New 40K rules... and a new source of 'Cheap' GW figures?

40K !

I 'bit the bullet', ordered the rules from the UK, and they arrived yesterday...

I managed to read through the main rules up to the Morale section last night. Looking forward to giving them a whirl with my young son, (who's mad keen), with my old figures, and those I got in the 'BlackReach' set.... trying to squeeze in the odd 40K marine and terminator in among the EotD stuff and FoW stuff on my workbench... to keep him happy...

I have always bemoaned the pricing and quality ('Failcast/Finecost') of GW figures in recent years, but something has occurred and been brought to my attention, that has me rather intrigued, amused and dare I even say even excited...

As has been the case for what seems like decades now, those fine little folk in the Orient have been taking ideas from the west, and invariably copying them, often making them far cheaper and perhaps in some cases even better?

Well that now appears to be the case with GW figures...

Various Chinese based suppliers are offering what amount to be copies of GW figures, made from a plastic/resin(?) material that seems as good if not better than than GW current Failcast...

They don't come pretty - no box, no instructions, just a plastic ziplock bag full of the bits you need...

As yet I have not ordered any, but am watching blog details of others who have..., so can't comment from personal experience...

If they turn out to be 'legit' and good quality, I'll be in with both feet...

To put things in perspective... if I were to buy the current Ghazkull (sp?) model for my son, prices:
From GW (NZ);     NZ$73
From UK source; ~NZ$40 delivered
From China;         ~NZ$25 delivered...

Its a no brainer really who's going to get my money... the traders have feedback ratings like on Ebay so you can 'buy' with confidence...

Watch these spaces...

Those wishing to check out more, go to

www.aliexpress.com , and search on Warhammer, 40k, etc... not the easiest site to navigate but you get there eventually...

It does of course leave you wondering what GW will do, or indeed can do about this, if anything?
Dropping local prices would be a start!

If any of you out there have experience in purchases from 'aliexpress', I'd be grateful for your feedback, comments below please...

Updates to this post...
http://scottswargaming.blogspot.co.nz/2013/10/aliexpress-and-gw.html
http://scottswargaming.blogspot.co.nz/2013/11/aliexpress-refunded.html

... and further interesting observations from DiceOdyssey:
http://thediceodyssey.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/explain-or-why-i-removed-recaster-posts.html

Liber Lexicum Dictata Novicius?

Remember this?
http://scottswargaming.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/oh-gods-what-have-i-done.html

And these?
http://scottswargaming.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/40k-squats.html
http://scottswargaming.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/old-school-40k-squats-pictorial.html

Well after Sundays game of 40K with No.1 Son, and relearning all the rules again, after about a year since the last game, but from my rulebook, which is from the rule incarnation one variant back from the current, my question is...

How much have the rules changed from the rules I got in the Black Reach set to the current rules?

Perhaps I am reaching out those friendly folk down at the KWC, or perhaps readers from BoLS?

Would any kind person care to fill me in on any rules changes I need to know about?... And at the end of the day, do I NEED to buy the new rules book?

As much as I'd like to play FoW or LOTR with my son, his interest is in 40K when it comes to rolling dice, so if I want game with him, and see him painting again, seems I have to commit to a certain amount of 40K time... ah well, ...I'll try and fit some terminators and marines in among everything else on the painting table! And give the guy pictured above some comrades...

Comments below greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Scott