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For all the folks who are a little non-plussed with older figures (particularly if they're metal), you guys should really consider stripping and re-doing them. My entire Eldar army is from eBay which means 90% of them arrived in an abused state after being painted by a 12 year old.

Stripping down, cleaning, filing, re-basing and re-painting was extremely cathartic. More rewarding than buying stuff new and assembling/painting it. I'd definitely consider "saving" some of your old units that you're not excited about.

When I was a kid, I built my space Wolves with the shoulder pads on sideways. Think American football players. I also didn't know you were supposed to cut off the grips on guns to make them fit.

I think I still have some poor space wolf with a meltagun jammed into a powerfist. Embarrassing everytime I see them.

The 2nd edition space marines bolt guns used to have stock you had to cut off
I thought it was the barrel so i glued all my bolt guns backwards with the hand under the real barrel.

Nevelon wrote:
I’m not going to say I’m embarrassed to put them on the table, but they are the last tac squad to be picked when it comes to putting models in the case to take to the FLGS. To their credit, last time I did field them (a list with all the even numbered squads in the company, which is why they got out) they were my MVP squad of the game, erasing a big blob of little gribbly nids, and then blowing large chunks out of a squad of zoanthropes.

Nice. Those little guys were showing you the benefit of 20 years of experience.

Elbows wrote:For all the folks who are a little non-plussed with older figures (particularly if they're metal), you guys should really consider stripping and re-doing them. My entire Eldar army is from eBay which means 90% of them arrived in an abused state after being painted by a 12 year old.

Stripping down, cleaning, filing, re-basing and re-painting was extremely cathartic. More rewarding than buying stuff new and assembling/painting it. I'd definitely consider "saving" some of your old units that you're not excited about.

I've stripped hundreds of minis. I also find the process of stripping minis cathartic and it's a way to save a ton of cash. However I don't do it to figs I've already painted. I'm willing to touch up an old paint job, but I have such a backlog of minis that I actually want to paint that the thought of completely redoing minis I've already painted is incredibly depressing.

DanceOfSlaanesh wrote:The 2nd edition space marines bolt guns used to have stock you had to cut off
I thought it was the barrel so i glued all my bolt guns backwards with the hand under the real barrel.

Sorry, but that's hilarious. I never glued them backwards, but I remember thinking that the stocks were cool and being really annoyed that you have to cut them off to make them fit correctly. I've got a good stock those bolters and I love them. If I ever build more marines, they'll all get 2nd edition bolters.

 Eilif wrote:

Nevelon wrote:
I’m not going to say I’m embarrassed to put them on the table, but they are the last tac squad to be picked when it comes to putting models in the case to take to the FLGS. To their credit, last time I did field them (a list with all the even numbered squads in the company, which is why they got out) they were my MVP squad of the game, erasing a big blob of little gribbly nids, and then blowing large chunks out of a squad of zoanthropes.

Nice. Those little guys were showing you the benefit of 20 years of experience.

To be fair, my company also includes two squads of RTB01 marines, both of which are in heavy rotation when it comes time to build lists.

Years in service is one thing I don’t lack from my collection.

 Elbows wrote:
For all the folks who are a little non-plussed with older figures (particularly if they're metal), you guys should really consider stripping and re-doing them. My entire Eldar army is from eBay which means 90% of them arrived in an abused state after being painted by a 12 year old.

Stripping down, cleaning, filing, re-basing and re-painting was extremely cathartic. More rewarding than buying stuff new and assembling/painting it. I'd definitely consider "saving" some of your old units that you're not excited about.

Honestly, saving old Minis is one of the funnest parts of the hobby! It's why I always by used when I can...but it can be a bit of work getting them cleaned up but it is definitely fun.

I purchased an Eastern European knock-off Horus model in 2009 off eBay for a fair amount of money. The model was metal with pieces that require assembly.

Good enough looking, if you think about Horus as a slender fellow in his late teens who likes to wear fur shawls. I imagine this one looks more like the EC clones made after the retreat into the Eye of Terror.

