David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Thursday 16 November 2023

A Gift!

We were in Birmingham for the day yesterday, ostensibly visiting the city's Frankfurt Christmas Market, and generally having a mooch about the shopping centres. In truth I don't much care for Brum (as we locals call it) and we only pop in twice a year when our cars are being serviced ( The Metro stop is opposite Holdcroft's and of course it's free to we geriatrics!) Enough background anyhow: we were in Waterstones when I spied this on the bottom shelf~

At an eye watering £74.95 I'd picked it up and promptly put it down like a hot potato! Who makes up these prices for bits of cardboard and paper? Anyway, Sue promptly bought it for me! Will it ever be played? Who can say, but it has a solo player option so perhaps it will?

Meanwhile, back to painting the Grenadier company of the 9th Foot for my Crimean War project...

17 comments:

  1. I had the original and picked up a copy of the new game a couple of months ago. It is excellent value and of a high production quality. Well done to the team who produced it and adding the original map for use.


    Willz.

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    1. I noticed Andy told you the price he paid, I got mine for £55 including postage. So to me excellent value, in 1978 ish when I first bought it for £10 that equates to £74 in today's prices.

      Willz.

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    2. £10 sounds about right to me for some bits of coloured card. At least with Risk say, you get plastic playing pieces.

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  2. Printed cardstock ain't cheap these days apparently.

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    1. Apparently it is priced as I intimated in the first reply. Much in our hobby vastly overpriced.

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  3. I played and enjoyed the original years ago.
    Currently on Amazon at £57.00

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  4. The pricing is in keeping with many other boardgames. I understand the new version has a better solo capability. It would likely make a good scenario generator / campain generator for the figure gamer.

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    1. If you are right about the pricing Norm then they are all overpriced for what is basically bits of coloured card. Still, as it cost me nowt I shouldn't whinge on should I? I just feel the cost of living crisis is being exploited by many areas of life.

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  5. David, David you are showing your age. Everyone knows you have to pay over the odds for everything. I dont think its got anything to do with this weeks latest crisis and more to do with people desperate to make up for two years without making money. Luckily pensioners in the UK can moan with impunity whilst playing with their toys.

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    1. Robbie, I like the idea of moaning with impunity. Should I do more of it do you advise?

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  6. A nice treat from your wife but for me, too expensive even though I might find it useful to run campaigns. As others have said, printing costs have shot up since Covid, but even so, to me it is rather pricey to say the least.

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    1. I tend to agree with you SteveJ! I hope to have a run through over the holiday period.

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  7. Pricing throughout the hobby I think is difficult to get your head around Dave... I've owned and played many boardgames, including the aforementioned, and enjoyed many hundreds of hours doing so over the years. One could easily apply the same pricing mystery over bits of metal/plasitc and over-priced terrain? If it's not "your thing" it's difficult to see value in it...
    Well done sue for stepping in and making the right decision! 😉

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    1. I must echo that final sentiment, just in case...

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