"How Do You Feel When Someone Mishandles Your Figures?" Topic

Specially when they tell you they are just going to take your carefully painted figures for a little spin.

Dan
NOTE: Guys, if you can't put your feelings into words, feel free to post an image or even a gif. We'll understand. We've all been there.

Mishandle my figures, be prepared for consequences…

This one really depends on the circumstances involved.

Example 1: At a convention last November, a fellow knocked over one of my 1/1200 scale sailing ships and broke the end of the bowsprit, which let the rigging come loose. He was VERY apologetic about it, but I was OK; it was clear he didn't mean to do it.

Example 2: At a different convention (many years ago now), I was explaining the rules and a person asked whether he should pull a mast out or just bend it over when the ship took damage. I told him that if he did that, I would take whatever jail sentence a judge chose to impose on me. Of course, he fell back on the first defense of the bully: "I was just joking!" I informed him, "I'm not." He spent the rest of the game whining and complaining (scenario, rules, you name it), but didn't break any of my ships.

So, like I said, it just depends.
EDIT: In case anyone isn't familiar with my ships, here is the blog address: link

I am always…slightly nervous..until they are safely back in their box!

I Can't help just keeping an eye on how they are being used!

I usually scream at them, get them in a headlock, kick their feet out from under them until they fall to the floor and then very politely ask them, "How do you like being mishandled?"

How do I feel?

Murderous.

I have never had anyone do anything intentionally inappropriate or abusive to my collections.
If someone drops them or something happens accidentally I put them at ease to not worry about it.
I have dropped them myself and I feel that if they are that precious they should not be put in others hands to begin with.
I am the one that made the decision to make the figures available to others.
Regards
Russ Dunaway

A friend of mine has a bad habit of "bowling" when he rolls his dice. Seems the dice always collide into my miniatures during the roll. I told him he doesn't get more casualties if he knocks anyone down.

I'm a bit protective of my figures and most people are well behaved in this respect. Some tend to grab a handful of figures in their fist when removing casualties. That bugs me too.

I know damage may happen during the course of running the game several times a day for a few days. I want to play the games and enjoy running the games for folks.

The only issue I had was 25 years ago at a small convention. ECW battle went right to the wire and could have been any sides victory. The losing player picked up my foundry cavalry and tossed it across the table. He never played in my games at future conventions.

NO ONE TOUCHES MY MINIS !!!!!!!

My grand daughter, now almost 8, has been handling my minis properly since I taught her at 4 years old. She knows she can play with anything she likes, as long as I say okay.

I get upset. Had it happen one time when a guy was tapping on them with a metal ruler to show which unit was moving. I asked him to stop & he did.

It'll be OK … if you're calm enough now, can you show me on this full size human how the bad man touched you?

etotheipi for the win.

None of my stuff is particularly fragile or valuable. I expect some amount of normal wear and tear, and bring superglue, tweezers, and my optivisor to any game I'm running, just in case.

That being said, no one has ever mishandled any of my stuff. I guess I'm lucky.

The only time I ever encountered this was way back in the last century, when some omodhaun was stabbing a rubber monster with a Knight. A college student, not a 6 year old playing Cowboys and Dinosaurs.

I'm less patient now. I let him live. Then.

If a model breaks due to relatively normal use, I tell people not to worry about it. (Some Infinity models have very fragile ankles)

Someone throws a model, they will be very lucky to not be thrown themselves.

If they ask first and bow and scrape and gesticulate the proper forms of obeisance, they get to pick them up.

"If you break it, I break one of your bones(there are 206 bones in the human body, I'll start with the distal phalanges)" delivered straight and deadpan so they can't tell if I'm serious or joking.

Haven't had anyone break one yet, the bluff is holding up.

I've started mounting everything on 5/16" thick bases and this allows folks to move troops by grasping the side of the base instead of the figure. Everyone in the club is very respectful of each other's figures.

