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Alright dakka, whats up?

Today, one of our ork players bought a leman russ demolisher kit to convert to a looted wagon. He had brought his bits, which when set out, covered half a card table. I helped him look through his entire bits pile for some ork tank commander heads. I sat there for about 5-10 minutes, and at the end, he had 8 heads to choose from for a commander and the gunners. I looked over at the demolisher sprue, and saw the tank commander head. I am rather found of it. I ask him if I could have the head for some of my IG command squads. He said "Oh, I dont know, I think I want a trade for it". A little peeved, I had helped out the kid, I went and asked my friend if he had any bits on him (My bits are still on the sprue, so I dont really carry a "bits box" with me all over the place. My case is full as it is) My friend goes over to ask if he wanted to trade for it, and he refused. Now, granted, he bought the kit, so it is his, but come on. It was just the head for an IG tank commander. I try to give out my bits freely, as if I am not using it, and someone wants/ needs it, they can have it. I really dont see the appeal of "hording" bits. But maybe I am just another whiney kid. What do you think dakka, do you see the appeal to hording and do you do it yourself?

Bits can be rather valuable- especially rarer ones that come from specific kits. In fact, there are many online shops that make a tidy profit selling bits.

Personally, there are times when I may purchase a kit and never use certain bits at the time- but I think most of the extras are cool and there may be a time when I will need them later on.

I don't mind trading for something I want or selling my extras off that I don't think I'll need. But I don't tend to just give my bits away. I pay a great deal of cash, as we all do, on these little plastic warriors. I prefer to get as much usage from the kits as I possibly can.

NobleSeven wrote:Bits can be rather valuable- especially rarer ones that come from specific kits. In fact, there are many online shops that make a tidy profit selling bits.

Personally, there are times when I may purchase a kit and never use certain bits at the time- but I think most of the extras are cool and there may be a time when I will need them later on.

I don't mind trading for something I want or selling my extras off that I don't think I'll need. But I don't tend to just give my bits away. I pay a great deal of cash, as we all do, on these little plastic warriors. I prefer to get as much usage from the kits as I possibly can.

Thats true, but this was the IG commander head that came in ever IG tank kit. And he plays only orks and necrons. Maybe its just me, I like to keep the hobby social.

Hopefully I see him again, and I bring my bits. I want to use it in either my command squad or sentinel.

Which head was it? I have bits coming out of everywhere that im not going to use. If i have the one you are looking for id be up for tossing it your way.

I personally have a moderate bitz box... mostly full of bolters and other marine bitz, as my Eldar do not really leave me much spares, what with all the metal aspects and such.
I am however, currently helping a friend, who bought a deamon prince and a dread in order to make his iron warriors deamon prince. With the left over parts of the DP i offered my services and said i could make him a second prince quite easily. Its going well so far, just need to buy some green-stuff as he wants its nurgley, but so far i have incorperated from my own collection...

The old chaos DCCW "claw"
A random nurgling
An ork trakk (Its IW... of course the DP will be on mechanized tracks!!!)
Part of a dozer blade

Now i know im not currently using any of these things... but i was keeping them just in case. But its one of those situations where i'm not actually doing anything with the bits so i may as well let someone else have some use out of them. On the other hand, if i ever need any bitz from him, then he'll most likely hand them over so it works both ways... and in essence it would be a kind of trade if viewed over a long period of time...

In short... i have no problems with giving away bitz that i have no use for and do not intent on using in the immediate future, and if i ever need those parts again, it might just happen that another friend could help me out anyway so its no biggy. I do not see the sense of hoarding every single little piece you get just in case.

Giving your things away doesn't necessarily promote a "social hobby." I think trading is a great way to be social and have both people walking away with something new to use for their models later on.

You helping him sort his bits while expecting nothing in return would have been a grander display of a friendly and helpful hobby. Just my thoughts.

NobleSeven wrote:You helping him sort his bits while expecting nothing in return would have been a grander display of a friendly and helpful hobby. Just my thoughts.

