Saturday, November 4, 2023

Unpainted Figures: You Are Not Alone!

One of the new questions asked in Wargames, Soldiers, and Strategies' The Great Wargaming Survey 2023 Edition explored the number of unpainted figures awaiting a slap of paint.  Perhaps an innocent question for some.  Perhaps traumatizing for others.

The range of choices spans from having none or very few unpainted figures all the way up to having more than 1,000 unpainted figures.  While estimating the number of unpainted figures one holds may be a difficult if not impossible task, where do YOU fit into the larger scheme?  Let's see what the survey says...
By counts, less than 4% of survey respondents maintain no surplus of unpainted figures.  Almost 41% of respondents have between 100 and 500 unpainted figures.  About 82% hold fewer than 1,000 unpainted figures in their storeroom.  Still, the remaining 18% of wargamers hold more than 1,000 unpainted figures.  Why maintain a stockpile of so many unpainted figures?  When is enough "enough" to have on hand? 

While the survey totals above illustrate the distribution of these unpainted figure piles, can the survey offer any more enlightening insight?  To help in answering that question, these numbers are broken down by a few demographic attributes.

Age Group
When stratified by Age Group, what does the survey suggest?  Broad themes seem to rely on the notion that younger gamers have fewer unpainted figures than older gamers.  Focusing on the extremes of the unpainted figure count distribution offers an interesting observation.  Once a wargamer reaches the 41-50 age cohort, the percent of respondents having unpainted collections of over 1,000 figures doubles. 

While small inroads are made into reducing the unpainted figure pile down to nothing as one ages, the percent of gamers having more than 1,000 unpainted figures remains stubbornly high at about a quarter of all respondents.  This observation suggests wargamers never really paint down their pile of unpainted figures. 
Primary Interest
When stratified by Primary Interest, gamers tend to bifurcate into two groups.  Fantasy/Sci-Fi gamers tend to hold fewer unpainted figures than the Historical and Mixed groups.  This tendency is likely due to the nature of their games and gaming.  Notice that Historical/Mixed gamers hold collections of over 1,000 unpainted figures about double the percentage of their primarily non-historical counterparts. 
Collection Size
Examining the relationship between painted and unpainted figure collection sizes, produces an unmistakable observation.  This finding illustrates that as painted collection size grows, the percent of respondents having an unpainted pile exceeding 1,000 figures grows.  Often dramatically. By the time a collection reaches 20,000 figures, more than half of those gamers have unpainted figures totals exceeding 1,000 figures.           

What can we deduce from looking at these results?  

Survey results reinforce the anecdotal notion that wargamers never really manage to address the elephant in the room.  That elephant is the large, unpainted pile of figures growing silently in the background.  Is the accumulation of a large pile of figures, seldom seeing a lick of paint, a misallocation of resources?  Why do we tread down this path?  Do these piles of figures slowly and silently accrue over time unbeknownst to the holder?

How large is your unpainted pile of figures?  If the pile is large, why?  Do you ever intend to fully paint down this stockpile of unpainted figures?

Where do I fit into this scheme?  For those who know me, the answer is clear.

113 comments:

  1. I think I'm one of the lucky few with around only a few hundred unpainted figures. I tend to buy in small batches and normally wait to each batch is near completion before buying any more.

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    1. Neil, you ARE one of the lucky few! Congratulations!

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    2. I’d call that ‘self-disciplined’ Neil, not luck.
      I’m probably in the 100-500 group primarily because I was given a load of unpainted figures. I just need to shift them on to someone else.
      Other than that, I tend to paint everything I but before buying more. What is unpainted tends to stubbornly stay there for years. I feel guilty now. 😆
      Chris/Nundanket

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    3. Chris, I used the word "luck" since some of us do not have the self-discipline to maintain only a small surplus. For me, it would take luck to bring the figure pile down to your and Neil's levels. That, or a fire...

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  2. I try to keep it in the 100-500 range, but I fear that this year has seen it go into the next band; in that situation of buying has got a bit easier, finding time to paint is harder.

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    1. You maintain a respectable lid on your surplus. Good job! Yes, if the inflows are greater than outflows, a surplus builds, naturally.

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  3. My numbers are low too Jonathan. My approach is probably different to most in that I a project based and tend to focus on one or two projects at a time. Then I buy what I can paint in a period - usually 6-8 weeks. As a result I hold 'stock' of perhaps no more than several hundred figures, but if was to count my long term lead pile it would amount to less than 100.

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    1. As quickly as you paint, this is no surprise. I am surprised that you are not out of stock more frequently.

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  4. I wish it were just a thousand. The problem I am now facing is that some of the projects have been languishing for so long that I am sorely tempted to purchase over again when nicer looking figures make their way on to the market.

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    1. I hear ya! I have yet to scrap a collection and begin anew with the latest figures. Temptation is present, though.

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  5. Having observed many blogs for about eight years now, and discussions/confessions about lead piles/mountains etc, there is almost nothing in the survey that I would not have inferred from anecdotal evidence, Jon!
    As you probably know, I am generally in the >100 unpainted figures range (although maybe not if I include an incomplete 15mm project - but let's not mention that!)
    If I am honest, my main driver is economic - I can afford maybe NZ$100 a month on my hobby - which I don't spend each month - so maybe every 2-3 months, I make what I think is a significant purchase.
    This has only been the situation for the last few years, prior to that, it could be a real mission to get my hands on any disposable income at all - so in a lot of ways, my collections are far greater and more extensive than I have any right to expect.
    The good side of this penury is - I can't just go "Oh they are cool" when I see something on the net, and push "buy now!" In fact, I go backwards and forwards between a series of manufacturers websites, looking at their ranges, trying to decide if this month I should take the plunge and "invest"! The current Blitzkrieg project is a good example really - Rick has been crying out for some support for several years, but it took me a long time of thinking about it, several months of no spending and a desire for something to paint, to finally convince me to respond to the call.
    So, linking all that together into the survey results my guess would be older historical gamers have a lot more disposable income and can therefore buy almost anything they like the look of, and do so without thought of the practicalities of having the time to get it all painted. Very few are as organised as Mark, but I would assume some are in my situation - they WOULD have 1000+ unpainted figures if they could but economic realities preclude it! For younger players, money would also be a potential inhibitor but also the type of games they play - even if historical, they are far more likely to be skirmish level, with a requirement for fewer figures - not just Bolt Action but CoC, Lion Rampant, Pikeman's Lament etc are all aimed at allowing historical figures to be used in the same sort of game as 40k etc.

