already got an army which i have designed up to thirty thousand points...he asked if i needed any army cases for that.
> 
> Also i went for an interview with them to become a store manager, i travelled across England, spent all day talking about what the job entails and was able to describe each of my armies and why i was building them as well as some of the plans i had in the future and which black library books i had read. I also mentioned that i have been into the hobby since second edition, have completed every GW released computer game and have a warhammer quote tatooed on my arm....I didn't get the job because they didn't feel i was passionate enough about the product. WTF!!!


Can I ask which quote? It may have been the deciding factor


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## ChaosRedCorsairLord (Apr 17, 2009)

Skartooth said:


> To say that you hate GW and still play there games is a bit odd.


I don't have to like GW to like their product.


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## Abomination (Jul 6, 2008)

I like Games Workshop. My local GW is a very nice store too.


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## GrimzagGorwazza (Aug 5, 2010)

gally912 said:


> Can I ask which quote? It may have been the deciding factor


Victory requires no explianation, defeat allows none.
It's underneith a roman gladius design.


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## rodmillard (Mar 23, 2010)

ChaosRedCorsairLord said:


> I don't have to like GW to like their product.


QFT.

I love GW's games. When I lived in walking distance, I used to game in a GW store at least twice a week. I still pop into GW Newport whenever we go down to visit my in-laws, although I seldom have time to get a game in these days. Mostly, I now play at a local independent store - which has the advantage that they don't mind me using Mantic minis (which they sold me anyway). Neither store has ever given me the "hard sell" for anything, although I have experienced it in other branches of GW - I think attitudes vary if you are a regular or someone who popped in on his lunch break (when they assume you must be there for a reason other than just to chill and get away from the trenches for 30 minutes).

I dislike GWs business practises. As I have said in other threads, I understand the economic reasons for their pricing policies - in the current economic climate the way for a _luxury_ retailer to stay afloat is to shift smaller volumes of their products with a higher profit margin. That doesn't mean I like it. As an unemployed stay-at-home dad, they have effectively priced me out of the market, which is why I have largely gone over to playing LOTR (small model count) or using Mantic figures for Warhammer (less than half the price).


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## Tzeen Qhayshek (May 4, 2010)

rodmillard said:


> in the current economic climate the way for a _luxury_ retailer to stay afloat is to shift smaller volumes of their products with a higher profit margin.


I would bet anything that when/if this subsides, prices won't return to any previously lower levels.


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## ThaPinkPownerFatty (Aug 12, 2010)

Stella Cadente said:


> why would I play somewhere where mentioning the word "soap" is worse than dressing up as Himmler and punching a child in the face and selling there little sister to Gary Glitter?
> 
> plus I can't play WWII, napoleonics, BFG, inquisitor, Mordheim or anything fun in a GW, so why even bother?


oke why you cant play mordheim and inquisitor i dont understand but the rest is a bit of the obvious. you dont go too mc donalds and eat a bucket of fried chickn you bought at KFC right? its a company store thats intrested in selling you there product and dont like it when you want too promote there concurrents? plus i dont know how big your store is or how many pepoel want too play those games with you but i find it a little bit childish of you too call everybody a pig and pheadofhile just becuase they dont wnat too play with you little miss constipadet.
and yes i am dislectic and not from england so yes my spelling is rubish i know.

and why would any gw staff member be afraid off soap one of the ten commandments gw demends of there employes is a high standard of personal hygene.

back on topic i travvel for 2 hours just too catch up on the staff members of gw they trained me to become an outrider and its something that i love too do. when my collectors edition didnt come the helpt me without any problems if i have a question i can ring them up at any time any day. those guy's and girls want too help us. and iff you dont like gw as a company then dont buy there products and dont play there games or else shut the F up. its not like they force you too play there game you choose too play there game.


