"Nicest Guys in the Hobby?" Topic

Who are the nicest guys in the miniature wargaming hobby?

Are you fishing for compliments?

Excluding myself, of course.

I'll nominate Pendraken

The lads at Pendraken and at Ral Partha Europe have always been faultless with customer service including awkward special orders.

Andrea at Ganesha Games is also superbly approachable and receptive to constructive criticism and ideas.

Martin Goddard

Always had great service from Bob Murch (Pulp Figures) & Mike Burns (Dark Fable). I know that there are lots more, but they are the 1st 2 names to immediately spring to my somewhat porous mind.

2nd for the IWCS (Iron Wind Convention Staff)
Tom Meier
Sandra Gerrity

There are many that provide excellent customer service. Than there are those that literally take a personal interest in satisfying their customers. Four that stand out:

Dave from Armaments in Miniature.

Doug from Miniature Service Center.

Ken from All The Kings Men.

Chris from 1250ships.com

My vote for the friendly folk at Irregular

Rob from Eureka minis USA
George from Minuteman Toy Soldiers
I have the pleasure of knowing both of these gentlemen not only professionally but personally, you won't find nicer guys anywhere.

Too many to list. We're blessed to have a lot of really nice people in this hobby, relative to my albeit limited experience with other hobbies. Ian at Irregular. The proprietor of NavWar in the UK whose name I am ashamed escapes me at present. Howard Whitehouse. John at Warrior Miniatures. Terry Sirk. Mark at Crescent Root. I could go on and on. Our very own Dear Chief Editor and Grand Poo-bah, Bill. I could go on and on and I imagine others could, too. The great people I've met in this lifelong passion I call "hobby" are one of the biggest reasons I stayed involved, especially during some dark periods. And I haven't yet named my closest friends, all of whom are also wargamers.

MajorB

Howard Whitehouse, aka Mexican Jack Squint.

Doug from MSC.

Jim Purky, aka Der Alte Fritz

Bill Nevins

All of whom have given me stuff.
My vote is for sale.

In terms of dealers I would say the good guys are the rule, the bad guys the exception (maybe hard to stay in business) – certainly I have had great service from Foundry, GW, Warlord, Baccus, Perry and Eurkea to name a few – - -

Don't forget Andy at Gripping Beast. Steve at LBMS too. Two of my most favorite!

Howard Whitehouse and Jim Purkey. You won't find nicer people.

It would be easier to answer "Who are not the nicest guys in the Hobby".

I stand by whatever it was I said in the last love-fest.

"Howard Whitehouse and Jim Purkey. You won't find nicer people."

Add Hal Thinglum to that list.

In about 50-55 years of being in the miniatures gaming
hobby, I can recall ONE person (gamer, not vendor/dealer)
who was other than 'nice'.

Guess I'm just lucky. Never met but that one jerk in
the whole time, and that's thousands of gamers…

If I had to name a single guy (dealer), it'd be Doug
at BTC tied with Chris at Sash and Saber…everyone else
tied for second !

Annie the Dice Bag Lady, not a guy but a very nice person.

Dave from caliver books,
Dave from DaveT
Jedd from Gringo'40
Trevor from Dedoubt
Andy from Old Glory

Listening to the 'View From the Verandah'on Meeples Henry Hyde always struck me as a thoroughly nice chap. Met him at Salute in 2014 and SELWG and he was. Proper gent.

Rich Clarke is really nice chap too. Acid wit but totally genuine with a big heart.

Martin Goddard at Peter Pig is last but not least.

Nigel Marsh

The Broms (if that's not stretching "guys" too far).

Martin Goddard, Ian Kay* & Peter Berry.

All care about the hobby, try their best and deliver great service. Absolutely top blokes all.

*And his dad, of course.

I am hesitant to name anyone for fear of leaving the deserving off the list. I have dealt with only one guy who I would put in the "Butt Head" category. Other than that, I think we have been generally blessed.

Martin G at Peter Pig!

Hal Thinglum gets my vote!

Hal Thinglum – a very good nomination!

I've met Bob Cordery a couple of times at shows and he seems a thoroughly nice chap who has given a lot to the hobby in ideas and enthusiasm.

Everyone from the SWA that I've "met" (which mostly means corresponded with!) have been fine people – I won't make a list as I'd only forget someone and feel bad about it!

Richard Clarke.

Nic Robson from Eureka Miniatures in Australia
Ed Teixiera from 2 Hour Wargames
Craig at Gaming Models

All extremely pleasant when I've spoken to them on the 'phone, when dealing with orders and inquiries.

Martin Goddard from Peter Pig, who was very accommodating with fiddly special orders, back in the day.

Doug at EM4, always able to help out with odd dice requests (WiR2 and Average, most recently).

In keeping with the experience of others though, I've dealt with only a few jerks in over forty years in the hobby. There's always an alternative…..

Duck

Lori Brom

Michael Renegar at Rebel Minis

I had a good time in games run by Sam Mustafa. Richard Kane, author of Flint and Steel, is a great gamer and incredible host.

Ivan Sorensen (Weasel) is like so totally bro, I can't even.

Nic Robson at Eureka, Jon Tuffley of Ground Zero Games, Michael Stockin of Angel Barracks, Jez Plumridge at Old Crow and the team at Vanguard are people I've dealt with personally and they all seem like great people to deal with on a personal level. Our Esteemed Editor, of course, must be considered as well. :)

And another vote for Nic Robson of Eureka.

Agreed-how could I forget George at MMTS; probably because he's an old friend!

Nic Robson of Eureka, and Guiseppe Barbarini of Legio-Heroica.

Nic Robson from Eureka Miniatures
Lon from Brigade
Patrick Wilson from TVAG
All the ladies at Old Glory

All of these have been great to do business with.

Rob Walter at Eureka
Teresa at Old Glory (not a guy, though)
Mark Sims at Crusader
The Perrys
Mark Severin at Scale Creep

Geez, how did I miss Hal, Patrick, Lori, and Lon?!

We seem to only be talking about vendors, and I would second or third many of the folks from above. I would also have to include Joe Linares, Steve from Age of Glory, David McBride from Splintered Light.

Keith, Chal and Jayson at Iran Ivan games. Wonderful gentlemen and ace game designers as well.

David Manley supported a game I was designing with a beta copy of Lord of the Sea a few years ago. I'll never forget it. Hal Thinglum is an incredibly nice human being, a credit to this hobby and humanity in general. Ed Texeira at Two Hour Wargames is an old buddy who supported Enfilade year one when we didn't know if we'd make it. We're in year 25 now. Last, but not least, I love working with David Gregory at PT Dockyard. Every small manufacturer should be as wonderful to work with. Honorable mention to Toby Barrett at Thoroughbred Figures, who is also great--I just got my third extremely old set of Ironclad rules Toby. Let's republish those babies.

Too many to pick just one.

John T

Lon at Brigade Games and Forrest at Knuckleduster.

Echo:
Richard Clarke at TFL
Leon at Pendraken

Add:
Phil at Pithead
Larry Huber at Brookhurst Hobbies

Giving names,omitting others, just because right now you can't think nor remember their names would not do justice to the wide number of them met in the past 30 years (aie!).
This hobby, including on the biz side has fortunately a vast majority of honest nice people in it.
Even the best can also have off days.