Maybe I am not the norm collector but I wouldn't switch brands, to be honest there isn't anything that grabs my attention. I would just go and buy retired sets.
Whilst for several years when I first started collecting, I only bought WB, but as time went by and wanting to expand on the themes that interested me I started collecting other manufacturers products. Now if it is a close fit in size,I don't worry too much. Such as the TG Royal Americans with the WB Clash of Empire figures.
Whilst I will continue to collect WB as they are released, I do think their Business plan apart from the current problem, isn't doing them any favours with their long production runs compared to others and would do better with smaller ones and by getting them to their outlets for their customers to buy and adding new figures more often.
Also at present I see so many WB figures being offered at great discount prices presumably from overstock which presumably is part of the same problem, especially when they do figures in poses that do grab much interest and which of course is not great news for those of us who paid full price.
Another problem I see is I don't think only effects WB but other manufacturers and that is of course price increases, sure inflation keeps prices rising, but the steady increase in detail to the figures, whilst as collectors are happy about this the more detail equates with higher prices on top of inflation leading, as I see it to collectors being able to buy fewer figures leaving less money for dealers to operate on and leading to their closures and loss of another outlet for the manufacturers. K&C are trying to cut prices by not adding things like backpacks to the figures which with strap details such as in their USMC line as these would be bound to take up the artists time.
On the other hand if you're doing a battle diorama say, you want some enemy figures to add. But probably don't really want to pay more for them then you do for the figures whose side you are interested in. Such as TG's Romans and Dacians. Most collectors I would think are more interested in the Roman figures than Dacians and also with Romans you might want several figures in the same pose, where as for their foes unless it is a mass battle scene you want differences in the figures and yet their Dacians are more detailed with things such as tattoos.
Of course this is all just me waffling on with the frustration we all feel when we're in the dark about things !:rolleyes2:
Steve