The problem is that the model fell apart every time I used it on the table. There's no glue strong enough to keep the pieces together, nor are the metal parts thick enough for any kind of decent pinning.

The ironic thing about this thread is that it will be the worst examples that aren't posted, as the people doing so presumably don't feel embarrassed by them!

To give examples I would say 40k is probably the worst offender for pairs of bodyless legs running about, multi-chapter marine armies (where essentially the owner got bored after painting two of them and then switched). Although stands of epic miniatures snapped off at the ankles (so the whole squad was lying over) wasn't an uncommon sight back in the day.

 Asmodai wrote:


My terrible childhood paint job aside, the old 3-piece Marines have not aged well.

Remember those won't particularly well regarded even when they were released! Not a patch on the metals that were about at the time (or even the RTB01 in terms of flexibility of the kits), but something you had to buy as the 2nd edition rulebooks weren't available separately in those days. Although at least the set was reasonably priced compared to modern levels.

 Pacific wrote:
The ironic thing about this thread is that it will be the worst examples that aren't posted, as the people doing so presumably don't feel embarrassed by them!

Well, there was the time I used soda cans as flight stands for my Valkyries (forgot to pack the real ones), and at a tournament, no less...

 Pacific wrote:
The ironic thing about this thread is that it will be the worst examples that aren't posted, as the people doing so presumably don't feel embarrassed by them!

To give examples I would say 40k is probably the worst offender for pairs of bodyless legs running about, multi-chapter marine armies (where essentially the owner got bored after painting two of them and then switched). Although stands of epic miniatures snapped off at the ankles (so the whole squad was lying over) wasn't an uncommon sight back in the day.

 Asmodai wrote:


My terrible childhood paint job aside, the old 3-piece Marines have not aged well.

Remember those won't particularly well regarded even when they were released! Not a patch on the metals that were about at the time (or even the RTB01 in terms of flexibility of the kits), but something you had to buy as the 2nd edition rulebooks weren't available separately in those days. Although at least the set was reasonably priced compared to modern levels.

Aww. Those poor little guys are just like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. They just need a bit of love. You should check out what tale of painters guys did with them. Not so bad.

Down with shame! Here are my favorite guys that i love:



Here you see the famous kneeless half dwarf carrying a lego rocket, which is of course meant for the lego rocket launcher held by his friend! And then of course there's Sir Held up By Clay (because someone didn't know what kind of glue to use at all). He's...

He's kind of gross, ok? *Looks closely at hairs in clay" Oh lord.

I was a girl with a lot of enthusiasm and time, and more enthusiasm. Skill would come later.

I mean, i hope it will.

I tried to do my own Green Stuff tabbard to hang down from a Terminators belt, but it looks like a cotton loin cloth.

So disappointing.

 Nevelon wrote:

They weren't even good looking when they were released.

Of course I painted 20 and they're in my BA army...

One squad of 2nd ed bolter huggers is still on active duty in my company. The other squad was replaced and now lives on the swap shelf.

I’m not going to say I’m embarrassed to put them on the table, but they are the last tac squad to be picked when it comes to putting models in the case to take to the FLGS. To their credit, last time I did field them (a list with all the even numbered squads in the company, which is why they got out) they were my MVP squad of the game, erasing a big blob of little gribbly nids, and then blowing large chunks out of a squad of zoanthropes.

 Stevefamine wrote:
I deeply regret painting my Wolves blue. I've received numerous "furry" comments and weird anime references I don't get. I've also been asked if my Gorax was a trollblood warbeast more than a few times when the player was new to the game.

If you want to tone down the blue then you could try glazing them with orange (and even yellow and red) and they should shift to something more brownish. Try it on an experimental model. If a pure orange is a bit too harsh you can also try using various flesh tones (they all tend to be some type of orange/red brown).

Mario wrote:

 Stevefamine wrote:
I deeply regret painting my Wolves blue. I've received numerous "furry" comments and weird anime references I don't get. I've also been asked if my Gorax was a trollblood warbeast more than a few times when the player was new to the game.

