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@mods
Not sure where this was most suited, didn't seem like it belonged in general discussions of the game systems. Sorry if you need to move it.
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Hi there!

The last year or so I've acquired a ridiculous amount of Warhammer. Most of it was donated to me, which I won't go into detail about. Some of it was traded for, some of it purchased. I'm now facing a real issue of space in my computer room and it's only getting worse as time goes on and I receive gifts/make purchases of my own. My birthday is in a few days and Christmas is around the corner, I know it's only going to swell further as friends and family get me GW gift cards/more models. It's about to reach critical mass.

I'm not terribly knowledgeable about rules for armies, so I pretty much don't even know what I have in terms of efficacy on the battlefield. I know mostly about Necrons and Space Marines (and even then, not a ton outside of the army lists I've personally used), but the other armies I've never played. I'm a big hobbyist, I'm in this primarily for the building and painting. However, I have a lot of models, and in some cases duplicates that I don't particularly see the need to paint and assemble multiples of. At the same time though, I don't want to get rid of multiples if they allow a particularly strong synergy on the tabletop in some way or another. Yes, I know rules change, but I can't wait around for those instances where my dupes are suddenly fotm.

I need your assistance in telling me what I can pretty much sell off, trade, get rid of, whatever. Below is my collection in its entirety, and most of it is either NIB or NOS - which is why so much space is being taken up. I don't have the time to build everything for obvious reasons (life and all). Some of it is assembled and waiting for its turn on deck to be painted. Either way, I have to reduce. Please give me some advice, even if it's only about one or two things. What is most definitely useless? Which duplicates are redundant? Which large numbers can be cut down? Thanks, any bit helps!

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Imperial Guard:

3 Leman Russ
1 Demolisher
10 Assorted Tanks (I'll be keeping all of these, can never have too much armor, I know that)
1 Baneblade
1 Yarrick
165 Steel Legion troopers
1 Cannon/Mortar (It looks like it anyway, don't know what the actual model is called).

Tau:

3 Stealth Teams
2 Devilfish
1 Skyray
24 Fire Warriors
6 Crisis Suits
2 Riptides
2 Sniper Teams
3 Ethereals
1 Aun'va + Guard
1 Shadowsun
1 FW XV9
3 Piranhas
1 Greater Knarloc + Team
24 Kroot Warriors
1 Anghkor Prok

Space Marines:

2 Drop Pods
3 Calgar + Honor Guard (each version is a different one, the original seated one, the single victory pose one, and the new finecast one).
1 25th Anniversary Model
5 Legio Custodes
2 Emperors
1 Uriel Ventris
1 Roboute Guilliman
1 Games Day Warrior Priest
2 Dreadnoughts
1 Karamzov
1 Command Squad (original set, not the new one)
1 Devastator Squad
1 Techmarine + Servitors
1 Skulz Standard Bearer
1 Assault Squad
10 Terminators
1 Terminator Captain
58 Marines
3 Librarians
1 Vindicare Assassin
2 Chaplains
1 Bike Squad
2 Rhinos
1 Whirlwind
1 Land Raider
3 Speeders
1 AoBR Captain
1 Cato Sicarius
Skulz Adeptus Mechanicus Set

Necrons:

1 Triarch Stalker
2 CCBs
3 Wraiths
1 Doom Scythe
3 Spyders
3 Destroyers
1 Doomsday Ark
3 Overlords
1 Omotekh
1 Trazyn
1 Obyron
1 Anrakyr
2 Szeras
1 Cryptek
1 Orikan
1 Deceiver
1 Nightbringer
1 Monolith
5 Deathmarks
5 Immortals
32 Warriors
8 Scarab Bases

Tyranids:

