How much work is it, really?

[Patrick Carroll]

Every few years I get the miniatures bug again. I tell myself that maybe I really should get into this aspect of the wargaming hobby. Surely it can't be that much trouble to collect and paint miniatures.

But experience belies that thought.

I've made false starts into miniatures for over thirty years now. Each time, it turns out to be way more work than I imagined.

Part of it is that I'm so indecisive. The first time I decided to get into miniatures, I spent about a year trying to decide which period to do. Meanwhile I collected rules sets--and complained about the difference between ground scale and figure scale.

Next time around, I debated with myself over what size figures to buy. Surprised myself by going with 25mm so I could buy the nice-looking Hinchliffe figures. Then I forced myself to paint for a few weeks, and finally had to give up to protect my sanity. One of the most aggravating things I've ever done is try painting details on those tiny little figures. And I'm not even talking about the fine details--just faces & hands & belts & such!

Then there's all the space it takes up--and the need to make terrain. And the need to join a club or find opponents.

Well, if you really love something, it's not work; it's pure joy. So maybe I just don't love miniatures wargaming enough.

Anyhow, I'd be interested in hearing other people's experiences. How much work is involved in your miniatures hobby? And is it worth it?

 

[SnEaKy_GiT]

Well for the past year I've hit the Flames of War bug ... wargaming during the World War II period ...

On average it entails about three hours of paint/modelling a night ... usually during tv time, girl friend watches tv while I sit next to her paint little 15mm tanks ... and on the weekends about 5 hours making terrain on a sunday ...

finaince wise, I place about $AUS50+ a week ... which equals to about 4 blisters of stuff ... in troop terms ... a 2 platoons of infantry or a platoon of tanks ... or some support elements like arty ...

I'm lucky that here in Sydney there are quite a few games clubs around that play the game so I can game at least once a month ... trying to get that to twice a month ... but have other comments ...

But like most its a hobby that requires time and money ... there are plenty of gamers out there that are just conserned with the gaming aspect of the hobby ... which means they play with non-painted armies on normal green terrain ... not really appealing ...

I think the real joy of the hobby is when two fully painted armies are lined up on a well model terrain table ... those moments are priceless ...

 

[chrisvalla]

I actually cheated sort of... I bought about 1/2 my minatures already painted from eBay... the rest, I never got around to painting myself. My American force is all ready to go after my Soviet bare-metal armor and mech companies...:horse:

 

[SnEaKy_GiT]

Thats a great way to get a army on the cheap ... but it doesn't really allow you to touch up the army to your liking ...

If I by second hand I prefer bare metal or plastic to already painted minitures ...

 

[jguritza]

Some conventions I have gone to have grab bag from a time period. I have really bolstered my collection through many grab bags. I have tried eBay with mixed results. I would prefer to paint my miniatures rather than buy them already painted.

 

[Janos]

Originally posted by SnEaKy_GiT
Thats a great way to get a army on the cheap ... but it doesn't really allow you to touch up the army to your liking ...

If I by second hand I prefer bare metal or plastic to already painted minitures ...

I agree, but also feel a mix is good. I have a small percentage of soldiers from other peoples' armies. The advantage of that is that my imagination -- as hard as I try for it not to be -- is limited. Getting someone else's idea of what a knight should look like is good for my army.

JS

 

[SnEaKy_GiT]

Originally posted by jguritza
Some conventions I have gone to have grab bag from a time period. I have really bolstered my collection through many grab bags. I have tried eBay with mixed results. I would prefer to paint my miniatures rather than buy them already painted.

My friend the internet and book stores are a great fountain of knowledge for finding the proper feel to how an army should look like ..... you can find other people's painted armies on many internet sights ... and books can show you the historical colors of an army ...

If you truly seek inspiration then I suggest an art gallery or your local war momerail .... for they trully possess inspirational pieces .... so you can make art immate life ...

 

[jguritza]

What percentage of miniatures do you buy that are already painted?

 

[SnEaKy_GiT]

Me peronsally ... 0%

 

[Janos]

Originally posted by SnEaKy_GiT
My friend the internet and book stores are a great fountain of knowledge for finding the proper feel to how an army should look like ..... you can find other people's painted armies on many internet sights ... and books can show you the historical colors of an army ...

If you truly seek inspiration then I suggest an art gallery or your local war momerail .... for they trully possess inspirational pieces .... so you can make art immate life ...

When I was doing WBTS, I used to make a quick sketch based on uniforms in paintings...Confederate uniforms were uniformly disuniform and the best way I found to replicate them was to base as many as possible on eye witnesses, or at least people closet to the action than I am able to be. Union uniforms, while lacking in the infinate variety of their Southern peers, also were not all exactly alike, but the paintings reflect that as well.

JS

 

[Janos]

Originally posted by jguritza
What percentage of miniatures do you buy that are already painted?

In an army of 1200 or so miniatures, I probably have a dozen or 20 that I bought (or traded for) painted. It's an insignificant number. On one occasion, a friend and I each agreed to paint a general for each other, as a gift exchange. I got a very nice figure on a horse and gave him something similar.

JS

 

[Patrick Carroll]

Too much work for what it is

I guess the answer to my question that started this thread is: it's more work than I'm interested in doing.

I'm not drawn to miniatures because of the miniatures; I'm drawn to the rules. Miniatures rules are broad and generic: with one rulebook, you're all set to re-create limitless scenarios in a given period.

That fits perfectly with my other hobby--reading military history. I've always wanted to be able to read about a battle, then wargame it. I'd like to be able to play wargames on every battle I read about. But you can't do that with board wargames: you're limited by whatever the publishers have put out.

With miniatures, I could do it, theoretically. But it'd require so much time & effort that I'll never actually do it. Even if I bought prepainted armies, I'd still have to replicate a map on my tabletop, research orders of battle, and design scenarios. I just don't have the patience or interest for all that.

What I really want is to be able to set up a battle in a jiffy and play it in a couple hours. One evening I read for a couple hours; the next evening I wargame for a couple hours.

My other condition is that the wargame has to be historically accurate and rich with detail. I want the game to illustrate how the various units really moved and fought, so that I'm getting a hands-on learning experience beyond what I can get from books. But the more historically accurate a game is, the more research it's going to take; and the more complex the rules, the more time it'll take to play.

Guess I can't have my cake and eat it too.