"What qualities are most important in a figure?" Topic

Historical Accuracy: For the button counters.

Sculpting Quality: Figure should be on the level of Michelangelo's David.

Durability: I want it to be able to survive a fall from the table.

Versatility: I want it to be useful in many games, and possibly multiple genres.

Uniqueness: That a word? I want the eye-catching piece that nobody else has.

Paintability: I want to be able to easily put a nice paint job on it, not agonize over it.

These are a list of the qualities I look for, perhaps you can think of others. However, durability and versatility far outweigh anything else. When I paint an army, I want it to last, and to get used in a lot of games.

Strangely enough, the quality of the sculpt has never really been an issue with me, though I put it up there because I know many of you find it important. I am perfectly happy gaming with Heritage fantasy figs from the 80s, and still do. To me, even a halfway decent paint job covers a multitude of sins on a so-so figure, while the best sculpt still looks like under a bad paint job.

Availibilty. Pretty figures are no good if I can't get them

Cost. Miniature casting is a business, and costs are always an issue for both buyer and seller.

Historical Accuracy: For the button counters.

You say that like it's a Bad Thing…
Is there something wrong with a historically accurate figure? Or do you think it's OK to have Rogers' Rangers with a Bowie knife?

That the darn thing stands up as required!!!

Recently I painted up some that were really nice figures but their bases were so thin and small, that it was really annoying trying to glue them to their base.

But in general I think most modern figures are quite good and even though you can pick a few faults if you wish, I am pretty satisfied with most. Some of the really bad sculpts of earlier years have gone.

Amen, Mal! And no damned slotta bases, either, thank you!

X-factor: some figures have an indefinable quality that says 'wow!', whilst others haven't, despite being otherwise perfectly good figures.

While the x-factor is in general quite subjective, based on what makes each person think 'wow!', there are some figures that definitely do affect more people in this way than normal.

For example, any release of the Perry twins is usually quickly responded to with ample evidence from many people that it has scored their x-factor.

Quality and paintability, for me. Though I do insist on strict historical accuracy, especially for all my Sci Fi figures.

Historical accuracy and paintability for me. Sometimes there has to be a compromise between the two. Try and paint up a Perry Samurai (gorgeous sculpts, by the way) and you'll see what I mean.

More Boobies! Someone was going to say it.

It should be human shaped. Something that seems to be beyond most companies these days.

Cost
Quality
Consistancy of scale and style throughout a line. Not so much an issue these days, but I have some older figs, where the size of like weapons from one fig to the next are drasticly different in size, as is the sculpting style from one fig to the next.

The whole range of figures for the army must be available – no point buying 1/2 the army no matter how good they are – and waiting for years for the rest to come out – if they ever do.

I dont worry too much about cost – I wargame in 15mm and have lots of AB figures – but the figures have to be authenticly attired, and stackable in units – ie not everyone charging forward bayonets levelled – looks rather silly in the back rank!

Casting: Some companies produce beautiful miniatures, but they are so badly casted that I won't buy them.

Poses: That is a must for me. I am still traumathized after painting a bag of Old Glory Napoleonics in 15mm!

Complete range: It doesn't matter how beautifully sculpted, well casted and nice poses have, if the range isn't less than complete I won't buy. Don't get me wrong: I don't mind if the range has not the Burgmeister Grenadiers of Lameburg in dress uniforms, but when the range lacks every unit but the line infantry in firing poses I feel cheated.

Ease of assembly: I like good sculpts also, but I am also aware that it will take me a long time to put a fig together that comes in seven pieces.

(This is by no means my top requirement, but it was the only one I hadn't seen mentioned yet.)

BTW, I never cross-posted this topic to a bunch of boards. I put it on the Polls board only. Now it is on about half a dozen others. But I also don't see that the Editor cross-posted it.

A new strain of the infamous Bug?

Back on topic

Another concern, and that is that the minis must be mounted properly.

An example is the 15mm Green Martian army I have just completed. My choices were pretty much Black Hat or Peter Pig. While Black Hat sculpts are arguably nicer (I personally like the retro-look of Peter Pig, but I admit that their sculpts are not as great), ultimately what swung me to Peter Pig was that I can mount the figures for HOTT, given their small bases and more compact poses. I cannot do this with the Black Hat figs, unless I want to change the base sizes.

I really think that a manufacturer should have a look at the more popular rules for his scale and genre, and make sure that he is turning out product that can actually be used in that system.

The main thing that I look for is realistic proportions, especialy in head size, arm length, hand details and weapon size. I am only satisfied with a small percentage of the sculpters currently working.

Well, I guess I am a bit shallow, but I have to say : LOOKS.

Its all about the looks.

Basically what Shadyt said, "realistic proportions, head size, arm length, hand details and realistic weapon sizes".

For me cost and quality is important. But I am a gamer so most of all poses and weapons that I can use for my games. And some way of buying a platoon or so at once is something i like

As much fiddly detail that a sculptor can achieve!

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