24 Spore Mines
7 Ripper Swarms
2 Brood Lords
2 Lictors
1 Zoanthrope
9 Warriors
4 Pyrovores
2 Biovores
2 New Tyrant Guard
3 Old Tyrant Guard
1 Flyrant
1 Swarmlord
2 Tervigons
3 Raveners
2 Trygons
2 Venomthropes
1 Hive Guard
4 Carnifexes (1 very old, 1 old, 2 new)
1 Hive Tyrant (old)
64 Hormagaunts
82 Termagants
45 Genestealers

Lizardmen:

2 Carnosaurs
2 Bastiladons
1 Brachiosaur + Crew
8 Cold Ones
3 Stegadons
1 Teradon
1 Slann
1 Skink Chief
1 Skink Priest
1 Saurus Chief
2 Kroq-Gar
64 Saurus Warriors
73 Skinks

PS: Forgive the number of updates, I inventoried this stuff some months back and I've acquired more since then, I keep forgetting stuff.

I can help you unload that Tau!

This isn't really a trading thread, friend. We can talk in PMs if you'd like, but this thread is primarily about what is expendable and redundant in my collection, since I'm not even sure what most of what I have even is. I sat one day and cataloged it all just to have it inventoried.

My gosh where to start. You seem to have a whole lot of everything, though really most of it works together and in between each other for the most part.

But if your trying to focus down your collection id say Pick the 1-3 you like the most or models you like looking at painted and trade the rest.

If you want you could kill two birds with one stone by trading for a painting commission.


(PSSST id be interested in that vindicare if its the one with the rifle and no pistol )

 Desubot wrote:
My gosh where to start. You seem to have a whole lot of everything, though really most of it works together and in between each other for the most part.

That's what I was worried about. I was hoping at least some of it was guaranteed to be useless for at least this edition of their respective books.

Man i gets worse as some of those armies should be getting updated soon.
But lets go down the list. and to start you really dont need more than 3 full units per army other than a few exception like dreads troops and vehicles.

You can start by pulling unique IC. such as 3 Calgary (only really need 1) As well you ever only need 2-3 ethereal.

 Desubot wrote:
Man i gets worse as some of those armies should be getting updated soon.
But lets go down the list. and to start you really dont need more than 3 full units per army other than a few exception like dreads troops and vehicles.

You can start by pulling unique IC. such as 3 Calgary (only really need 1) As well you ever only need 2-3 ethereal.

I guess I'll keep the ethereals then if 3 are useful.

How about the Piranhas and Land Speeders? Fast Attack seems kind of meh when I'm building my army lists and looking at other people's.

My two cents on your Space Marines:

Keep:
2 Drop Pods
2 Calgar + Honor Guard ( the single victory pose one, and the new finecast one).
1 Uriel Ventris
1 Roboute Guilliman
2 Dreadnoughts
1 Command Squad (original set, not the new one)
1 Devastator Squad
1 Techmarine + Servitors
1 Assault Squad
10 Terminators
1 Terminator Captain
58 Marines
3 Librarians
2 Chaplains
1 Bike Squad
2 Rhinos
1 Whirlwind
1 Land Raider
3 Speeders
1 AoBR Captain
1 Cato Sicarius

Why: Because you've got a really good Ultramarines thing going here. Lots of basic stuff that can easily be expanded on and it's not bad stuff to boot! Easily lots of different builds for you to try and experiment with! Keep both the PA Calgar and the Finecast calgar. You can choose which armor to run him in (I think). The librarians have you on your way to a librarius Apoc. formation too, so I'd hold on to them.

Get rid of:
Calgar (the original seated one)
1 25th Anniversary Model
5 Legio Custodes
2 Emperors
1 Games Day Warrior Priest
1 Karamzov
1 Skulz Standard Bearer (iffy...could be cool enough to keep!)
1 Vindicare Assassin
Skulz Adeptus Mechanicus Set

Why: We're not talking coolness factor here...though this stuff is certainly cool, it doesn't really do much for you as far as a SM army goes. A lot of it could get you a fair bit in trade or sale (looking at you Emperor...) and you probably wouldn't have to worry about trying to get rid of it. Basically, it's less useful in game since it either isn't a direct part of the army or it doesn't have rules for it either way.