This. Getting to see bits in person is a valuable opportunity for anyone who wants to plan new conversions- I'd say a reward in and of itself.

And while I might happily give away a spare bit I don't intend to use (like say, a beastman shield), I would definitely expect something of equivalent value to exchange for a bit I could see a potential use for. As for a bit I intended to use, no chance. And while some may think less of me for saying this, I would probably take offence at anyone who expected me to justify not giving them part of a model I paid for. Depending on how hard they pushed it, it could easily become an "I don't care to associate with you any more" scenario.

I wouldn't have given you the bit. :/ You never know when you might need it.

I used to be a major packrat, but I'm learning to relax. Recently I gave away 1 of each CSM banner and vehicle god-icon to someone wanting to make a Chaos temple.

This sounds like a Very Special Episode for Hoarders, or something similar.

I have a bits...shelving unit. In fairness it's only about a foot wide...and six feet tall. It's full of little drawer sets and such so I can keep the bits organized. I suspect, if I spread the lot out thinly, that it would cover a 6 x 4 table quite merrily.

Happygrunt wrote:Alright dakka, whats up?

Today, one of our ork players bought a leman russ demolisher kit to convert to a looted wagon. He had brought his bits, which when set out, covered half a card table. I helped him look through his entire bits pile for some ork tank commander heads. I sat there for about 5-10 minutes, and at the end, he had 8 heads to choose from for a commander and the gunners. I looked over at the demolisher sprue, and saw the tank commander head. I am rather found of it. I ask him if I could have the head for some of my IG command squads. He said "Oh, I dont know, I think I want a trade for it". A little peeved, I had helped out the kid, I went and asked my friend if he had any bits on him (My bits are still on the sprue, so I dont really carry a "bits box" with me all over the place. My case is full as it is) My friend goes over to ask if he wanted to trade for it, and he refused. Now, granted, he bought the kit, so it is his, but come on. It was just the head for an IG tank commander. I try to give out my bits freely, as if I am not using it, and someone wants/ needs it, they can have it. I really dont see the appeal of "hording" bits. But maybe I am just another whiney kid. What do you think dakka, do you see the appeal to hording and do you do it yourself?

I often keep special heads and whatnot against future use, especially interesting ones like the tank commander head with the cap.

Helping me sort through my bits for five minutes does not entitle you to my things.

yeah, you had no entitlement there. had it been me, i would have tried to trade for it for most stuff like heavy weapons and the like. i will check my bitz for you when i get home in a few days, shoot me a pm to remind me and i will send it to you free of charge or postage. if it is the one i think it is i will never use it and i have about thirty of those sprues in my collection.

it would have been nice of him to give it to you, but i can understand if he did not. prolly trying to build a bitz collection himself. hardly hoarding. if i were to take all my spare bitz and melt them all into a solid block, it would be about 2 feetper side. THAT. is hoarding.

Jon Garrett wrote:I have a bits...shelving unit. In fairness it's only about a foot wide...and six feet tall. It's full of little drawer sets and such so I can keep the bits organized. I suspect, if I spread the lot out thinly, that it would cover a 6 x 4 table quite merrily.

I need to organize mine. I have a fishing lure box with the loose bits in the compartments. They used to be seperated but not so much anymore. I also have several boxes sitting around with tons still on the sprue since theres no room in the bits box.

I am collecting Dark eldar atm and all my IG bits are now useless, there are only a couple i have hoarded just for possible terrain.

Goddard wrote:I wouldn't have given you the bit. :/ You never know when you might need it.

As a player who plays Orks and Necrons, you'd need an Imperial Guard head? It woulda been nice of the kid to hand it over, but you can trade with him as long as he doesn't lose it.

I used to have heaps upon heaps of Ork bitz; a truly insane amount of them. Was able to trade them all off for money and models, and that's just fine by me. I keep my Marine and Guard bits around though - my Ork army is "done" for all intents and purposes and I wasn't going to need more.

JOHIRA wrote:I would probably take offence at anyone who expected me to justify not giving them part of a model I paid for.

