I haven't seen the Beginner Box, so I've never seen a Pawn, but I understand them to be printed cardboard that you slot into a base.
Whereas, the Paper Minis line is completely different, in that I can, er, print them on cardboard, and slot them into a base.
(yes, I can also print them on paper, acetate, recycled cereal packets etc.)
So, the only difference with Pawns is that they a) come pre-printed and b) supply the bases, right? But you only get a few of each, whereas with paper minis I can print my own Goblin Army of Doom.
So why is everyone going bonkers over them?
And why is Paizo ("We will not split our base") maintaining:
1) A line of metal minis from Reaper
2) A line of plastic pre-painted minis from Whizkids
3) A line of cardboard "pawns"
4) A line of paper minis
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Paizo is not maintaining any of those lines, except number 3. They are licensing numbers 1 and 2, which is money that is usually not dependant on the sales of said line. Yes the licensee will likely stop lincensing if they are not making money on it but they have already paid the lincensing fees. Number 4 is being produced, presumedly also under license, by yet another 3PP, admittedly one partially run by certain staff members, but again this is not a line that is maintained by Paizo, simply one they are allowing.
Why would Paizo allow these lines to exist? Demand.
This is not a splitting of bases. Minis are not Paizo's main business.
In reference to Pawns/PaperMinis:
Why is everyone going bonkers over them? Price.
Many of us do not have the money to afford enough minis to field any given encounter. These are a much cheaper alternative that still looks good, with the added benefit that the "minis" look "exactly" like the creature in the adventure.
I am not arguing for or against these. As an experiment, I am planning on using all Paper Minis for my Kingmaker Campaign, if the line is complete when I start my campaign.
So, the only difference with Pawns is that they a) come pre-printed and b) supply the bases, right? But you only get a few of each, whereas with paper minis I can print my own Goblin Army of Doom.
So why is everyone going bonkers over them?
Time. Or lack thereof. I would rather spend what little time I have reading the module (or rulebooks) than preparing paper minis.
Plus, I have really low Craft (anything with scissors and glue) skill. So I'm paying for both quality and time savings.