Author Topic: Buy IWM in Europe?  (Read 11321 times)

Elmoth

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 3414
  • Periphery fanboy
Buy IWM in Europe?
« on: 11 April 2019, 08:19:18 »
Hello!

I was about to click "buy" in IWM's webpage for a pair of LAMs (3 models each) when the shipping price hit me in the face like a PPC and my wallet started yelling something unpleasant. Shipping cost was 50% of the price pof my actual order!  :yikes:

So here comes the question: is there a way to get IWM from an European retailer to avoid those high shipping prices? becaise I am assuming that the pricing does NOT include the fact that they are metal miniatures (charged at a premium at customs), so I should be adding customs to the bill...

Thanks.


Sartris

  • Codex Conditor
  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 19825
  • Kid in the puddle eating mud of CGL contributors
    • Master Unit List
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #1 on: 11 April 2019, 08:37:19 »
ral partha europe has minis but very little past TRO 3067

You bought the box set and are ready to expand your bt experience. Now what? | Modern Sourcebook Index | FASA Sourcebook Index | Print on Demand Index
Equipment Reference Cards | DIY Pilot Cards | PaperTech Mech and Vehicle Counters

Quote
Interviewer: Since you’ve stopped making art, how do you spend your time?
Paul Chan Breathers: Oh, I’m a breather. I’m a respirateur. Isn’t that enough?

Juodas Varnas

  • Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 199
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #2 on: 11 April 2019, 08:37:35 »
You can try http://www.ralparthaeurope.co.uk/shop/

But they don't stock all the mechs IWM does (like the classics for some reason)

Empyrus

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 9096
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #3 on: 11 April 2019, 08:39:39 »
Fantasywelt.de sells IWM minis in Europe. Obviously you pay a little extra on per-unit basis but shipping fees are reasonable.
Site does not have English option though, but if you use chrome, just use built-in translator.

RPE, as mentioned, is a bit cheaper but has only older miniatures.

Sartris

  • Codex Conditor
  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 19825
  • Kid in the puddle eating mud of CGL contributors
    • Master Unit List
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #4 on: 11 April 2019, 08:45:06 »
paging through RPE's catalog it seems like they have nothing new after about 2005-07ish - some of the original DA sculpts like the targe and blade plus some of the S7 mechs from 3055U are the most recent additions it appears.

You bought the box set and are ready to expand your bt experience. Now what? | Modern Sourcebook Index | FASA Sourcebook Index | Print on Demand Index
Equipment Reference Cards | DIY Pilot Cards | PaperTech Mech and Vehicle Counters

Quote
Interviewer: Since you’ve stopped making art, how do you spend your time?
Paul Chan Breathers: Oh, I’m a breather. I’m a respirateur. Isn’t that enough?

Elmoth

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 3414
  • Periphery fanboy
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #5 on: 13 April 2019, 14:26:05 »
The German store seems an option even if they do not have an English version. Thanks!

Empyrus

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 9096
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #6 on: 13 April 2019, 16:16:07 »
The German store seems an option even if they do not have an English version. Thanks!
If you use Chrome on desktop (no idea if mobile has that function), you can use the built-in translator. Works fine, is very handy.

Elmoth

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 3414
  • Periphery fanboy
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #7 on: 14 April 2019, 03:18:01 »
Yes, that is what I did. My German tends to be on the scarce side :P

worktroll

  • Ombudsman
  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 25565
  • 504th "Gateway" Division
    • There are Monsters in my Sky!
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #8 on: 14 April 2019, 04:17:05 »
I believe that over $300US worth of IWM orders are shipped for free. I'll get what I can from RPE, with minimal shipping, then see if others I know want to put in for a group order to exceed the shipping free limit.
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

CranstonSnord

  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 849
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #9 on: 14 April 2019, 09:50:03 »
Per IWM's shipping page, international orders over $250 ship free. $150 domestic, $200 Canada/Alaska/Hawaii.

Henning

  • Private
  • *
  • Posts: 30
  • Per aspera ad astra.
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #10 on: 03 May 2019, 06:41:21 »
Per IWM's shipping page, international orders over $250 ship free. $150 domestic, $200 Canada/Alaska/Hawaii.

The issue with ordering soemthing in the US and have it sent to EU is mostly not with the shipping, but with customs and taxes.
So...my best guess would be Fantasywelt or RPE.
I´m a regular customer @Fantasywelt and if there is question just contact the guys and they will come back to you in no time via email.

Shichiro

  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Master Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 340
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #11 on: 26 May 2019, 03:00:25 »
We bulk order into Ireland and UK when we have events or enough player requests to ship from IWM.

The mould’s IWM use have not been made avail to RPE which was how things used to operate previously.

Phobos101

  • Master Sergeant
  • *
  • Posts: 243
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #12 on: 15 June 2019, 07:40:45 »
Word of warning regarding RPE: many of their BT moulds seem to be showing their age, a few things I have ordered over the last couple of years have had considerable surface pitting, malformed or obliterated details and huge steps on the mold line, which leads me to think their molds are probably starting to look a little haggard. For my money, it's worth paying the shipping to get IWM, as the same minis do not display the same issues. It just means waiting longer between orders and pooling your orders with others to offset the (comically high) shipping fees.