So should I keep the pods, or sell them? You have them in both lists. Their boxes are enormous and I don't know how useful only two are since I've read that for them to be effective they have to be available in large numbers.

 PrehistoricUFO wrote:

 Desubot wrote:
Man i gets worse as some of those armies should be getting updated soon.
But lets go down the list. and to start you really dont need more than 3 full units per army other than a few exception like dreads troops and vehicles.

You can start by pulling unique IC. such as 3 Calgary (only really need 1) As well you ever only need 2-3 ethereal.

I guess I'll keep the ethereals then if 3 are useful.

How about the Piranhas and Land Speeders? Fast Attack seems kind of meh when I'm building my army lists and looking at other people's.

Dont forget that armies eventually change. what was good before may suck in the next edition and vice verse. But in this edition and depending on your play style you wont really need ether of them.

For the marine stuff. What style do you exactly play? and do you want to be stuck with only one type of army?

Edit: generally you want odd numbers of Pods. they are good for alpha strike style armies. of which ultra marines could do. 2 wont really ever do much other than lower point games.

 PrehistoricUFO wrote:
So should I keep the pods, or sell them? You have them in both lists. Their boxes are enormous and I don't know how useful only two are since I've read that for them to be effective they have to be available in large numbers.

Sorry. I fixed that. I'd keep the pods, but YMMV. You have enough uses for them even with only having two I feel. If you're trying to go WAAC, then you're probably safe getting rid of them. I will say that a lot of good lists have a sternguard squad alpha striking in a pod, and I've used that tactic (one pod + Sternguard squad) myself quite successfully. I say keep at least one for at least having the option of taking one.

I know armies eventually change, but as I mentioned, I haven't got the time to wait for when my collection allows for fotm synergies. Basically I need to cut it down as of this rules edition and army books, since a lot of those armies have new(ish) rules or are right around the corner.

As far as marines go, when I play I guess I prefer infantry heavy lists with some armor backing them up. I'm not terribly competitive and my friends are the same. We just play what we like the rules for and think are fun to use. I don't even really use my land speeders or bikes, for example.

Well from a number perspective you've actually got a start to a Battle Company if you ever play apocalypse. (with some house rules, which I use in my Apoc games.)

captain (Sicarius or AoBR)
Honor Guard
Chaplain
2 Dreadnoughts
6 Tactical Squads (58 Marines)
1 Assault Squad
1 Bike Squad (the other assault squad)
1 Devastator Squad

So, from a pure fluff perspective and for a fun army to play with (it may not win every game, but you can do well with the UM Chapter Tactics) All you'd have to do is pick up another Devastator squad and you've got a battle company. Keep the Rhinos, Whirlwind, Land Raider, a Land Speeder and a Librarian and you've got some extra units to play with as well.

Then to kinda work it out id say keep:

1 Baneblade

Space Marines:
1 Calgar + Honor Guard (which ever you like and keep some extra honor guards if you want to make a full unit - the extra banners)
1 25th Anniversary Model
2 Dreadnoughts
1 Command Squad (original set, not the new one)
1 Devastator Squad
1 Assault Squad
10 Terminators
At most 40 marines with extra Special or heavies to switch with if you like)
1 Lib
1 Chaplain
2 Rhinos
1 Whirlwind
1 Land Raider
1 Cato Sicarius

Skulz Adeptus Mechanicus Set + banner (they are cool and dont take that much space)

Will edit in the rest.

Edit for below: OH NO YOU FOOL

I didn't even realize how close I was to a full company. Wow, that's pretty great actually. All of a sudden I'm immensely attracted to my marines again . . .

I'd like to disclaimer my responses by admitting that I am no competitive player. Taking an army built from a battle company to a tournament will get you beat pretty handily. But it does make for some fun, fluffy games. I don't regret going towards a battle company for my builds!

Oh, and you could replace your missing devastator squad with 6 Centurions. That would give you a more hard-hitting 'every game' unit.