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## Whizzwang (Dec 31, 2008)

Stella Cadente said:


> god damn it *sigh* fine in short
> I play Inquisitor, mordheim, battlfleet gothic, necromunda.
> I can't play any of the above in any GW I know of.
> this is GW's fault and they have no good reason to not allow it other than my money not going on SPESS MAHREENS.
> ...


Actually the reason GW stores do not have games of any of the specialist games is because they are SPECIALIST games. NO store other than Warhammer World actually carries stock for these systems (this is due to space reasons more than anything else and a uniform stock system company wide so people can go into any GW and know exactly what is liekly to be on the shelves). It is physically impossible to stock a full range of what would be 9 systems if they stocked everything. 

There's also the issue of gaming space. this may come as a bit of a shock to you but GW's are not there for crusty old vets to play games. They are there for the newer guys to play games. GW does not HAVE to supply you with any gaming space for ANY game including 40k / WFB. They just do so. Most stores only have 2 free tables beyond the permanent intro setup. I can see why they would want newer people into the hobby to have these tables to play 40K + WFB. 

A new guys walks into the store. by promoting 3 systems, regardless of whichever he chooses to play, there is a core of players for him to meet and play with. Not everyone wants to play every game under the sun like a rampaging fanboy. So by limiting exposure for new people to 3 systems there's a higher density of opponents for him when he returns. If he had a choice of 9 systems, his firld of play would be entirely too small for him to get the most out of the hobby in the store.

Specialist games are designed for people who want to explore more of their chosen gaming world at home with friends. It is not GW's fault if somebody only wants to play those games and has no friends.

You have not been told that you cannot use your models. I myself play Bloodbowl, Inquisitor and Necromunda on a weekly basis with a group of 10 guys and we have an absolute blast with it. So I get plenty of use out of my non-mainstrem system models.

To summarise, the stores serve one prupose and one purpose only. They are there as the hook for new hobbyists. That makes PERFECT business sense. 

Vets do not spend money in the same way as new players. New guys buy boxed games, entire armies, books, buckets of glue and assroted other sundries. Vets buy 1 or 2 regiments a month, if that, on average. So no, GW is not there for you. You have got involved in the hobby, you play and collect on your own, you have no use for the store so why should they cater to you when there's a whole world of people they could be teaching instead?


As for pushy sales staff. Rather than put up with it, why not engage the staff on a persoanl level? I did.
Start a conversation yourself and explain you're a stubborn old bastard of a vet and that you cannot be sold stuff. Do this politely and they'll treat you fine. If they don't, talk to their manager. My local store is great. 

First time i went I got the "oo this guy is new.. what do you play? what do you collect? buy this for your army"

I explained my situation and the conversation moved onto "Ye Olde Days" of gaming and painting, conversion work. The staff no I won't buy everything they throw at me so they leave me be to come and go, play if I want, paint and buy the things that I want. Rather than throw hatred at the Blue Shirts, maybe treat them like people and don't pre-judge them and tar them with the same brush just becasue you've had a bad experience

On a similar note to this Stella. if your attitude to GW staff is anyhting like your attitude on here. I can fully relate to them treating you like crap to be honest.


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## TheReverend (Dec 2, 2007)

I love GW mainly for four reasons-
Firstly, i grew up in Nottingham, so was lucky enough to have Warhammer world as my local GW store. games nights there were always awesome with a pint or two from Bugman's Bar to lubricate the old dice.
Secondly, having grown up and then worked in Nottingham i was lucky enough to do quite a bit of architectural and structural design on various bits of GW HQ, therefore every time i visit i see something i helped create 
Thirdly, the GW store where i live now (Walsall, UK) has an awesome store manager (props to adam, if you're ever on here). he's a spacewolf player so we always have a long chat when i pop in, compare conversions and generally shoot the breeze, even if i don't buy anything. 
And finally, as some have said on this thread, if GW didn't exist we'd still be playing inferior war games with some pretty inferior figures. i probably wouldn't even play war games in fact, as it was the shiny, beautifully painted models that inspired me to take up the hobby/habit in the first place.
yeah, it the hobby/habit costs a lot, but so does running my motorbike. but in both cases i get to do something enjoy whilst hanging out with like minded people.


