Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => General Discussion => Topic started by: Kiwidave on 04 March 2016, 11:29:18 AM

Title: Price of playing
Post by: Kiwidave on 04 March 2016, 11:29:18 AM
I've just finished cataloguing all my gaming stuff prior to emigrating (and I'm never doing it again - life is too short),and it's interesting/eye-opening how much I've got from a cost perspective.

6mm GW Epic:     £180.00
10mm Historical £1,436.20
15mm Historical    £130.20
28mm Historical    £980.00
28mm Fantasy      £253.00
Books                  £370.00
Total               £3,349.40

This is only the replacement cost, and some of it is pure guesswork (especially the GW stuff) and I haven't included odd-ball stuff, paints, scratchbuilt items etc etc

I suspect that this is still quite a modest collection though....
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Subedai on 04 March 2016, 12:02:48 PM
I reckon if I totalled up all the unpainted lead I have that would be enough to make me weep, let alone all the painted chaps I have. I might game mostly in 6mm but the amount soon mounts up. Very rough estimate of painted 6mm chaps in Irregular blocks is 20 or so armies at seven only a £1 a block...there's two grand to start with!
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: petercooman on 04 March 2016, 12:40:10 PM
I wouldn't dare to count mine.

but i counted up all my pendraken orders i made in the last 3 years (still had the emails) And came to a total of 648,73 £

I have been buying wargames for 22 years so i bet i'll have spent a tad more  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Zippee on 04 March 2016, 12:46:54 PM
I'm confident I could add a 0 to that without breaking the upper limit.

40 years of continuous expenditure, you'd think it's be bl**dy painted by now  :'(
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: petercooman on 04 March 2016, 12:58:24 PM
Quote from: petercooman on 04 March 2016, 12:40:10 PM
I wouldn't dare to count mine.

but i counted up all my pendraken orders i made in the last 3 years (still had the emails) And came to a total of 648,73 £

I have been buying wargames for 22 years so i bet i'll have spent a tad more  ;D ;D

Just had a quick count and i can add 400£ of x wing miniatures in the last 3 years too, and 230£ of war at sea minis.

I'm not even going to add up those 200 LOTR and 800-900 gw fantasy and 40 k models  :D :D

You never now SWMBO is reading this  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 04 March 2016, 01:15:55 PM
(Censored) in case the Mrs reads this!
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Ithoriel on 04 March 2016, 01:29:11 PM
Are we talking

     What I paid? - lowest figure thanks to buying much of it from sales, bring & buy stalls, eBay, etc. Also, should one adjust for inflation?

     What they'd cost to replace? - probably highest value as I have lots of old, hard to get figures

     What I'd get if I sold them? - I'm guessing somewhere between those two.

Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: DanJ on 04 March 2016, 01:42:33 PM
Adjusting for inflation probably the equivalent of £3-400 per year for the past 35 years.  Possibly double that if you add in books.

And a lot more if you include travel to exotic holiday locations which have an military/historical connection but these can sometimes be problematic.  I haven't been able to persuade her to come with me to Flanders, but Rome (twice) was an easy one  :-\
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Kiwidave on 04 March 2016, 01:47:26 PM
My value is just the replacement cost - i.e. what I'd need from the insurance company if the boat sinks....

Resale value is hopefully higher, as about half of this list is painted.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Leman on 04 March 2016, 02:40:01 PM
Golf's more expensive and remarkably pointless.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: jimduncanuk on 04 March 2016, 03:31:39 PM
Quote from: Zippee on 04 March 2016, 12:46:54 PM

I'm confident I could add a 0 to that without breaking the upper limit.

40 years of continuous expenditure, you'd think it's be bl**dy painted by now  :'(


Over the last couple of years I have been selling a forty plus years collection belonging to my deceased best mate.

This took 14 car journeys just to move it all, dusted and cleaned the painted bits, painted the unpainted bits, built the unstarted bits, painted them, sold them at two years worth of shows, direct personal sales and eBay. All of his chums got something from the collection as a personal memento.

I raised over £10,000 for charity, heaven knows how much it cost to buy new, never mind the inflation component.

Some prices I got were 2-3 times the bare metal cost, some just a bit more, some at face value and some at less.

It's all painted now and hopefully on someone's table being pushed about.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Leman on 04 March 2016, 05:02:58 PM
Good to know someone's love of the hobby has gone on to benefit others.  =D> =D> =D> =D>
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: fred. on 04 March 2016, 05:29:37 PM
Quote from: jimduncanuk on 04 March 2016, 03:31:39 PM
Over the last couple of years I have been selling a forty plus years collection belonging to my deceased best mate.