If you want to tone down the blue then you could try glazing them with orange (and even yellow and red) and they should shift to something more brownish. Try it on an experimental model. If a pure orange is a bit too harsh you can also try using various flesh tones (they all tend to be some type of orange/red brown).

Ended up using about to layers of matte varnish, dulled the blue. Also used some wipe off pigments in some areas to brown up the fur/skin later on.

I have a lone shoota ork where he is holding his gun above his head and screaming. He is always at the front of the shoota boyz mob, and is almost always the first guy removed from the board in any game. Even when it isn't best to target that mob, my regular opponents almost always find a way to shoot at him first so he can be the first ork casualty.

 Easy E wrote:
I have a lone shoota ork where he is holding his gun above his head and screaming. He is always at the front of the shoota boyz mob, and is almost always the first guy removed from the board in any game. Even when it isn't best to target that mob, my regular opponents almost always find a way to shoot at him first so he can be the first ork casualty.

It's a shame he's not bullet proof - I've had a few miniatures like that which no matter what my opponent throws at him, dispite all odds he comes out standing (this was most prevalent in Necromunda where you had to roll after the battle for permeant Injuries (including death), poor guy was more bionic than human, and the number of other injuries as well.

My scratch builds 5 years ago:





Or to tell you the truth anything more than 2 years old.

I let my mom paint a space marine form the beginners painting kit I bought years ago. Gold and blue polka dots everywhere. Glued a magnet to him and he now guards my fridge.

Guardsmanwaffle wrote:
I let my mom paint a space marine form the beginners painting kit I bought years ago. Gold and blue polka dots everywhere. Glued a magnet to him and he now guards my fridge.

I love this and now i want to see him.

 amazingturtles wrote:

Guardsmanwaffle wrote:
I let my mom paint a space marine form the beginners painting kit I bought years ago. Gold and blue polka dots everywhere. Glued a magnet to him and he now guards my fridge.

I love this and now i want to see him.

I agree. Pics or it didn’t happen.

 Nevelon wrote:

 amazingturtles wrote:

Guardsmanwaffle wrote:
I let my mom paint a space marine form the beginners painting kit I bought years ago. Gold and blue polka dots everywhere. Glued a magnet to him and he now guards my fridge.

I love this and now i want to see him.

I agree. Pics or it didn’t happen.

Fine. I lied. The polka dots are yellow not gold.
http://imgur.com/aDgmVLT

Edit: And you guys get to deal with crap lighting and iphone camera photo quality. I'm not bringing out a lamp to photo that abomination.

That’s fair.

Nice marine. That’s one supply depot that will be safe from the ravages of the great devourer.

That one model I'm ashamed of?

Guard: Entire army
Ultramarines: Entire army

 Nevelon wrote:
That’s one supply depot that will be safe from the ravages of the great devourer.

Not really. Nothing short of a titan legion could stop my roomate.

Guardsmanwaffle wrote:

 Nevelon wrote:
That’s one supply depot that will be safe from the ravages of the great devourer.

Not really. Nothing short of a titan legion could stop my roomate.

Get painting!

I did not lie, I love that marine, Guardsmanwaffle. I need a fridge marine of my own now.

I am embarrassed to field all my models


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 amazingturtles wrote:
Down with shame! Here are my favorite guys that i love:



Here you see the famous kneeless half dwarf carrying a lego rocket, which is of course meant for the lego rocket launcher held by his friend! And then of course there's Sir Held up By Clay (because someone didn't know what kind of glue to use at all). He's...

He's kind of gross, ok? *Looks closely at hairs in clay" Oh lord.

I was a girl with a lot of enthusiasm and time, and more enthusiasm. Skill would come later.

I mean, i hope it will.

Is that one head an empire knight bit?

Possibly? Heck, even probably! It's... probably from over a decade and a half ago

 amazingturtles wrote:
Possibly? Heck, even probably! It's... probably from over a decade and a half ago

I recognized it because I am building a box of knights right now.