You probably have a rough idea on what Warhammer or Warhammer 40k box set(s) you want to buy by now. If you don't, have a look at my earlier article here.
If you want to save money, you have two choices in terms of what miniatures you can buy- new or used. I try to buy new on-the-sprue miniatures because assembling each one is something I enjoy. There are different places you can go to if you want to buy new miniatures like I do:
1. Games Workshop.
If you want to save money, this is the obvious choice to avoid. Why? Because, while the company's miniatures and games are absolutely freaking awesome, a Games Workshop outlet is probably not a place to go to if you're looking for a bargain. Games Workshop stores will very rarely have sales- I'm talking about one every few years, if any at all. Keep your eyes open for them, but otherwise, avoid buying directly from Games Workshop.
2. Independent resale outlets.
Independent outlets such as hobby stores and gaming clubs are totally responsible for their own prices. That's exactly why Games Workshop states that they cannot be held accountable for what other stores sell their products for. This is a good thing, because 99% of the time that means you can usually get Warhammer or Warhammer 40k products at an independent reseller for cheaper than what you could get it for at a Games Workshop store.
Hobby stores will usually also stock a variety of other things directly related to your hobby (that's why they call them hobby stores!) such as terrain, tools and paints that come from companies other than Games Workshop. These are usually a lot cheaper and you can also expect seasonal sales too. Just ask around at the store.
3. Online resellers.
Online stores are a good place to buy all your hobby related stuff if for some reason you cannot (or prefer not to) buy from local sources. The problem with online resellers, however, is that shipping costs often negate any benefits of buying at a discounted price. This is why you should always check whether there is an online store specifically located in your country.
All the online stores will operate based on prices in their own country. Do your research. Australians sometimes have to pay up to double the US prices to buy Warhammer or 40k products in their own country. They can choose to buy from either an international online reseller from the US (which will mean they pay less for the actual product and more for the shipping) or a local online reseller to provide them with the things they need.
4. Ebay.
When it comes to totally new-in-box miniatures, this is akin to online resellers, so I won't go into detail here. You can get some pretty good bargains on Ebay. Again, watch the shipping prices. Have caution when it comes to purchasing from people with a dubious reputation.
Old/Used miniatures
Buying old or used miniatures are a good way to add to your army without shelling out ridiculous amounts of cash. Most people sell miniatures that have already been painted (or at-least primed), and are usually a lot cheaper than buying new on-sprue miniatures. The only exception is when the object on sale has been "pro-painted"- that is, the paint job quality is significantly higher than what you'd see on the table-top, and hence more expensive than new figurines. There are a couple of ways you can get used or old miniatures:
1. Ebay.
This is the big one. Sellers often get rid of miniatures in "lots"; i.e. a group of similar miniatures (or those belonging to the same factions) together. You can find some good bargains here. Just type in the faction you are looking for and add "lot" at the end of it if you're looking for that type of deal. Otherwise, just type what miniature you want into the search field and tick 'used'.
You'll find all sorts of things here, whether its a squad of space marines caked in bright yellow and broken off their bases (easily fixed by Simple Green and some superglue) or a crisis suit with a missing leg (make sure you have a plan to replace the broken leg before you commit to the purchase!).
2. Garage Sales/Local community.
Right, now this one is less obvious but still worth it if you can find a bargain. There are many teenagers out there who've bought the models when they were younger and played with them like they were a little better than toy soldiers before growing out of it and want to raise some cash for another hobby. I'm listing this because when I was about 7, my dad brought home a big box he found at a garage sale for ten dollars with the words "Warhammer" printed on it in gold and red. It was used, but it had a whole Orks and Goblins army and a retinue of elves (can't remember which) in it, as well as paints and brushes. Being a kid, I just dipped all the figurines in red and yellow (not before spilling half of the yellow on the carpet...). At that time, my dad didn't know what these were and neither did I. Now I do- and I'll take a whole army and a half for ten bucks any day.
When going to a garage sale, don't ask the poor single mother whether she has a group of chaos terminators lying around somewhere. She won't know. Just say "toy soldiers" or even "warhammer". If she brings out a whole Space Marine army (very likely as most 10 year olds are drawn to these) and wants to sell it to you for 20 dollars, take it, even if you don't collect Space Marines. Go home, repair and strip the paint of it and put it on Ebay in appropriate lots- good job, you've just made over a hundred dollars in about half an hour. If she does happen to have the army you want, you're in even better luck!