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    1. Keith, great response! When data support our hypotheses and anecdotal evidence, it is reassuring. Economic situation, age, and playing style are certainly major contributors to the number of unpainted figures laying around.

      Your personal situation surprises me having seen what seems an almost endless parade of new toys on your blog.

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  6. Oh dear ! Jon I had assumed you would be telling us how many unpainted figures you have. I of course have no idea and certainly don’t intend to count them. I did carry out an interesting exercise recently where I listed all the collections I have at the moment and those planned for the future. Of course none of them are considered complete. What I did discover is that I have unpainted figures for every collection. Some collection do have more than others the worst or best depending on your perspective being my ‘ancients’. Whilst I almost never buy anything on a whim I find it hard to resist a bargain especially second hand figures at shows. I don’t worry about painting them as I am pretty confident I have the capacity to paint what I have. I think the biggest challenge when you have a wide range of collections is getting them on the battlefield.

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    1. Matt, I cannot relay that which is unknown. I do not intend to count my unpainted pile either. Looking down at the floor next to the painting desk, I see a box with at least 20 packs of Old Glory figures with 50 figures each. With a survey upper bound of 1,000 unpainted figures, I can stop there...

      I don't recall ever having bought secondhand figures but I do have trouble passing by a bargain.

      Can I paint all that I have in the stockpile now? Well, that depends upon how long I hold out.

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  7. I'm pretty sure there is a Covid factor here, I know my unpainted mountain grew rapidly from over-buying during the lockdowns. So pre and post Covid was probably a watershed moment re stash size, that is still feeding into the current situation of gamers having high levels of unpainted stashed away.

    I suppose the question is at what point does control of the stash become unsustainable?

    Having recently had a bit of rationalisation across both my board and figure gaming, I am now in a determined process of bringing the unpainted levels down, completing projects and seeing my situation as being self sustained for possibly a couple of years, with less compulsion to buy .... though I did pick up two 1/72 Panther kits today in the full knowledge that my two previous kits are properly made up, but still not painted ... 18 months ago!

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    1. Interesting nod to the COVID effect. Anecdotally, I know that many figure manufacturers mentioned increased sales during this period but this event did not alter my spending patterns. Perhaps spending depended upon levels of government support during lockdowns?

      With your continued hobby rationalizations and collection refinements, I think you make two steps forward and one step back.

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    2. I could live with that as it is still one step forwards :-)

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    3. Indeed, it is! One step forward is progress.

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    4. By contrast, I found that my unpainted pile was whittled down a fair bit during Covid lockdown. My line of work at the time (aviation) practically ground to a halt, so I found I had more time on my hands…and so I set to painting some projects up, figures and terrain. It felt quite liberating!
      Current situation, now retired, the figures are more logically stored and organised, so at least I know where to find stuff (…usually). Listening to the Hobby Support Group’s podcasts, started in Lockdown, highlighted that we have a tendency to overbuy, so keeping a track of spending on the hobby helps to curb that. Also they started an idea called the Ovellist, named for Andy Ovel, one of the podcasters. A gamer produces a written page with eg twelve boxes of ‘what I’m going to do this year’, and then crosses them off as he gets them done. This helps to focus the mind, and avoid some butterfly effect. Now, although my painting rate isn’t exactly prolific, the acquisition of unpainted ‘must haves’ has really reduced considerably.

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    5. Martin, I too, was in the aerospace industry when COVID struck. The travel industry literally ground to a halt. This allowed me to take early retirement. Like you, my painting increased during these lockdown periods. 2020 saw my highest painting productivity ever and I have been tracking output for nearly 30 years.

      Hobby Support Group podcast? Hmm. Never heard of it before now. I may give it a listen.

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    6. Martin has a good idea. Maybe I can tag a list to support our new ' one rule set per month ' regimen.

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    7. Give it a try, Joe! Of course, report back on your outcomes.

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  8. I wonder if the smaller scales make an impact. A new Epic starter box may give you 500+ unpainted figures right away. Also, does the 1,000+ number really show the magnitude of the problem. Maybe a follow on question would ask for a breakdown of 5,000+ or 10,000+ figures.

    I certainly agree that as you get older and have more funds the unpainted figure numbers increase. As well as unpainted models. Although I still have an 100+ unpainted 15mm Swedish pike and shot army from the late 70's. 😁 And 100+ unpainted 15mm Romans from the same decade.

    Anyway it is good to know that I am not the only one with lots of unpainted figures.

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    1. Hi Ben. I looked at figure scale as a factor in this analysis. The problem with this question is that we can identify a respondent's Top 3 scale preferences but we cannot assign unpainted figures in each scale.

      If we assign all unpainted figures to Top figure sale choice, 15mm (18mm) and 20mm (1/72) have the largest percentage of respondents having unpainted piles exceeding 1,000 figures.

      You are not alone!

