"Collective Project" Topic

If you and your club/mates were going to do a collective project where everyone contributed one or more units and a bit of scenery…

What would you do, and why?

You mean what would I do if the subject and scale were already chosen? I'd look at the project and ask myself "what am I likely to re-use when this comes to an end, as all good things must?"

Actually, if we were deciding on the club project, I'd probably ask they same question in voting myself, weighting in favor of choices that were liable to have the most legs with the group as well as being of interest to me.

I meant primarily subject and then method. So period and then concept of individual contribution [e.g. Naps, a brigade of 28mm plastics each].

Regardless of genre, I'd pick something inexpensive and easy.

Inexpensive so everyone could afford it without hardship.

Easy so everyone could get their units and scenery done in a reasonable amount of time.

So probably some form of skirmish gaming, would be my preference.

The next period I am considering is 28mm Late 15th Century Italian skirmish (1:1 scale). I might push that. Or something I already have lots of toys for.

When this happens I do my de-materialization act. Go to ground, make like a hole in the ocean, run silent, run deep- no--- wait make that just "run run run…."

These things never end well and a few guys always get stuck with the bulk of the work and the other guys do squat. They're happy to play with the stuff you buy and paint for them and they are even happier to give you their august opinion on how you botched the job of whatever you bought and painted-- but do any work themselves-- YAH Third day of Rosh Chodesh they'll be done.

I generally go silent till such storms blow over.

My local group did a couple of these "collective" projects over the years. Both times one guys sold off all of his stuff so we ended up having only enough units for one side.

A tabletop version of the The Good, The Bad, and The Weird for an upcoming con.

I think collective projects are a recipe for disaster and I don't see us ever doing one. We have done, "Let's all build (our own) ancient armies for WAB."

I concur with jpattern2: collective projects are fine if multi-sided and everyone is contributing a personal force, and probably best suited to skirmish level games where there's an easier and cheaper entry point and a better chance of sustaining interest long enough to get everyone up and running.

Although it doesn't quite qualify on these grounds, we're sort of doing this with Dux Bellorum, which does at least require small armies; not everyone in the group has an army, and those that do mostly have the figures for more than one.

I've amassed Fireforge figures for a 13th century minor Baron's retinue for Lion Rampant, and knowing that the other miniaturists in the group will inevitably buy it once it's released, I'm trying to convince them to do the same. It's skirmish level, and the plastic figures are relatively cheap, so it's easily achievable for all members. Then we'll have a chaotic, multi-sided free-for-all!

We already have, several times. All these tables contain terrain, minis and vehicles built and painted by three or more members of our group.

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Our club is into Year Four of collective projects. Number one requirement is one person (ONE!) is the guiding force. Then those who wish to participate step forward. Sometimes more involved, sometimes fewer. First one, pirate game for up to 32 players, I was the point man. Ended up with 1,500 painted pirates in 15 mm. Second time out was WWII sci-fi, not my thing but I helped with the terrain (reusable). Third time, this year, is 28 mm Viking era, I painted most of the animals and some of the figures (a thank you to one of the pirate folk). Next year is some sort of fantasy thing with 3,000 15s all being painted by one guy (who did many of the pirates) with another doing terrain and rules. First project had 15 pairs of hands, this last I only know of two but they may be more. I've been trying to get the local yokels to do some variation of Spamalot for year 5 which is our little club's 30th anniversary.