Games Workshop paints

Ahead of the curve as ever, I thought I'd mention my views on the new GW paints. I know everybody has an opinion about Games Workshop. Love it or hate it but deal with it. I haven't been a regular there for a long time. I am kind of put off by the after school club feel it has most of the time more than what they sell and how they do business.

When I do go there, I go to buy paint. I am not a paint guru nor am I obsessed by any particular type of paint or bottle. I have paint from six different manufacturers on my paint table.

They have changed their paint range recently. This caused me to do a little panic buying so I have been into the shops a few times just to stock up on the stuff I wouldn't want to do without. Whilst there I took the he company that made them because the opportunity to look at the new range.

Firstly, it's a big range. 145 different paints. Nearly all completely new. I like this. There is some talk of this being a branding exercise. So what. Colours are just colours. There may be some specifics but some are just a shade of regular colours and it would be difficult not to match them. It might be their IP but as a community we go crazy over people infringing smaller manufacturers IP. Peter Pig and GZG have had problems with copyright theft I have been told.

With the old colours they were off the shelf stuff that can be purchased from any number of paint companies. When Citadel last completely changed their range, all the paints old paints were still available from the old suppler because they were off the shelf paints.



Another point is that they seem to have listened to their clients. This should be seen as a good thing. The number of greys, greens and browns has increased and these are the core colours for most mini painters. Hell there are even three pinks available. No mess, no mixing, just slosh it on. They have brought back the stay open lid and improved the quality of the paint. It is as good as all the best paints on the market now. The range is a guide in itself promoting better painting. Who can't use some help with their skills?

I am sure there is going to be a new range of books and lots of articles for White Dwarf. So what. I never much liked D+D but my mates play it so pretty much I have to play it. Even so, I drew the line at buying the 4th edition. If you don't like it you aren't going to buy it anyway. Import stuff from France and Spain instead.

GW is a hobby in itself but is also a feed in to the wider hobby. It's put a game shop on every high street in the UK. I even remember seeing one in Malaga once. It promotes the hobby. We aren't seen as nerds (well maybe not as nerdy) or devil worshippers any more. That has to be worth something.

I haven't got any minis from GW in ten years and haven't played their games in twenty but they still have an impact on the industry as a whole but there are plenty of people that do. Give them, and the people who use GW paint a break.