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## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

ThaPinkPownerFatty said:


> its a company store thats intrested in selling you there product and dont like it when you want too promote there concurrents?


I'm not saying GW should allow me to, I'm saying thats 1 reason why I don't game there. why should I game in a place that caters to 2 game systems (nobody plays LotR anymore unfortunatly) when I can play in an independent store....if there was enough room and the new club didn't cost me £14 to get to and from.


ThaPinkPownerFatty said:


> a little bit childish of you too call everybody a pig and pheadofhile just becuase they dont wnat too play with you


when did I call them a pig?, and I never directly called them a paedophile, its the image they give off, the vets are usually overweight freaks covered in chicken grease with beards full of food and booze hanging around underage boys giving them all weird looks.


ThaPinkPownerFatty said:


> little miss constipadet.


I won't dignify the ignorance with a response


ThaPinkPownerFatty said:


> and why would any gw staff member be afraid off soap one of the ten commandments gw demends of there employes is a high standard of personal hygene.


I never said staff, the people playing never wash, GW staff don't play GW games, or at least I've never met one who does in 4 years, only the grubby kids who think Napoleon is a brand of phone and the fat blokes licking there lips at the children are the ones who don't wash.


Whizzwang said:


> Actually the reason GW stores do not have games of any of the specialist games is because they are SPECIALIST games.


so I can't *play* them because there specialist?, thats a piss poor reason


Whizzwang said:


> There's also the issue of gaming space.


thats a load of bollocks, why would gaming space have anything to do with me not being able to play BFG?, it doesn't take up any more room than a game of 40k or fantasy, so its no different to me playing one of them space wise.


Whizzwang said:


> this may come as a bit of a shock to you but GW's are not there for crusty old vets to play games.


No shit.


Whizzwang said:


> Not everyone wants to play every game under the sun like a rampaging fanboy.


I wouldn't really call wanting to play the only decent systems GW makes making someone a rampaging fanboy.


Whizzwang said:


> It is not GW's fault if somebody only wants to play those games and has no friends.


it is there fault, who the hell do you think decided to make it a specialist game, duuh.


Whizzwang said:


> To summarise, the stores serve one prupose and one purpose only. They are there as the hook for new hobbyists. That makes PERFECT business sense.


well maybe they should go back to how they used to be, when you used to be more popular.


Whizzwang said:


> Vets do not spend money in the same way as new players.


when you don't feel welcome in store why the hell would you?


Whizzwang said:


> I explained my situation and the conversation moved onto "Ye Olde Days" of gaming and painting,


I tried that this saturday.......the guy had no idea what mordheim was when he tried to sell islands of blood to me and I explained that was the only fantasy I play, and had no idea what BFG was when he asked what my wash was for.......so it would not of made for stimulating conversation talking to someone whos been staff for 2 years to a player whos been there 7 times longer


Whizzwang said:


> On a similar note to this Stella. if your attitude to GW staff is anyhting like your attitude on here. I can fully relate to them treating you like crap to be honest.


doubt it, I go in GW's, buy my monthly supply of washes, and leave as soon as I can to continue my journeys to better places and spend more money elsewhere.


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## Doelago (Nov 29, 2009)

Whizzwang said:


> On a similar note to this Stella. if your attitude to GW staff is anyhting like your attitude on here. I can fully relate to them treating you like crap to be honest.


I totally agree with you...


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## Whizzwang (Dec 31, 2008)

Stella doesn't know that I've met him, and he behaves exactly the same way in real life as he does here. It's quite worrying really.


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## rodmillard (Mar 23, 2010)

Tzeen Qhayshek said:


> I would bet anything that when/if this subsides, prices won't return to any previously lower levels.


With you on that one. I'm also willing to bet that they won't absorb the 2.5% VAT increase in January - that will be passed right on to the customer (probably rounded up to the nearest £1 as well...)


