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2016/04/19 07:06:31
Subject: Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
How Did I end up with 7 unpainted wraith knights :9
I have pick up a lot of stuff from people leaving the hobby last two years, so I wouldn't even hazard to guess the model count.
It's probably in the thousands now :0
How do we count army's unbased but fully painted otherwise :0
Or a space marine army that met the most sad fate, a kitten.
My current played army's are all 99% painted, but I am adding to evrything as I go and paint slow. :9
2016/04/19 10:23:42
Subject: Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
How do you manage to get HUNDREDS of models unpainted ?^^
How many minis do you buy each year ?!
To come back to this question, in my case it isn't so much the volume of product bought (although that has been a factor in the past) but more a combination of factors:
I am a slow painter - I don't particularly enjoy it and I am a champion procrastinator when it comes to painting.
As I have got older, rather than having more free time, I find that more and more things impinge on my time meaning my hobby time is squeezed and it becomes more and more difficult to set aside 'me' time. In turn, this means the small amount of time that I used to devote to painting is even further reduced.
Being a hobby butterfly - I have a bad habit of flitting from project to project, game system to game system without ever finishing a project to my satisfaction. This combined with:
Being a serial collector - I have a habit or OCD tendency that when I start a system, for instance, I feel an urge to collect all the armies or forces for that system. Example: I have at least 3000 points of every 40K race (including multiple Space Marine chapters). Then, when I got fed-up with 40K and decided to revisit my Epic past, I ended up collecting all the 2nd Ed Epic forces, to the stage where I have ~30000 points of every Epic army - including Tyranids and Squats, which cost a small fortune.
Kids and house move. Having two small kids and recently moving house has meant that my hobby time has taken a complete and utter backseat for the last year. Hopefully, now the move is done, kids are slightly older and I have my man-cave up and running, I can now start to re-invigorate myself.
Finally, motivation. Having a large collection is actually seriously de-motivating because you wander into your games room, see all the stuff that is unfinished and get a serious case of bring-down thinking about the time and effort needed to get it all up and running, to the point now where I have to adjust my priorities, focus on finishing something and force myself to stop buying until I have finished more stuff.
How do you manage to get HUNDREDS of models unpainted ?^^
How many minis do you buy each year ?!
To come back to this question, in my case it isn't so much the volume of product bought (although that has been a factor in the past) but more a combination of factors:
I am a slow painter - I don't particularly enjoy it and I am a champion procrastinator when it comes to painting.
As I have got older, rather than having more free time, I find that more and more things impinge on my time meaning my hobby time is squeezed and it becomes more and more difficult to set aside 'me' time. In turn, this means the small amount of time that I used to devote to painting is even further reduced.
Being a hobby butterfly - I have a bad habit of flitting from project to project, game system to game system without ever finishing a project to my satisfaction. This combined with:
Being a serial collector - I have a habit or OCD tendency that when I start a system, for instance, I feel an urge to collect all the armies or forces for that system. Example: I have at least 3000 points of every 40K race (including multiple Space Marine chapters). Then, when I got fed-up with 40K and decided to revisit my Epic past, I ended up collecting all the 2nd Ed Epic forces, to the stage where I have ~30000 points of every Epic army - including Tyranids and Squats, which cost a small fortune.
Kids and house move. Having two small kids and recently moving house has meant that my hobby time has taken a complete and utter backseat for the last year. Hopefully, now the move is done, kids are slightly older and I have my man-cave up and running, I can now start to re-invigorate myself.
Finally, motivation. Having a large collection is actually seriously de-motivating because you wander into your games room, see all the stuff that is unfinished and get a serious case of bring-down thinking about the time and effort needed to get it all up and running, to the point now where I have to adjust my priorities, focus on finishing something and force myself to stop buying until I have finished more stuff.
This sums it up pretty well; I get motivated for a project (usually someone at the group is starting it), buy in pretty big and interest fades before I get much done. Or I just don't have the time.
I'm also a sucker for deals or exclusives - I normally get a lot of stuff on spec from Kickstarter, because the deals are too good, or they contain some KS-only thing.
Since my hobby time is reduced, I don't feel shame about unpainted mini's, I do at least try and base and prime them first though.
Though putting it in perspective, I'm taking about 600 unpainted minis (most NIB) to a a fleamarket in a few weeks with the hopes of offloading a pile and freeing up some space and cash. With a smaller tin pile (and a tidy paint station - haha!), I should find it easier to make progress.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/04/19 10:53:49
2016/04/19 11:12:03
Subject: Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
For me, a lot of it is that I can't resist a deal. If I see a 40-50% off sale I have to buy stuff. Recently I bought about 110 Lord of the Rings miniatures for a pittance, even though I've never played it and no one here is interested. But it was so cheap...
