Warhammer, the wargaming miniature based game from the UK based Games-Workshop, is a game of fantasy or Sci-fi combat. Using anywhere from a few to hundreds of miniature figures, players can play a tabletop battle that may well take several hours to complete. Warhammer is a very popular game, but it is very expensive, as even a small complete force of miniature Warhammer figures may cost one upwards of $100. This is part of the reason many wargamers avoid Warhammer, and Games-Workshop products, but the wargame is still very popular. I am a big fan of the miniature Warhammer game from Games-Workshop, but I absolutely abhor the prices. I have found a few ways to save money on the wargaming miniatures used in this game, and I’ll share them here.
First off, the new boxed starter sets are much more affordable then the earlier Warhammer sets. The Warhammer fantasy boxed set comes with over 100+ detailed plastic Games-Workshop miniatures, the complete rules, and the needed flame templates, dice, etc. If you are looking to get into the Warhammer wargaming hobby and want to play as the Dwarves or Orcs and Goblins, consider this set. You can find it on eBay for a little over $40-quite a steal for two Warhammer armies and basically everything you need to play. Hobby stores and Games-Workshop.com have the set for about $46-50.
Warhammer 40k, the sci-fi version of Warhammer, also has a cheap starter set, but with considerably less miniatures. You’ll get two squads of Space Marines and a truckload (well, not quite, but a lot of them!) Tyrannids, the rule book and the needed dice, etc, along with some terrain. It’s also a good way to get into Warhammer 40k, and also retails for around the same price as the above Battle for Skull Pass Warhammer Fantasy miniatures game. However, you’ll still need at least a few more miniatures to have a decent Warhammer 40K army then what is provided in this Games-Workshop box starter miniature set.
Secondly, while official games of Warhammer at official tournaments and events require that you use only Games-Workshop miniature wargaming figures, keep in mind that many smaller conventions, hobby shops, events, and even other players are not as strict. Personally, I don’t care what miniatures you use, provided that they mesh well with ‘real’ Warhammer miniatures. I mean, I’ve heard of people using everything from coins to cheap plastic army men to play a wargame battle, and while these are fine, I’m not prepared to play with these alongside my painted Warhammer Bretonnian knights.
After all, part of the hobby is the fun in collecting an army of superbly (or at least decently) painted miniatures that represent a sci-fi or fantasy wargame battle. That being said, there are a lot of other miniature companies that produce a lot of different wargaming miniatures. Some of the tabletop companies sell high quality figures that are on par, or even better than ‘actual’ Games-Workshop figures, while others miniatures are not as good but are still decent enough for the tabletop. If you and your wargaming friends are ok with using non-Warhammer miniatures, then here is where you’ll really have a fun time.
The sheer number of manufactures producing quality fantasy and sci-fi miniatures for better prices than Games-Workshop is astounding. Games-Workshop figures for Warhammer are roughly 25-30mm, and most other company’s figures in this range will work. If you are looking for real quality figures, check out Reaper as one excellent source of amazing figures for a generally better miniature price. Old Glory and Mega Miniatures (Sold by DiscountHobby) are two excellent resources for cheap miniatures. I’ll even go as far as to point out how cheap the Mega Mini’s are: only $0.99 a pop. Quite a nice change from Games-Workshop’s sometimes $5+ miniatures. Old Glory miniatures are also quite affordable, and they have a huge selection, especially if you are playing a human Warhammer fantasy army, as they have many medieval figures. Take a look online and check these websites, and others, out, as there are a lot of great miniature companies out there besides Games-Workshop.
Finally, if you simply must have legit Warhammer figures, consider checking out eBay. It is basically the cheapest way to buy Games-Workshop figures, even with the shipping and handling prices. There is a lot of Warhammer figures for sale on eBay, both for Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy, and you can find many either painted or unpainted. Be warned though, buying painted figures usually costs more than unpainted figures.
A fourth method would be to skip miniatures altogether, and simply use cards with the unit’s information on them for each regiment. I’ve considered going this route, even if just for trips when I wanted to try out a new strategy. With a computer, printer, Photoshop, and some patience, you could probably make up your own army on cards, even if you just use them to practice with. YourMoveGames has produced a complete miniature style tabletop wargame, but with cards, and it certainly is a idea worth looking into.
I would suggest buying the bulk of your army, the simpler and ‘cannon-fodder’ type troops from alternative miniature companies like Old Glory, Reaper, or DiscountHobby. Then, for the special figures that really make your miniature army stand out, like dragons, heroes, steam tanks and the like, try to find them online at eBay or other websites that offer real Warhammer figures at a cheaper price than most hobby stores of GW themselves. This way, you can build a Warhammer army for cheap, but still with Warhammer figures for the important ones, such as heavy tanks, monsters, and heroes.
Warhammer is an expensive hobby, but there are ways to save money on the miniatures. Give these ideas a shot, and you’ll see just how much you may save!
Sources:
www.games-workshop.com
http://www.discounthobby.com/
http://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/
http://www.yourmovegames.com/battleground_index.html