Amen to this. I'm not averse to trading or giving away the odd bit, but there's no entitlement.

I sell and trade bits quite often. I've given bits away on occasion, usually to some kid who has dire need for a melta gun or plasma gun in there marine squad, but that's because I'm a generous old soul. If someone thought they deserved a bit I'd just laugh.

He's an ork player. We ork players are probably the most compulsive bitz hoarders. I've got so many plastic organizers full of random stuff that they take up all the space under my desk, and then some.

I've cut the cap off many a guard commander's head to use for an ork driver. It's not an unused bit. But then, nothing should be.

The other side to this is how easy it is to trade for it. Ork players tend to find a use for anything, so simply offer a pick of whatever you've got lying around and you'll do just fine

Among my group of regular gaming friends, we regularly help each other out with bitz when needed. But for casual acquaintances at a gaming store, sounds like trade time.

So you help him 'sort' his bits for 5 minutes and expect something for free? I mean if someone offered to help me do something so simple and then started angling for a freebie I might not be entirely disposed towards you.

I think it might rather have come across that you were 'helping' him with the hope of sourcing free bits.

I've got a pretty big box of bits, 99% of which I'll never use. I'm tempted to throw the contents away because of the chronic lack of space in my room, but then when I look on ebay and see people charging ridiculous amounts for a single small part such as a gun or a head, I waver. Now, the chances are that I'll never use ebay so I'll always have these damn bits.

There are certain bitz I'll hold onto, but for the most part I've got so many of them that if someone is looking for something specific, I'll generally give out what I've got. Many times I'll ask for something in return, but I'm not super picky on what I get back unless there's something specific I need and I know they have.

Unless I had a specific use for something I would have no problem giving a mate any bit they wanted. Some random chap, not so much.

Not wishing to sound condecending but the OP and chum sound young and youngster can be a little posessive and always seem to be on the cadge for free stuff. [little scamps, pfft! ]

On the one hand, I totally agree that you are in no way entitled to the bit. On the other hand, I think there are alot of stingy people out there and you just found one. Also, the expensive nature of GW kits tends to make people extra protective of them.

I have a massive and well organized selection of bits and I have used it extensively to trade online for bits I use, so I know it's value. On the other hand, when a club member is looking for bits, I'm always willing to trade and often just give them away.

I used to have two 40L tubs full of bits .got rid of them when i gave up a few years ago ...oh how i regret that !

I am a hoarder by nature, any spare bits get clipped off the sprue and each army I have has one of these;



This way when ever I need something it's dead easy to find.

Whilst helping this kid root through his bits gave you no claim on any of his stuff, I tend to think that unless you have a specific need for it in mind then you should be generous with your spares.

When ever I do a trade I generaly have a chat with the person to find out what they are working on, if they have anything they need which I have I usualy chuck it in for free.

I only give away bitz when I'm absolutely certain that I will never use them and they hold no substantial value. This may seem a bit greedy to some, but as mentioned; you never know when you may want/need a particular bit and valuable bitz can be traded or even sold. In a hobby that already costs a lot of money one has to do what they can to get what they want/need.

I think everybody is different, if it was me i would have given you the head, at the end of the day though its his choice and i dont think there is a need to berate him for it.

I'm an Ork player at heart, and I don't normally give away anything either. I have a horde, I mean HORDE of bits. But it's true, just offer up a little something in trade and I'm good. Buy me a water or something. Anything.

On the general subject of giving stuff away...

Not everybody has a tight group of gaming friends, but those who do have a group, I highly recommend giving away some bits and figs. It's kind of like a good virus that keeps giving.

A guy in our games group started this trend by giving away some mechwarrior figs. Before we knew it, we were all offering up bits and figs to the group or selling/trading at really reasonable rates. It's really created a great vibe in the group where folks actually look for stuff they don't need that the others might want. It was especially great when we had some newbies join and the group saw to it that they had some free figures to practice painting right away.

A vibe like that is worth a mound of hoarded bits.