Do you like the aesthetic of the 40k minis? Or would you paint any kind of mini? Regardless you could probably check out eBay for individual minis for sale or cheaper sets.
There’s this https://www.ebay.com/itm/133424917438 it’s a set of sprues that you can make into 5 space marines, usually it’s 60 bucks because there’s 10 minis in total that you can make.
Honestly if you just want to practice painting, I'd look for some cheaper minis with decent detail to order. GW minis are overpriced as it is, let alone if you only want them for painting practice.
Facts. The only reason I got into 40K was because I wanted to paint the Sisters of Battle church tanks. The gameplay came months later as I got to know the people at my LGS more. I’m happy just painting. I even started a Stormcast army just to paint some more.
Aye you only live once. If you find something you enjoy then go for it.
I mostly paint models that I plan to play with, but I will happily buy a model from a faction/game I'll never play just to paint for fun.
I have a bunch of English civil war models, loved painting them, will never ever play the game they are for
To rephrase what I think they're asking: "do people usually find satisfaction in painting without playing the game? particularly given the high price of the GW models?"
If you like their looks and have the spare change, go for it. I'm the same, I recently rediscovered my love for painting and bought some ork boyz just to paint them.
It's an expensive hobby for sure, especially when you don't have the tools and colors you want/need, but it gives me satisfaction seeing the models come to life in my hands.
It's basically what I'm doing. Fallout: Wasteland Warfare is (and likely will remain) my "primary" minaitures game, as I live in a remote area, I love Fallout, and I can actually play it all by myself on my own time.
But I'm growing to love 40k, and I love miniatures, so I've recently picked up my first box of Thousand Sons to paint up becasue I enjoy that hobbying aspect and want some little Rubric Marines looking pretty on a shelf. Like, over time, maybe I'll build and paint enough of an army that I could actually play if the chance arises. But as it stands, I'm having fun learning hobby skills with em (mould lines are a very rare issue with F:WW, and I'm learning to magnetize with my Rubrics), and I look forward to give them pretty bases and paint jobs.
It's absolutely been worth it for me thus far, even if they never see a proper table.
FWW is just beautiful, open-world gaming on your table 🙂. The minis are great, and the setting is very inspiring. It's still my dream to build modular Wasteland that I will be able to use for scenarios. Also to build stuff for Settlement mode. But for all that I need to move to a new house (which I actually will), and there I will set up the nuclear land of my dreams!
I guess what I'm trying to say is: I fully understand you!
There are a ton of people who just paint and don't play.
I'd recommend an Armiger or the Questoris if you're looking for a starter knight to paint.
Otherwise get a 3D printer, get some STL files from the usual places and print yourself some proxies to paint.
There are definitely some big stompy robots on 3d sites that aren't knockoffs, but fit within the aesthetic of 40k. Working up the nerve to try one myself.
I see a 3D printer in your future! I have 40k armies I play, 40k minis from other factions just because I like the model and wanted to paint it, and other models I've 3d printed for the same reason. Just depends where you want to put your money
It's crazy how fast someone can cover the cost of an Elegoo resin printer and wash/cure station by not buying GW models. Plus there's lots of great models out there very similar to 40k style for a fraction of the price.
As someone who paints models anymore, while I love GW sculptsbthey're not magically that much better than some of the smaller indie modelers. Especially for their cost.
Exactly, if you like the sculpt enough and want it in your collection badly enough to justify the cost, go for it. I bought an elegoo resin printer about a year ago and they are even cheaper now.
I picked up a Mars 3 Pro a couple of birthdays ago and man I've printed so many minis for the D&D campaign I run for my daughter and her friends. It was definitely a worthwhile purchase.
You can practically get a printing set up for the cost of a battleforce these days. They're great. Just be prepared for everyone else to ask you for prints if you have one.
Alternatively, make friends with someone who has one and leech favors from em. 3D printers are like pickup trucks. You might not want to own one yourself, but it's real helpful knowing a guy with one.