Some of the Tau players could comment on your Tau force, which I'm pretty sure you could mold into a more competitive army (I see 2 riptides on your list, so that's a darn good start to that!). So you could have your marines for fun and apoc (and ally them with Tau, of course!) and your Tau for the odd tournament you may want to play in.

Yeah no problem on the competitive playing thing. I appreciate the info I'm getting from you guys on the Space Marine front, it's all very useful and enlightening.

I could really use some info on the Tyranids though, their models are so large and intrusive, not to mention extremely difficult to store efficiently without damaging them due to their tentacles and gribbly bits.

I just went through something similar, I was hoarding up LOTS of 40k stuff.

Basically take a step back, and ask yourself the following:
1) what army do I enjoy the overall look of?
2) what armies will I be playing?

Armies need options, if you cull a bunch of models, you may inadvertently cut off list options. If space is an issue, limit yourself down to 2 armies, liquidate an entire army this gives you an added bonus to not be tempted to hoard up more models for a force you shrunk.

 PrehistoricUFO wrote:

Tau:

3 Stealth Teams Uncompetitive, can get rid of these, but it will be hard to get rid off
2 Devilfish As above, but if the top hatch assembly isn't glued on, then should be easy to move to others that have spare hammerhead/sky ray turrets lying around
1 Skyray very competitive unit, should be easy to move
24 Fire Warriors used in some lists, may have some trouble moving them, but not too much
6 Crisis Suits If weapons are unglued or magnetised, easy as pie to move, if not, will depend on their weapon loadouts
2 Riptides should be easy to move
2 Sniper Teams rarely used, but good enough, might have trouble moving them
3 Ethereals used often, should be easy enough to move
1 Aun'va + Guard not popular due to wave serpents, but might see some love
1 Shadowsun popular enough in some lists
1 FW XV9 not very competitive, but a really cool model so someone should may take it, depending on weapon
3 Piranhas A useful unit, someone might bite
1 Greater Knarloc + Team not a good unit at all, but cool model, will have trouble moving
24 Kroot Warriors very popular at the moment
1 Anghkor Prok no rules atm, popular amongst collector's though, should have no trouble moving

Instead of getting rid of minis, have you considered getting a better way to store them? Something like KR multicase, or another option.

I used to have a lot of wargaming clutter too. I think at last count I had bits to build around 90 assault marines. I must have about the same for terminators. Maybe double that for tac squads. And 6 other armies to boot...

A couple of years ago I decided I'd had enough, and I clipped all my bits and unfinished stuff off the sprues, and sorted everything I own into labeled ziplock bags, and put the bags into filing boxes (which I bought specially). It took me about a week to sort everything, and the boxes weigh a ton (because of all the lead), but you would be amazed how compact you can get it all. It transformed a whole room full of clutter into like 4 easy to manage (and hide) boxes. Everything is much more organized and accessible now. I even have a lot of painted stuff bagged up and packed that way, and it is well protected, because of the air space inside the bags.

Removing stuff from the boxes/sprues doesn't really effect a value, should you ever want to sell. I often see opened half-painted Space Hulk 2009 boxes sell on ebay for the same as new sealed versions. Bits tend to be worth more sold separately too.

It's something I would certainly recommend thinking about. Wargamming clutter was a big problem for me, that I just don't have anymore. It's a really good feeling to know that everything is as small and organized and well stored as it possibly can be. If I ever needed to move house or store stuff long term, then it's a breeze. And if I'm working on something, then it's really handy to have all my grenades, or all my heavy weapons, together in their own ziplock bag, where I can peruse them all easily, instead of scattered around on sprues in different kits.