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    2. I wasn’t even including epic ECW starter set which technically has 1300 figures in it 🤕

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  9. I have unpainted figures for all my collections, how many I dread to think. I suffer from "by it if you see it not before you need it" syndrome and unlike in the past I have the disposable income to do it and don't have to sell a collection to buy another. Let's face it unless you find can them second hand they aren't going to get cheaper.

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    1. I like the way you think, Phil! Having been at this for a very long time, you know that figures have a tendency to go out of production. You can add "buy it before it disappears" to your list too.

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    2. Don’t give me anymore excuses….I’m starting to worry already.

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  10. Interesting stuff - I guess many of us find its much easier to buy figures than to paint them! And there's the classic 'retail therapy' thing where the pleasure hit is from the shopping rather than subsequent use of what is bought. From the survey responses can you see if the ratio of painted to unpainted figures in collections varies or remains roughly the same as collection size increases? I wonder if the proportion unpainted might actually be fairly steady? Btw I could do the same count of books read and unread, I suspect with even worse results!

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    1. David, buying is certainly easier (and faster) than painting!

      With the survey topping out at 1,000 unpainted figures, I am not confident that we can make any inferences about correlation. We do see that as painted collection size increases, the percentage of wargamers having more than 1,000 unpainted figures increases. Does this result increase linearly or is there a point where diminishing returns kicks in? We cannot know from the survey.

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  11. I would have thought having only 1000 unpainted figures to be quite modest! I reckon I would have somewhere around 1500 unpainted 15mm.

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  12. Oh, I have about 600-700 unpainted stuff and buy more :(((
    Fortunately, my wife is already lost and doesn't notice the new figurines in the display case anymore :))

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    1. Thanks, Michal. After reaching critical mass of figures, I lose count too.

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  13. I'm not sure how much I have, but some boxes I have to make sure I lift correctly so as not to hurt my back......

    Christopher

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  14. Having never lifted a brush or taken X-acto blade in hand to trim the flash from a figure, the following comments should be taken with a large grain of sodium.

    It's curious that historical miniature wargamers are hesitant to reveal the number of unpainted minis in their respective lead mountain. What is the basis for this, I wonder.

    The economics of this apparently universal situation is also interesting. Having no degree in this field, I guess stockpiling unpainted miniatures could be viewed as an investment, but from what I am able to gather or presume, much of the minis in these varied piles remain untouched for great lengths of time. To what degree then, could spending on more unpainted miniatures be viewed as conspicuous consumption or some similar term? (I think David in Suffolk is on to something when he remarks about the simplicity of purchase versus the struggle of painting. Related to this, I wonder if this might lead to a small uptick in the purchase of painted figures.)

    The difference between numbers held by historical gamers versus sci/fi or fantasy gamers seems predictable. It may be a broad assumption, but are not must fantasy or similar games more skirmish level or perhaps slightly larger, while historical games tend to be larger simply because. (Take a look at the excellent blog of James Roach, for example.)

    The age of respondents is interesting. Is there no data or information for those veterans who are 50-plus? One wonders if family and work "interferes" with the painting process, while at the same time, workplace seniority or etc. at this age band (41-50) allows for more income that might be directed toward amassing a bigger lead mountain.

    As a final thought or question, is there a survey question asking how many figures would be enough for a wargamer?
    Not to make this personal, but it seems like you have quite a large collection that spans several periods. Are you not content with what you have? It seems like you are able to game with a frequency rarely matched by others. Not to get philosophical, but I wonder why it appears that many wargamers do not "live" in the present with what they have. The numbers of gamers who have large numbers of unpainted figures seems to suggest not. Then again, these fellows seems to have a plan or plans and goals. But from what I've read and seen, there are many more comments about the size of the mountain as opposed to progress.

    An interesting discussion thread . . .

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    1. Anon, this is a thoughtful post, possibly requiring some self-reflection before answering. Certainly, all of your many questions cannot be addressed in a reply as a comment. I may need to expand my responses into a post of their own to fully encapsulate all of your questions and hypotheses. Seems only a Wargaming Manifesto may answer your questions.

      The questions I can answer now are:
      1. I cannot answer, with precision, how many unpainted figures are stockpiled since I have never counted them. I know there are more than 1,000. Why so many? That is a good question.

      2. The survey suggests that Fantasy/Sci-fi gamers do tend toward smaller collections and game with fewer figures.

      3. Age. If you look at the Age Group chart, you will see that 51+ wargamers are represented.

      4. No question asks when is enough "enough". Since the survey is sponsored by a publishing company selling advertising, this may not be the right question to ask.

      5. Yes, I have large collections covering many periods. Why so many? I rarely meet a period that does not draw my interest. Most offer something different. Painting is enjoyable and a big part of the hobby for me.

      6. I hold a degree in economics among others.

      It is the journey and necessarily the destination that is the goal.

      Hmm. Maybe I did answer most of your questions? Your response has certainly provided some food for thought.

      Thank you.

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    2. “Painting is enjoyable and a big part of the hobby for me.”

      Now that is a statement I can definitely endorse.

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    3. Great! Some of us actually enjoying the painting exercise.

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    4. Dear Sir,
      Thanks for taking the time to respond to my queries. I may follow up the original set of questions with a few more as well as an additional comment or two?

      Curious that a hobby with a foundation in precision or knowledge of subject matter (what color were these facings or buttons; how many troops were in this battalion, and who was in charge of this division, etc.) would find wargamers not keeping track of the numbers. weight, or height of the "lead mountain." (Given the changes in manufacture, I wonder if it might be reasonable to suggest a new name for this figurative "geographical" feature?

      I do try to ask good questions. No pressure, but would be curious to find out the reason or reasons why you and others have so many unpainted figures.