This took 14 car journeys just to move it all, dusted and cleaned the painted bits, painted the unpainted bits, built the unstarted bits, painted them, sold them at two years worth of shows, direct personal sales and eBay. All of his chums got something from the collection as a personal memento.

I raised over £10,000 for charity, heaven knows how much it cost to buy new, never mind the inflation component.

Some prices I got were 2-3 times the bare metal cost, some just a bit more, some at face value and some at less.

It's all painted now and hopefully on someone's table being pushed about.


This is a really great thing to have done Jim. Doublely so as it is for charity.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: fred. on 04 March 2016, 05:32:41 PM
I'm not adding up the cost of my lead collection. And I've only been back in the hobby for 10-15 years.

I tend to buy little and often lots of eBay stuff on top of new stuff.

I've just looked at a photo of my painted WM High Elves - there are 65 units, at a conservative £10 a unit that's quite a bit! And there is more unpainted (but not a lot) and thats just 1 of several GW WM armies
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Steve J on 04 March 2016, 05:42:16 PM
Over the past 10 years or so that I have got back into wargaming, I must have bought a few £1,000 worth of stuff, much of it sold on as I slowly downsize to 10mm. No idea how much I currently have in the attic and probably don't want to!
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: jimduncanuk on 04 March 2016, 07:09:37 PM
Quote from: fred. on 04 March 2016, 05:29:37 PM

This is a really great thing to have done Jim. Doublely so as it is for charity.


Certainly the board of Hollybush House (Combat Stress in Scotland) were very happy.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: fred. on 04 March 2016, 07:12:20 PM
I'll say 'well done' again.

You may not want the publicity, but Henry Hyde the editor of Miniature Wargames has been collecting for Combat Stress for some time (through the magazine) your total would add about 50% to the total the magazine has collected! A really generous use of your time, and a great way to turn your friend's stuff into a legacy.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: paulr on 04 March 2016, 07:23:16 PM
Quote from: jimduncanuk on 04 March 2016, 03:31:39 PM
Over the last couple of years I have been selling a forty plus years collection belonging to my deceased best mate.

This took 14 car journeys just to move it all, dusted and cleaned the painted bits, painted the unpainted bits, built the unstarted bits, painted them, sold them at two years worth of shows, direct personal sales and eBay. All of his chums got something from the collection as a personal memento.

I raised over £10,000 for charity, heaven knows how much it cost to buy new, never mind the inflation component.

Some prices I got were 2-3 times the bare metal cost, some just a bit more, some at face value and some at less.

It's all painted now and hopefully on someone's table being pushed about.


As others have said, an amazing effort Jim, particularly when you compare it to our progress on our own lead mountains =D> =D> =D>

A great contribution to worthy charities

and
Quote from: jimduncanuk on 04 March 2016, 03:31:39 PM
It's all painted now and hopefully on someone's table being pushed about.

Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: jimduncanuk on 04 March 2016, 07:56:27 PM
Quote from: paulr on 04 March 2016, 07:23:16 PM

A great contribution to worthy charities


Some other charities also benefitted from the grand total raised; SSAFA for one, MacMillan Cancer for another, Diabetes Research to name another.

I also understand that the family of my chum have sold his house and have made a 'substantial donation' to the Scottish Wildlife Trust for a piece of new woodland to be created in his name.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: JeffNNN on 04 March 2016, 10:48:40 PM
Can we please lock  down this thread under a seal our respective "She who must be obeyed" partners cannot possibly penetrate. N.B. I'm typing this on a bit of kit that runs under GCHQ Protocols so I can risk saying it. ;D I've been gaming for nearly 50 years and have never parted with anything I bought and painted in that time. My son also had a spell of GW 40 K and Epic so we've got loads of that. (Squats anyone?) Or Tallarn with "spice blue" eyes.

As for books, well my Access database says there's over 1600 of them. Many are paperbacks but many not so figure £5 a volume on average. You can do the math, I'm tired and emotional.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Orcs on 05 March 2016, 08:38:10 AM
I am not even getting into this debate. 

Remember I have convinced Mrs Orcs that figures are "Thruppence" a pack. so I do not want to undo all my good work.

Whlie I won't mention cost , I have a Den with built in cupboard and my very own loft to store stuff.  Yes both are pretty full,
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: petercooman on 05 March 2016, 08:56:14 AM
Quote from: Just a few Orcs on 05 March 2016, 08:38:10 AM
I am not even getting into this debate. 