 PrehistoricUFO wrote:

Tyranids:

24 Spore Mines - too many. Even with 6 biovores I've never had more than 2-3 on the board and taking them as FA is a waste of time usually.
7 Ripper Swarms - Near useless overall, especially in low numbers
2 Brood Lords - Fine
2 Lictors - Is one of them Deathleaper? They may get better in the new codex but no guarantees
1 Zoanthrope - Keep, need more.
9 Warriors - Eh. Hopefully get better in the new codex, otherwise get rid of.
4 Pyrovores - L.O.L. Um. Some people can get use out of them against Tau gunlines or IG aegis lines if you pod them in. Otherwise useless.
2 Biovores - Keep.
2 New Tyrant Guard - The most you'll ever need in a single FOC list is 6. Even then most people don't take them if you take a Flyrant.
3 Old Tyrant Guard
1 Flyrant - Money. Keep.
1 Swarmlord - Money. Keep.
2 Tervigons - Money. Keep.
3 Raveners - Eh. Not enough to be good. Either get more or drop these.
2 Trygons - Good.
2 Venomthropes - Good but you should be careful and think about how they're used if you want to keep them. They have uses but not in every list.
1 Hive Guard - need more.
4 Carnifexes (1 very old, 1 old, 2 new) - Depends on what they're armed with, and the very old one is pretty small... depends on your local group on if you can use him as a Carnifex or not.
1 Hive Tyrant (old) - old as in pewter or old as in pewter and tiny?
64 Hormagaunts - Eh. Can be useful in the right list. I'd keep them and see how the new codex treats them.
82 Termagants - need moar
45 Genestealers - Eh. Can be useful in the right list. I'd keep them and see how the new codex treats them.

Keep in mind a new codex is due soon.

The quick way is to totally bin (or sell) everything other than two or three armies which you might actually use. We've all done this and got other armies that we "might use one day" only never to use the bloody things.

You'll only really ever use a couple of 40K armies so just pick two and sell two - space saved - job done! You can then whittle away the bits you don't need/use as you work it out over time

I honestly think the best thing would be to go read up on the tactica/army list forum sections for specific information about each of your collections. Find an army or playstyle you think you may like to dabble in and then build that army out of your collection. Once you are happy with your army, set aside a few swappable options and sell the rest.

rigeld2 wrote:

 PrehistoricUFO wrote:

Tyranids:

24 Spore Mines - too many. Even with 6 biovores I've never had more than 2-3 on the board and taking them as FA is a waste of time usually.
7 Ripper Swarms - Near useless overall, especially in low numbers
2 Brood Lords - Fine
2 Lictors - Is one of them Deathleaper? They may get better in the new codex but no guarantees
1 Zoanthrope - Keep, need more.
9 Warriors - Eh. Hopefully get better in the new codex, otherwise get rid of.
4 Pyrovores - L.O.L. Um. Some people can get use out of them against Tau gunlines or IG aegis lines if you pod them in. Otherwise useless.
2 Biovores - Keep.
2 New Tyrant Guard - The most you'll ever need in a single FOC list is 6. Even then most people don't take them if you take a Flyrant.
3 Old Tyrant Guard
1 Flyrant - Money. Keep.
1 Swarmlord - Money. Keep.
2 Tervigons - Money. Keep.
3 Raveners - Eh. Not enough to be good. Either get more or drop these.
2 Trygons - Good.
2 Venomthropes - Good but you should be careful and think about how they're used if you want to keep them. They have uses but not in every list.
1 Hive Guard - need more.
4 Carnifexes (1 very old, 1 old, 2 new) - Depends on what they're armed with, and the very old one is pretty small... depends on your local group on if you can use him as a Carnifex or not.
1 Hive Tyrant (old) - old as in pewter or old as in pewter and tiny?
64 Hormagaunts - Eh. Can be useful in the right list. I'd keep them and see how the new codex treats them.
82 Termagants - need moar
45 Genestealers - Eh. Can be useful in the right list. I'd keep them and see how the new codex treats them.

Keep in mind a new codex is due soon.

Very useful information. I'm going to separate things out and keep them on standby, then see how the new 'dex treats them. Much appreciated.

Thanks for all the advice as well, everybody.