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GW Kits & Soft Covers – Port and Print Delays

By Rob Baer | March 1st, 2015 | Categories: Editorials, Games Workshop
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With the latest port delays happening out in Long Beach, Games Workshop’s stock levels in North America are starting to feel the punch.

It’s unclear whether some plastics are imported from China and then packaged in the USA, or if some of the stock from Nottingham comes thought the western US ports, BUT a lot of plastic kits are out of stock currently.

Confirmed out of stock to trade sale accounts and/or GW direct; Blood Angels Tactical Squads, Tomb Blades, Drop Pods, Lychguard, LICTORS, Crypteks, and of course the Harlequin Codex looks to still be not yet available sector wide in North America.

But now there may be a different trend forming. According to Games Workshop Customer Service, the company may be attempting to pull back some printing from China with the purchase of a printing company closer to home.

The idea is said to be that they can handle Soft Cover reprints / or even first runs, and crank out the White Dwarf Magazine.

If you remember back in early January there was rumors of codex and army books being re-printed in soft cover. and sold for less.

Brass Scorpion over at SpikeyBits Forum said this:

“Some of you astute GW customers out there may have noticed that the Tomb Kings army book has been out of print for a few months. This is because it is moving to paperback! The new price will also be significantly cheaper too. Instead of the $49.50 US hardback Army book price it will be about $37 US and change. Perhaps we can presume this shift to cheaper paperbacks will be seen in other Army and Codex books over time. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

And checkout what appeared on Games Workshop’s site a few weeks later;

Warhammer: Tomb Kings $37 

This 96-page full-colour softback Warhammer Army book contains all the rules you need to field a Tomb Kings army, as well as detailed background information, bestiary, accompanying artwork and miniatures showcase.

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So perhaps we’ll see better restock times on books, and more cheaper codex offerings in the near future once supply chains start to stabilize from the port strike.  Both of which seem good with it comes to our hobby.

Have codex prices peaked, or is it just easier to handle reprints and on demand runs of books closer to home?

Full Price Rumor Roundup

4-10-2015 Update-

Ad Mech Codex ‘produced and printed in the UK’ 

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About the Author: Rob Baer

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Rob Baer

Job Title: Managing Editor

Founded Spikey Bits in 2009

Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X

About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.

Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls. 

Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.

Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.

With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.

While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.