Trying to understand Archive purchases

[zombietots]

So I can better understand this. If I wanted to purchase, say

Venom 9.95 + 8.00 archive fee
Kabuto 8.50 + 8.00 archive fee
Daimyo 10.50 + 8.00 archive fee
Strider 10.50 + 8.00 archive fee

I would spend = 71.45  :'(

But if I got
(2) venom 9.95 ea. + 8.00 archive fee once
(2) Kabuto 8.50 ea. + 8.00 archive fee once

I would spend = 52.00

and then the next week I ordered
Venom 9.95 + 8.00 archive fee again

Is this correct, and if so, why is the archive fee being charged again? :-[
This is very disheartening, considering alot of the mechs and vehicles I want appear to be in the archives.

[Brother Jim]

You're being charged the archive fee for each separate mold they have to go get (the archived molds are kept in a different location), then they have to warm up the molds (I believe this is done by using them several times before they get a casting that's good enough to sell).

That's why getting more than 1 of an archived mini at the same time doesn't cost you the archive fee multiple times.

[JadeHellbringer]

Exactly. The key is the mold warm-up, which takes time to do.

Note that archived miniatures are in archive because they don't sell particularly well, so it's not like they're benching things like the Atlas or Mad Cat. Keep an eye out- the polls here bring a few miniatures out of archive every month, so make your vote known if you see one that you need on the poll list.

Also, always worth remembering that if you don't want to pay that archive fee (which can be pretty rough for a single mini, I admit), there's always looking on places like BVtraders or even Ebay to see if you can find the miniature you're looking for there.

[qc mech3]

Also look in the Mech pack section of the online exclusives. A lot of them have 1 or 2 archived mini in the lance/star and you won't have to pay the archive fee.

[JadeHellbringer]

Also look in the Mech pack section of the online exclusives. A lot of them have 1 or 2 archived mini in the lance/star and you won't have to pay the archive fee.

Oh- good call, that hadn't occurred to me. Yes, that's a good way to get your hands on some of them! While not an archive situation, I did just this a while back to get my hands on a Vindicator- I needed one for a game, didn't have time to order one in, but one came in a lance pack with a Cyclops, an Atlas, and a Hunchback, and my FLGS actually did have the pack in stock. (Four years later, I still haven't painted the other three!)

[Jal Phoenix]

At least two of those minis are currently available on Ebay right now, without an archive fee.  Don't be afraid to shop around.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you want to support IWM.  Is making them drive offsite to grab four molds they don't normally use, heat those molds with multiple castings that consume lots of time, energy and resources, and distract them from other work just so you can get a lousy four miniatures really the best way you can think of to support them?

Note, I'm using the colloquial "you" here, not addressing anyone in particular.  I'm just tired of that argument. 

[Crimson_Langur_1970]

There's also ninja-shoppers at Gen Con--don't sell that short as the entire archive appears to be available there.

[Khell]

Oh- good call, that hadn't occurred to me. Yes, that's a good way to get your hands on some of them! While not an archive situation, I did just this a while back to get my hands on a Vindicator- I needed one for a game, didn't have time to order one in, but one came in a lance pack with a Cyclops, an Atlas, and a Hunchback, and my FLGS actually did have the pack in stock. (Four years later, I still haven't painted the other three!)

True, but do be forewarned that some of the boxed lances have different sculpts than the true blister in the archive.  In some cases it's good, like with the Fire Lance's Catapult (which is the different LRM-15 model), but others are cheaper / smaller printings of the mech, like the Trebuchet from the same set which has its arm-mounted LRM-15 shrunk down to a -5.  (Yes, I realize neither the Treb or Cat are archive, but it's a good illustrative example).

[Men Shen]

The best way to get archived mechs is to hit a convention where iron winds will be at. When  go to conventions my purchases are almost always archived items. They have almost everything, he didn't have any Tessen's the last time I went to a convention but I bet bet he will next time.

[cavingjan]

If there is something specific you want to get, email them (early enough that they can do something) and they can try to make sure it is not only there but also set aside for you.

[Azakael]

I've also heard that if you place a large enough order, they tend to wave the archive fee. So it might behoove you to group together with other people to make a much larger order. Of course TPTB might correct me on this. Heh.

[Khell]

I've also heard that if you place a large enough order, they tend to wave the archive fee.

Part of me wonders if this is true, and another part of me wonders how much is "large enough".

[mike19k]

Part of me wonders if this is true, and another part of me wonders how much is "large enough".

I would also love to know, as I have been buying them when there are in the special release. I am in the process of building units for each faction and several of the units I need lots of are archived. My last order had 16 Chameleon as one of the units I am building is a training company for each House. If there is a $$ amount or same unit number would be great to know.