Also ask around your local gaming community for people who want to get rid of their old armies to buy a new one. Once in a while some chump gets sick of losing and wants to get rid of his Tau army to start a Grey Knights one. Although they aren't going to give you their army for $20, you can still expect a decent price for them.
If you want to save money, you have two choices in terms of what miniatures you can buy- new or used. I try to buy new on-the-sprue miniatures because assembling each one is something I enjoy. There are different places you can go to if you want to buy new miniatures like I do:
1. Games Workshop.
If you want to save money, this is the obvious choice to avoid. Why? Because, while the company's miniatures and games are absolutely freaking awesome, a Games Workshop outlet is probably not a place to go to if you're looking for a bargain. Games Workshop stores will very rarely have sales- I'm talking about one every few years, if any at all. Keep your eyes open for them, but otherwise, avoid buying directly from Games Workshop.
2. Independent resale outlets.
Independent outlets such as hobby stores and gaming clubs are totally responsible for their own prices. That's exactly why Games Workshop states that they cannot be held accountable for what other stores sell their products for. This is a good thing, because 99% of the time that means you can usually get Warhammer or Warhammer 40k products at an independent reseller for cheaper than what you could get it for at a Games Workshop store.
Hobby stores will usually also stock a variety of other things directly related to your hobby (that's why they call them hobby stores!) such as terrain, tools and paints that come from companies other than Games Workshop. These are usually a lot cheaper and you can also expect seasonal sales too. Just ask around at the store.
3. Online resellers.
Online stores are a good place to buy all your hobby related stuff if for some reason you cannot (or prefer not to) buy from local sources. The problem with online resellers, however, is that shipping costs often negate any benefits of buying at a discounted price. This is why you should always check whether there is an online store specifically located in your country.
All the online stores will operate based on prices in their own country. Do your research. Australians sometimes have to pay up to double the US prices to buy Warhammer or 40k products in their own country. They can choose to buy from either an international online reseller from the US (which will mean they pay less for the actual product and more for the shipping) or a local online reseller to provide them with the things they need.
4. Ebay.
When it comes to totally new-in-box miniatures, this is akin to online resellers, so I won't go into detail here. You can get some pretty good bargains on Ebay. Again, watch the shipping prices. Have caution when it comes to purchasing from people with a dubious reputation.
Old/Used miniatures
Buying old or used miniatures are a good way to add to your army without shelling out ridiculous amounts of cash. Most people sell miniatures that have already been painted (or at-least primed), and are usually a lot cheaper than buying new on-sprue miniatures. The only exception is when the object on sale has been "pro-painted"- that is, the paint job quality is significantly higher than what you'd see on the table-top, and hence more expensive than new figurines. There are a couple of ways you can get used or old miniatures:
1. Ebay.
This is the big one. Sellers often get rid of miniatures in "lots"; i.e. a group of similar miniatures (or those belonging to the same factions) together. You can find some good bargains here. Just type in the faction you are looking for and add "lot" at the end of it if you're looking for that type of deal. Otherwise, just type what miniature you want into the search field and tick 'used'.
2. Garage Sales/Local community.
Right, now this one is less obvious but still worth it if you can find a bargain. There are many teenagers out there who've bought the models when they were younger and played with them like they were a little better than toy soldiers before growing out of it and want to raise some cash for another hobby. I'm listing this because when I was about 7, my dad brought home a big box he found at a garage sale for ten dollars with the words "Warhammer" printed on it in gold and red. It was used, but it had a whole Orks and Goblins army and a retinue of elves (can't remember which) in it, as well as paints and brushes. Being a kid, I just dipped all the figurines in red and yellow (not before spilling half of the yellow on the carpet...). At that time, my dad didn't know what these were and neither did I. Now I do- and I'll take a whole army and a half for ten bucks any day.
When going to a garage sale, don't ask the poor single mother whether she has a group of chaos terminators lying around somewhere. She won't know. Just say "toy soldiers" or even "warhammer". If she brings out a whole Space Marine army (very likely as most 10 year olds are drawn to these) and wants to sell it to you for 20 dollars, take it, even if you don't collect Space Marines. Go home, repair and strip the paint of it and put it on Ebay in appropriate lots- good job, you've just made over a hundred dollars in about half an hour. If she does happen to have the army you want, you're in even better luck!
Also ask around your local gaming community for people who want to get rid of their old armies to buy a new one. Once in a while some chump gets sick of losing and wants to get rid of his Tau army to start a Grey Knights one. Although they aren't going to give you their army for $20, you can still expect a decent price for them.
No comments:
Post a Comment