I agree with Old Glory. If you are so worried about your figures being "mishandled" than you shouldn't make them available to others to use.
That said, if someone were to get a bit overzealous I would just ask them to take it easy on the figures.
Maybe it's because I only play "friendly games" and "pick-up games". But I have never run into people who intentionally break or toss around figures.

I have minis that I paint for me and I have minis for the masses. I just don't bring out the good stuff for the rando's. :-)

Many, many years ago I lent a couple of well-painted Tyranid Carnifexes to a comic/hobby shop for their display cases. I got them back some months later, one broken in two at the waist. No explanation or even apology given (I figure it had been dropped.) So even stuff in display cases isn't safe…

IF I was ever to let others handle any of my miniatures:

As per zicher's comment.

Then:

As per Oberlindes Sol LIC's comment.

Otherwise, for miniatures I'd paint for my own use:

Variations on the balance of comments posted thus far.

In reality:

herkybird for the win.

Duck

My personal point of view.
Put it in a cabinet, don't put it on the wargame table. I used to be a modeller, all the those Airfix planes in a glass cabinet. Decided that wasn't the hobby for me.
I have several collections from friends now past, would trade all those figures to have those friends back.
When my son's play, drop them, I don't care, much rather them sharing my tabletop than awkward situations, when my godson is over- same.
If your pikes come off in "general handling" on a wargame table- sorry, but …it's a wargame figure.
I have painted armies, both sides, that have yet to see the tabletop, then there are armies have only seen the table once.
You play a tabletop war game with me, we will roll dice, have fun, I will flank your troops they will rout 😜.
But we are all different.

That being said. Hamfisted players my not get a second invite.

Also, I haven't needed to play anyone who is not a friend or family in nearly 2 decades.

I had a friend who was helping me set up figures for a battle. He was pulling a tray of painted and based figures off a high shelf when I heard a loud crash . . . turned to see over 100 figures broken and scattered all over the floor. It wasn't intentional but I still had to take a deep breath to regain my composure – he was very apologetic but it took a while for the urge to strangle him to pass . . . its only a game . . . its only a game . . . lol

I'm a bit of a Klutz sometimes and have knocked over figures, mine and others. I will apologize profusely when it happens to others figures.
Usually before any convention game our group asks the players to pick up all figures by the base. It is usually followed.
As Russ says we are putting out our figures for other people use, things sometimes happen.

As many have said, if it is accidental, I made the
choice to put the figures out there, so no problem.

If it is intentional, as it was once over 40 years
ago, that person (a local and in the business, too)
has NEVER been in a game with me again, even if I
were merely a player and not the GM/provider of
figures.

If you are going to PLAY with the miniatures then a certain amount of unintentional damage is inevitable. Flags knocked loose, spears bent, the occasional broken bayonet. Accept that or lock your figures away. But deliberate (or deliberately careless) damage? Pretty rare in my experience.

OTOH, as a vendor at conventions (PaperTerrain) I've encountered all sorts of Neanderthals who seem to think that display models are somehow in a different category and can be brutalized at will. They are rare, thankfully, but I can remember a few…

#MeToo!!! ooooh wait that word is figures not figure. Never Mind. I need a pudding pop and a nap. H

I see no reason why anyone should need to handle my miniatures…

… if they don't handle them, they can't mistreat them.

"Get your cotton pick'n paws off my stuff, ya Varmint !!!!!!" … Y. Sam – Old West gunslinger, gambler, cowpoke, desperado, etc.

I feel sad…

Most gamers I've played with are careful when handling figures – their own or someone else's. Two have not been so much. One is the group knucklehead who comes to hang out or sometimes plays games, but hasn't invested a dime in the hobby himself so has no idea what it costs to either buy painted figures or in time to paint them nicely. The other, I think was an accident, but judging from the individuals own figures, he isn't particularly careful anyway.