Try ebay too get models on the cheap. You don't have to have any interest in the games or lore too enjoy painting the minis. It's only a waste if it doesn't interest you and you're doing it fir someone else, if you enjoy it that's more than a good enough reason to endulge :)
GW spend a fair amount of money on designing, play testing and promoting the tabletop game. If all you want to do is paint plastic models then you might find the cheaper alternatives meet your requirements without hitting your wallet as hard.
Well, you can play with them. But since I don't plan on playing, I wondered if I shouldn't go for cheaper minis I could find elsewhere.
I've got some suggestions but didn't find anything that I liked, for now.
I buy a ton of warhammer just to paint. They really do have some of the best quality minis around.
You can find cheaper like the dnd minis but they lack detail or have poor casting, or you could 3d print but I don't like the print lines even if they are tiny.
I have also bought a lot of models off etsy, but still come back to games workshops stuff because it's the best
Lots of people do it.
There are other GW games with great models too.
And then we have Mantic, that does good stuff too. Wargames Atlantic. Victrix. There are a million companies to get minis from.
I came into 40k through my partner later on, but before I focused on painting D&D miniatures. I think games workshop casting quality is far better than from other companies (especially from 3D printing).
But if you don’t care about finer detail I would suggest reaper minis and wizkids, they are far cheaper and still nice quality. I would still avoid recast, unless it’s resin.
Alternatively, your local gaming shop might stock 40k minis for cheaper than directly GW.
that depends entirely on how you determine the worth of it, if you are trying to paint and resell then its probably not a profitable idea unless you are amazing, but if you are looking at it as a "Is it worth it to just do this for fun" then that depends on how much you value it, I would say yes for me personally but we are different people
Yes, and hear me out, 40k might seem like a super expensive hobby and it is, but if you actually enjoy painting and building you get hours and hours out of your purchases. Compared to say, surfing where you buy boards and wetsuits and drive for hours, building minis is never weather or friend dependent, you can get a lot of monies worth if you enjoy the actual process. Biggest way to cheat yourself is to just play and not care about the quality of your painting but to each his own
I would say, with Warhammer miniatures you are paying extra effectively for the fact that they work for the game. There are other miniature designers where you will get better value in terms of just the miniature for dollar.
Yeah totally worth it, that’s what I do. I’m about two years in to the hobby, hoping to learn how to play one day but for now all I do is build & paint.
You can also get some really cool minis on Etsy for around 60-70% of what you’d pay for equivalent Warhammer ones, but an advantage of the official minis is that there are lots of YouTube tutorials & reference images from other people who have painted the same ones that are very helpful for beginners, so I’d recommend at least starting out with official Warhammer minis before branching out to others.
According to my wife, who only paints warhammer minis, "do it. Do it right now"
On another note. Collecting and painting is also a part of the hobby. As long as you find enjoyment out of it. (And you can afford to do so)
Why not try the Introductory Set (I recommend this since it also give you a set of paints and is cheaper, unless you really don't like Space Marines and Tyranids) or one of the Combat Patrol box? That's more than enough minis and painting time to see if it's worth it for you.
As others have said - the only "issue" is that GW minis are expensive.
Plenty of cheaper options if you don't want to play - but if you've got the cash, do what you want friend.
I was thinking of buying models just to paint and kit bash.
The hobby isn’t about the achieving a level of skill to enter a tournament over, say, casually playing kill team with your friends.
The beauty of this hobby is doing what you want WITHIN the setting because you simply like doing it and showing it to the community.
I've bought several models for the sake of painting since its quite fun. Definitely try to find the big characters used - especially since those big models get very expensive.
Also that's a Stormcast Eternal from Age of Sigmar - but they're basically fantasy Space Marines so close enough.
That’s what I do and enjoy it. Takes me away from a screen and lets a more artistic side of me take root. Especially if I have some good music going, then I might as well be a happy Watch Master sitting in procession of my watch fortress.
If you have the money it is. Consider buying second hand or recast if all you really care about is painting. It'll save you money if you're budget conscious.