      Thanks for pointing out the additional data re the older group (50 years plus). Given the percentage of the 41-50 group you reference and given or assuming the time and effort involved, it seems that this data set or point would roll over into the next age category.

      Admire and appreciate your passion for painting. Wargaming is a broad church (as has been mentioned by others), so there are many ways of participating and or practicing. Those who find more interest in wargaming, writing, or other aspects would, I imagine, not have as large a mountain to climb.

      I defer to your CV. Would be curious to find if your multiple diplomas are interdisciplinary or not all that related. Would be interested to get your take on the shuttering of liberal arts programs that is taking place in higher education. (Not a wargaming topic, but still . . .)

      Did you mean to type "It is the journey and not necessarily the destination?" There is a philosophical and perhaps even moral or ethical theme within that advice as well. Seems to tie into the mountain analogy very nicely.

      Here's hoping this second course did not give you indigestion or a headache.








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    5. Great to see a follow-up from you, Anon. Life would be easier if I could attach a name...

      Anyway, yes, I did leave out a critical negator in my comment of,
      "It is the journey and not necessarily the destination?"
      Thank you for bringing that up! The phrase makes much more sense now.

      As for precision and tracking, not only do many not track their incoming stock, I know many who do not assess their output as well. Why? Perhaps tracking these things make it seem more like work than a pleasurable hobby? Perhaps some cannot reconcile their hobby expenditures. I know wargamers who track hobby expenditures. If you read Mike Lewis' comments, he plans to adopt a net zero buy and paint strategy.

      On why we maintain large stockpiles, reading through comments here may provide some insight. For myself, I need to take stock on this question.

      On shuttering of liberal arts programs, this is an important topic. My main interest in this topic relates to the reduction, elimination or coursework changes to history programs. I suppose this interest ties back to my interest in wargaming, generally. Educationally, my background is interdisciplinary with an emphasis on STEM.

      Second course finished with no indigestion.

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    6. "how many figures would be enough for a wargamer?" I believe there's a formula for that. N+1.
      With N being what you have now and +1 what you need next.

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    7. Dan, I agree completely although my equation is N + n.

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    8. Matt, mine is probably closer to your equation too.

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  15. Interesting topic. I have been rationalising collections and, while I do have a lot of unpainted figures, they are all for the 4 incomplete collections. All the other periods are done and complete and have no figures waiting to be added...

    I would guess I have around 1500 unpainted figures - the majority are 40mm AWI, followed by 20mm sudan.

    A more interesting figure might be the percentage of unpainted figures people own?

    I have around 7,000 painted figures so totalling that as 8.5k, 1500 unpainted figures gives me a number of 17% unpainted. Now I am semi-retired and not doing as much painting for other people I hope to get through the pile faster.

    I feel that is not too bad - I have seen people (mostly in the USA) who have 3k painted figures and 10k unpainted! And a storage unit to hold them!

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    1. Hi Mike! Thanks for dropping by and especially for taking time to leave a comment.

      Sounds like you have your unpainted horde all in order with a definite plan to work through them. Good job!

      Percent of figures unpainted is an interesting metric and question to consider. Is 17% unpainted a good ratio or not? I suppose it is up to each individual wargamer to assess that question.

      Since some wargamers paint much more quickly than others, I wonder if a more meaningful metric would be Years (or weeks) of Supply? On average, I paint roughly 1,000 figures per year. Your 1,500 unpainted figures would represent about 1.5 years effort for me. For others, those same 1,500 unpainted figures may represent a lifetime's supply.

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    2. I don'y actually know how many figures I can paint in a year - but you right, that is perhaps a better measurement. I doubt I get close to 1,000 in a year. It is something I intend to start keeping track off to get an idea how long some of these projects are going to take to hit the table.
      I haven't ever counted all my unpainted figures in detail, but I know that I have over 700+ 40mm AWI to go as I bought them in one go 2nd hand for a price too good to pass up.

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    3. Mike, once you begin tracking your painting productivity, report back and let us all know how you did.

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  16. I used to be pretty disciplined, seldom having more than 200 unpainted figures at a time. Sales by Old Glory, the "300 Austrians", and Lucas' Kickstarter's have taken care of that. I think I answered in the 100 - 500 range, but the truth is probably in the mid range of the 500 - 1,000 figure category. Still, as a percentage of painted figures, it's small (rationalization warning!). I don't have as many periods as you do, but it's still quite a few, and there is at least some unpainted lead for almost every one. That's not entirely a bad thing; it makes it easy to change gears when you get tired of one era! I have no regrets, and don't start new periods on a whim!

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    1. Thanks, Peter! I suspect we all must maintain some thoughts of rationalizing our hobby. As you say, having a stock of unpainted figures across many different periods allows one to switch gears to another project when you tire of painting the same old thing.

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  17. Musings on lead mountain, I think I'm probably in the 500 to 1000 category, 28mm of course in historical plus 200ish in scifi /fantasy, I'm pretty comfortable with this, with plastic I think there is an additional layer of assembly, once I get to primed that's already a significant step! Very nearly all my French Napoleonics and a significant number of Austrian Napoleonics are at the primed stage which I'm pretty happy about, there are no significant expansions planned, even more so as I am currently without income so I'm pretty glad I've got a lead mountain to mine without having to currently spend anything!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks, Iain! I am happy to see that you have a ready Lead Pile to keep you busy over winter.

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  18. I can relate with Ben’s comment above regarding numbers of unpainted figures versus scale - clearly the smaller scales facilitate larger numbers of unpainted figures. The other side of the coin is that it takes much less time to cut through a small-scale lead pile than it takes for the larger scales so comparability between scales is not an easy thing to achieve.