Where I live there is an offence called 'Malicious Damage' for deliberately damaging someone's property. The maximum penalty is the same as for Manslaughter (unintentional/accidental homicide). Call the cops, send them to court. Claim damages (how many $$ per figure), let the court give them an additional kick in the pants.

I feel bad, but I feel much worse if I accidentally damage someone else's.

Well I don't love it, but sometimes things happen. One of the old timers at my club once dropped a heavy wooden dice tray on top of a unit of my 6mm Continental Army figures. If you're curious, it's a good way to get them very flat, very quickly.

It was completely an accident on his part, and I wasn't going to try to make him feel bad about it. But I definitely watch him more closely when he's handling my stuff now.

Some of the worst handling of my models has been perpetrated by a real careless schmuck – me! I have such vivid memories of the time I put the finishing touches on the rigging of a 1:1200 sailing ship model, and promptly dropped it on the floor. If you're curious, it's a good way to get them very flat, very quickly.

If you handle my figures it means you are one of my friends. If you are one of my friends and you damage one of my figures, I understand it wasn't on purpose. No reason to get bent out of shape about it (pun intended).

I damage way more of my figures than anyone else does – usually when trying to return them to storage.

To Be honest, most people handle my figures better than i do! Thats why i coat!

But when i play with other's things, I am beyond careful. Since we play a lot at the club I will sometimes play a ruleset or period I dont have figures in. I am beyond careful when I handle other's things

There's a little internal shriek, a slight whitening of the knuckles, and then I remind myself I can fix most things people do to my minis. In fact, I do pretty bad thing to my minis!

Let's face it, nobody wants their figs damaged. On the other hand, I have always looked at my figs as a way I can use to share my hobby. I remember many years ago when I started out. I had no troops of my own, and I was thrilled to be trusted enough to use somebody else's. I have always remembered the thrill of actually touching and moving them. There is something tensile about it. Over the years, I have noticed the same thing in others. To me it is a group thing, and my figs are the means to help the group experience. i also have never forgotten the time when I was just starting out that I was in a small convention game. It was our turn, and I went to move one of my units; the owner told me, "Don't touch my figures. I'll move them." Not sure that was a way to encourage anybody. Anyway, for me it is a risk worth taking to share a pretty cool hobby. Wirsing

Another thing to make sure of is that would-be handlers weren't eating neon-orange cheez puffs beforehand… ;-)

I admit I'm on pins and needles, but keep reminding myself I asked for this by bringing them out. I guess that's why I doubt some will ever see daylight.

I'd have to wait until the red rage-mist clears from my vision and I tidy up the random far-flung bits of genetic evid…post-game litter.

*sigh* TMP's automatic image code is too wonky for my intended source image, and I'm not gonna make y'all click for a dumb little Bilbo gif. So never mind. You know the scene. I have a bit more control than , but internally…

Is this the image you were going to use Parzival…..

My $.02 USD cents on this matter:

* If it is an accident, I don't feel good about it, but s--t happens and so do accidents!
That is why, I have my better figures, which only I (and a few select/trusted friends have the privilege to use). All the others either put their own figures on the field or get my 'not as good' miniatures to push around.

* If it is on purpose, that is an entirely different issue. One time a guest gamer tossed a stand of figures from one end of the gaming table to another. The fellow who was pushing that figure wasn't moving it and the 'guest' gamer wanted to move his figures to that spot.
Making this story short--The figures were mine, I was hoisting the game at my place and I tossed his sorry ass out and have never asking him to return!

Also, our group has a standing rule, that for what-ever reason (accident or not) the owner of figures has the right to sell those figures to the person that damaged them at replacement cost. Our reasoning is that this will encourage folks to build their own armies and to decrease damage to somebody else's toys!

Tom Semian

Avalon, PA. 15202

I once accidentally swiped an opponent's DBA pike unit with my hand and bent some of the pikes. I was horrified, as was my opponent.

Sure, they were easy enough to bend back, and in the end there was no harm, but I have to admit it cast a pall over the whole game.