Has anyone noticed that most of the old catalogue from the hobbit and LOTR miniatures, mainly heroes and single units has been discountinued on GW website?
Hope is just temporary...

Most likely just repacking, but one could hope.

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Hopefully, yes, just repacking or changing item codes etc.

Some of the models are still metal which they sell at lower prices than the finecast models

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Having got back into the game after a gap of 10 years, I have been working my way through the models I never got round to purchasing first time around. Whilst being delighted that GW are reissuing their rule set and profiles, I was somewhat miffed to discover they have removed a number of hero figures from their available models. Some from their hobbit range as well. Is there any news from Games Workshop on their intensions? I've got Bard the Bowman (foot only), Thranduil King of Woodland (M & F), Elladan (M&F), Elrohir (M&F), Galadriel, Celeborn, Erestor and Armoured Glorfindel on my wish list that has just hit a dead end.

They give with one hand and take with the other!

I believe the Middle-earth team has committed to making every model available again, at least for some period of time. So if you have the patience, I don't think you'll need to worry. Most likely they will just repackage those models and create new entries for them. A lot of stuff has disappeared from my wishlist too (listed as out of stock), but new entries have been added, such as the Haradrim Raiders, which don't automatically appear in my wishlist but which are available for order.

It could also have to do with re-arranging the categories. Saruman and Grima were listed under 'Scenery' for example. Maybe some models got lost in transition and will turn up again once they've completely sorted it all out.

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Right now the website is down for maintenance, so I'm betting you're right. It's too much of a coincidence that all those models disappeared at once.

Well, the website is back up, and the missing minis are still not there. Must have just been routine maintenance.

I had heard some talk that they were going to be phasing out some of the Hobbit stuff, and that seems to match what is currently going on. I hope it is not true, and that they at least bring them back at some point.

Mounted Elrond and Radagast with sled are gone, to name a few. I wonder if the missing models profiles are in the new rulebook? If not, that doesn't bode very well.

Yep, the minis arent back. I cant assure how many had been removed, but can see that both metal and finecast miniatures are gone. White Council, Fimbul, Haldir... mainly heroes.
It doesnt make sense to bring out a new edition of the game and remove a large number of miniatures at the same time.

You wouldn't think so, and you're right it's mostly heroes - it may be all heroes, in fact.

Does anyone have the new rulebooks yet so they can confirm whether or not those models that disappeared are in the profiles? I ordered mine, but it's not supposed to get here until Saturday.

I wish they would give us a heads up before they do this sort of thing, so I would have the chance to grab some of them before they're gone.

Don't have the books yet, but I read something about Elrond conferring a 100% bow allowance on Rivendell Knights (now in the combined High Elf list, but this way allowing and old style full Knight army), so certainly can't see mounted Elrond no longer being a thing. There aren't many profiles in the Hobbit line with multiple sculpts (the few duplicates might be at risk), so can't see any "phasing out of the Hobbit stuff" being a thing either - remember, this is not LotR SBG V4.0, but Middle-earth SBG, encompassing both lines, and with a soon to be released book with all Hobbit profiles. The idea to have every profile playable with a model still exists. Figures are being repackaged (physical packaging changes, or the contents are mixed with other blisters) or at times possibly to be replaced with new sculpts. Don't panic. Multiple profiels are sometimes merged (official article used Elrond as an example), but no named characters suddenly disappear entirely.

The Armies of the LOTR is about only LOTR miniatures. Some dissapeared models have profiles (like Haldir or Rumil), but theres not a single Hobbit profile in the book. In the first page GW says theres going to be a Armies of the Hobbit soon.
The new armies book has a lot of profiles for long time out of production models like Forlong, Arathorn... So recently apparently discontinued models have profiles on the new books.

I can't see any Elronds on the site at all now ... not the mounted one, nor the last alliance version with Gil-Galad, nor the white council versions. Or Galadriel. Or some of the Hobbit models (eg. young Thorin, young Dwalin).

They can't keep models like Elrond/Galadriel off sale, so they must come back at some point. Possibly the Gandalf the White on the rearing horse is gone for good, as he's being replaced with the new plastic version we saw with Pippin.

It is a bit odd that they took so many models off the site just when the game was re-launched and I imagine the new army book inspired a lot of people (like me) to go to the site to pick up some new models, only to find they're not on sale. Forge World has started issuing warnings of "last chance to buy" before models are removed, which is good.

I guess we'll wait to see what comes back, and when they start the made-to-order offers for Middle Earth that they've talked about. They've hinted that pretty much all the old out-of-production models could come back as made-to-order at some point or other.

I hope they are repackaging or changing something as i dont think they have run out of stock of all those models at once. Removing them from the store and keeping the stock out of sale is plain and simply stupid. As is taking out the Heroes as i suppose they are the bestselling items in the line.
For sure GW wont tell us anything about this. We will see some of them back or not, but wont know when or what to expect.
The only thing that could be awesome is the end of the finecast models. Move them to forgeworld or cast them in plastic.

Ah, I wasn't aware of that. I thought the new profile book included ALL of the characters. Maybe they've removed some of the Hobbit stuff to focus on the LOTR line for the moment. Seems odd there are no Elronds or Galadriels though.


I haven't seen that. Have any of the middle earth models had this warning?


Probably closest to the truth.

GW have made a post on the Community site regarding this:

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2018/09/06/look-to-the-east-for-classic-models-return/

Good news, really nice to see them addressing the community concerns too

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Soon Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone!

Well, that's good news. I was going to post that I got my rulebook today and that many of the missing models are pictured, but I guess there's no point now...

Anyway, the article slinky linked to said "many of these models will be returning in new packaging in the not-too-distant future".

Interesting that it doesn't say they will ALL be back, it just says "many". I'm also wondering about the new packaging. I hope they don't get bundled into bunches, where I have to buy three models I already have to get one that I want. Hopefully they're just literally talking about the packaging. Oh well, good news overall.

Some will return i just hope that they dont make bundles forcing us to buy models that already have to get some others.
About repackaging... i just get used to that white boxes that almost everything i bought from GW has shipped to me.

just asking where is the profiles of Old Dain and Radagast?..