I have stated before that I see this hobby in a positive way. I wouldn't say a really hate any part of it but there are time when I find things frustrating.
As I have also mentioned before I dislike rivet counters, fan boys, rules lawyers and (to quote Neil from the Young Ones) negative vibe merchants in general. This hobby is meant to be fun.These people kill it for me.
Lets start with the miniatures shall we. Firstly I don't like mould lines on figures that run over highly detailed areas. By the time you have removed them you have lost the detail. A good example of this is GW Genestealers. A mould line runs right over the ripples on the critters back. You would think the manufacturers of these figures will have found a way around this.
The other thing that amazes me is the amount of flash you get on metal figures by certain large manufacturers. They seem to have few quality controls.They are happy to charge through the nose for a inferior product. Smaller figure suppliers such as EM4, Copplestone, Heresy and Hasslefree supply figures with very little clean up. They take pride in their products. EM4 even undercoat some of their metal figures. GW and Mongoose take note.
A certain manufacturer produces very nice Sci Fi figures but they are festooned with Imperial Eagles and skulls. This limits the other game systems you can use them in, not that is stops anyone. In the early days the figures required the emblems to be painted on or applied from decals. Now I like this companies figures but I have to spend a longtime shaving off these details. My finger tips have been shredded. Maybe dropping all the dumb details will help sell more figures to those who require figures that can be used for other systems? It would make them easier to paint too.
Lets look at kits shall we. One thing I dislike is kit parts that don't fit. Not just a fraction of a millimetre you can fill.I am talking about those kits where two parts are miles apart. Or like the Mitsubishi Zero I got for a terrain idea recently warped at the tail end. Another irritation is single track pieces for tanks. They are fiddly and take for ever to assemble. What sadist thought that up?
Now lets look at the other thing the Wargamers face....rule books. I dislike those rule books that are deliberately aimed at certain figure range. Rules for me must allow people the freedom to use what figures they have, although it will not stop the home gamers who play for fun. Why cant I use Victorian Era or WW2 figures as the armies of the dark future? Why cant the old breach loader or bolt action rifle be a laser rifle? Why cant I mix figures from other manufactures in my armies? This is annoying for me. Not all manufactures do this however. GZG's Stargrunt & Full Thrust, Neutronyork3000, EM4's Combat Zone among other rule sets state that you don't need their figures line to play.
So that's my grumbles about the hobby. I think I am becoming a grumpy old man!
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Part of being in the Union means you must include links to fellow contributors' posts within your own response. If you liked this post, then perhaps you'll enjoy what some other modelers have to say about this topic!
Doogs' Models
Kermit's Workbench
Martin's Scale Models
Yet Another Plastic Modeller
Eternal Wargamer
The DogChuffers Scale Model Workshop
A Scale Canadian
David Knight's Weblog
Lt. Smash's Models
Build the World With Me
Migrant's Wanderings
FalkEins
The Combat Workshop
Miniature and Model Painting
Jay's Scale Model Adventures
Motorsport Modeller
Scale Modeling My Way
Bill Weckel
Martin's Bench Corner
Fill 'n Sand
Scale Model Soup
The Classic Kit Junkie
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I can see how there can be a higher level of frustration in Wargaming considering having to deal with rules as well as the players themselves.
ReplyDeleteDo you have 'rivet counters' in the wargaming aspect of the hobby, or were you referring to traditional scale modeling?
And yes, definitely agree...manufacturers need to do a better job of not having ejector pin marks and mold seams on finely detailed areas - landing gear struts come to mind...
Good post!
I was aiming at the scale model crowd with the rivet counters. You do get the guys in the historical wargames crowd who love pointing out that that's the wrong model of T34 for the battle or wrong coloured tunic for an ancient briton. Rules are a constant quest for me to find the perfect ruleset. Often you start writing your own. One thing I have found is that rules my rules tastes have changed as I got older.
DeleteThere is a fair amount not to like in the industry.
ReplyDeleteFigure prep is one of my major bugbears too. There is no need for flash, It's down to sloppy workmanship.
I find that some of the bigger companies try to scalp their customers. I can't think of any companies off hand but then I don't want to get sued.
Phrases like "some assembly required" tend to wind me up because they don't give the impression that they were talking about a project nearly as time consuming as building the Great Wall of China.
Figures that come in random multi packs especially when you find you have a lot of one figure.
More than anything else I hate certain types of gamers. Rules lawyers, anal retentaives, power gamers, those gamers who insist on player the most awkward character just to pee off other people are all in there, There are a few that I now go out of my way to avoid.
I dislike all them too. lol. The corporate IP gets my goat too. While I understand the need to commercially protect things they push it too far attacking fan sites and other ways fans promote their products for free.
DeleteCorporate IP also hits the scale modellers too. The owner of the IP often demands payment and royalties for the rights to make the model, which drives the cost up. This is why some Axis WW2 stuff is often cheaper than modern kits. They forget that the kit promotes their products and raises interest in them.