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    1. Quite right. Perhaps we ought to weigh our unpainted piles of figures rather than counting them? Then that approach leads us to needing to adjust for figure material.

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  19. I have no idea how many unpainted figures I still have and no intention of finding out! (I wonder if I should include the potential number of figures stored as a stack of bars of alloy for use in the scores of moulds just waiting to churn out figures on demand?)

    My backlog generally comes from a couple of sources. One is abandoned group projects (inc. 2 person groups) which died before all the figures were done for one reason or another such as the opponent moved away or lost interest or the initial enthusiasm soured. Actually that last reason is also a cause even on some solo projects.

    Some are still on the 'to do list', I've had figures wait 20 or 30 years or more before finally getting painted. Others are there as 'spare parts' as it were. They provide bits and pieces for conversions. Some are unwanted but hard to re-home since I am reluctant to just 'bin' unwanted ones (though I have started throwing some into the melting pot to be reborn as something else.

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    1. Ross, I do not envision going to the effort of counting my pile of unpainted figures either. Some things are better left unknown. Looks like you have your surplus well in-hand and accounted for even if you do not keep counts.

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  20. My guess is that I fall into the 1,000 plus category. I've never counted the lead pile and doubt I ever will. I've been tracking my yearly purchases and painting and over the last eight years have come out with about 450 figures painted more than bought.

    A coworker, who doesn't game, once said "it seems your hobby is as much about collecting miniatures as painting them."

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    1. Thanks, Dan! Yeah, I think our hobby is just as much about collecting as anything else. Some, more so than others.

      Painting more than bought is a good record.

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    2. I'd say collecting (the painted ones) as much as playing with them, myself!

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    3. I am with you, Peter! I have really enjoyed the uptick in my gaming over the last three years.

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    4. For me , painting the figures is the primary driver, games are a bonus!
      Best Iain

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    6. Painting is a major part of the hobby for me.

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    7. Me too, Dan, although the gaming piece has picked up dramatically over the last three years.

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  21. A bit late to the party but an interesting topic and comments too. From my perspective:

    Size of Leadpile
    Well that's an easy answer as it's easily over 1,000 figures.

    Why So Large?
    This is harder to answer and there are multiple factors at play, which are in no particular order:
    - Retail Therapy. When I used to work and I'd be sat at my workbench late at night waiting for paint to dry, I'd browse the Pendraken website, other Blogs etc to pass the time. Quite often projects would form in my head and in no time I'd placed and order with a few clicks of a button. If it had been back in the 1970's where you had to get a postal order, fill in your order form and then send it off, I doubt if many of these purchases would have happened.
    - Failed Projects. Quite often we would get the idea to start a new project, get all enthusiastic, buy the figures and then nothing would really happen. Work would get in the way, holidays etc and then suddenly the butterfly had flapped its wings and we were off in a new direction.
    - Scale Creep. In the early days of playing BKCII, I had visions of Brigade level games and so bought accordingly. Only later did I realise that you really need all day to play such big battles, you need about 3 players per side and you need lots of room! Plus I bought enough to field both sides. So now playing solo games for a few hours, a Battalion per side with the odd Company reinforcement is often more than enough, so the rest as sitting in the attic.
    - No Dedicated Painting Area. This is a big issue for me as I have to wait for the kitchen to be free, before I can get all my stuff out and set up. I'm sure my painting would increase if I did have a dedicated space.
    - ImagiNations. These days, aside from WWII, I have gone down this route for my 18thC and 19thC games. As a result many of the forces I had bought are now redundant and still sitting in their bags.
    - Selling. To be honest even before lockdown I've been saying that I will sort my leadpile out and try and sell it, but still nothing has happened. Frankly it is low down on my list but needs to be done. I've tried selling at shows but there is little interest in 10mm and sometimes the prices I can get hardly make it worth the effort, or so it seems to me.

    Well I think that covers it!

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    1. Ooops! Forgot to mention:

      Will I Ever Paint It All?
      - Highly unlikely to be honest. My shaky left arm makes painting impossible some days and will only get worse with age. Even now detail can be challenging so I tend to keep it simple and what stands out on the table.
      - Motivation. Once I've got a core force for most periods (say 12-15 units per side), I find it hard to add another battalion etc when I have enough for most games I play.

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    2. Never too late to contribute, Steve!

      You make a handy Check List on why your Lead Pile is large. Let's see if any is applicable to my situation.
      Retail Therapy: Guilty as charged.
      Failed Projects: Rarely. In one failed group project, I actually completed my commitment. All other projects are simply listed as "In Work"!
      Scale Creep: Of course. In an immutable law of physics, collections expand to fill any voids in storage space.
      No Dedicated Painted Area: No issue for me.
      ImagiNations: Nope.
      Selling: Very rarely to I sell any figures. Never know when you might need them.
      Can I Paint it All?: Not likely!
      Motivation: Painting MoJo rarely not by my side.

      And I will add one.
      Sales/Bargains: Passing up a sale or bargain is so, so hard.

      Excellent response, Steve, and thank you very much!

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    3. I think the sale/bargain is a bad one for me so I've stopped even visiting the well known Internet site! I paint on a tray in the living room, I don't think I've ever had a dedicated for painting figures, I do paint terrain in my shed but if I painted figures in there as well, I think my wife would divorce me!
      Best Iain

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    4. Sales are really my downfall. Does your wife have any hobbies?

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    5. Yeah, imaginations, I blame it on them as well.

