"Not Buying Figures Any More?" Topic

Someone recently wrote me:

Due to the aging of the hobby, people just don't buy figures anymore.

Do you agree? Do you find yourself concentrating on what you already own, and not purchasing more?

I find I often tell myself I should stop buying figures and concentrate on the ones I have. I realize this is an option, and I could spend my time building more scenery and things to go with the figures I already have.

However, I keep buying. I have realized that, at my age, I will be able to get to a limited number of additional armies, so I'm trying to select the best ones, and not go off on an "oh, shiny" binge.

Grelber

I buy in small quantities, adding bits to the armies I already have, whilst working to paint the lead pile acquired over the last 40 years.

Sounds like a gross over-generalization based on one persons experience to me.

I still buy figures and vehicles to fill out 3mm and 6mm SF. In an ooh shiny moment I also bought 3mm Romans and Gauls recently but I buy very few figures any more. They just wont get painted and gamed with in the time I have left on this mortal coil.

I have been forcing myself not to buy new figures for projects I would like to start. I still buy figures for ongoing projects though. When I go to conventions, I feel like I need to help support the vendors, so I buy terrain.

I still buy figures but not as many as in the past. The cost has made me far more selective in terms of what I buy. As an example I only buy from a few off shore vendors due to shipping cost. I was ready to place a 114 pound order with a UK vendor but the shipping was 42 pounds. The order didn't happen. My interests have also narrowed and I limit myself to 15mm. As to the aging of the hobby I haven't seen enough demographic info to be able to give an opinion one way or the other and I can't comment on the sales of figures because I haven't seen any numbers on that topic either. Perhaps the author of the statement you quote could provide us with the numbers or is the statement based on just opinion rather than hard numbers?

I often buy a few packs of figures every paycheck, so I am always adding to the pile…

Damon.

Old farts like myself and the OFM may prune unused stuff, but there is akways something new.
I had thought I had sold and got rid of all my '97 Oirish to epturner but no….
I now find myself looking forward to buying and painting some '98 Frenchies. That's rather sad, when you think about it.

Still buying, though it is more to fill gaps or add "pretty-pretties" to the collection. Otherwise I've been depleting the lead pile.

My buying has slowed considerably

More filling gaps and adding a unit here and there

Still have quite the lead pile

By the way, only old people should post on this thread.
Those who sense mortality, and see themselves on the downside of the curve.

I suspect a lot of the downturn also has to do with less disposable income too, but I can see the issue of realizing you've got enough, and/or not being able to complete projects before your expiration date.

Stop buying…is that legal?

I'm just ctrying to conentrate buying figures for more sopecific areas I am working on, with as few sidetrips as possible.

I have a pile, not a mountain. I do plan on getting more, though instead of large orders, I'll probably do smaller ones.

Now why would I ever do that?

I have massively slowed down on buying things. Mostly selling off stuff and only picking up a few things to finish existing projects I am working on.

Well, I ship orders of new figures out to customers every day.

Frankly he sounds like a crank.

I would ask the people who make figures if they think people have stopped buying.

Still buying…

Trying to cut down.

Failing

Hell, I own my own figure line, yet I buy all kinds of other stuff. I placed large orders to Perry, Battle Honors, Old Glory and whatever the AWI plastics are boxed up as now, over the past year.

I am not buying figures because I don't have time to paint the figures I have.

For me, storage not really an issue plus want to keep active in my old age. Also in future income liable to drop. Result? Buying more now in new periods to hedge against possible uncertain futures.

I buy at about the same rate. And I'm a bit grey.

I am a lot more picky about buying anything new, I already have more than I will ever paint. But I still come home from conventions with a bag full.

Very, very little. I already have the minis I need. I still have plenty to paint, but find I'm gaming more but painting far less.

Of course I still buy figures.

I buy much less.

When I do buy, it is always a complete army, and the figures are always the best, like AB or Perry.

I don't buy another army until I've either painted the previous one, or sold it off. On average, I add a matched army pair a year to my collection.

interesting question…buying a lot less but focusing on 2 or 3 projects…and will buy for them…selling a ton of stuff.