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## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

Whizzwang said:


> Stella doesn't know that I've met him, and he behaves exactly the same way in real life as he does here. It's quite worrying really.


you've met me have yah, despite being about 20 miles away


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## gally912 (Jan 31, 2009)

With personal issues set aside, there really is not a valid reason why a GW shop won't let him play a GW game...

any excuse other wise is just that, an excuse, and a poor one at that.


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## gally912 (Jan 31, 2009)

GrimzagGorwazza said:


> Victory requires no explianation, defeat allows none.
> It's underneith a roman gladius design.


I approve, for what it's worth. k:

Edit: sorry for the double post.


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## Marneus Calgar (Dec 5, 2007)

I don't like GW because of the following:

They are basially a creche for all the small little kiddies, that like to come into the store and steal all your stuff. They also like to pick up expensive models and break them. 

They're prices dissapoint me, and I don't see why I should go to a place that charges that when my closer indie store costs me 10 - 20 per cent off. I know that it all costs money for material, moulding etc. But I can't afford to spend the kinds of money in there that I usually spend at indie stores.

I find it hard to have a game against anyone who actually knows the rules in a GW store, that is another reason why I prefer an indie, much more likable bunch, and they all enjoy a game (and are generally my age or more..).

I don't like some of the store managers attitude towards customers, I feel that some of them are just taking the piss when I talk about something. For instance, I was thinking about starting BFG when the store manager tried to make me start the FW counterpart, which was a damn site more expensive and I couldn't really afford... Also, some store managers are just plain rude, I remember walking into a store, asking for advice he started, the one of the regulars walked in and he ran off to talk to him... 

I don't like being told to buy something, when I clearly don't want it. I remember buying a load of bikers, and a guy said, buy the ravenwing set. I was like no, I don't want DA bikers, I'm happy with this... When i was only buying 4 bikers, and some paints... He was like, but for so and so much more, you get this this this and this... I just ignored him after that, he annoyed me.

In general I just prefer my local indie store, yeah, you have to pay a fee for the table, but it is a much more enjoyable place to be, you don't have to be squashed together in a tiny store (its a warehouse basically). And the guys there know what they're talking about, since the guy who works there has been playing for the last 20 years. I just think, GW really need to rework their stores and some of the staff...

I do like GW's customer service though, they rock!



rodmillard said:


> With you on that one. I'm also willing to bet that they won't absorb the 2.5% VAT increase in January - that will be passed right on to the customer (probably rounded up to the nearest £1 as well...)


That can't be helped, because that affects EVERYTHING, not just 40k. Most people are gonna feel it with everything they want to buy. I don't see why its that much of a big deal to be honest. You're gonna find it on your petrol why not on your plastic?


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## bitsandkits (Mar 18, 2008)

rodmillard said:


> With you on that one. I'm also willing to bet that they won't absorb the 2.5% VAT increase in January - that will be passed right on to the customer (probably rounded up to the nearest £1 as well...)


Everybody was perfectly happy to pay the lower GW price's when VAT dropped to 15%,but its a little different when it comes time to pay the piper


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## kickthetv643 (Aug 20, 2010)

to be honest my local GW stores nottingham city centre and ive not had a single guy trying to push anything on me even after i told them ive only just re started 40k after a 10 year gap..Though after going to peterborough and checking out there GW i had a totally different experiance. i think it all depends on the staff and managers on how the stores run and what atmosphere they let happen.my 2 cents anyways


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## Cato Sicarius (Feb 21, 2008)

Stella Cadente said:


> god damn it *sigh* fine in short
> I play Inquisitor, mordheim, battlfleet gothic, necromunda.
> I can't play any of the above in any GW I know of.
> this is GW's fault and they have no good reason to not allow it other than my money not going on SPESS MAHREENS.
> ...


Well in THAT case I agree with pretty much everything you've said (although I don't play those games so I don't hate GW).

