self assembly - anyone else hate it?

Branoic

Rant time!

:mad::mad:
I used to play WHFB about 15 years ago when I was in school. In the past year I've tried to get back into the painting side of the hobby, but it appears the requirement to self-assemble has increased dramatically in the interim and its really putting me off!

15 years ago you'd buy a boxed batch of units, and you'd have to glue them to their bases and *maybe* glue a shield arm on. Any more extensive assembly was reserved for the 'big' projects like the larger metal special units etc.

Now, everything requires assembly! I bought two battalion starter boxes last year, one Brettonian and one Wood Elf. I haven't even opened the Wood Elves yet and I'm still not finished with the Brettonians because I just can't bring motivate myself to sit and assemble every little thing. Regiments of foot soldiers should be easy and quick to get up and prepped for painting - particularly now as I understand the latest edition of the game favours massed foot regiments. Instead you've to spend ages cutting, clipping, filing and gluing.

I know the reasons they've given - the models are definitely better quality than they were 15 years ago, and it does allow for more customisation and differentiation. But i hate assembly. I just want to paint, and have a shelf of cool looking miniatures, instead of a stack in the corner of half-assembled models with most still stuck in their frames. :mad::mad:

I think GW moved everything to self assembly for the simple reason that its cheaper for them to produce. They then revised the game rules to favour more models, and increased the pricing across their range. They must be rolling in it!

:mad::mad:

Rant over

So, does anyone else detest assembly?

a fat guy

That's kind of one-third of the entire hobby man...

It's what's letting people like me make a variety of awesome poses that I can be proud of.

I have a feeling that you're going to be alone on this one.

I felt the same way as you when I first started collecting, but now that I fully understand the painting, gaming and modelling aspects of the hobby, I can safely say that I relish in it.

Branoic

a fat guy wrote: »

That's kind of one-third of the entire hobby man...

It's what's letting people like me make a variety of awesome poses that I can be proud of.

I have a feeling that you're going to be alone on this one.

I felt the same way as you when I first started collecting, but now that I fully understand the painting, gaming and modelling aspects of the hobby, I can safely say that I relish in it.

Yeah I can understand that, and it's great that for those that enjoy the modelling aspect its there. I guess for me I'm just much more interested in painting and (perhaps, if i ever get around to assembling a whole army!) gaming. Guess I'll just have to get over it.

grugni

Personally the assembling and painting is my favourite part of the hobby. I just see a sprue of bits and think of all the crazy ways I can hammer them together (especially if building orks, anything goes)

Give it another go and try and build real unique looking models out of the boxes.

Scruffles

used to absolutely hate the 'putting together' bit,its to fiddly unless have got fine motor skills/superb tracking; especialy when super glue is involved.
when it gets stuck to hands and pulls away the piece that had been holding down for long,urgh...
but the finished army-providing they didnt look like they had been designed by van gogh [with a arm on the head and a head as a foot] was so worth it.

the painting was great providing the brushes were thin enough,never had one of those vice holders that games workshop sells so it was difficult but at least enjoyable.
was never a pro at painting them so they didnt look like the pros do,but they werent bad.
still have a skaven rat army unfinished,will get to it some day.
-not into it anymore after an entire collection of built forty k was lost during a move several years back-including a load of paints,but when money is better will get back into it.

it is a nice hobby to have if have got the self motivation to carry on with an army.
otherwise may prefer the warhammer RTS computer games.

Robbknoll

Scruffles wrote: »

otherwise may prefer the warhammer RTS computer games.

There arent enough of these imo, well, good ones :pac: It goes back as far as Dark Omen since they had an actual proper rts that was on par to the total war games at the time. Battle March was such a disappointment for me. Fingers crosses that Creative Assembly somehow get involved in GW next rts gaming venture.

As for the OP i can see where your coming from, especially when you've bought a battalion set, it would seem overwhelming alone just thinking about how long it would take. Ive recently bought the Island of Blood starter set to get back into it after a good few years out, although the biggest pain will be buying paints etc so i can see myself having the opposite problem, lots of cool posing grey people for me

magicianz

Before I stopped collecting, the build was the best part! I would convert every single model i made in some way, I made a band out of tau firewarriors, a suicide bomber tau warrior, kroot sharpshooters, i just took up converting too late to do much before I hung up my paint brush. Explire the converting side of the build and it can improve the look of your army tenfold =D