2016/04/19 11:29:51
Subject: Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
How do you manage to get HUNDREDS of models unpainted ?^^
How many minis do you buy each year ?!
To come back to this question, in my case it isn't so much the volume of product bought (although that has been a factor in the past) but more a combination of factors:
I am a slow painter - I don't particularly enjoy it and I am a champion procrastinator when it comes to painting.
As I have got older, rather than having more free time, I find that more and more things impinge on my time meaning my hobby time is squeezed and it becomes more and more difficult to set aside 'me' time. In turn, this means the small amount of time that I used to devote to painting is even further reduced.
Being a hobby butterfly - I have a bad habit of flitting from project to project, game system to game system without ever finishing a project to my satisfaction. This combined with:
Being a serial collector - I have a habit or OCD tendency that when I start a system, for instance, I feel an urge to collect all the armies or forces for that system. Example: I have at least 3000 points of every 40K race (including multiple Space Marine chapters). Then, when I got fed-up with 40K and decided to revisit my Epic past, I ended up collecting all the 2nd Ed Epic forces, to the stage where I have ~30000 points of every Epic army - including Tyranids and Squats, which cost a small fortune.
Kids and house move. Having two small kids and recently moving house has meant that my hobby time has taken a complete and utter backseat for the last year. Hopefully, now the move is done, kids are slightly older and I have my man-cave up and running, I can now start to re-invigorate myself.
Finally, motivation. Having a large collection is actually seriously de-motivating because you wander into your games room, see all the stuff that is unfinished and get a serious case of bring-down thinking about the time and effort needed to get it all up and running, to the point now where I have to adjust my priorities, focus on finishing something and force myself to stop buying until I have finished more stuff.
To add to those reasons, most of the non-kid ones applying to me as well, I like having anything that I might want in the event that the manufacturer stops making it or indeed goes belly-up. As a result I tend to buy things as whole armies and stick them on a shelf rather than buy what I can paint and then find out mid-way through an army project that something I needed is no longer sold or in short supply. A two-edged sword, since it means I might miss out on a sale later, but I prefer to err on the side of caution.
In my younger days, when I had fewer bills, I wouldn't be shocked to learn I was acquiring 60-70 models a month for possibly years at a time. Heck, if we're counting individual 15mm soldiers as models I have 44 in the mail to me right now, but that also seems like cheating slightly.
Doing a reverse-Buttery Commissar aside (and boy does that sound like an incredibly deviant act), I have slowed down as I got older mostly due to there not being any more that I really wanted to get; most of my armies are complete beyond random "stuff for the stuff god!"-ing. I know that will change in a few months, but hopefully by then I'll have a bit more at least out of the boxes and not taking up as much space.
2016/04/19 11:31:17
Subject: Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
Oh, and consulting my incomplete inventory my Games Workshop "not finished" (meaning assembled, painted, varnished and based) count is at 3,201. This does not include other manufacturers and is actually not even all of my GW stuff.
All of my X-Wing stuff is painted though! Because it comes that way...
2016/04/19 11:48:51
Subject: Re:Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
Krinsath wrote: Oh, and consulting my incomplete inventory my Games Workshop "not finished" (meaning assembled, painted, varnished and based) count is at 3,201. This does not include other manufacturers and is actually not even all of my GW stuff.
All of my X-Wing stuff is painted though! Because it comes that way...
Holy!
*Sits down on the curb holding a bag* High Elves for the poor?
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/04/19 11:49:05
"Let them that are happy talk of piety; we that would work our adversary must take no account of laws."http://back2basing.blogspot.pt/
2016/04/19 12:09:14
Subject: Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
godardc wrote: How do you manage to get HUNDREDS of models unpainted ?^^
How many minis do you buy each year ?!
There a lot of ways to spike the number. time is the biggest factor, as is buying used stuff. I have two goblins halves to Battle for Skull Pass, 150 models, that I picked up for about $50 at a bitz trade. That's a huge pile of minis for as cheap as free. Now, that's about half a usuable army, but it's still a ton of models.
My other main source of minis are my Praetorians. I've been collecting them since 2002, and I while I have about three hundred infantry painted (not all praetorian, but mostly) I have roughly 200 more to paint up. When you collect an OOP army, you buy when you can.
After those two big ones, a lot of smaller things come up: the BaC I got as a Christmas present. The 20 Mk IV FW marines I got in a trade. The 100 or so Gondorians I've been collecting for a KoW army. The Basilieans I got in a kickstarter, and augmented with stuff from a crazy box and prize support at a tournament. The 75 or so Marines my brother gave me because he doesn't play anymore. and so on.