It's just what you said about the washing thing that always gets me, I mean 1) you can't prove it (sounds childish but it's true) and 2) even if lots of people say it, that still doesn't make it true. 

So you essentially have 1 reason why you're saying it, and that's because you're GW happens to have smelly people. My GW doesn't, so clearly you appear to be incorrect in what you are saying.

Oh, and as a side note, that's not retarded business practice, that's genius business practice. Makes you spend more money to play the things, or more money to get things which you can play. Either way, GW have made quite a bit of money.

Still, I've never actually come across an instance of that.


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## Whizzwang (Dec 31, 2008)

Stella Cadente said:


> you've met me have yah, despite being about 20 miles away


I have family in Telford and spend a lot of time there.


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## Azkaellon (Jun 23, 2009)

Whizzwang said:


> I have family in Telford and spend a lot of time there.


.....Watch out for stella he may or may not bite......


But on thread topic....I think we like them because there games are plastic crack, one hit just isnt enough!:headbutt:


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## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

Cato Sicarius said:


> Oh, and as a side note, that's not retarded business practice, that's genius business practice. Makes you spend more money to play the things, or more money to get things which you can play. Either way, GW have made quite a bit of money.


but it hasn't really, yes I've spent quite abit on my tanks from independent sellers just so I have something to do, but if you compare that to the amount I used to spend on GW products when you could do anything, its a fraction of the cost, back in the day I used to spend allot in GW without a thought, maybe £500 a year, now in an entire 7 or 8 years I've spent maybe...£500, so they have lost 6 or 7 years worth of money from me alone so maybe £3000-3500, now yes thats just me, but if you get just 10 people who feel the same way thats £35000 of loss from just 10 people, thats less than 1 GW's worth of customers, if you have 10 GW's worth of customers thinking the same thats £350000.

that might not be allot from 7 or 8 years but its a shit load when you consider its only 100 people, a very realistic number and certainly I would bet far below how many it actually may be.

not being open monday and tuesday and closing earlier and earlier on saturdays can't help either


Whizzwang said:


> I have family in Telford and spend a lot of time there.


then you'd know I'm nothing like that in my local independent or at the local club, I sit minding my own business quietly playing some axis and allies in the corner and never go around to all the kids playing telling them how shit GW is and in the local independent just basically chatting about my plans for napolenics, WWII, or asking generally about english civil war or other systems I might play and comparing the price of starter sets with hundreds of models in to a GW one which you can't use with a dozen models in.

I only talk like this on the net because of the freedom, and at the end of the day nobody actually listens to anything anyone says on here and everybody has the choice of whether to read what someone has to say about there experiences of a company or just ignore and continue to believe the world is a happy bright vibrant place and take comfort from the smell of sweat when moving around there plastic toys.


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## KingOfCheese (Jan 4, 2010)

Meh, this thread has been nothing but arguing for the past few pages.
Save the personal attacks for PM's perhaps?
Im sure the thousands of people that browse arent interested in your personal conflicts (especially naming residing locations etc).

On topic, i think Stella is right in what he says. Maybe its being a little too critical, but its still right.


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## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

KingOfCheese said:


> On topic, i think Stella is right in what he says. Maybe its being a little too critical, but its still right.


I keep rolling 2D6 and getting double 6 on my topic critical rolls thats why.
Bulkhead collapse FTW.


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## Sarge1447 (May 11, 2010)

KingOfCheese said:


> Im sure the thousands of people that browse arent interested in your personal conflicts


Well, I don't know about you, but I find a good internet fight absoluteyl fascinating :biggrin:
And Stella, I don't know about your GW, but in mine people carry a pretty good standard of hygeine ... and would generally frown upon someone dressing up as himmler and selling their sisters


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## ChaosRedCorsairLord (Apr 17, 2009)

Stella Cadente said:


> I keep rolling 2D6 and getting double 6 on my topic critical rolls thats why.
> Bulkhead collapse FTW.


Take your D6 topic hits, and pray your posts don't end up crippled.


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