Saturday 13 July 2019

Contemplation's.

Over this last year I have unfortunately lost one close friend and three school friends that I grew up with and to be honest it does focus ones mind a little. Like all wargamers of a certain age you look at your collection and wonder what will happen to it.
John has a more pragmatic viewpoint and doesn't see the disposal as a problem or an issue to trouble which is an enviable position to have.He feels he's used them, enjoyed their use and its not his problem once he's gone.
Me being a sensitive soul view it differently.
The issue is not just the disposal of the figures, but all the books, magazines, handy pieces of kit etc etc. Once such a worry wouldn't have been a problem. There was always another wargamer who wanted to buy another large historical army or buildings etc for their use. Usually one didn't make a large profit, but you could usually rely on getting your money back for the sale. One was also certain they wouldn't end up locked away in a cupboard or worse a skip!  But now?............... 
Clearly the wargaming trend these last few years has been for small [50/60 figures] a side games.  Additionally these gamers need less terrain and less buildings. Now I've got nothing against this type of wargame and I will admit I've enjoyed the ones I've played. They are fun.
  Then there has been the massive increase in fantasy table top games again containing less figures albeit beautifully sculpted ones.Clearly these people have no requirement for a load of historically researched books and biographies and definitely any historical figures.
When one attends wargaming shows the large historical games containing hundreds if not thousands of figures are a rarity now and their replacements are more of these skirmish type games probably of a non historical bent. Again I have no issues with these small games which usually are very well done affairs.
 The issue is that these gamers don't want of desire large wargaming armies and seem happy with their more modest displays and collections. Consequently the market for moving on large historical armies appears to be diminishing and the need for books is even worse. What does one do with a life's collection?
I am of an age who grew up in the years after the most cataclysmic event for many generations. As a child I was surrounded by the effects of the Second World War. I saw it on television, in comics, books, education and by listening to the rarely discussed question of family experiences during the war. As a child and teenager I was fascinated by all things military and was hungry for information. Once I discovered wargaming it became even worse? as I craved to possess armies and I mean large numbers of figures of wargaming figures. First they were Airfix plastics but as I grew older these were replaced by the 'adult' metal figures. How could you be playing with toy soldiers? These are pewter and impeccably researched and cost a lot of money.
I was lucky in a lot of respects, I had a job. As a family we had a little disposable income and more importantly working shifts meant I was able to find time at the oddest hours to collect and paint my soldiers. Yes the cash was tight but through birthdays, Christmases, overtime etc. I was able to build up my collection. And then I sold the lot and replaced them with 6mm armies which I again painted.  At the time I never batted an eyelid. I could build the armies again. I had time and some spare cash.
And then of course I returned to my first love, 25/28mm metal figures. I think the colour and heft was just too much for me. Who can resist  serried ranks of metal joyousness. The rest is history.
Unfortunately like a lot of wargamers one gets side tracked and begins to deviate from their main projects and buy figures that never will be painted or used. We've all been there if the readers are of a certain age. Younger wargaming souls appear to be different. 50 figures here, 50 figures there, they might make for a fun game but there is never a need for an army of hundreds if not thousands of figures.Books? Nah dont need them, just the latest set of rules and of course the inevitable lists of troop/monster types.
The net result is that as wargamers fade away, very few collections are wanted and certainly unless it is a very rare book, these beloved items are merely seen as candidates for a charity shop.In recent months Ive seen copies of my favourites being sold for the proverbial pennies. The Anatomy of Glory is a good example. I paid weekly to buy this book from a local shop until eventually I could own it. I felt I had won the pools [ a pre Lottery game] Recently I saw a copy unloved at a Bring and Buy selling for a fiver. It never sold? I nearly bought it because it was that cheap even though I still have my copy.
 I've nearly completed my English Civil War Old School collection and wonder if I should consider building further armies. I hope I would have the time but realistically speaking I have armies now that dont receive enough action so what would be the need for building further armies when these should be used first?
I am currently piling up unpainted figures that I will sell. My book collection is more of an issue as most of them have a personal memory attached to them as I strove for information and the cash to own the book I needed. But I also have very very large collections of 6mm Napoleonic armies that have rarely been used for years. Do I offload these to the ever diminishing market, safe in the knowledge that another wargamer will use them? Or do merely leave them in their draws until I shift this Earth when they risk being skipped with piles of magazines and books. The very thought brings me out in a cold sweat. I appreciate this is a problem for wargamers generally but as historical wargamers disappear who will want their large armies? Certainly not the gamer who uses the latest offering of rulebooks.