If I hadn't done a pretty intense sell off a few years back, I'd have way, way more. We're talking 10,000 point armies for Space Marines, Eldar, and Demons, and 3k of Orks, Tau, and Grey Knights.
2016/04/19 12:21:52
Subject: Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
I have 'only' to paint 52 models of Eldars and 32 of Space Marines. I just need to behave and stop buying 2nd hand minis before the ones I own get some colors.
Krinsath wrote: Oh, and consulting my incomplete inventory my Games Workshop "not finished" (meaning assembled, painted, varnished and based) count is at 3,201. This does not include other manufacturers and is actually not even all of my GW stuff.
All of my X-Wing stuff is painted though! Because it comes that way...
Holy!
*Sits down on the curb holding a bag* High Elves for the poor?
Actually, the two Elf (High and Dark) are my oldest "not really done anything with" armies; anything bought before them and more than a few after them have at least a fieldable force finished. I have the concept model for the High Elves done, and that's it. Between them there's at least 300 models, and I'm pretty sure it starts to reach up towards 400. Throw in the Wood Elves I have from their initial plastic release....many moons ago and the Elf army is pretty huge. Almost all of them are the older models though; I think from the "recent" releases all I have is one box of Dark Elf Warriors and a few Dark Riders. GW got silly price-y around then and I couldn't justify $3.50 for rank-and-file plastic soldiers, and certainly not $6 a model for new Witch Elves.
2016/04/19 12:51:25
Subject: Re:Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
Krinsath wrote: Oh, and consulting my incomplete inventory my Games Workshop "not finished" (meaning assembled, painted, varnished and based) count is at 3,201. This does not include other manufacturers and is actually not even all of my GW stuff.
All of my X-Wing stuff is painted though! Because it comes that way...
Holy!
*Sits down on the curb holding a bag* High Elves for the poor?
Actually, the two Elf (High and Dark) are my oldest "not really done anything with" armies; anything bought before them and more than a few after them have at least a fieldable force finished. I have the concept model for the High Elves done, and that's it. Between them there's at least 300 models, and I'm pretty sure it starts to reach up towards 400. Throw in the Wood Elves I have from their initial plastic release....many moons ago and the Elf army is pretty huge. Almost all of them are the older models though; I think from the "recent" releases all I have is one box of Dark Elf Warriors and a few Dark Riders. GW got silly price-y around then and I couldn't justify $3.50 for rank-and-file plastic soldiers, and certainly not $6 a model for new Witch Elves.
I know the feeling. But I know very well that my HE's aren't even close to being done with as well because I want to finish up the army collection, so all in all the model count will be roughly in the upper 400's for the HE's alone...
...and then there's the Astartes as I want a full Deathwing army and complete the Ravenwing...
And then I also remember want to get a couple of BloodBowl teams...
and an Astartes BFG fleet...
and a couple of more Mordheim Warbands...
and a Necromunda Delaque Gang...
and now I want a Ronin Butai or two aswell...
and a couple of 15mm historical armies...
... and I need to cram in there related projects such as saving for a proper gaming table and my own fledgling ventures into terrain making.
If my shame permits it, I'll actually do a full recount later on tonight. But I'm already depressed.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/04/19 12:52:39
"Let them that are happy talk of piety; we that would work our adversary must take no account of laws."http://back2basing.blogspot.pt/
2016/04/19 13:05:37
Subject: Re:Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
I know the feeling. But I know very well that my HE's aren't even close to being done with as well because I want to finish up the army collection, so all in all the model count will be roughly in the upper 400's for the HE's alone...
...and then there's the Astartes as I want a full Deathwing army and complete the Ravenwing...
And then I also remember want to get a couple of BB...
and an Astartes BFG fleet...
and a couple of more Mordheim Warbands...
and a Necromunda Delaque Gang...
and now I want a Ronin Butai or two aswell...
and a couple of 15mm historical armies...
... and I need to cram in there related projects such as saving for a proper gaming table and my own fledgling ventures into terrain making.
If my shame permits it, I'll actually do a full recount later on tonight. But I'm already depressed.
Yep, I have a ton of BFG ships lying around at this stage, but most of the Imperials at least are painted. A classic example of "buy while they still exist" it seems, though maybe GW will bring it back in some capacity.
For the past couple years I have been hoarding 15mm historicals like a champ. From WW2 alone I think I have 16 mostly-discrete (i.e. - minimal sharing of support units) armies from three nations and technically enough armor to field a UK force. How many of those armies are fully painted? None. Though in my defense the US Airborne is actually nearly done (need to flock one battery of 105s and paint 4 Shermans; ignore those extra support units behind the curtain) and the Germans are only missing armored units because I'm still leery of airbrushing beyond primer even if my one experiment actually turned out okay. If I would stop being a ninny I could get that knocked out in a weekend but...
