"Going to Hong Kong & Shanghai - wargaming shopping?" Topic

Heading up to HK/Shanghai on Friday for ten days. Anyone got advice on good shops to visit for wargaming? I'm primarily looking for 1/144 or 1/72 modern and WW2 vehicles and figures (Dragon, Caesar etc) but pretty much anything that would be relevant to modern or WW2 wargaming, or just wargaming in general!

In previous visits I've come across random stores selling 1/144 and 1/72-76, but any leads would be appreciated. I'm staying in Mong Kok for three nights, Shanghai for three nights (in the French Concession) and back to Hong Kong Island for four nights in the mid levels near Central.

Already going to pay a visit to Universal Models, link

Appreciate any feedback, thanks.

I've been to Hong Kong several times and was going to suggest Universal Models. The Hong Kong Society of Wargamers site has links to many local shops if you click on Supplies.
hksw.org

I thought that I should add that I've only been to the 2 Causeway Bay locations for Universal Models and the Glouster Road locations has a much larger selection than the Hennessy Rd shop. They are only a few blocks apart. I think that the Mong Kok shop is supposed to quite large as well.

I'll be in Hong Kong briefly in a few weeks. Any good bookstores for Asian military history?

Universal models in Mong Kok is very good. There is a whole floor dedicated to kits. Actually it is also worth visiting the shop in Causeway bay as they often have have different stock to Mong Kok.

The otherwise large Mongkok store surprisingly seems to have a smaller stock of 1/72 models and figures than the one in Causeway Bay. So make sure you visit the latter as well when you are back in Central (easy access via short cab ride or MTR).

Cheers guys, had marked the Causeway bay store for a visit on the return leg.

Last time I was there I found a small shop in Wan Chai that was selling 1/300 scale WW2. It seemed a bit pricey but was pre painted. Anyone familiar with that range and if it still exists?

Is UM good for 1/144? I've got a few requests from friends to try and find a decent 1/144 range to scoop up.

If you want any Vallejo paints, The Fun Atelier in Wan Chai carries them. I have a hard time finding them where I live so I always pick up a few there. It's nice to be able to peruse the rack.

I can get vallejo's in Australia very easily, so that's not such an issue. Is Fun Atelier worth a visit otherwise?

nycjadie, last time I went bookshopping in HK was on the Island side, but there weren't many shops selling quality military history books.

Fun Atelier carries mainly GW products. I think that I remember seeing some micro armour.
Their site says they carry GHQ.

I'll check them out then, though I'm not sure if the prices would be any better than ordering online from Australia.

Still no info on Shanghai folks?

Come to think of it, I don't think you would get much of a discount buying models in Universal Model stores in HK – not even model kits from Dragon's own line oddly enough – as compared to ordering online at home. The only exceptions in respect to 1/72 kits (I know nothing about 1/144 models) seem to be Italeri kits which can often be less than half the price in the US. So go to the stores for the browsing experience rather than with an expectation of finding great bargains.

I have found nothing of note hobbywise during my last two visits to Shanghai. Even rather extensive directory searches for hobby and model shops yielded very little of interest. Dragon supposedly has a facility in Shanghai (hence the "Shanghai Dragon" line) but I am not even sure that it has a retail arm. I suspect that the pickings will be quite slim for anything other than R/C, Gundams and 1/35 models.

Have a great trip!

"If you want any Vallejo paints, The Fun Atelier in Wan Chai…"

You should bear in mind everything in HK has to be imported from overseas in the first place so tends to be more expensive than if you bought them back home or even online.

Its a lot cheaper(!!), faster and easier to order Vallejo paints online from the UK based Caliver Books (free postage world wide) than to go to FA.

I live in HK and I order all my paints from Caliver.

There is nothing I buy locally except trees (though 1/144 and 1/72 are not my thing anyway).

bbtoys333 has it about right….

Also if you havent been to HK in the last couple of years you should note that both FA and UML are in new harder to find locations even though still in their old neighborhoods.

HKSW meets on a Saturday every couple of weeks between 1pm and 8pm, well attended by a mix of locals and expats and you are very welcome to just turn up, say hello, have a few beers and join a game.

