If you had to choose with only $500 to your name...

Sacrilege83 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 1:51 am

Smaug is that iconic dragon yet overpriced as rumoured. And then you have a selection of iconic book characters plus different choice of armies. How do you choose as a collector? A gamer would undoubtedly choose an army to field.

JamesR · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 3:17 am

I'm having this exact same struggle. The painter/collector in me wants Smaug because it's a magnificent piece. The gamer in me wants $500 of other minis to continue making a playable competitive force for every faction

LordoftheBrownRing · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 8:47 am

NO offense to anyone. But Im actually sickened by the thought anyone would choose Smaug over all the rest of the beauty that you can pick up.

:shock:

Smaug is pretty much a trophy piece with no substance. Its good for master collectors, modelers, and painters. But otherwise Id enjoy more of the story with some of the other beautiful new models.

Id even choose $500 worth of models from this new set over Smaug.

Id enjoy countless more hours with those heros on the table re living every battle. :yay:

abcdefg · **Joined:** Mon May 28, 2012 3:52 pm **Posts:** 273

I personally did choose the non-Smaug option. But I wouldn't say Smaug having no substance. I've never played a game in my life nor have any wish to. My interest is purely in terms of the books and collecting/modelling. I don't think miniatures have to have a game-based use to have 'substance'. As I said, rules/gaming has no real substance to me. It all depends on your interests really

Oldman Willow · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 2:35 pm

I would hold on to all the money or spend it with another company. Fine Cast is not an option.

Creaky · **Joined:** Thu Nov 07, 2013 9:26 pm **Posts:** 424

Smaug ought to be the pride of a collection, not the collection in itself (there are other options if you just want a cool Smaug model, not least from WETA). So I'd have to give him a miss, in that situation.

Jamros · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 5:30 pm

I chose Smaug, actually. Little to none of the Hobbit range appeals to me from a collecting/modelling standpoint, and I haven't played (or really even wanted to play) the game in who knows how long. If it was $500 to spend on miniatures in general, I would have taken that option; however, I would much rather have what I assume will be an amazing collectors' model than $500 worth of miniatures I don't really want at all.

There's no way I'll actually end up buying Smaug though.

Sacrilege83 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 5:39 pm

It would be great to have a Smaug model, but how could this cost more that a new gen gaming console? How can I justify buying a resin model at that price? Besides I would rather have a choice of models with heroes instead. There's only two years left in the license, that's not enough time to just put Smaug on the back burner to buy later. The only way I would get this guy is if I have no vacation plans and need no new clothes, video games, and automobile repairs. Maybe 4 years would be plenty of time to save, but not 2. Wish I was a doctor or technical engineer...

JamesR · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 6:29 pm

Personally I don't enjoy videogames so the comparison to console prices is lost on me. But I agree the price is WAY too much. There's no way to justify that from GW's perspective other than greed.
I love the model, and painting is my favorite part of the hobby, idk though if I can justify to myself that kind of expenditure for a single model

LordoftheBrownRing · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 8:31 pm

abcdefg wrote:

I personally did choose the non-Smaug option. But I wouldn't say Smaug having no substance. I've never played a game in my life nor have any wish to. My interest is purely in terms of the books and collecting/modelling. I don't think miniatures have to have a game-based use to have 'substance'. As I said, rules/gaming has no real substance to me. It all depends on your interests really

I totally understand what you're saying but I get certain products just for their look as well and Smaug is by far not worth it.

I can't have a Smaug sit in my house like a picture frame doing nothing.

Sacrilege83 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 9:46 pm

JamesR wrote:

I love the model, and painting is my favorite part of the hobby, idk though if I can justify to myself that kind of expenditure for a single model

Can't say I love it because there isn't a proper pic of it yet, but it's shaping up to be good. Been waiting to see a Smaug model like everyone else, was disappointed that PJ attached his forelimbs to his wings (That could be another reason to some why he's not worth the money), no matter. The only way I could justify this kind of purchase is as a final GW model purchase for my hobby (the last round and no more). The only thing I would keep on purchasing are the paints.