Throw in both factions for Team Yankee pretty much fully fleshed-out (only possible additions for a normal force org are another box of planes for each side and two more Hinds...the planes will likely be acquired in a month or so) and yeah...if we start counting individual soldiers from 15mm the number gets *insanely* bad. Heck, even counting vehicles it's pretty bad.
2016/04/19 13:11:00
Subject: Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
Seeing as I am very motivated right now, I am NOT going to do this. It would be detrimental to my hobby motivation to quantify the amount of unpainted plastic I have.
JSF wrote:... this is really quite an audacious move by GW, throwing out any pretext that this is a game and that its customers exist to do anything other than buy their overpriced products for the sake of it. The naked arrogance, greed and contempt for their audience is shocking.
= Epic First Post.
2016/04/19 15:33:15
Subject: Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
Tau
Crisis Suitsx3= on my painting table
Ethereal I painted this one. but hated how the cloak turned out and the feet. so I stripped it. took it off the drone and put it on cork.
Breachers
Ghostkeel
Marine
Grav devsx2 Sgtsx2
two bikers
Chaplain w/jumppack
Libby on bike
Khan on a bike
imperial guard
30 lasgun mooks
Vendetta upgrade
2 artillery
1 Russ
5000pts 6000pts 3000pts
2016/04/19 18:18:13
Subject: Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
I did a breakdown (of the list!) on the train. Hm.
About 530
Random quote so not specific to anyone but why do people waste so much money? In my youth I would buy entire armies in one go but sometimes I got bored of the concept/game before I completed them so I just stopped buying loads of stuff at anyone one time.
Now I just make a plan of what I need and I stick to it. Every single model that sees a table is painted and my backlog is small (and planned) due to this ethos. If I know won't be using something I will sell it (or sometimes give it away). This also ensures that I don't waste hundreds of pounds by having a plastic/lead mountain in the garage.
I did a breakdown (of the list!) on the train. Hm.
About 530
Random quote so not specific to anyone but why do people waste so much money? In my youth I would buy entire armies in one go but sometimes I got bored of the concept/game before I completed them so I just stopped buying loads of stuff at anyone one time.
Now I just make a plan of what I need and I stick to it. Every single model that sees a table is painted and my backlog is small (and planned) due to this ethos. If I know won't be using something I will sell it (or sometimes give it away). This also ensures that I don't waste hundreds of pounds by having a plastic/lead mountain in the garage.
It's not wasted money to everybody. I don't regret the money I've spent on my unpainted stuff. Maybe I'll get to it, maybe I'll resell it, and maybe I'll keep it forever.
I don't go to bars anymore, I don't spend money on football tickets or strip clubs or anything else. If I want to buy an army, I buy it. If I don't use it, that's my business, not yours.
I don't go to bars anymore, I don't spend money on football tickets or strip clubs or anything else. If I want to buy an army, I buy it. If I don't use it, that's my business, not yours.
Indeed, but it still a lot of money to invest in a plastic graveyard.
I don't go to bars anymore, I don't spend money on football tickets or strip clubs or anything else. If I want to buy an army, I buy it. If I don't use it, that's my business, not yours.
Indeed, but it still a lot of money to invest in a plastic graveyard.
Sorry to butt in but this irritated me. My response is a simple: So?
I am only speaking for myself, but I enjoy my collection of models, both painted and unpainted. The painted stuff looks great and gets used in games. The unpainted stuff is just potential fun and happiness held in stasis by a blister pack or a shrink-wrapped box--all waiting to be opened and enjoyed at a later date. That is the beauty of miniatures, except for the occasional lead rot, they don't really have a shelf life.
Most people have things they splurge on. As long as those excesses don't harm the person socially or financially what does it matter?
And to answer the OP: Thousands.
I have been collecting Battletech miniatures for almost two decades and I keep most of the figures in their original packaging so that is where most of that number comes from.
I also have hundreds of figures for Wargods of Aegyptus, Arena Rex, 40k, Dark Age, Wreck Age, Crimson Skies and All Quiet on the Martian Front along with random figures intended as proxies for some of those games sitting in my plastic graveyard, er, I mean hobby room.
2016/04/19 21:23:54
Subject: Moment of truth - count your unpainted minis
Hence why I asked.
. Actually how can we quantify a Reaver as a miniature? 10 IK's?
5000pts 
6000pts 
3000pts
