Not sure what to ditch.

[joroas]

Well, after two and a half years of retirement the lead pile has failed to travel to the table, so its time to cull.  I have just ousted my Vietnam and Victoriana collection, so what to go next?

I have the following in two major periods:

Two Samurai armies (Dixons and Old Glory/Perry) painted and based
Two Perry WOTR armies untouched
One painted Essex New Model Army Painted and based
Two ECW armies (Warlord) untouched

Two Front Rank SYW (British and French) armies untouched
One Minifigs Austrian SYW army painted and based
Two 15mm SYW armies painted but unbased
One Minifigs Franco-Polish army painted and based
Two large Perry Napoleonic Armies (French and Prussian) Untouched
Two large (Perrys) ACW armies, mostly painted and based

Bearing in mind that there is a lot of overlay here, what could I least use?  

[Johnno]

Not sure what you mean by untouched  (new in Box? )

I'd keep the stuff that is painted and based...for starters

[joroas]

Thanks, untouched is still in boxes/blisters.

[Yankeepedlar01]

Keep it all. It costs nothing to feed and water and will always cost more to replace. Retirement is a long term project after all.

[Elk101]

That being said I'm going through a similar process.  I'm finding the 'hoard' overpowering and it's putting me off starting on new projects. I'm planning on stripping stuff down to manageable sizes, so the Napoleonics and ACW stuff will go down to a few Sharp Practice sized forces and so on. I can see where Joroas is coming from with this.

[majorsmith]

Don't get rid, trust me you will regret it later, plenty of time to get thru the stuff...

[Gibby]

Majorsmith is right. Just find somewhere to hide it all out of sight and mind. One day something will stir your inspiration for all those tidied away things and you'll be glad you still have them.

I say this as someone who has bought stuff several times over after selling...

[joroas]

That being said I'm going through a similar process.  I'm finding the 'hoard' overpowering and it's putting me off starting on new projects.

Thanks, chaps, I have to say that it is difficult to decide here, but I will also add that the loss of the five Vietnam boxes off my desk was quite uplifting....

[Elk101]

I'm thinking that I'll never get round to my Arthurians, Normans, vikings, Saxons and early Crusaders so I might as well offload them. WWII Italians,  Poles and French may follow. I'm even consider getting rid of my Judge Dredd collection. I just don't have the space for unpainted lead but I don't think I'd get rid of my painted stuff.

[joroas]

Like you, I had a good look around.  My WH40K and Necromunda went last year, looking to ditch WHQ this year.  I am minded to keep the painted stuff, I suppose, as when based I will have fieldable armies, using the SYW Austrians as troops who have not yet received new uniforms and can fight me Nap French.  The Front Rank I am minded to keep, but do I need WOTR and ECW or two more Napoleonic armies?

[Elbows]

I think it's a good thing to cut the extra junk if it realistically has no future in your gaming/modeling/hobbying.

I'd just ask yourself some genuine questions.

1) Will I realistically ever complete X to a playable standard.
2) Do I have a game, or gamers, or game environment to play said game (this of course is something that can be subject to change)
3) Do I still have the interest in X that I had when I purchased the items in question?

I have a rule (since I move often).  If something (furniture, books, gaming materials) is moved 2-3 times and I've yet to use it or make it, etc...I toss it.  If it's been 3-5 years and a couple of moves, I just cut it out.  I occasionally regret it, but rarely badly.  If you had a heavy hobbying pace I'd suggest keeping it all - but it sounds like that's not the case.  I have a buddy who is a caricature artist and he gets to hobby...seriously maybe 30-40 hours a week when he wants to.  So I'd never tell him to ditch his huge lead pile.  However if you've got stuff sitting for several years, just be honest with yourself and look at the above questions.

[joroas]

Cheers, Elbows, if I'm honest that is where I am, I just needed someone to confirm my instinct. Do I need WOTR and ECW?  Do I need SYW and Napoleonic?  Do I ditch plastic over lead?

[Dr Mathias]

I regret selling painted armies quite a bit.

Unpainted can always be reacquired again, unless it's something rare.

I suppose if it were me, I'd unload in this order:

1. What I have no desire to paint
2. What has been sitting around the longest
3. What is easier to get a hold of again, if need be
4. Anything else unassembled

[Elk101]

I've just been going through sorting stuff out to sell on to someone more likely to use it. I got to my box of Vietnam stuff; my first reaction was "I love these figures and can't wait to paint them and game with them". They stay in the keep pile. I got to the 'Dark Ages' box full of Gripping Beast plastic and lead and although I like the figures I didn't have that spark of interest. They're in the sell pile. That first reaction kind of tells you what you need to know.

[Neotacha]

What are you actively playing with RIGHT NOW?  What is already painted and based in this lot that you honestly believe you'll use in the next six months?  Start by off-loading the unpainted stuff, then move to the unbased stuff.  Someone out there is probably looking for what you have; you'll get room and they'll get some minis to put into their games.  Minis get loved and played with.  Win-win-win, really.