Thanks BravoX, I noticed on the club website the next meet is on August 15(?). Would like to make that, but I suspect my HK family will be taking all my time.

I was only looking for kits, not paints etc which I can get easily and cheaply enough here in Aus. Am aware that the price difference may not be that much v. online retail or even retail in AUS, but the one big advantage is that places like UM have fuller representations of various ranges – in Sydney for 1/72 die cast or pre painted modern vehicles your choices are very, very slim (it's better for WW2).

bbtoys333, it was actually Italieri kits that I am looking for as these are nearly twice as expensive in AUS than the US, so it's not all bad news. I've done a fair bit of googling for Shanghai stores etc with little to no luck. What I am very interested in sourcing in either HK or Shanghai is a stockist of these:
gu-zhan.com

If either of you chaps know where I can pick the "hero" box sets up I'd be grateful.

Shanghai is a lost cause – a couple of small model shops selling kits at normal prices. One on West Nanjing Road south side near North Chengdu Road. Small selection of Italieri – little armor though – mostly Dragon Trumpeter stuff lots of cars FI Gundan(?) Anime etc

There is a Chinese language magazine called "Model World" that will have ads in it for Shanghai and HK stores but all in Chinese If you can get it translated or read Chinese yourself it may have some leads.

There are some Games Workshop type stores around but they advertise only in Chinese and if like Beijing ,where they order from the UK, the prices will be ridiculous. Also there is no good English book store in Shanghai either. Spend your money on clothing or souvenirs Good shopping in Old Shanghai near the Yuyuan garden for Chinese stuff like dolls, carvings, decorations etc They will often claim it is antique which it never is so pay according.

The French Concession area has some great bars and restaurants but Shanghai is not cheap – a pint of Guiness goes for 50 RMB. – local beer is cheaper. There are some great dioramas and models of old Shanghai in the Shanghai Historical museum at the foot of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower in Pudong – easily reached by Subway. Three weeks ago the "Bund" or Riverside area in Shanghai was all shut down for construction of a new tunnel as Shanghai gets ready for the 2010 World's Fair.

My wife knows a great jeweler, Johnny. Johnny's Jeweler is near the Peninsula Hotel. Makes custom stuff. Good prices, huge supporter of the military. She never got around to any of the hobby/wargame shops for me…

Explored the Kowloon side of HK yesterday. UML is a mixed bag, their flagship store isn't well stocked with 1/72, but if you're a 1/35 kind of guy you will have died and gone to heaven. They stock only Dragon pre made stuff (no surprises there) and there wasn't a huge range of moderns – lots nad lots of ww2. Couldn't find Caesar 1/72 figs to save my life.

The other MOng Kok store on Waterloo Rd is far better, they had a larger range of the 1/72 die cast kits, especially moderns.

For some very strange reason the flagship store wouldn't sell me more than 1x any item – very strange. The Waterloo Rd store no problems at all. When I come back from Shanghai I'll check out the Causeway Bay store as well as some other shops I know of.

Dragon have a new range of premium die cast/pre made models out. Steer clear, you paying for a new type of display case, not model as far as I can see.

No 1/144, saw all of one Can Do tank (a Maus, like we need more of those) in me entire time. Will let you all know how Shanghai goes.

I agree with Mapleleaf-- it's pretty desolate here in Shanghai. I would add that an Italeri dealer just opened selling some sets for near to half off Western prices in the People's Square Metro station, right in the main concourse (they carry the full range of Vallejo paints too.)

There's a small concern producing custom 1/35 scale resin and etched brass kit-bashing sets on Changle Lu. Pretty well priced, too. lionroar.net

And a small shop in the "Anime Mall" on Nanjing Lu just east of Jing An Temple has some N-scale related asian terrain and Dragon 1/144 tanks. Fair prices there too.

And finally, a few of us meet at O'Maley's tavern on Wednesday nights for soldiers and beers. Here's a link with more info:
link

Come to think of it, maybe I'll post to the events section…

Hope you enjoyed your trip to China!