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    6. Another issue is that I simply forget exactly what I've got! I've just been searching for some figures for a bit of project creep for my 18thC ImagiNations project. Whilst searching I came across a box of painted WWII Germans, which I started in January and frankly forgot I had painted enough to field a Battalion for BKCII. I really, really do need to sort my leadpile out, so I know what I want to keep and frankly what will never get played and so needs selling on. A job for a wet day methinks...

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    7. Joe, we can place blame on many things.

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    8. Steve, your situation is one reason I keep a tally of all painted figures in DB. That way, I know they are here, somewhere.

      Oh, today is a wet day here...

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    9. Well on a wet and dull day, I finally bit the lead bullet and sorted through my stuff, which honestly felt very cathartic! Looking at it all laid out really brought home to me how much stuff I've bought over the years. One back is 9 years old and not even been opened! So now it is all sorted so I can decide what to try and sell on and what to keep.

      It also raised the issue of if I did paint it all, where would I store it? That will be an issue of even with my planned slimmed down forces. Luckily I can fit a decent sized force in an A4 box file, or if WWII, I can get two Battalions plus support in each one which helps enormously.

      Then there is the issue of terrain storage, currently in boxes by the dining table covered in a cloth. SWMBO is very forebearing...

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    10. Um, Steve? You forgot to mention how many unpainted figures you counted...

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    11. I didn't count them per se, but thinking about what is in each package now that I have them all together, well in excess of 2,000 I would venture. To be honest this surprised me as I thought I had less, but obviously not!

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    12. Well in excess of 2,000 would be a good guestimate Jon.

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  22. I can relate to a lot written here. I have certainly got more figures than I can realistically paint before close of play, at current rates. In theory, I have plenty of time to up the rate but motivation comes in waves - I look at the painting machine that is Jon with envy. I also relate to the "core force" comment made by Steve J. I could easily extend some of my armies but they already contain all the troops I need for my scale and style of game.

    In the last couple of years, I've hit on a sort of "net zero" approach. I will avoid adding to the overall size of the mountain. This means I paint what I buy, or if not, I paint an equivalent amount of old lead. It semi-works, in that it has made me cautious on purchases just on the "it would be nice to have..." basis. I mainly buy second-hand (thrift, a liking of older ranges, a love of bringing things back into use rather than throwing them away) and there have been a couple of lots recently where my bidding finger has been stayed by a realisation that I would love them but realistically most would go unpainted.

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    1. Anthony, I reckon many of us can relate to much that has been said!

      Your Net Zero approach is a good one, applicable to others, and a worthy goal. This mechanism of one in and one out would help many at least keep the size of The Lead Pile stable. I may give this a try in the New Year although that requires me to begin tracking the number of figures purchased.

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  23. Another interesting analysis.

    I would be curious to see how the unpainted pile correlates with one's participation in Kickstarters/other crowd-funding programs. Another potential source of The Unpainted is 3d printing. There is a growing number of hobbyists that print out their own miniatures, quickly and inexpensively. And, should one count unprinted STL's in with The Unpainted?

    Also, perhaps the next Survey needs to expand that lead pile limit to 'over 5000 figures unpainted' ;) ?

    As for me, my pile of The Unpainted is shrinking, not due to painting but to selling/trading. And part of that pile is due to my habit of buying interesting figures, but finding that there are no opposing forces to go against them in production. This is, of course, only possible with sci-fi/fantasy collections, but I have been burnt with incomplete selections before and, with a bit of self-control and minding the interests of my gaming group, will not happen again.

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    1. Greg, I would not count STL files as unpainted figures. Kickstarters are addressed indirectly in the survey under the list of "What Inspires You" choices.

      When I suggested adding this question, I did not figure on many wargamers knowing the exact count of the unpainted pile. A bin of '1,000' is my shorthand for "too many to count". I will consider expanding the choices but how many actually know if they have 5,000 figures or more? I don't. I am not sure I want to know...

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  24. Wow, lots of thoughts on this one. Some good questions raised as well. I have a foot in two camps. My 25mm and 28mm have some thousand to eleven hundred figures in metal to be painted. Napoleonics and Pulp mostly. I have 120 or so 20mm WW2 unpainted figures and a few tanks and other vehicles. Maybe another hundred 15mm , again WW2. Maybe 20 or so unpainted micro armor vehicles.

    How about the number of those damnable 28mm plastic kits ? 11 boxes of cavalry, 14 of infantry. So 800 plus there. But first to assemble them!
    Now the latest ...aircraft in 1/300 &1/200. The 1/200 scale number in the teens, but there are 200 plus uf the little ones.
    I thankfully don't have any elephants or ancients to worry about.
    Why so many? Think kindly, this is over a period of fifty years.
    There was a time for projects, big games or whole new periods.
    Ranges were scale creeped and companies folded .
    Retail therapy, mostly at convention dealer arenas.
    (Now I am more judicious with an occasional lapse. )
    Friends who gave me stranded projects.
    Butterfly moves into new subjects.
    Finally, peer pressure from old friends with new projects.

    Here's the kicker...you don't collect this long without growing older. One of my friends estimated if he assembled/painted one figure per day he will run out of figures.....in something like 9.78 years. He is my age. He decided he is cutting back on new purchases. We will be 82 when he's done.

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    1. I think I would need to be immortal and with eternal youth to finish my leadpile, given my painting output, even when motivated by a deadline etc! It does focus the mind that in all honesty, I'm never going to finish projects that I started years ago, whether they be for skirmish games or big battles. Definitely time to bite the leadpile bullet!

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    2. Excellent post, Joe! You make a GREAT point on figure collecting. That is, with age and a long time in the hobby, we (hopefully) gain not only wisdom but a big pile of figures. Perhaps it is another immutable law of nature?

      My rough calculations on how long it takes to work through the Lead Pile is something I mentioned in an earlier reply; Years of Supply.

