Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Ok, so its not great mystical truth that 40k is an expensive hobby, some would say extortionate and rant about GW's questionable pricing practice, but that's another thread. When I first started the hobby, a green stuff tentacle and a good paintjob made you a progeny of modelling talent, now of course with people sculpting entire models for use with 40k, techniques and tools getting it so that we as modelers and gamer;s can create things equal or greater the the evil empire itself. With a rather murky company policy when it comes to using scratch built models in Games Workshop stores you have to ask, are we scratch building because were awesome an expressive people or are we scratch building simply because with raw materials and time you can create an entire 40k army for a fraction of the cost.

I;m honestly not sure which is the case even with myself, but you have to admit that its only really GW games that have this level of scratch building with any regularity.

danp164 wrote:
...but you have to admit that its only really GW games that have this level of scratch building with any regularity.

You obviously haven't spent much time around historical games, because people have been scratch-building vehicles for those for decades.

For me it's definitively a bit of both. There are things (like tank destroyers) that I scratch build for fun/challenge, and others (Thunderbolts) that I scratch build because of costs.

 insaniak wrote:

danp164 wrote:
...but you have to admit that its only really GW games that have this level of scratch building with any regularity.

You obviously haven't spent much time around historical games, because people have been scratch-building vehicles for those for decades.

I admit I haven't had anything t do with historical games, I find them more than a little depressing for a form of escapism however i wasn't aware they actually had a mainstream retail alternative and used companies like tamiya out of necessity.

I put cheapskate and proud of it. But there is a bit of pride in making my own stuff too. The only thing I've scratch built is a warhound titan though. But I will be doing a thunderhawk sooner than later I think.

Both as I take a certain pride on building something that I want and do it in a reasonable cost efficient manner.

Not really cheap but thrifty. With a mortgage, bills, wife and 3 kids, you got to kinda budget your fun. I work in a factory where I can get some cool looking stuff from supplies and tools. Out of all my IG army, I would say 1/2 to 2/3 of my non infantry are scratchbuilt.
I have 3 fliers, 2 are actual kits,1 is all SB.
3 LRBT. 1 complete SB, the other 2 were parts kits that were added onto.
7 Chimeras. 2 store bought, 1 all SB, the other 4, GW treads with bodies and weapons SB.

With the high costs of models, being thrifty and creative does help!

Couldn't really vote for me, I don't really scratch build. My OCD doesn't really allow it. i have to have the exact model or it drives me nuts. I love to see others scratch builds though. It only really bothers me if its my stuff otherwise I like to see the products of your imaginations.

To save cost and it also feels good to scratchbuild... if it turns out nice. Otherwise I just feel bad about my sad creation and if its really terrible, I'll probably end up buying the model and accepting the fact that sometimes, you just can't satisfyingly scratch build a model.

I'm cheap.

I do greenstuffing out of a mix of cheap and art, but plasticard is way too frustrating for me to do expressively.

 wowsmash wrote:
Couldn't really vote for me, I don't really scratch build. My OCD doesn't really allow it. i have to have the exact model or it drives me nuts. I love to see others scratch builds though. It only really bothers me if its my stuff otherwise I like to see the products of your imaginations.

I have the same issue. If i played Orks I might feel differently. GW used to have instructions for scratchbuilding your own tanks and stuff that showed you exactly how to do it. but that was a long time ago.

Most of my scratchbuilts have been sadly out of need. Codex entries with no readily available model at the time.

- Biker boss: No model.
- Biker nobs: No model.
- Warbuggy: So ugly I'd rather pretend there's no model.
- Tankbustas: ... err... well. Cheap. I had so many unused rokkits from the boyz sprues that I thought i'd better put them to good use. Also, I'd prefer to keep my armies finecast-free, thanks.

I definitely have more time than money, and scratchbuilding allows me to make models I wouldn't otherwise buy. Still, as I'm primarily a P&M guy, it's not like I'm cheaping out just to be able to get a pricey unit on the field - I enjoy scratchbuilding and will continue do it, whether or not I'll ever use the models. With the exception of terrain, though, most of my builds involve recreating existing models using templates. Not exactly "freedom of expression," but I consider it a rewarding challenge, i.e. I have motivation aside from finances. Guess that puts me more or less in the "bit of both" category.

Creativity, what's in my head isn't a model yet.