Why so many figures?

[Inkpaduta]

Okay, I have been thinking about this lately.
Going on LAF or TMP or other sites one constant thing that you hear wargamers say is
"I have so many figures or paint" or "I have a lead mountain" or " I will never get all my figures
painted." Not only that but many of us have thousands of painted figures in our homes.

My question is why do we do this? What causes us to amass such large numbers of painted and unpainted
figures. More than we can possibly make use of on the gaming board.

Is it because this hobby is not just about wargaming but is also a collection hobby? We just love to collect like other hobbies do?
Or is it because we embrace "the shiny." Ooh, look new figures I must have them.
Perhaps it is our love of history, for historical gamers, that we read a book or watch a movie and we want to replicate that.
Or is it some other reason.

What are your thoughts?

[Ragsta]

I like order. I like symmetry. I like making up stories in my head and I’m a bit of a dreamer. That means I like collecting science-fiction models and creating armies and space fleets around ideas I have from influences from places like GW, films and comics.

But I also do fall into the trap of buying toy soldiers that are too good an opportunity to miss and the pile will build from there ha! I’ve reigned myself in over the last 12 months but I have to keep a watchful eye on myself ha ha

[ithoriel]

Planning a project, researching the history, finding and collecting miniatures, finding or creating scenery, planning colour schemes/ basing/ positioning - these are all things I love.

Painting is a a mind numbingly awful chore.

So .... a whole lead mountain range and still collecting.

[Cat]

Definitely a collection hobby factors in for many gamers, some more than others.  Some, way more than others.
 
As most of my gaming is at the store and conventions, I buy multiple sides for each game.  Usually wind up buying 2–4x as much as I will ever use in the biggest game because I get carried away collecting options.
 
Been around long enough to have a touch of 'buy these before the company goes out of business' syndrome.
 
Don't regret having the excess purchases on hand; when I cycle back around to working on an older project, there are always figures in various stages of work to pick up and put back on the bench.

[AKULA]

MAGPIES

 

[HerbertTarkel]

It’s always about massive amounts of inspiration, and an incongruous lack of time! Despite being retired young, I have too many hobbies, and spend far too much time getting inspired by randomness.

I rarely will enter into a project unless I can get a “complete set” of it, too. Or what I deem to be that. Ironically, this is keeping me from getting back into 40k (the only game that is guaranteed to have players near me) - GW’s supply chain woes mean it’s impossible to single-click buy what I want. Ironic…

Recently, that’s been Sigur’s Gundam, for one; a Rick and Morty binge that got me to get into Marvel as a base for the game (will it work?); I watched some Star Trek, and ended up with the Away Missions collection two days later - ALL OF IT 

Money isn’t much of an issue for me, either, which allows impulsive buying. And clearance events when I thin my herd. I don’t KEEP my collections, often. Rotate them is a better way of thinking of making them fresh.

My other hobbies are similarly deep-dives into rabbit holes. Music is one, and I just made the switch from analog to high-end modelling for both my amp and effects, when I realized that I was $6000+ into tube amp/pedalboard, and no end in sight. I cut that value in half with my new modeller (it’s professional level). I don’t even want to know what my guitar collection is worth…

Cycling… that’s mostly under control. Mostly. 

I can’t/won’t dive into any other hobbies, so I rotate my focus on those three. Almost equally, actually.

[HerbertTarkel]

MAGPIES

 

 

The official bird of Melbourne!

[Harry Faversham]

I just like painting toys, as much as playing with them!
 

[Storm Wolf]

For me, pretty much what everyone has said previously on this thread,
but for me I also quite often purchase toys whilst available, because some thing's sadly go OOP
and then you are left wishing that you had got them when they were still available .

Painting them, not quite so much, the muse comes and then it goes 

[Aethelflaeda was framed]

They are the source of my immortality.

[Citizen Sade]

Firstly, Storm Wolf raises an important point i.e. FOMO. Get ‘em while they’re hot as who knows when they’ll disappear possibly forever.

Secondly, official birds are a thing? News to me. My local town is famous for jackdaws & they’re right little bar stewards.

[HerbertTarkel]

Firstly, Storm Wolf raises an important point i.e. FOMO. Get ‘em while they’re hot as who knows when they’ll disappear possibly forever.

Secondly, official birds are a thing? News to me. My local town is famous for jackdaws & they’re right little bar stewards.

 I kid you not! Was in Melbourne a year and a bit ago, and the local Rapha has magpies as their club theme (I have a jersey to prove it!). Also, saw a sketch comedy show while there, about the magpies being nuisances, but they’re protected as official birds! It was hilarious.

FOMO is hard. Yeah, they’re are lots of times I feel it, but I really avoid the hype. GW loses money from me because of it, I think.

[Storm Wolf]

I kid you not! Was in Melbourne a year and a bit ago, and the local Rapha has magpies as their club theme (I have a jersey to prove it!). Also, saw a sketch comedy show while there, about the magpies being nuisances, but they’re protected as official birds! It was hilarious.

FOMO is hard. Yeah, they’re are lots of times I feel it, but I really avoid the hype. GW loses money from me because of it, I think.

Good point about the FOMO thing, but I wasn't talking about current marketing practices by GW and others, just over the years of thinking I will get some of them one day and then "bugger they've closed or discontinued them or whatever  ". I don't agree with all this limited release bollocks 

[Citizen Sade]

Whatever next? The jackdaws hereabouts are not protected so people are free to set their cats, dogs & children on them. It makes little difference as they still circle making a dreadful racket at dusk and dawn, rob the bird feeders, intimidate the locals & crap on people’s cars.

[Citizen Sade]

@Storm Wolf. Yes, that’s what I meant. I jumped off the GW bandwagon years ago but have missed out on other things. Stuff that I’ve thought I’ll pick up later but missed out when they go OOP. Never again.