The trick is to stay faithful to your original collections and absolute favourite few periods. Buy what is compatible with them and needed to round out, according to your historical research. Above all, resist scale creep that causes you to waste your previous expences and painting work!

Your original complainant seems like the sort of person for whom failure is always due to forces outside his control. Old gray wargamers have more time and money.

That said, while I had to add a scale last year, I'm also selling to reduce the total volume and trying to get all the periods battle ready. I don't mind having lots of stuff and a reserve of lead, but I DO object to spending money on periods and still not being able to put on a game. Pretty much past that since I retired, but not altogether. Orders now finish or supplement armies, not start them.

Not sure what aging has to do with it.

Yes, I've accumulated plenty of figs over time. At this point I have more than I need and concentrate on filling gaps.

But if my group decided to start a particular game, scale, or period and I needed an army, then I'd buy it.

Many people I know are buying pre-painted figures such as the Star Wars X-Wing type games or have moved to skirmish gaming, so they don't need as many figs. Gone are the days when my group would show up with several painted battalions of figs twice a month!

I'm still doing my part.

Me too, still buying and still seeing shiny things.

I am slowing down on the big collections but ramping up on the small. After 2 years of buying very little I have been getting more for Frostgrave and Saga of late.

My buying has slowed for a simple reason: my apartment is full of books and figures. That and getting my crew to play a new period and/or rules is like pulling teeth. I already have several projects that haven't really been played much if at all: 1/2400 age of sail, 1/600 Battle of Britain, 28mm French Foreign Legion, etc.

Now if I move to a more rural location in a couple years or so, with lots more room… I'll eventually have a Viking funeral, surrounded by loads of toy soldiers.

I spend as little as I can on the hobby and buy as little lead as possible but I still get tempted by good deals. I like to try and add at least something to each of my periods during the course of a given year but really rather than more figures I need more terrain but I still enjoy painting in small doses.

I'm on the verge of starting a new project which is an unexpected departure from my usual interests.

Buy?

There are several things to think about when it comes to question, and it doesn't have to relate at all to the graying of the hobby.

First, About 30 years ago, Old Glory came out with the box sets that featured variants. That lead to many more companies moving away from the single pose figure and offering variants, which was a significant change from the way people purchased figures. The result was a the gamers ability to purchase a lot of figures at a very low investment. This also lead to many gamers replacing their entire collections, with all new stuff from companies like Foundry and Old Glory. Now, most don't replace their collection they just add on.

Second, there has been a switch in gaming from the mass games using thousands of figures, to skirmish games. Several years back you saw companies come out with rule sets and figures, and of the later you only needed about 50 or so to play the game ever. Plus, another issue is the flood of rules available, which has lead to many times people posting that the group they game with won't play a period because no one can agree as to which set of rules to use.

Third, as person working in the industry, we still sell a whole of figures, so people are still playing games, painting figures and such. But, we are not the only company selling figures, and it appears that every year a few more people come on to the field adding new figure lines, while the lines from 70's still exist. Basically, we may not see the purchases like we use too, because the variety of dealers and the variety of methods in which to get our figures via the internet.

Thus, it may not be the gray of the hobby as much of the change in they way business and gaming is now being done.

I'm 56 and have accumulated a good number of minitures so far this year. Admittedly a fair number of Star Wars pre-paints.

The concept is ridiculous

The kids I see at the retail stores seems to be all too happy to spend their pocket money (or their parents pocket money, whichever).

Not every gamer is 140 years old :-)

I am 60 years old and I intend to buy everything I want by the time I turn 62 and retire to spend the rest of my life playing with the army men.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

No, I'm not buying miniatures any more … but I'm not buying them any less, either!

Just ordered a couple hundred this past week. Contemplating ordering a couple hundred more on a sale. Need to find more hiding places for my unpainted minis.

Hardly. I don't buy as much as I used to, but then I have so many. Besides I've started teaching myself to make them.

My buying has declined as our FLGS is not renewing or bringing in new figure lines. As I don't buy on-line I don't get to see new figures to buy!

Oh God! I just bought about $300.00 USD worth last night. Will be buying more for the same project. I am as gray as they come but I didn't have the money when I was younger.

I still see things I want or need and still find myself buying figs to add to my fallout shelter lining.