It's Bank Holiday Monday, so let's keep it easy:
What was the first figure/figures you ever owned, and where/how did you get them?
There is a picture of me at Xmas many years ago with an Airfix High Chapparal box in my hands; I reckon I must have been about 6 or 7. My parents must have bought it from a small toy shop in St Ives in Cambridgeshire.
The first ones I can remember properly are again Airfix figures bought from Ren Models in Cambridge. Happy days.
Yes - me too, Airfix and matchbox. But gaming figures? When I first joined the Army in 1984 I met a Cpl who enrolled me into buying some cheap and cheerfull 15mm Warrior Napoleonic Brits, canny enough at the time- but I look at them now!!! ( yes still got em in the loft). Then, as most did back then, I went to the bland side of 15mm -Minifigs!!- huge range of everything at the time. Ive been dedicated to 10mm for the last 10 so Chariot Pendraken AIM get my cash now.
I wonder how many people didn't get started with Airfix?! There can't be many. I've introduced my son to the kits now, and try and pick one up at each show we go to.
Like everyone else first soldiers were airfix (8th army and afrika korps i think). First proper metal figures were 2 Hinchliffe AWI British Grenadiers that I bought with my pocket money at the model shop that used to be on Redcar seafront. I've still got one of them.
My first minis were 1/300 Navwar WW2 Western Desert bought in late 70's from a medals and militaria shop in Scarborough just up from the Grand Hotel.
The bloke who ownned the shop had a diorama in the shop window which i used to drool over as a ten year old ;D
My first figures would be Airfix, though I would be hard pressed to remember which ones I got first.
My first proper wargaming figures would be 25mm Minifigs French Napoleonics and 1/285th panzer III and halftracks which had found their way to the local model store when I was a kid.
The first figures I bought specifically for gaming were the Citadel AD&D Cleric and Magic User and Grenadier Cthulhu Ghouls and Snakemen.
Quote from: goat major on 04 May 2010, 05:34:45 AM
Like everyone else first soldiers were airfix (8th army and afrika korps i think). First proper metal figures were 2 Hinchliffe AWI British Grenadiers that I bought with my pocket money at the model shop that used to be on Redcar seafront. I've still got one of them.
Ah, good old Redcar!
Quote from: Nosher on 04 May 2010, 07:57:02 AM
My first minis were 1/300 Navwar WW2 Western Desert bought in late 70's from a medals and militaria shop in Scarborough just up from the Grand Hotel.
The bloke who ownned the shop had a diorama in the shop window which i used to drool over as a ten year old ;D
Dave used to drag us to that shop when we went on holiday to Scarborough! And the one in the square at Whitby.
For me and my brother some Matchbox (desert rats, american and germans). I still have the odds of some of these boxes set that survive my childhood :)
Good question Leon!
My first figures bought for wargaming were Airfix French infantry. One of the lads had a *huge* airfix army, painted quite well and based up for Charge! which we played constantly. My first full army was Late Achmenid Persian - minifigs lead based for WRG 3rd !!! edition.
I think mine were Airfix - Afrika Korps I think in 1/32...followed closely by boatloads of Matchbox 1/72 [as the newsagent in the village started to stock them...]
'Proper' gaming figures: some early Citadel adventurers for D&D [c1979ish] and 'proper' gaming figures I think were Prince August Napoleonics: I saw a mass demo Nap game at the Model Engineering exhibition aged 10 - Dad bought me a casting set then & there...still got them somewhere!
After that I did Zulu Wars in 15mm [Tabletop Games IIRC] for a school project aged 11...I think they're still in the loft at my parents house!
A common thread here - my first figures would have been 1/32 and 1/72 Aifix WW2 but never painted them and made up rules.
First proper wargaming figures would have been 1/300th Heroics & Ros back in about 1982 and then Minifigs 15mm ECW. I still have the Minifigs and the 1/300th tanks (long disused but can't bear to part with them) but none of the figures.
Quote from: nikharwood on 04 May 2010, 09:18:59 PM
'Proper' gaming figures: some early Citadel adventurers for D&D [c1979ish] and 'proper' gaming figures I think were Prince August Napoleonics: I saw a mass demo Nap game at the Model Engineering exhibition aged 10 - Dad bought me a casting set then & there...still got them somewhere!
Prince August!!! Wow I loved the fantasy and sci fi range!
As well as Naps I had the Orcs & City Guard...you know you can still get them? http://www.princeaugust.ie/ 8)