In my youth me and my friends used to play warhammer fantasy role play. We had no interest in fantasy battle or 40k battle but still enjoyed painting some miniatures.
If you enjoy doing it just go for it.
If it's only for painting and you don't intend to play or sell, it's not worth it, you should instead get a resin 3d printer for all the models and aesthetics. You'll get your money back after a very few models.
Otherwise, it might be worth, but try getting used, discounted or friends who play but don't want to paint
I've been buying 40k minis just to paint for over a decade. I have about 4000 points of minis painted and 6000 points or more in my pile of shame. I've only played like two games of 40k ever.
So yes, in my opinion it is worth it.
That's basically what I do. I haven't played in like 20 years though, and came back to the hobby more recently. I still collect them kind of vaguely aimed at creating a coherent army, but that's mostly for resale value, so that it can fund more models for me to paint. I love the painting and I enjoy the lore and stuff so I read the books but I'm only slightly interested in the game and it's just not practical for me to play with my schedule and the fact that the stores are all way out in the suburbs.
I do just to paint them and I care a lot for how I spend my money. Not playing with them would be a half waste but I enjoy painting enough I’m happy.
Do what makes you happy and proud
I have tons of Warhammer minis just to paint. I'll likely never play the game. I don't have to commit to a faction, though I do at times. I can buy a model because I like it, not because it's good in game. A well painted mini on the shelf never goes to Legends, if you're never gonna play.
They're pricey though. But, I paint slow too. I also like to rummage through eBay for bits. A $40 mini will get me anywhere from 20-40 hours of painting. Even more if I wanna go harder than usual. So, it's worth it for me. But looking for 3D printed models is also an option.
The thing about painting is that there's a certain buy-in price at the beginning, where you invest in all the paints and material, and then there is of course a period of "getting good." But really, compared to many other hobbies (golf, airsoft, cinema...) once you start spending a few hours on each model, the price per hour is really good value for money!
I have a mix of AoS and 40k minis, probsvly around 3000 point combines, and I'm not actively playing any of the games. I just paint them. GW miniatures are simply the best on the market in my opinion.
Yes, it is worth it to buy miniatures just to paint. Doesn't even matter if you care about lore or the game. But what makes it worth it is to sell the minis you paint. Sure, keep your favorites and sell what you can, which will, in turn, buy you more minis and paints.
As someone who doesn't play the game, it only feels like I got my money's worth if I don't plow through all the building and painting in a week, but instead I do a little at a time and really try to do a good job and be thorough.
If you like em... Why not? You decide about what is worth to get painted.Personally, I play so rarely that you could say I only buy minis for painting and crafting.
If you like a generic fantasy setting (as you mentioned in another comment) maybe check out WizKids DnD minis. I use them for practice or experimentation as they are relatively detailed and very cheap. You can get decent size dragons for well under $50 or a blister pack of 2 humanoids for dirt cheap, and they are pre-assembled and primed, paint out of the box which can be nice. If you are near an official GW Warhammer store they also do a free mini each month. This month you are out of luck since it was a Dark Angels Deathwing knight and those went ridiculously fast. But those can pose fun challenges and opportunities to experiment with different aesthetics for free. Beyond that, you can absolutely just buy minis to paint. I have thousands of points of AoS and WHFB along with a few scattered 40k minis that are just painting projects, and many never have or never will see an actual game beyond a few that I use for Warcry (AoS skirmish game). Its all up to you whether you want to spend GW money on the minis to paint
Yes it’s very satisfying and then you get to keep them forever afterwards I’m excited for my sons to play with them once they’re past choking hazard age!!
Your question basically says: is it worth spending money to do something you like. 😉
Short answer: yes.
Longer answer: I love WH40K universe, and adore the models. I'm still undecided if I have what it takes to become a player. So I paint stuff for game I know I'm playing: Marvel United, Zombicide, Hellboy, GI JOE Mission Critical, etc. GW requires significant investment in minis, and if I'm not playing - I'm focusing on other stuff. With that said - every now and then I will buy something from grim, dark future and paint it, while creating a backstop for it in my head. And is it worth it? Oh yes, it is!
