Who Made Games Workshop's Plastic Models?

who produced games workshops plastic models

Games Workshop is the largest and most successful tabletop miniature gaming company in the world. It is the global leader in the rapidly growing market for tabletop miniature gaming and is the only quoted company providing exposure to this market. Games Workshop produces plastic models for its Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000, and Lord of the Rings tabletop battle games. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes its models and rulebooks, with design and manufacturing facilities in Nottingham, England, and distribution centres in Memphis, Tennessee, and Sydney, Australia. Games Workshop also owns Citadel Miniatures, which produces metal, resin, and plastic miniature figures for Games Workshop's tabletop games.

Characteristics Values
Company Citadel Miniatures Limited
Parent Company Games Workshop
Founded 1981
Founder Games Workshop
Location Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
Materials Metal, Resin, Plastic
Product Miniatures, Kits, Books
Games Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000, The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game
Models Thrud the Barbarian, Ian Livingstone, drunken Space Marines, Grombrindal
Design Centre Nottingham, England
Manufacturing Facilities Nottingham, England
Distribution Centres Memphis, Tennessee; Sydney, Australia
Retail Stores Over 560 Warhammer stores worldwide

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Citadel Miniatures

Citadel sometimes releases limited-edition models of specific or unusual characters, such as Thrud the Barbarian, Ian Livingstone, and drunken Space Marines dressed in Christmas outfits. Along with standard miniature soldiers, Citadel also offers fantasy-based war machines, like catapults and chariots. Most of the models created by Citadel require some form of construction after purchase, with larger models coming in multiple pieces.

Games Workshop is the largest and most successful hobby miniatures company in the world, with major brands such as Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000. It holds licences for popular franchises like The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, allowing them to create tabletop battle games and miniatures based on these properties.

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Warhammer models

Citadel Miniatures Limited, a company that produces metal, resin, and plastic miniature figures for tabletop wargames like Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000, was co-founded by Games Workshop in 1981. Citadel Miniatures was once a separate company, but it has since become a brand for Games Workshop miniatures.

Games Workshop is the world's largest and most successful hobby miniatures company, with Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 as its major brands. The company's design centre is in Nottingham, England, and it has manufacturing and distribution facilities in the same city. Additionally, they have distribution centres in Memphis, Tennessee, and Sydney, Australia.

Games Workshop's products, which include plastic and resin kits, painting guides, rulebooks, and novels, are sold through their own chain of over 560 Warhammer stores across the world, including in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Austria, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, and Switzerland.

Citadel Miniatures models sometimes release limited-edition models of specific or unusual characters, such as Thrud the Barbarian, Ian Livingstone, drunken Space Marines in Christmas outfits, and several representing Grombrindal, the white-bearded logo of White Dwarf magazine. In 1997, Citadel switched to using lead-free white metal due to concerns about lead poisoning, particularly in children. Most Citadel models require some form of construction after purchase, such as attaching arms, weapons, and bases.

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Tabletop miniature gaming

The company produces plastic and resin kits, rulebooks, and other accessories for its miniature wargames. Its major brands are Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000, and it also holds a licence for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit tabletop battle games. Citadel Miniatures, a manufacturer of metal miniatures, was founded in 1981 with the help of Games Workshop and is now a brand for Games Workshop miniatures. Citadel produces models that are a combination of metal and plastic, and in 1997, the company switched to a lead-free white metal.

Games Workshop has continued to innovate and expand its product range, with limited-edition models and extensions of its Lord of the Rings range to include characters from J.R.R. Tolkien's writings. The company has also continued to develop its IP and exploit its library of intellectual property, resulting in impressive long-term financial results and strong growth.

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Plastic model creation

Plastic modelling is a detailed and rewarding hobby that involves creating scale models of real-life or fictional items. The process of plastic model creation has evolved with advancements in technology, and today, plastic models are predominantly created through injection moulding.

The first step in plastic model creation is extensive research and planning. This includes taking precise measurements and photographs of the object from various angles to ensure an accurate reproduction. For example, car manufacturers provide model-makers with detailed specifications to create scale models of their vehicles. Using this information, model designers employ computer-aided design (CAD) programs to configure the scale model designs.

The CAD drawings serve as a guide for carving wooden prototypes, which are typically larger than the intended scale model. Each piece of the prototype is then coated and cured with epoxy resin. Once the resin hardens, the wooden pieces are removed, leaving a hollow space that forms the core mould. The two halves of this mould come together to create a cavity mould, which is used to shape the plastic model parts.

The injection moulding process involves creating a "tool" by engraving the shape of the kit's parts onto two steel plates. These plates are pressed together, and liquid styrene plastic is injected into the engraving. As the plastic cools and hardens, it takes on the shape of the mould, and the parts are then removed. These parts form a "sprue," or a collection of pieces that make up the model kit.

Some models may also incorporate kit bashing, where parts from multiple kits are combined to create a unique model. This technique is often used in film and television to create novel designs quickly. Once the models are assembled, they can be painted using specially formulated paints designed for plastic models.

Games Workshop, the world's largest hobby miniatures company, produces plastic models for its major brands, Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000. They design, manufacture, and distribute their models and rulebooks, maintaining control over every aspect of the process. Citadel Miniatures, a subsidiary of Games Workshop, creates metal, resin, and plastic miniature figures for these wargames.

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Bryan Ansell

Ansell was also responsible for designing Warhammer Fantasy Battle in 1983, along with Rick Priestley and Richard Halliwell. He refocused Games Workshop on its most lucrative lines, which were the Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000 miniature wargames. In addition to his work with Citadel Miniatures and Games Workshop, Ansell also founded Wargames Foundry in 1983 as a retirement job for his father, Clifford Ansell. Wargames Foundry sold ranges of historical miniatures that had been discontinued by Citadel.

Ansell's influence extended beyond the companies he worked for. He inspired the creation of hundreds of systems, engines, and rulebooks, as well as thousands of players who enjoy the hobby of tabletop wargaming. His vision, strength, and passion for excitement, detail, and fun set new standards for skill and excitement in the industry. Ansell was also known for his generosity, as he would take the time to teach others about painting miniatures and the basics of tabletop wargaming.

Frequently asked questions

Citadel Miniatures Limited, a manufacturer of metal miniatures based in Nottinghamshire, produces Games Workshop's plastic models.

Games Workshop helped to found Citadel Miniatures in 1981, and the latter now operates as a brand for Games Workshop miniatures.

Citadel Miniatures produces a range of models, including The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game miniatures and Warhammer models.

Citadel Miniatures uses a combination of materials, including metal, resin, and plastic. Some models also feature magnetic elements.

Games Workshop's design centre is in Nottingham, England, and the company has manufacturing and distribution facilities in the same city.

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