                The images are of my latest English Civil War additions. All Hinchliffe Miniatures.The cavalry were painted using a couple of pots of the new Games Workshop Contrast paints.Tried as an experiment.

22 comments:

  1. An excellent and thought provoking post Robbie, and a true dilema for many of us old timers! One other scary thought. You referred to your stuff being "skipped' but from what I remember of your collection and library I doubt one skip would be enough! Hears to many.mpre years of wargaming into our forage.

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    1. If you do go before me and its not too long a wait I'll give Carol a good price for your Italian Wars collection ;-)

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    2. I have been thinking seriously about putting a wargaming figure journal together with information regarding possible worth etc. Ive heard of people preparing for such an event leaving a journal of 'how to' things such as cutting the lawn etc. Of course it would be outdated if one lasted for say another twenty plus years.

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    3. I took photos of everything for insurance purposes before we moved home last year so could develop that into something like a Book of Doom for when the inevitable creeps up on me.

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  2. Hi Robbie, I pretty much fall into the camp that my wargame stuff is in a sense already ‘used’ by me and that its true value has been that ownership and value. I know when I go, having someone else sort everything out would be a burden and they would be selling things that they have little insight / knowledge of, so i have told my better half to just get rid and not worry about the ‘emotional’ aspect of the thing. I am not in a club or anything, so there is no-one really to help the family move wargaming stuff on.

    If it helps, I had a nice collection of books that I had to sell when I moved to a small apartment. I got peanuts for them. I now have a LOT of books on my Kindle, but that does bring the matter into focus, because when I die, my Kindle account dies as well, which reinforces that the books are only worth something to me as a living person, so what is the difference between my Kindle books and your real books? I might argue .... nothing :-)

    as for figures, it just happens to be the case that we spend money on things that ultimately we can continue to own a cherish, but there are plenty who spend the same money on golf, the football, fine dining, a lot of booze, nice cars etc etc. I.e. it is all consumerism with the same money, it just so happens we get bendy shelves with what we spend our cash on .... so again, I go back to a view, that once spent, it is dead money and the continued value exists purely in my pleasure and ownership of them, when I go, they are no different than a spent football ticket.

    That of course is a theory or view and there is an arrogance to it that for many, they money they represent will be useful to the ones we leave behind. So the final question is, is it the financial realisation of money that causes the difficulty or is it the emotional connection that we have and that few others understand.

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    1. Interesting viewpoint Norm and one Im envious of in a lot of respects. Its amazing how emotionally attached one gets to our toys sometimes. But then I wrote a car off some years ago and I felt like there'd been a family loss. Whats that about? Sadly books are a case in point. I struggled financially for years and building up my book collection was a chore to see it go for pennies would hurt but then the new generation of wargamers simply arent interested in research the way I was. I think they are missing out on a large piece of the hobby but thats their choice. I dont like Kindle to be honest and am a Luddite concerning books. I love the smell and feel of a tome but my collection has served its purpose and needs to go. As for the cash aspect, well I was thinking that any monies would be invested in the hobby so I definitely think its the emotional attachment to my wargaming clutter. Great comment, thanks.

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  3. One reason to rationalise now and enjoy what you have. When you're gone you're not gonna care.

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    1. Very true Paul. Now thinking about that how about rationalising those lovely Poles? Just kidding, sort of.

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  4. My kids, three young men actually, have little or no interest in my hobby but I will get revenge when I have all my figures placed in the box with me when I go. Try lifting that you little sods!
    Dave.

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    1. Its a plan Dave, but they could just weigh you in at the scrap yard and use the money for drink.

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  5. Now entering my seventieth year this is an issue I have also found myself thinking on from time to time. When I step off this mortal coil it will no longer be of any concern. I've told family and friends what I'd like to happen, but what they will do I can't control. I hope to continue to enjoy our great hobby for many years to come. After that, well, that's for other folk...

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    1. I never thought of you as 70 David, you seem too active for that. I think your idea of letting people know what you want to do with your collection is part of the solution.