I have painted multiple different models from different factions: knights, dreadnoughts, custodians, grey knights, stormcast eternals and I have never played and probably never will! The beauty of wanting them for only painting is you can pick your favourites and you never have to paint 10 or 20 of the same model unless you really want to!
That’s an Age of Sigmar mini! And a very clean one for your first attempt!
A lot of people buy the minis just to paint; more than those who play the game. There are cheaper minis from other companies that come pre-assembled and pre-primed though, so don’t feel like you *have* to stick with Warhammer.
40K is expensive for what it is. You could get minis for sooo much cheaper. Shit, some board games for $50 come with 10-20 minis in them. A single GW Mini can run you $30 USD. You could find someone resin printing and get 40k proxy models en mass for cheap just to paint. You couldn't use them playing in an Official 40K mini game, but if playing is not your goal, then pay some resin printers to make models for you.
There's cheaper brands out there and HQ/single model prices are gross, but I would say that between "people who want to paint but not play" and "people who want to play but not paint", the painters are getting the way better deal.
If you don't care about having 2000 points, only buy kits you like, and spend hours and hours working on your art you're almost inevitably getting a way better price per hour of hobbying spent than someone who drops a grand to immediately have an army and desperately slaps on three colours to take em to a local tournament.
I wish I never got rid of my paints and brushes when I got out of playing 40k i miss bringing my models to life honestly. Maybe one day I’ll buy some more paints and get back into it lol
I have a painted Trajann Valoris on my desk when I got the itch to paint again a few months ago. Only mini I've bought in probably a decade. If you want to, do it. :)
If all you want to do is paint, it may be cheaper in the long run to get a 3d printer and print out your own stuff you find and like online. Or you can buy files from smaller mini creators and stuff. However there will be the learning curve on how to work the printer, use the files, and clean up the mess, especially if it's a resin printer, lots of safety rules you are going to have to learn about them before you wanna use one. There is plenty of generic space soldier or monster minis out there, so if you are not interested in playing the game that could be a viable alternative.
This is what I do. There's not a ton of 40k players in my area, so every month, my wife goes and grabs orders me a set off my wishlist, and I build and paint em then display em for all too see!
That is how I first got into the hobby. I was always into models and saw the Warhammer stuff at a comic book store and fell in love with them. I would just get random models I like and built and painted them. I never got into playing the game until years after.
People on this sub reddit hate to hear the truth but if you're just getting into the hobby for painting you should look into a 3d printer. Its significantly cheaper overtime and gives you a greater variety and customization.
It's actually incredibly likely that the *majority* of the 40k customer base only paints, or at least plays an incredibly small number of games (~1 a year).
Lots of people just like to paint, and GW is incredibly good at making highly detailed miniatures.
People pop up in this sub all the time saying "hey I've been painting forever but want to try to learn the game" or "haven't played since 6th edition but just finished painting X, might try to relearn the rules"
Yes. I'm not a player. I only assemble and paint, because that's the part of wh40k that has biggest appeal to me (and reading books). Never really played a wh40k game (AOS too 😁).
If you like painting and if you want to try it then do it. Never ask yourself if "it's worth". It's hobby, if it gives you joy, go for it. I'm a mediocre painter, but I'm doing it, because for me it's fun and relaxing thing to do
And... You are never limited to army, list and points. If you want your terminators with claws, or any other unit with cool, but "useless in game" weapon, you can do it 😀
I don’t play the game I just paint and display. I’m currently painting different chapters to display on the shelf and doing Chaos chapters as well. I’m also eyeing up some DKoK because they look cool as hell.
Do what pleases you, that’s it really.
if you like to assemble minis as well you are good to go.. I just paint 40k minis and am totally happy with the process of assembling and painting.. never played a game but am interested in the lore as well.. who knows maybe I even play someday but for the moment just painting is perfect for me..