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    3. Steve, I reckon our Lead Piles may outlive many of us in our generation.

      Do you suppose The Who were talking about old wargamers?

      Don't try to dig what we all s-s-s-say
      I'm not trying to 'cause a big s-s-sensation
      I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-g-generation

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    4. Very little is scarier than the lyrics of a Who song. Especially when compared to what it used to mean to a younger version of oneself. Who are you?

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    5. 11 boxes of 28mm cavalry, ouch ! Joe

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  25. I never buy anything I don’t paint, I really cannot understand having hundreds of figures languishing in a pile. I have a small tin with unwanted troops which usually were surplus in a pack, needed four had to buy six.

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    1. You have more self discipline than I. Many companies capture my consumer surplus by offering price breaks or free shipping at various thresholds.

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  26. Late to the party, but this lines up with something I think about often: why do I have as many figures as I do? Why do I hold onto figures I'm not using and can't see using? I apologize in advance for what will be a long rambling, disjointed and possibly incoherent, reply, but you do bring it on yourself for writing thought-provoking posts!

    There is a folk wisdom that says you need to buy everything for a project from your preferred manufacturer(s) when it's available because it might not be available later. I believe this comes from older gamers who witnessed this phenomenon all too often with projects started only to have the manufacturer go under before it was completed. This line of thought, while not without merit, only supports acqusition not the holding onto the pile. It seems to me that we hold onto the pile of unpainted figures because we imagine some future where we can't get something similar, but history doesn't support this. Why are we then afraid of letting go? There is an emotional attachment here that no survey will be able to assess.

    Relatedly, we may be concered that we won't be able to afford to replace or acquire the figures later - which could well be true. But, if we find ourselves in dire financial straits, maybe even unhoused, do we really believe we'll be lugging our piles of plastic and lead with us? That line of thought begins to sound more like an attempt to justify our previous spending. Again, we as gamers could be asking ourselves deeper questions, rather than pretending piles of unpainted figures don't tell us anything about ourselves.

    The spread of 3D printing has the greatest potential to erode the size of the unpainted pile - the way just-in-time manufacturing and shipping reduced the need for warehousing massive quantities of material awaiting sale. It will be interesting to see if over time the piles of shame are no longer so shameful or if people go on massive printing benders and increase the pile size because they can.

    Assuming the biggest group of sci-fi gamers play 40K, the fact that some large models cost nearly $200usd is enough to keep the unpainted pile small. Who could afford a large pile of unpainted figures at that price? Even with the less expensive $50usd for a box of 10 core 32mm infantry, you'd be hard-pressed to build a thousand figure backlog! (to have such a backlog, it presumably takes many years for the average income to afford it, and then we'd see a similar correlation with years gaming). I am not aware of an equivalent anywhere in the historical gaming world.

    I often see justification for the unpainted pile that goes something like this: "I work hard and deserve to spend money on myself. I buy miniatures and it doesn't harm anyone. It's not like I'm spending it on booze or drugs." Fair enough, if a bit shaky justification, but it always strikes me as very defensive. We're talking about toys here and no one is demanding you stop adding to your pile. Why the extreme reaction? What kind of deeper issues are at play here? Again, probably beyond the bounds of a survey.

    I have around 200-300 figures unpainted. I plan to have far less within the next 6 months. I learned earlier this year that the best way to reduce the pile is to let it go. It's been liberating. I don't have to store them; I don't have to figure out when I'm going to get to them or anything of that nature. I did have to admit that I may have made a mistake buying so many figures, that I purchased figures without really having a plan (it seemed like a plan but it was vague and the target kept moving), that I really had no intention of ever actually finishing my Great Northern War project, and sadly, that I'm not immortal - there is not time for everything and that I have to decide what I want from the hobby and what is ultimately not necessary for me to enjoy wargaming.

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    1. Never too late to offer up your thoughts, John! And, a good ramble it was too!

      There is a lot of wisdom in your response. Wisdom that I suspect only comes with age and years spent wargaming. Too bad it takes a lifetime (for many of us) to acknowledge these self-reflective truths.
      Your last sentence really says it all.

      Excellent comment!

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  27. Great post Jon, it took me quite a while to get though the post and all the comments. It certainly got a few people juices flowing!
    I have no idea how much unpainted lead I have, but its quite a lot, well over 2000 figures. Will they all ever get painted.....I think not.
    Will I xarry on buying figures that I probably won't paint?.....Hell yes!

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    1. Thanks, Ray! Yes, with the commentary, it is a big task to wade through it all. Interesting feedback from everyone.

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  28. Jonathan, great post - I do like your posts using data - especially your own annual reviews!

    I am one who answered the survey and definitely fall into the >1,000 category. I actually know pretty closely how many figures I have. I started a listing about 10 years ago after I found I had double purchased a number of times. This was usually done in the immediate response to a sale somewhere where I only later found the duplication.

    Like some others I imagine, I had the means to purchase 'for my retirement' when I was working. Now retired for 7 months, I am filling my days with many varied things - but have managed to significantly lift my painting throughput. The only problem is that this has been focused on 6mm Adler Napoleonics which I absolutely love. But, contrary to what I originally thought, it takes a lot longer to get through a plastic storage container of the 6mm chaps than it does an equivalent container of 28mm ancients or Italian Wars.