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  6. Hmm I've mulled this one over for a while on whether I should make comment but I've decided to and apologies it it ends up a little long!
    I've had to dispose of two collections for colleagues who have died.
    Mark died when he was 30 of liver cancer - a surprise to everyone and he was dead within 6 months of being diagnosed. In one way this was a fairly straight forward job he was relatively young, married with two young children so had never had the disposable income to amass large collections. Two substantial WRG ancient armies, a 15mm ACW collection and various bits and pieces for skirmish games. Board games, books etc.
    The vast majority went to people at the local club who made donations.

    Now when Lee died a few years ago that was a different matter in his 50's with a large collection of books, figures amassed over 30+ years. It took me over three years to finally complete the disposal. Most the books went to dealers and the figures I sold as armies for silly low prices because like some have said Lee and I use diamonds the figures and we had got the true value from them. His wife just wanted rid and I could have just dumped them, but the bottom line even at the low prices I raised enough cash for her to refurbish her kitchen, decorate throughout etc etc.so why shouldn't the family get some value?
    Now my collection - Robbie knows I've been shedding armies, books etc for the last couple of years, prior to my son moving to America he went through everything with me and challenged me on each and every army asking when I last used it and why was I keeping it, most of the answers were played a long time ago, and I was keeping it really for the memories.
    Anyway the crux of it was I've sold almost all the armies I haven't used in the last few years. As to the memories as my son said I have the photos and for some of the armies I kept some vignettes or personalities.
    Regrets - not really.
    Now what of what's left well I have a black book and slowly but surely I'm identifying the collections - I'm not listing the armies just generic - 15mm ACW. The boxes get a label on identifying them as such and in the boom are the details of the person to either gift themto or who will dispose of them, in some cases more than one name. Likewise for the books - a list of dealers I've done business with who I know will just take the whole collection good and bad.
    The task isn't finished yet! And as I do it I still dispose of bits but likewise it hasn't stopped me starting the odd new project! But I think to be fair to the people we leave behind a little effort and a little remuneration for them for all the years they've lived with our obsession isn't a bad thing

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    1. It was a real tragedy about Lee, he was a great wargamer.It must have been a lot of effort to clear his collection. Everyone must have certain armies that they are really attached to which makes them difficult to sell. When one has more time than is useful to have you get thinking for good or ill. Perhaps thats why Ive been mulling over the stuff I have and what I can off load without real regrets. Its a quandry Graham especially if you keep releasing new figures that I dont need but desperately want. Conflicted is an understatement.

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  7. Yes, an interesting post Robbie. I would say you are undervalueing your collection , and if they did happen to appear on eBay in the distant future, they would fetch a decent sum if listed properly ( I would certainly bid for the Renaissance and ECW armies). Might be worth writing a description for your executors and putting it in the appropriate boxes. Anyhow, don't pop off just yet... I want to see more old school painting.

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    1. Ill try not to disappear yet and I have a couple of things I would like to see completed before then. I agree I must put together some sort of journal etc to state just what their real worth could be.

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    2. My main worry is that my Mrs will sell my figures for what I told her I paid for them. I do sometimes feel under pressure to get planned armies all finished before I depart.

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  8. First off, nice ECW figures and did the contrast paint save you any time and now I'm worried that sending you figures was adding to the problem! I've got hundreds of feet of books, there is no way I can get rid of them,I'm too emotionally involved. I don't think I'm too bad as far as the figures are concerned( although my wife would beg to differ!),I guess I'll predecease my nephew's and they can divy up what I leave behind plus I've got to leave a figure for my wife to be buried with (!) Back to grave goods I guess! It is a pain getting rid of loads of books,we had to dispose of my dad's massive collection, all went to charity shops and of course books are really heavy! Interesting post as always.
    Best Iain

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    1. Firstly the contrast paints Iain, I dont know about saving time but they are good shades for horses and are excellent for wood, muskets etc. They would also be great for hair, packs and the like. I think its the books that are my first concern. Ive read most of them and only return to favourites occasionally. So its time to sort things out a tad. As for figures etc, well the unpainted stuff has to be first.

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  9. Robbie, iftthose 6mm armies are on your disposal list, I'd love to hear what you have and what you want for them!

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My 6mm Napoleonic set up.

My 6mm Napoleonic set up.
Austria 1809.

Austrian Hussars

Austrian Hussars
Hinchliffe figures

Austrian Grenzer

Austrian Grenzer
Austrian Grenzer

Smoggycon 2013

Smoggycon 2013
Smoggycon 2013

Smoggycon 2012

Smoggycon 2012
Smoggycon 2012

Smoogycon 2009

Smoogycon 2009
My French getting another beating