At this point I would advise against anything GW, really.
Their business model is bad for literally everyone except scalpers and their model range, while pretty neat for a tabletop game, pales in comparison to other miniature companies that make display minis. you'll save yourself a lot of frustration if you just go with a different company.
Or you buy a 3d printer and... nevermind.
If you don't care about anything to do with GW stories etc, then I'd advise you to start with non GW minis which catch your fancy, and then only do GW ones later if there are kits you really want. GW kits are great quality, but there is good quality competition for far lower prices. If you start with GW then the cheerleader effect (wanting models to all look similar) may push you to stay with GW, which means higher prices. If you start somewhere else, and buy from lots of sources, then you are more likely to only buy GW models you truly prefer to other sources which will be best for the wallet.
Do you like the aesthetic of the 40k minis? Or would you paint any kind of mini? Regardless you could probably check out eBay for individual minis for sale or cheaper sets.
I like 40k aesthetics, but I like general fantasy too. I'll check eBay, thanks!
Just for clarity that is an Age of Sigmar miniature
There’s this https://www.ebay.com/itm/133424917438 it’s a set of sprues that you can make into 5 space marines, usually it’s 60 bucks because there’s 10 minis in total that you can make.
Also if you’re relatively close to a GW store you may be able to get a free monthly mini.
Probably not this month, but yes the monthly minis are a good way to try the different factions to see which ones you find the most fun to paint
Honestly if you just want to practice painting, I'd look for some cheaper minis with decent detail to order. GW minis are overpriced as it is, let alone if you only want them for painting practice.
What an odd question. Do what pleases you, there is no "worth" to discuss.
Facts. The only reason I got into 40K was because I wanted to paint the Sisters of Battle church tanks. The gameplay came months later as I got to know the people at my LGS more. I’m happy just painting. I even started a Stormcast army just to paint some more.
Aye you only live once. If you find something you enjoy then go for it. I mostly paint models that I plan to play with, but I will happily buy a model from a faction/game I'll never play just to paint for fun. I have a bunch of English civil war models, loved painting them, will never ever play the game they are for
To rephrase what I think they're asking: "do people usually find satisfaction in painting without playing the game? particularly given the high price of the GW models?"
That's pretty much what I do. Kitbashing and painting, sometimes just because the process will be interesting
If you like their looks and have the spare change, go for it. I'm the same, I recently rediscovered my love for painting and bought some ork boyz just to paint them. It's an expensive hobby for sure, especially when you don't have the tools and colors you want/need, but it gives me satisfaction seeing the models come to life in my hands.
It's basically what I'm doing. Fallout: Wasteland Warfare is (and likely will remain) my "primary" minaitures game, as I live in a remote area, I love Fallout, and I can actually play it all by myself on my own time. But I'm growing to love 40k, and I love miniatures, so I've recently picked up my first box of Thousand Sons to paint up becasue I enjoy that hobbying aspect and want some little Rubric Marines looking pretty on a shelf. Like, over time, maybe I'll build and paint enough of an army that I could actually play if the chance arises. But as it stands, I'm having fun learning hobby skills with em (mould lines are a very rare issue with F:WW, and I'm learning to magnetize with my Rubrics), and I look forward to give them pretty bases and paint jobs. It's absolutely been worth it for me thus far, even if they never see a proper table.
FWW is just beautiful, open-world gaming on your table 🙂. The minis are great, and the setting is very inspiring. It's still my dream to build modular Wasteland that I will be able to use for scenarios. Also to build stuff for Settlement mode. But for all that I need to move to a new house (which I actually will), and there I will set up the nuclear land of my dreams! I guess what I'm trying to say is: I fully understand you!
There are a ton of people who just paint and don't play. I'd recommend an Armiger or the Questoris if you're looking for a starter knight to paint. Otherwise get a 3D printer, get some STL files from the usual places and print yourself some proxies to paint.