Remember I have convinced Mrs Orcs that figures are "Thruppence" a pack. so I do not want to undo all my good work.

Whlie I won't mention cost , I have a Den with built in cupboard and my very own loft to store stuff.  Yes both are pretty full,

I use the entire house  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: fsn on 05 March 2016, 10:04:58 AM
Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!

Ow!

No ... ow!

I'll be OK ... but OW! OW! OwwwWWWwwww!

I've just added up my Pendraken purchases. £4,691 since 22/07/12.  :o :o :o

Add in another £201 for 1:600 aircraft, £180 for 1:600 ships, plus about £250 on scenery, ?? on paints & brushes, about £160 on storage boxes, oh and there's the pittance at Doms Decals and £679 on Amazon on war/wargames related items ... but there's those unaccounted trip to Waterstones ...

That's about £6,500 in less than four years!  :o :o :o :o :o :o

To be fair, 2012 that was a Year 0 with me starting again from scratch. Getting rid of everything when I found the one true scale. Let's ignore the costs of that, and all those books I've bought since the 1970s.



I'm going to a darkened room to lie down.

Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 05 March 2016, 11:01:52 AM
Lightweight!
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: FierceKitty on 05 March 2016, 11:10:12 AM
I'm not even going to look into this one.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: d_Guy on 05 March 2016, 03:11:12 PM
The way I justify the expense of converting everything to 10mm is, that since retiring, I no longer need clothes.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Westmarcher on 05 March 2016, 03:13:26 PM
 X_X X_X
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: jimduncanuk on 05 March 2016, 03:15:32 PM
Quote from: FierceKitty on 05 March 2016, 11:10:12 AM

I'm not even going to look into this one.


It's cheaper than playing golf.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 05 March 2016, 03:56:52 PM
Thought that you could only play 1 round, after that you died of the utter tedium involved. Gofff is lmost as bad a teniiis or darts.

IanS
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Sandinista on 06 March 2016, 12:26:47 AM
When shipping my wargames stuff to NZ last year I insured it separately for £25,000 this was based on replacement cost as painted & based etc.

I have since found out that contents insurance here counts it all as one collection limited to a max payout of $2000, so I have taken out separate insurance which includes theft/damage at club days, car parks etc

cheers
Ian
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: KTravlos on 06 March 2016, 08:45:33 AM
Due to leaving the life of the 19th century gentleman-scholar (i.e heavily in debt all the time), I tend to discipline my miniatures gaming purchases. The expensive stuff for me is rules and uniform books, since I like the less well known wars and that means Helion.

But I am pretty sure if I add up all the money I have spend in 15 years of gaming I am going to feel awfully quilty considering my debts :p so no. Let me think its just a harmless and cheap hobby! :p
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: zackzeta on 14 May 2016, 07:52:47 AM
wow that a lot but to be fair others spend a lot on other stuff throughout the years. im sure ive spent a lot on video games and about 500 on board games and war gaming.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Le Manchou on 14 May 2016, 08:29:59 AM
Well, with what i spent in wargaming since my teenage, i probably could have financed a cure for cancer.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Leman on 15 May 2016, 11:24:01 AM
Likewise - it is 50 years of wargaming now.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Techno on 15 May 2016, 11:35:34 AM
I'm afraid I once worked out how much Mrs T and I spent on ciggies and cat food and vets' bills over the decades...... (I think I worked this out over 20 years ago.)

It was truly horrifying !

Neither of us have smoked for 25 years or more...(Couldn't remotely afford to now !).....And the last of the cats 'went' more than a year ago.

I DO NOT want to try and work out how much we've spent on the gee-gees, over nearly 40 years......I'd cry.  :'( :'( :'( :'(
Mind you.....If we hadn't spent it one those 'items'.....We'd have spent it on something else, I'm sure.  X_X

Cheers - Phil

Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Leman on 15 May 2016, 06:30:41 PM
Can't take it with you Phil.
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Techno on 15 May 2016, 07:31:49 PM
Very true, Andy.  ;D ;D ;D ;D

(But think of all those extra CDs I could have bought.  ;))

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 15 May 2016, 07:48:48 PM
Got any Taj Mahal CDs?
Title: Re: Price of playing
Post by: Techno on 15 May 2016, 08:01:59 PM
No, Will.

For some reason I never liked his stuff, back then.
(Never know...might enjoy it now.)

Cheers - Phil