Minature trading and mishaps

malleman · Post by **malleman** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 3:34 am

Our group trades miniatures on a regular basis. We also check with each other before we make purchases. Recently, I completed a trade with someone outside our group and ended up with a mini that originated in our group.

Our group then decided to enact BAFTA (Battlegroup Acadiana First Trade Agreement). One of our main trading partners is Scoutdad (Battlegroup Murfreesboro) and by uniting our trading power we are able to help each other collect minis we are interested in. For example, right now I am trying to collect Hyrdrans (becuse of the upcoming Vudar) and Wedge is collecting ships to general. I now have a nice size (unpainted) Hydran Fleet and Wedge's collection is increasing rapidly. Hod'Kel's collection increases mysteriously, just like an Orion.

On another note, while I was comparing Wedge's Orion Slaver to mine, I dropped both of them. Mine was okay because I don't glue the bases, but Wedge's base broke off at the stem. Talk about I felt bad. I ended up giving three stands to him because I felt so bad about messing up his newly painted miniature.

Scoutdad · Post by **Scoutdad** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 3:53 am

I can't begin to guess the number of times I've received a miniature as part of a lot I traded to a different person earlier...

You'd think that it would be a rare occurence, but it's not. We seem to be a smaller community than one would expect and several of us trade minis with multiple partners... or purchase large lots off of ebay.

Occasionally, I'll find a mini in a lot that I sold / traded earlier. I can usually tell it's a previously possessed miniature because of a distinctive paint scheme that asn't been removed, or a markedly unusually defomrity in the casting or break in the mini.

I once traded an old-style Gorn mini to a player in Smyrna. The mini was painted with what appeared to be a thick, gloppy coat of Testors Gloss model paint and must have been painted with a coarse bristle tooth-brush. a few months later, I purchased a large lot of assorted minis off ebay... and lo and behold, the smae Gorn CA was in there.. minus the engines.
I spoke to the guy in Smyrna and he'd decided to trim his rather substantial collection (He probably had more SFB minis than I do) and that one had been sold on ebay to the guy I bought it off of. The second guy needed the engines for a project and the hull was tossed in a box to be gotten rid of later...
I almost wish we could RFID these things and track there progression from person to person.

djdood · Post by **djdood** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:05 am

I've traded with several folks (usually arranged here or on the legacy board). It's always been a nice experience - everybody is a straight shooter and (I hope) both sides were happy. I know I've always been pleased.

It's nice to have trading partners to solve "purchasing problems".

Case in point: I need a pair of new-style Gorn DD's to finish my Gorn fleet.

I don't need any more CL/HDD's.

Those two only come in a two-pack together (other than the box sets).

I have a deal pending to buy two of the DD/CL/HDD packs. I keep the DD's and trade the CL/HDD's to a guy who wants them (a guy I currently owe).

Everybody happy.

wedge_hammersteel · Post by **wedge_hammersteel** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:25 am

The mini that malleman dropped was an old 1987 Orion Slaver "paperweight". I was able to drill out the post hole and put in a sturdier base. The wings didnt even bend.

If I didnt want things to happen to my minis then I would put them on a shelf and never let anyone see them but what good is that. Minis are meant to be played. Superglue would also lose a large market share.

Plus, I can always tell malleman, "Remember when...."

Good times

djdood · Post by **djdood** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:16 pm

I've had a few minis get banged up too. It's tricky to keep the temper in-check, but I keep telling myself that they are for playing the game and not sitting on the shelf, as you say.

Finding good players is much harder than re-doing a paint job.

Starfury · Post by **Starfury** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:23 pm

djdood wrote:I've had a few minis get banged up too. It's tricky to keep the temper in-check, but I keep telling myself that they are for playing the game and not sitting on the shelf, as you say.

Finding good players is much harder than re-doing a paint job.

On my FC ships if they get banged up I can re-do those. On some of my 40k Marines they can be touched up.

I do have a few 40k Marines and old Grenadier Dragons where if they get damaged they can't be fixed. The paint I used is either used up/dried up and not available any more. Not to mention my skills have declined a bit since they were done in the 90's.

Scoutdad · Post by **Scoutdad** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:27 pm

Oh yeah... lotsa banged up minis, some were my fault - some were others. But at least FC / SFB players are fairly courteous.

I've had tween's and teens scoop entire squads of 40K minis up in one hand and toss them into a box when they were destroyed...

malleman · Post by **malleman** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:07 pm

That is why I purchased Gorn factory 2nds when they were available. Not only do they fly like a brick, they are hard as a brick to bend also. Thankfully Wedge likes playing the Gorn

.

Scoutdad · Post by **Scoutdad** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:14 pm

malleman wrote:Thankfully Wedge likes playing the Gorn .

would that be because Burt is cold-bloodied...
or cause he can relate to the brick?

wedge_hammersteel · Post by **wedge_hammersteel** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:40 pm

Its the dreaded Alleman Space Monster. Beware your minis...I mean Star Ships.

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/memor ... rprise.jpg

malleman · Post by **malleman** » Fri May 01, 2009 2:34 am

Okay, you are forcing me to show my hand now!

Next week I think I will get my mini dvd player out and we are going to watch "Who Morns for Alleman"

Scoutdad, I think Wedge and Hod'Kel are both cold-blooded the way they have been ganging up on me. Lately it seems as though my "friends" are more interested in playing Operation Annihilate Alleman. Must be an new scenerio in Breifing #2. I even heard them making bets on who would get me first (using minis as currency of course)

.

Scoutdad · Post by **Scoutdad** » Fri May 01, 2009 4:10 am

malleman wrote: Scoutdad, I think Wedge and Hod'Kel are both cold-blooded the way they have been ganging up on me. Lately it seems as though my "friends" are more interested in playing Operation Annihilate Alleman. Must be an new scenerio in Breifing #2. I even heard them making bets on who would get me first (using minis as currency of course) .

I wish I could say I fel sorry for you... but I do sympathize. I can easily see Burt and Mike ganging up to defeat an opponent...

I can even see them trying to draft assistance, both from inside their clique and from outside... <cough... Tim!... cough>

Sgt_G · Post by **Sgt_G** » Sat May 02, 2009 11:29 am

This thread reminds me of when I was stationed in California. The local group were into WRG-7 Ancient Miniatures. If someone was short of money, they'd sell off one of their armies, knowing that someday they'd get to buy it back. That was until Marc Elwinger joined the group. Marc had more money then he knew what to do with, and he loved his toys. So once marc bought an army, it went into his collection, never to be seen again except when it did battle across the table from the original owners.

Marc knew Petrick back when he was still in the service. Marc claims to be the one that got Petrick hooked on SFB. Marc's the one that gave me my first copy of F&E, and helped me set up my first DOS-based computer.

Bolo_MK_XL · Post by **Bolo_MK_XL** » Sat May 02, 2009 1:23 pm

Thats a name I haven't heard mentioned in awhile,
How was the Chief doing, last saw him in the late 80s --
Spent more time playing Micro Armor with Marc than SFB (though we got in some games, think I was the first to do his Pinwheel version of the web) ---

Knew a Captain that was similar, he had Ancients, Napoleonics, Civil War, etc, he enjoyed painting them as much as playing --- At one point in late 80s, Ft Huachuca had a good sized crowd that gamed ---

Sgt_G · Post by **Sgt_G** » Sat May 02, 2009 4:56 pm

I was at Fort Ord from '87 to '93. If I recall right, Marc took an early out and moved to Florida in '92. I got maybe three e-mails and saw him post on the boards a couple times, but otherwise he just dropped off the face of the Earth.