EE prices

[raia]

I looked at EE prices of new models http://www.excelsiorentertainment.com/News.asp, and I disbelieve my eyes! What a heavy prices for Luteran cavalry (#
Inheritor Cavalry Pack (2)                  EXE-40508          R = 22$
#
Inheritor Heavy Cavalry (1)               EXE-40510          M = 14$
)!
Why it is so expensive?

How can EE sell these models without right trade policies?

Look at http://uk.games-workshop.com/storefront/store.uk?do=List_Models&code=300944&orignav=13 GAMES WORKSHOP pages at theirs HQ models on mounts!!! Some HQ have the same price as EE, but they are more precious and with high quality support for games and models ( I mean web pages, more pics, more informations and so on... )

Have the EE Cavalry has a metal mounts models perhaps? Why? I dont know, because informations on this web are "nothing"  (neither pictures nor text)).

Please explain it! Thanx

[tHe_MaN]

I can confirm that the Heavy Cavalry are metal models, as all EE models by the way. Only the troops from the second edition army box set were made out of plastic, and all stocks that remain are those made in the Target days.

Regarding the price, you are however right to point out the fact that there is a growing convergence of EE prices toward GW's.

[joshuaslater]

Reaper had an excellent breakdown in last year's catalogue of why prices in the industry are rising.  Ironically it has to do with the price of tin in China.  Go figure. 

[Anubis31]

AS for the price of these models, they are both multi-part for the riders and are all metal for the horses, If you lok at the priceing fo the Firstborn mounts and SOK mounts you will see the price are the same and those price have only increase pennies other the last few years.

As for GW try not to draw comparisions. Or mnts our on metal solid mounts and they have plastic 2 parts. So price wise we are no where near what they are.

[dmcgee1]

Reaper had an excellent breakdown in last year's catalogue of why prices in the industry are rising.  Ironically it has to do with the price of tin in China.  Go figure. 

Not ironic - simple supply and demand economics.  If I understand correctly, China's not letting enough of the metal out of the country to keep the price stable, therefore, it has risen.

[Coil]

Tin is sold at the world market and since the price has risen we can draw the conclusion that demand is higher than supply which drives up the price until supply equals demand and we reach equilibrium again.

It could be due to a general rise in demand for tin (which is used for soldering as well for example) or it could be that the suppliers are having production problems.

/The Economist 

[Ruther]

I think they still in a reasonable price segment for the good qualitiy products they have. At least they dont try to convince me to buy plastic soldiers ^^.

[joshuaslater]

NO PLASTICS!

[Jibbajabbawocky]

Honestly, I wouldn't mind plastic minis.  While I like the new metal scupts, I think a set of plastics for each army would be cool.  (I also don't know how much shifting over to plastics would cost, so that could just be a pipe dream)

[Anomander_Rake]

I think this kind of discussion has been on the old forums, too. If I remember right, it is easier and cheaper to cast metal minis... I think the molds for plastics have to be another quality and are more expensive...hot plastic sticks to nearly everything...

just my two cents...

Anomander Rake

[raia]

I dont know. Behind my house is factory that works with plastics. One model from this plants is cheaper then 1,- CZE,  (25,-CZE is 1$).

How can a metal models be cheaper than plastic then ?

[Anubis31]

The production costs of creating the molds for the figures. From what I understand (and im not a pro on plastic figure molding) is that is an entirely different process. the injection molding and the chemicles used is a lot different and I believe a lot more expensive.

When molding a metal figure from either an existion metal or a green sculpt the process is pretty much as follows.

Model is taken and molded in a master mold. ( rubber disc about 10 or so inches in circumferance) there usually is more then one figure typein the mold Once this mold is make it is cast up about 15 to 20 times to give us production masters. We then mold the production masters into a new mold. This mold will contain anywhere from 5-12 figures depending on size. 

This mold when completed (which takes about 2 hours to properly cook and melt the mold rubber to form around the mini) is then cut to give the vents for proper metal pouring. once this is done we begin consumer production of the figure. 

I believe the injection molding is dont entirely different and requires a greater number of machines time and materials.

[Coil]

The plastics vs metal discussion comes up every once in a while on forums for almost all games. I do not know the exact numbers but plastics molds are a LOT more costly to make (as in add a number of 0s at the end). The plastic raw material is cheaper than metal though so if you are producing huge numbers it evens out.

The reason GW can use plastic is that they sell a whole lot more than all the other companies combined and even for them plastics is not always the best option.

[Ruther]

@ raia

One shouldnt make the mistake to confuse plastik made highdetailed Miniatures with Toy Soldiers for kids (like cowboys and knights etc.) The molds for gaming plastic miniatures of a certain qualitiy are far more expensive than metal ones, but thats already been said. 

[dmcgee1]

I dont know. Behind my house is factory that works with plastics. One model from this plants is cheaper then 1,- CZE,  (25,-CZE is 1$).

How can a metal models be cheaper than plastic then ?

When one is comparing straight currency, it is okay to translate one unit to another.  However, the economics of making a figure in the economy of one country, shipping to another, and then paying taxes, tariffs or other "balances," one can, hardly, gauge one to another.