I compare it to gaming consoles because you have a not well received resin material of a model spanning maybe 12" that is un-assembled, unpainted and just sits pretty as a collector item. Gaming consoles are mini computers, advancement of technology, blu-ray players etc. that is totally worth the $400 price tag, and provides a hell of a lot more entertainment than a miniature. I could tell my family and friends I bought a $400 console, they'll raise an eyebrow that I can afford such a machine, but will totally understand the price value. I would be ashamed to tell my friends and family that I bought a $500 resin dragon, they'll be shocked I paid so much for what they consider to be a toy collection. Though a few of my friends understand the value in collector items and the enjoyment of a hobby but they would still consider me crazy for purchasing Smaug. I would never say the price, I would lie and say $150 and they would still think I'm a bit nuts. Actually I'm totally down to pay between $150-$230 for it if it were the price, and that's still expensive. If we were talking about non inflated prices (mid-2000's good old days), plastic/metal, I can understand $100-$120

abcdefg · **Joined:** Mon May 28, 2012 3:52 pm **Posts:** 273

JamesR wrote:

otally understand what you're saying but I get certain products just for their look as well and Smaug is by far not worth it.

I can't have a Smaug sit in my house like a picture frame doing nothing.

We're on the same page with that!

Oldman Willow · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 10:33 pm

I noticed about 30% of the people who responded to the poll in the other thread said they would buy it anyway. That seems to be holding here.

In two recent Kickstarters one very expensive the other only moderate so, 125 people Vs 800 were needed for the $150,000 end pledge. It really does not matter if most people won't buy it. Some people will. Most probably enough.

Sacrilege83 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 10:44 pm

Oldman Willow wrote:

In two recent Kickstarters one very expensive the other only moderate so, 125 people Vs 800 were needed for the $150,000 end pledge. It really does not matter if most people won't buy it. Some people will. Most probably enough.

Get what you're saying, but if I was a business man I would rather have a wider client base than a select few, especially since the business thrives having a community backing it.

Oldman Willow · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 10:50 pm

You are correct I would rather have a large client base and a community. Sadly it may not be a necessity.

Lhosseth · **Joined:** Sat Nov 22, 2014 7:51 pm **Posts:** 72

abcdefg wrote:

JamesR wrote:

otally understand what you're saying but I get certain products just for their look as well and Smaug is by far not worth it.

I can't have a Smaug sit in my house like a picture frame doing nothing.

We're on the same page with that!

You can put me on the same page as well.

I'd rather have several models I can get away with too, than one big expensive one. Added to that, if I would spend the money on Smaug, I would miss out on many of my favorite characters, over a character that means less to me. Please let me be happy with my Elves instead

And cool as he might be, I could never justify the price of Smaug here lol Hey, I was already happy my Mirkwood Elves arrived in a BIG box today, so the other member of the house did not have to ask 'you paid THAt much for a box with a few little figueres?

Sacrilege83 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 11, 2014 9:42 pm

I might just have to make this choice now.

A local store is having a holiday special that will go on for quite a while, 25% off. Best part is they can order web exclusives, but I'm not sure of the limitations. Anyway I might have the opportunity to get Smaug at discount at an even cheaper price than the UK, that's if he doesn't sell out again a second time (likely he will) which would make my choice easy just by having it taken away. Even with the discount he's still mad expensive. I could just get the other models I want instead. If I do get Smaug that will drastically change my wishlist budget and cut it down by half. Dilemmas.

By the way I'm well aware I contradict myself a lot on these boards, nothing new. I'm like Gollum, I love and hate myself for sticking to this hobby. I hate the business practices, trying to restrain myself because of it, but I must have the gorgeous looking models much like a junky. So really thinking on Smaug. And I just bought a PS4! :roll:

Toxic · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 10:45 am **Posts:** 54

Smaug is nice and all but he's not worth that. So I'd go with $500 worth of trolls, orcs and goblins.

SouthernDunedain · **Posted:** Sun Dec 21, 2014 9:43 pm

Smaug...because he is Smaug. I have a large enough backlog so adding £295 worth of small toys will only make it bigger. Plus Smaug...

rumtap · **Posted:** Mon Dec 22, 2014 2:53 am

If this poll was in Australian dollars you would still be fifty bucks short of owning a dragon!

I'd spend the money on lots and lots of other troops. I want that dragon but you can get a LOT of other stuff for that sort of money.

If you had to choose with only $500 to your name...

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