LotR releases for Desolation of Smaug

[Momotaro]

The first wave of releases for the new film are here:

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/armySubUnitCatsLarge.jsp?catId=cat970003a&rootCatGameStyle=athletic

First thoughts:

No boxed game to go with the new movie?  That's a first.  Desolation of Smaug is book only, a rather slim 64-pager.

Elves.  Lots of elves.  The rangers look decent though, and the royal guard have a leafy theme that is at least different.  You can tell male elves from females, apparently, because the females have curved bows...

Thranduil and the "dwarves in barrels" set are the only Finecast models.  Legolas and Tauriel are multipart plastics (GW has done some great models this way recently, so no complaints from me), others are described as "resin".

Beorn in man-form, but no bear.

Prices insane, but probably best to take complaints about that to the stickied thread in Open Talk.

This really feels like quite a low-key release.  It's not a bad starting lineup, I just feel a bit sad considering how much GW had built up the LotR line.

[Johnno]

The dwarves in barrels look cool. A nice interpretation since I wouldn't pay $65 for a set of        " waterlogged barrels" 

[fastolfrus]

Prices insane, but probably best to take complaints about that to the stickied thread in Open Talk.
This really feels like quite a low-key release.  It's not a bad starting lineup, I just feel a bit sad considering how much GW had built up the LotR line.

Presume it's all down to the choice of the accountants.
Maybe sales of LoTR are slowing up or maybe they don't think this film will be a big seller?
I suppose it's a bit of a surprise not to have a Smaug to desolate with?
I would have expected something big like the Mumak.
Shouldn't there be Men of Dale as well? or is that only in the 3rd film?
Possibly lake buildings (visualising something like the Airfix jungle hut on stilts) and boats too.

I haven't seen the hobbit film yet. Or the trailer.

[doowopapocalypse]

I think men of dale are already up. Dunno about a Bard or the Town Master, though....

[Vermis]

Prices insane, but probably best to take complaints about that to the stickied thread in Open Talk.

Trouble is, that's the most notable thing about it.

And the thing about GW not wanting it to compete internally with both flavours of Warhammer, but better than another company using the Tolkien properties to compete with Warhammer, so they give it the minimum of attention and a meh when working out the price.

Otherwise, I think I'd sooner buy a bunch of Renedra barrels and Hasslefree heads, and bodge beards on 'em.

[Doomhippie]

I like the Elven models. All of them. But that's a rather big investment....

Beorn Looks utter crap, but I'm afraid that's Mr Jackson's fault. Gosh, he is supposed to be a chieftain/shaman of some northman culture not some post apocalyptic maniac from Madmax...

And I don't fancy those Dalemen either. They look way too... Asiatic from their whole attire. I've always imagined them more like Rohirrim light, so to speak.

[fastolfrus]

And I don't fancy those Dalemen either. They look way too... Asiatic from their whole attire. I've always imagined them more like Rohirrim light, so to speak.

Rohan marines perhaps?

Hadn't seen the Dale men previously - I expected them on the Desolation page.
See what you mean about the odd appearance.

[Momotaro]

Trouble is, that's the most notable thing about it.

I know, but I figured we should stay on-topic for the Fantasy forum

Beorn Looks utter crap, but I'm afraid that's Mr Jackson's fault.

I said the same about the Hobbit Goblins across in the Open Talk sticky thread - lovely models with a ton of uses, except as high-fantasy goblins.  And it's not even GW's fault...

[joe5mc]

I think the lack of a box set, and the strange release pattern of Hobbit miniatures so far is down to the late decision to split it from 2 movies into three. I think all of these minis would have been part of a first movie release/

It is interesting to compare the price of the dwarves in barrels (£40 for 13 figs or at least half figs) with the price of the white council from a year before (£45 for 4 figs). Perhaps even GW realized they crossed a line. I think it's a cute set. A bit pointless from a gaming perspective, but good for a diorama.

While I'm not a huge fan of the look of Beorn, its not that far from the Mithril minis version. And in the Hobbit he is more presented as a grim loner - the idea of the Beorning race doesn't come until the Lord of the Rings.

I like the elf rangers, but the armoured ones look like they are wearing bug helmets or something.

[Vermis]

Doomhippie: I'm not even fond of the mini. Looks a touch too stiff.

John Howe's Beorn is still the closest to the first image that formed in my head, way back with that first read. Alan Lee's ain't bad either.

http://www.john-howe.com/portfolio/gallery/details.php?image_id=966
http://alan-and-john.tumblr.com/post/39376528584/beorn-gandalf-and-bilbo-by-alan-lee

Like you say, he's a big dark ages dude with a big dark ages beard. No need to go all weird with the Wolverine-meets-trollslayer-and-bedhead-gel thing!

Dalemen? You mean the royal guard? Thranduil's royal guard...?

On that note, Thranduil's crown... collar... whatever... looks too much like that of a bunch of Warhammer vampires and necromancers for my tastes. In general... dang. I know elves are supposed to be a bit otherworldly and different in culture, but that thing just looks ridiculous, perched on his cheekbones.

Joe: Sorry! Beorn's mentioned as welcoming the woodmen for yule, and becoming a great chief and ancestor of skinchangers afterwards, when they stop at his hall on the return journey.

[M.P.]

I'm unimpressened to say the least. But I really don't like Jackson's imagery of Tolkien's works.

[Hammers]

Shouldn't there be Men of Dale as well? or is that only in the 3rd film?

There is a set already in peculiar hunnic hats:



£15 for a single resin model. It is so contra-intuitive that their price model works.  

[AndrewBeasley]

Been trying hard to avoid looking before seeing the film but just failed 

The rangers are neat and I'm in love with Legolas (I know - not really in the book etc etc) and the Thrain singles but I'll wait till they come on eBay in the new year for a few pound less as unwanted presents     

[grant]

The lack of a starter is down to GW relegating LOTR to specialist games status now. Retailers are no longer required to carry the line beyond a meager box of the old unexpected journey. A sad beginning of the end for LotR. GW has priced it into oblivion. Well done!

The minis are disappointing generally this time - uninspired, although that may be just the movie visual which isn't anywhere near what the LoTR movies were, and Peter Jackson's horrible decision to make up his own Hobbit story rather than following one of the classic stories of fantasy. Better than Tolkien? Not a chance, Jackson. Such a shame.

I will only be picking up the book this round as I have all the others back to the beginning. I bought the Fellowship game release week, and was a big fan of the game early on. My old club used to have more LOTR players than 40k, and we had 75 members at one point! Our LotR tourneys were epic and great fun.

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

I am very surpriesd and disappointed by this launch.

I had expected a new boxed set and some impressive plastic kits (Smaug, mirkwood spiders).  Instead, we appear to only have figures for a small part of the film.
Of the figures that are there, only the plastic Mirkwoood elves are vaguely interesting.
This will be my lowest spend ever on new LOTR / Hobbit stuff.

Mick