    To use those Napoleonics as a case study for my purchasing habits. My first love was Napoleonics as a kid with Airfix plastics. I bought my first few units of Adlers when I was living in the UK in the early 1990s - with a plan to do the armies for the 100 Days campaign in 1:20 ratio. Just before coming back to Australia in 1996, I put a large purchase in with Leon for all the figures I needed to do the 100 Days units. Over the intervening years I gradually had scope creep to the point that I have nearly all the lead I need to play (once painted) any of the battles / campaigns from about 1807 - 1815. Most of these figures stayed quietly in their boxes over those 20-30 years while I raised a family, lived my life, had a career and bought into and painted a number of other projects. Two years ago I started to paint them in earnest and have recently past the 23,000 painted figure mark with the French, British, Prussian, Russian and a number of French allies done. There are still more to go - but I am enjoying them immensely. Just as I am pretty sure I will get great enjoyment from the other projects that I read, research and paint from the lead pile over the coming years.

    I won't get them all done - I have made some small steps to dispose of some stuff recently - mainly small impulse projects or things that I have since acquired in a nicer form or 3d printed. But I am also leaving pretty clear guidance on how to move on any left when I am gone :)

    Richard

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    1. Excellent response, Richard! I believe many of us (I am no exception) bought figures to paint during our retirement years. And, figures are not getting any cheaper.

      You have amassed 23,000 painted figures? Wow! That is a tremendous result. I hope we get the privilege of seeing your armies out on the battlefield now that you have more free time to wargame.

      Thank you!

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  29. Well Johnathon, here is my thoughts on an interesting subject coming from my point of view as an industry (manufacturer) and Wargame hobby professional.

    For me it is disposable income and age related, yes my collection of historicals, fantasy is over 10000 figs of 28mm and possibly close to 3000 20mm and other scales (I have never done a count) and over 3000 I suspect of unpainted models and over 100 plastic and resin 20mm kits .

    I do paint between 400 and 1000 figs per year though.
    It is the joy of research, painting and modeling for me, it is my relax time. When I was working in my former career as a survey engineer I had a lot of disposable income and did have years where I spent a lot of money on new projects. I switched back to wargaming and modeling in my late 20s and gave up hot rods and fast cars for family life. Now in my late fifties my collection still gives me joy and every now and then the bug bites and I go on a purchasing spree, but renovating a chateau has slowed down a lot of the crazy purchasing.

    The biggest plus now is the one location for everything, now my stock drawers a close overflow along with project cupboards (three) gives me a daily reminder of what is awaiting love, rather than what is on the horizon ……

    So I guess I confess
    “I am a wargamer and have too much unpainted lead”

    But better than three hot rods in a shed still in parts

    Cheers
    Matt
    French Wargame Holidays

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    1. Matt, great to hear from you again! Like you, painting is relaxing for me. Something I enjoy very much at least until the eyes give out.

      At a painting rate of between 400-1,000 figures per year, I suggest that you may actually make it through your pile of figures.

      I am surprised that your hotel reno allows any time to paint...or relax!

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  30. As I recently stumbled upon this You Tube site/channel, and as it applies (at least I think it does or may) to the topic under discussion (sidebar: how often does one of your posts generate 100 comments?), readers & followers may want to take a look at The Krause Collection - 15mm. To be sure, I would guess that many readers or followers are aware of this gentleman and his armies. talent, etc.

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    1. That is an amazing collection! Having a post generate a 100 comments is rare. Most posts generate 30-50 comments and half are my replies.

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  31. Oops. Sorry Jon. I replied on the official feed lol 😆

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  32. 107 comments and rising - WOW! (108 with this babble of mine.) Your survey analysis posts certainly do generate some fun conversation mate.

    I'm always envious and impressed by folks in our hobby who somehow manage to restrain their purchasing instincts so that they only add new pieces to their collections if previously owned ones are already painted and ready for the tabletop. I like to think of those people as the "Unicorns" in our hobby.

    I am not one of those people, though, as I always seem to come up with some "new" game/faction/project idea and find it hard to stop myself buying into it. I also have a hard time passing by a really good deal or a new range that pulls on the nostalgia's. It's only after I've made my purchase(s), in my excitement for the "new", that I remind myself that both my hobby time and playing time even more so are so limited these days because of responsibilities (Like being father to a two-year-old) and those "new's" just go into a storage tub and sadly half of them are forgotten - tho not "lost". (I really should catalog my unpainted pile some day.)

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    1. Yeah, survey results often bring in a good volume of commentary. I could use some trimming back on collections too but I do enjoy painting and collecting. Not sure I can ever muster the courage to count the unpainted pile of figures.

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  33. I'd consider size of collection--which you have done--but also cost and scale of figure, which you have not. I have well over 1,000 unpainted figures--five or ten times that, I should think. But they're virtually all 6mm, purchased second-hand. They'd all fit in a footlocker. And they give me options to expand my 6mm WWII, SYW and Napoleonic armies should I feel the urge. They're not a waste, but a reserve. And what sort of miniature general would I be without a provision for the unexpected?

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    1. Thanks for your response, Robert!

      Yes, all good generals need to hold back a reserve for unexpected situations. I am no different. The difference may be in the size of the reserve or as I call it "Safety Stock."

      I did not include figure size or cost because those relationships do not map directly to the number of unpainted figures. For example with figure size, we ask the respondents' top 3 figure sizes but no way to tie those choices directly to the number of unpainted figures.

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  34. Oh, I didn't mean it as a criticism. But it is a factor, and I run into it elsewhere. A thousand unpainted 6's in a shoebox isn't the same thing as 1,000 unpainted metal 28's glaring at their general every time he enters the painting room.

    This probably explains part of the predominance of unpainted figures among historical gamers. We're generally older and have--or have had--more disposable income, but we're also more prone to game in the smaller, cheaper scales.

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    1. Hi Robert, I saw no criticism in your response. I was simply explaining why including those cross-tabulations and correlations was not possible given the data. I think we were lucky to get the average respondent to estimate their unpainted figure pile let alone counting unpainted figures by scale.

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