Recommendations on where to start?

[TrekFanChuck]

Hello!


I just joined the forum and I was wondering if anyone could recommend where to start on getting my first few miniatures? There are so many to choose from, and several box sets. It's a bit overwhelming!

My main interests are the Federation and Klingon ships. I'd like to get started buying and painting them. The more detailed, the better the miniature in my opinion. I'm interested in the most detailed minis they make.

I thought I would get your opinion on where you would suggest an OLD MAN like myself get started on buying the minis?

Thanks!!!!!




----Chuck

[Scoutdad]

Well... to channel WebMom for a moment here...

You should come to Origins in June. You can peruse the factoiry seconds box and help save some disadvantaged ships.

The Border boxes are the best deals for the money, but then you get more than just Feds adn Klingons.
If you want to focus on those - you should consider Squadron box #1 (5 Federation ships) and Squadron box #2 (5 Klingon ships).

[TrekFanChuck]

I wish I could make it to Origins this year. Probably something I will have to plan on for 2012. We have several trips planned already for this year. But I will talk to the wife (my boss!) and see if she wants to plan the 2012 Origins trip. Do they have a nice Federation Commander and Star Trek presence? If they do, I would love to come!


As for the Border Boxes, I will probably start there. I couldn't decide on what to buy first. Hopefully I will get some good advice here and can make an informed decision.


Thanks for the advice! I hope to hear from a few more people too!




---------Chuck

[Nerroth]

For the Feds, the ships with the new metal CC saucer, like the Command Cruiser and the Strike Cruiser, have good levels of detail on them.

Aside from those, I personally like the New Fast Cruiser (which doubles as an NLF if you leave off the third engine) and the Old Heavy Cruiser (if you like the older Terran style; I count mine as an FRA CLA).

For the Klingons, the C7 is one of their better Starline minis; the B9 looks interesting, but I don't have one to advise about right now, sadly.

[Savedfromwhat]

Border box 1 and squadron boxes 1, and 2 will be the most bang for your buck. If you go to the shopping cart you can look at the products and most have pictures of what you get.

[Scoutdad]

Well, presumably you purchased Klingon Border. If not, what did you purchase?

Border box #1 will give you one of eveyship in the Klingon Border set. That would probably be the best place to start. It has Federation and Klingons both, with a sprinkling of Kzinti / Tholian / Orion included in the mix.
Startign from there, you could then go Squadron boxes or individual minis to fill out what you still wanted.

Although, another option is to go to the starfleetgames website, click on the green "Order Productions" button at the bottom.
Then click the blue "Starline 24 Minatures" button on the left.

This brings up the starfleetstore miniatures page.

You can select individual Empires to see what is avaialble.
Every Empire has at least one Fleet box available. These Fleet Boxes has 5 to 6 ships from the same Empire in them.

[TrekFanChuck]

Great advice everyone, thanks. I haven't purchased much yet, so I need to place my order asap.

Here is what I couldn't find but sure could use. Is there anything like this photo below for the starfleet games products? Something that has all the ships lined up, with their names or product numbers listed?



I think that would be amazing to have for these products. If not, we should get together and make it happen. Just list this photo, but instead it would be "STARLINE 2400 MINIATURE SERIES PHOTO GUIDE" or something like that.

Is this already around here somewhere? If not, I may have to create a fan version. lol

[marcus_aurelius]

I remember this FASA poster from growing up.

I don't know of anything like this poster for SFU but I think the Starline 2400 miniatures order pages do something similar where you can see photos of all the ships per race on 1 or 2 pages. For example:

http://store.starfleetstore.com/merchan ... ry_Code=FM

It might be difficult to compile something like what you posted for SFU because there are soooooo many more miniature choices (22 in FASA vs 100+ in SFU) for sooooo many more empires (4 in FASA and 14+ in SFU).

Summer 2010 was the first time in over 20 years that I tried to paint miniatures. At first I was going to do just a few Kzinti and Klingon but by the end of the summer I had 60+ miniatures over 6 empires. I didn't start with the border boxes so I spent more than I needed to. I finally got a border box for most of my Hydran and Lyran.

If you think you might be the same way then it might make sense to look at Border Boxes #1 and #2. Not only will you get Fed and Klingon but you will also get ships from their neighbors.

I personally plan to be more economical in summer 2011 with starting Gorn, Romulan and more Federation so I will plan to buy Border Boxes #3 and #4 myself.

As an aside, when it comes to the Federation CA types there are 3 types of miniatures you can choose from. I use them this way:
1. Zocchi plastic CA for standard Constitution class CA/CC (Squadron Box #91)
2. Pewter Fed CA (no shield grid lines on saucer) for pre-Constituion class CA refits (e.g. USS Republic)
3. Pewter Fed CC (shield lines on saucer) for my Terran Empire CA/CC

[Scoutdad]

Not only that, but I don't know of anyone who has a painted version of every miniature that could be photographed in thatmanner.

I probably have close to 1000 Starline minis now, and over half of them are painted... but even I don't have every mini of any single Empire.

Maybe if a bunch of us got together at Origins and brought the minis for a photo session... but that would take considerable planning and a lot of time that could otherwise be spent gaming.

And even if such a photo was made this year... it would be out of date as soon as new minis were released (Which happens on a regular basis)

[Nerroth]

Rather than do one for the entire range, it might be more reasonable to do one per empire.

In that event, you may then need to decide whether to show more than one of the ships a given mini can represent (D7/D6/KR/D7H etc) or not.

[mjwest]

Rather than do one for the entire range, it might be more reasonable to do one per empire.

I would have to say that this sounds like a much more sane approach, given the vast number of miniatures ADB produces.

[JonPerry]

Well... to channel WebMom for a moment here...

You should come to Origins in June. You can peruse the factoiry seconds box and help save some disadvantaged ships.

Wait what? Really? Factory seconds?

[Jean]

We don't call our challenged starships "seconds" as it would hurt their feelings. Even as I write, Petrick is working hard with them to teach them "sit" and "stay." When they have mastered those two difficult maneuvers, then we will teach them not to phaser the cat or use disruptors on the dog. Then comes the hardest part -- teaching them not to drop photons on the floor. Only then are they released to the public as they are now "housebroken."

Any of our challenged starships that do not find a good home will meet a fate worse than death after Origins ends.

So please come to Origins and save a challenged starship from a Fate Worse than Death!

[Bolo_MK_XL]

They may be separated by Empires -- but I think the pics on the online store do justice --
Just have to sort through them one empire at a time

[TrekFanChuck]

Yes, having photos separated by Empires would be great. I hope my idea was okay, I don't want anyone to feel I was complaining!


And I am FLABBERGASTED that you said you had over 1000 miniatures? Really? ONE THOUSAND?

I really hope you share photos of your collection! I'd love to see them!