DarkISI

  • Praedonum Dominus
  • Freelance Writer
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 7177
  • https://amzn.to/3Dm3bvj
    • My Author Website
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #13 on: 16 July 2019, 13:33:48 »
Word of warning regarding RPE: many of their BT moulds seem to be showing their age, a few things I have ordered over the last couple of years have had considerable surface pitting, malformed or obliterated details and huge steps on the mold line, which leads me to think their molds are probably starting to look a little haggard. For my money, it's worth paying the shipping to get IWM, as the same minis do not display the same issues. It just means waiting longer between orders and pooling your orders with others to offset the (comically high) shipping fees.

Yep, was going to say the same. RPE minis are way below IWM minis, as far as quality is concerned.
German novelist and part time Battletech writer.


HPG Station - German Battletech News

"if they didn't want to be stomped to death by a psychotic gang of battlemechs, they shouldn't have fallen down" - Liam's Ghost

Empyrus

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 9096
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #14 on: 20 July 2019, 19:32:23 »
Does the RP quality issue apply to their vehicles as well?

Wrangler

  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 24875
  • Dang it!
    • Battletech Fanon Wiki
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #15 on: 29 July 2019, 07:25:23 »
I wish IWM would have left Ral Partha Europe alone. They had some good unique mechs they sold.

I guess there running on fumes now i guess.
"Men, fetch the Urbanmechs.  We have an interrogation to attend to." - jklantern
"How do you defeat a Dragau? Shoot the damn thing. Lots." - Jellico 
"No, it's a "Most Awesome Blues Brothers scene Reenactment EVER" waiting to happen." VotW Destrier - Weirdo  
"It's 200 LY to Sian, we got a full load of shells, a half a platoon of Grenadiers, it's exploding outside, and we're wearing flak jackets." VoTW Destrier - Misterpants
-Editor on Battletech Fanon Wiki

speck

  • IWM Web Support
  • Moderator
  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2718
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #16 on: 29 July 2019, 12:22:30 »
I wish IWM would have left Ral Partha Europe alone. They had some good unique mechs they sold.

I guess there running on fumes now i guess.

All I know is that relationship is quite complicated and not something I have any interaction with. There are reasons why RPE can not sell those unique mech anymore.

DarkISI

  • Praedonum Dominus
  • Freelance Writer
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 7177
  • https://amzn.to/3Dm3bvj
    • My Author Website
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #17 on: 23 August 2019, 17:28:13 »
Does the RP quality issue apply to their vehicles as well?

I would think so, but my assumption would be, that the quality issues are less extreme. Vehicles sell slower than Mechs, meaning the molds see less wear and tear.
German novelist and part time Battletech writer.


HPG Station - German Battletech News

"if they didn't want to be stomped to death by a psychotic gang of battlemechs, they shouldn't have fallen down" - Liam's Ghost

Sartris

  • Codex Conditor
  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 19825
  • Kid in the puddle eating mud of CGL contributors
    • Master Unit List
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #18 on: 23 August 2019, 21:06:21 »
i have a not insignificant number of tanks from rpe that were fine but i acquired them over ten years ago so i can't speak to the current condition of the molds

You bought the box set and are ready to expand your bt experience. Now what? | Modern Sourcebook Index | FASA Sourcebook Index | Print on Demand Index
Equipment Reference Cards | DIY Pilot Cards | PaperTech Mech and Vehicle Counters

Quote
Interviewer: Since you’ve stopped making art, how do you spend your time?
Paul Chan Breathers: Oh, I’m a breather. I’m a respirateur. Isn’t that enough?

worktroll

  • Ombudsman
  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 25565
  • 504th "Gateway" Division
    • There are Monsters in my Sky!
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #19 on: 23 August 2019, 22:30:51 »
Got a bunch of the resculpted Omnis from RPE earlier in the year, and they were all fine. But newer moulds, I guess.

Never had anything but a good experience with them.
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

Kilderkin

  • Corporal
  • *
  • Posts: 72
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #20 on: 30 August 2019, 16:16:20 »
Recently had a phone call with one of the guys at Ral Partha. I was wanting a new arm for my Crab and they seem like a nice bunch.

I got the impression, although I should ask outright that they can get hold of IWM mechs and sell on. So my next plan is to email and see if enough people wanted it can we get IWM stuff through them.

agen2

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2072
  • Il sobillatore.
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #21 on: 01 September 2019, 03:36:00 »
Word of warning regarding RPE: many of their BT moulds seem to be showing their age, a few things I have ordered over the last couple of years have had considerable surface pitting, malformed or obliterated details and huge steps on the mold line, which leads me to think their molds are probably starting to look a little haggard. For my money, it's worth paying the shipping to get IWM, as the same minis do not display the same issues. It just means waiting longer between orders and pooling your orders with others to offset the (comically high) shipping fees.

I agree with what you say. Bad cast problems were already present years ago (the last order I made at RPE goes back over a decade). I noticed that the bad cast was present mainly on assault mechs with large surfaces I also have to say that they proved to be available and replaced the miniatures with others and without requiring back the damaged ones.

Kilderkin

  • Corporal
  • *
  • Posts: 72
Re: Buy IWM in Europe?
« Reply #22 on: 04 September 2019, 17:59:26 »
Can confirm the molds are old at RPE. Although i’ve never really had any issue with the models i’ve received from them. Been mainly ordering multiples of Tanks and haven’t had any defects that I can note. Price is crazy cheap compared to Germany or USA at an average of £6 a model.