"Slotted or Not Slotted Minature Bases" Topic

A couple years ago, my 8-year son found a box of some miniatures that I had in a closet. He was in heaven. I let him play with them for a month or so.

I noticed that pre-slotted ones held up very well, but the slotted and post miniatures manytimes got broke off from the bases.

Tom Meiers at Thunderbolt Mountain made all these great miniatures of Knights and Elves. The vast majority of them ended up broken and in the trash can.

At the time, I was not into collecting or painting.

I am coming back to collecting and painting. Recently, I saw a bunch of really great Elf miniatures through Reaper, but they are slotted. I don't think that I want to waste my money on something that fragile. I think that I will start buying the old pre-slotted standbys online made by Ral Partha and Grenadier Models.

Does anyone have any views on this situtation. I wonder why the manufactures went that way, except that it is probably a cheaper and easier way to cast.

Also, after I am gone. Kids are going to find miniatures from all of us and play with them. The pre-slotted ones will mostly survive and the slotted and post ones will end up in the landfill it seems.

Sean in California

I think I have the Elves from Ral Partha instock in unit boxes…

I think if you're going to let children play with anything not designed as a toy then you ought not be surprised when it ends up broken.

Most metal figures stand up to *decades* of use by responsible adults, handling in games, the occasional accident, travel, storage, etc.

FWIW, the newer 'lead free' figures by companies like Reaper are a lot sturdier than their old lead counterparts. They are much harder to bend out of shape, although a determined pre-teen could certainly destroy one if not supervised.

If durability really bothers you, then buy the D&D plastic line. Your kids will have a harder time with those.

If it's just a case of the figure breaking off from the base. (which must surely be the weak point). Wouldn't it make more sense to fix them to a new base, rather than just throw them away?

I wonder why the manufactures went that way, except that it is probably a cheaper and easier way to cast.

They are done that way so the feet have more detail and are cleanly cast. Also, if you want to base them in a diorama, it is easier to cut the tab than to sand the base off.

If you want durability, stay away from RP and Grenadier figures cast in lead. There are some new companies that cast figures with integral bases.

Your "logic" is flawed.

Let's say I have orcs and elves. I play with the orcs, I let my rambunctious 8-year-old nephew play with the elves. All of the elves end up broken. Does that mean that the elves are weaker castings than the orcs?

I have *never* had a slotta mini break at the tab, whereas I've had both slotta and non-slotta minis break at the ankles when handled roughly by other gamers.

There must the problem of stripping them also?

Are the majority of the slotted figures in plastic bases or metal bases? Just curious.

Sean

If you want durability, stay away from RP and Grenadier figures cast in lead.
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I have a hundred or more Grenadier and Ral Partha lead figures primed and painted that look as good as the day I bought them as a kid 30 or more years ago.

I have never had problems with Lead Rot, but I think of all the lead dust I must have been around while touching them up with jewelers files.

The newer, safer "lead-free" materials are the way to go, but I could never get into plastic real well.

Sean

I think if you're going to let children play with anything not designed as a toy then you ought not be surprised when it ends up broken.
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They are toys really, or at least part toys.
I mean that is the category that they are listed in on Ebay. C'mon, all of us when we were kids played around with them. That is why they are so cool. I think even old men play around with them when no one is looking.
Ha ha.

Thanks for everyone's input.
I have been out of collecting and painting for 15 years.
Sean in California