A question about GW mini alternatives

[ealiff]

Hey all,

A little background: I started playing 40k a few months ago and picked up Grey Knights as my army of choice. Love the idea behind Paladins and just liked the overall feel of the army. After realizing that I had begun my 40k career by picking one of the possibly cheesiest armies, I decided to branch out into other segments of the GK codex, specifically the Inquisition side. I liked the flexibility of different henchmen within that section, but was frustrated by how difficult it would be to find those models; no GW store carries them, and the price for them seemed annoyingly high to get a good variety of the minis. That is where my question comes in. I found a site (yoymart.com) that sells what appear to be 40k minis (knock-offs?) at a nice discount. I decided to purchase a few of the Jokaero Weaponsmiths (http://www.yoymart.com/en/games-toys/warhammer/warhammer-40k-model/warhammer-40k-grey-knight-jokaero-weaponsmith.html)
as those were one of the henchmen units that first caught my eye.
After purchasing them, I'm fairly happy with how they look. I haven't had a chance yet to paint them, so the jury is still out there. My question, though, is this: how does the rest of the community look at sites like these? I apologize in advance if I have opened Pandora's box!

[Morgrim]

The reason no stores were carrying them is they're a rarely purchased item so considered a waste of shelf space. However if you ask your local GW store they can order it in for you and the company will simply send it along with the next regular delivery to the store, which is handy because you don't have to pay any shipping costs.

As for opinions: using alternate sculpts produced by different manufacturers is widely accepted, especially if they're a similar size and aesthetic. So if you bought a cyberape from, say, Reaper* or even an ape that you then added a simple greenstuff backpack or a bit of sculpting around a tau bit/necron scarab then very few people would object unless the size was wildly different. In fact they'd probably congratulate you.

However, active recasting of GW models is not taken well at all. Which is what that model is. That, or it is a shoddy knockoff that will look nothing like the picture, and the reason they stole the picture off the website was to conceal that fact. (Granted you said you have the model so that is unlikely. On the other hand they're offering the Forgeworld Fulgrim model for $19, I am uncertain that would even cover the cost of the raw materials, there is no WAY that thing will be good quality and I'd automatically think they're a scam that's never going to send anything.)


*I have no idea if Reaper produces a cyberape but I wouldn't put it past them

[lattd]

The fact the riptide is cast in resin means it's a recast, but then I saw it was from China and I wasn't surprised.

[Psychosplodge]

Aye, it's got FW stuff too...

[lattd]

I suspect a resin riptide is horrible to build carry look after etc, I suspect China's authorities will turn the other cheek if anyone complains.

[Psychosplodge]

What outrages me more is them reproducing the limited edition models.

[ealiff]

I appreciate the responses--I definitely feel the bind of wanting to find the most cost-efficient way to enjoy this hobby and not wanting to offend those that I might game with. In regards to the henchmen--do any of know if just using IG Guardsmen is acceptable for Warrior Acolytes? I personally would like to outfit my Warrior Acolytes with the Vostroyan Firstborn models (love that Russian look!) but again--hard to find. Suggestions?

[Wolfshade]

A cost effective way is to buy from ebay and strip.

[Psychosplodge]

If you explain that the guards men count as henchmen, and are consistent it should be fine. so don't have four identically armed models counting as different things?

[Arkhan Land]

page 2 "Warhammer 40K Parts Rhino Changes to Porcupine"

I S*** you not

[Katharon]

page 2 "Warhammer 40K Parts Rhino Changes to Porcupine"

I S*** you not

It's a thing of beauty. (The descriptions)

[lobster-overlord]

as to the note on Reaper, they do make 2 different cyber apes. one is a smaller one which is in the chronoscope line, and another, gorilla, Ape-X, which is in the chronoscope line, P65 line, and now in Bones plastic.

john m.

[Psychosplodge]

Not a poor translation of razorback?

[Mr Mystery]

Cynical mind says....

Report them to GW.

Crafty cynical mind says....

Report them to GW by buying one of their shoddy knock offs, and showing it to GW, who at one point, and to my best knowledge, still, offer to give you a bona fide replacement one!

[Arkhan Land]

Not a poor translation of razorback?

im sure it is, but still pretty funnt, they got most everything else spelled/translated right

also for mr mystery, damn thats a crazy policy but probably worthwhile espeically if some of those bigger models are real dupes and it isnt a scam.

[Kaptain Badrukk]

I've had a very thorough browse through Yoymart now, and it's deffo a fakes site. (Duh!)
I may perform an experiment or two to find out how bad they are (unemployed ATM so can't afford legit toys anyway).
As for the GW policy mentioned above it was historically true, but I doubt that exploiting it cynically like that would last long.

[Hapes]

I just recently got a thunderfire cannon and tech marine from Aliexpress definetly a china recast knock off but it honestly came out perfectly fine. Model looks great and was LITERALLY half the cost. 21$ shipped to my door.
I would buy from them again.

[Katharon]

GW as a company has no power to make a Chinese company based in China to cease and desist. They can try to raise a stink at the Chinese embassy or trade reps in the UK and in China, but other than that -- nothing can be done. China can just flip them the bird and keep on walking.

[Psychosplodge]

Did you ever see the chinese version of the X5? Apparently totally different :D

[lobster-overlord]

so can GW do anything to people in the US or UK who buy from yoymart such as if you out yourself on a thread such as this?

[Katharon]

so can GW do anything to people in the US or UK who buy from yoymart such as if you out yourself on a thread such as this?

1) Did you admit in clear language that you buy from this particular company?

2) Do TO's know you by your forum handle "lobster-overlord" or your real name? Are the two connected in anyway IRL?

3) No, they can't do anything to you. They'll just disbar you from participating in events.

[Psychosplodge]

Apart from trying to get customs to impound them? I'd imagine not.

[lattd]

Well they could spend a lot of money to get your ip to find your address and then bring legal action against you but it's not worth it.

[Katharon]

Well they could spend a lot of money to get your ip to find your address and then bring legal action against you but it's not worth it.

No they can't. That's invasion of privacy. They cannot sue you for buying something from a third party company, even if its a knock-off of their merchandise. That's you buying X-item from Company ABC. They can try to go after Company ABC, but they cannot go after you.

If they tried to do something like this, you could successfully counter-sue them for invasion of privacy, among other things that a good attorney can tell you.

[Mr Mystery]

so can GW do anything to people in the US or UK who buy from yoymart such as if you out yourself on a thread such as this?

As others have said, they wouldn't come after the buyer.

But, buyer beware. If it's a knock off, it's almost certainly not safety checked. Different resins can be really, really nasty stuff. GW are subject to EU and UK laws. Dodgy reproductions? Not so much.

Also, very interested as to what Googleads might say to a company advertising knock offs?