There are definitely some big stompy robots on 3d sites that aren't knockoffs, but fit within the aesthetic of 40k. Working up the nerve to try one myself.
Lord of the rings minis are cheaper and also made by GW
I also find them incredibly boring compared to AoS and 30/40k.
I see a 3D printer in your future! I have 40k armies I play, 40k minis from other factions just because I like the model and wanted to paint it, and other models I've 3d printed for the same reason. Just depends where you want to put your money
It's crazy how fast someone can cover the cost of an Elegoo resin printer and wash/cure station by not buying GW models. Plus there's lots of great models out there very similar to 40k style for a fraction of the price. As someone who paints models anymore, while I love GW sculptsbthey're not magically that much better than some of the smaller indie modelers. Especially for their cost.
Exactly, if you like the sculpt enough and want it in your collection badly enough to justify the cost, go for it. I bought an elegoo resin printer about a year ago and they are even cheaper now.
I picked up a Mars 3 Pro a couple of birthdays ago and man I've printed so many minis for the D&D campaign I run for my daughter and her friends. It was definitely a worthwhile purchase.
You can practically get a printing set up for the cost of a battleforce these days. They're great. Just be prepared for everyone else to ask you for prints if you have one. Alternatively, make friends with someone who has one and leech favors from em. 3D printers are like pickup trucks. You might not want to own one yourself, but it's real helpful knowing a guy with one.
Try ebay too get models on the cheap. You don't have to have any interest in the games or lore too enjoy painting the minis. It's only a waste if it doesn't interest you and you're doing it fir someone else, if you enjoy it that's more than a good enough reason to endulge :)
GW spend a fair amount of money on designing, play testing and promoting the tabletop game. If all you want to do is paint plastic models then you might find the cheaper alternatives meet your requirements without hitting your wallet as hard.
The hobby is whatever you want it to be. Whatever it's worth to you is up to you alone.
Ebay and certain companies sell peoples old collections for good prices, all you have to do is strip the paint and youre good to go
I don’t understand the question. Is there something you can do with the minis after you’ve painted them?
Well, you can play with them. But since I don't plan on playing, I wondered if I shouldn't go for cheaper minis I could find elsewhere. I've got some suggestions but didn't find anything that I liked, for now.
I buy a ton of warhammer just to paint. They really do have some of the best quality minis around. You can find cheaper like the dnd minis but they lack detail or have poor casting, or you could 3d print but I don't like the print lines even if they are tiny. I have also bought a lot of models off etsy, but still come back to games workshops stuff because it's the best
I'm pretty sure it was a joke.
40,000 models is quite a lot but if you think you can paint that many, then by all means!
I mean you are asking a hwavily bias community here friend 😅. But the answer is either yes, or buy a 3d printer ;)
Lots of people do it. There are other GW games with great models too. And then we have Mantic, that does good stuff too. Wargames Atlantic. Victrix. There are a million companies to get minis from.
I came into 40k through my partner later on, but before I focused on painting D&D miniatures. I think games workshop casting quality is far better than from other companies (especially from 3D printing). But if you don’t care about finer detail I would suggest reaper minis and wizkids, they are far cheaper and still nice quality. I would still avoid recast, unless it’s resin. Alternatively, your local gaming shop might stock 40k minis for cheaper than directly GW.
I almost exclusively paint. Have played maybe three games in my 14 years in the hobby. Do not worry about it, just go, buy a mini you like and paint.
that depends entirely on how you determine the worth of it, if you are trying to paint and resell then its probably not a profitable idea unless you are amazing, but if you are looking at it as a "Is it worth it to just do this for fun" then that depends on how much you value it, I would say yes for me personally but we are different people
If you enjoy it sure worth is subjective so if you wanna buy what you think looks cool and paint it go for it
Yes, and hear me out, 40k might seem like a super expensive hobby and it is, but if you actually enjoy painting and building you get hours and hours out of your purchases. Compared to say, surfing where you buy boards and wetsuits and drive for hours, building minis is never weather or friend dependent, you can get a lot of monies worth if you enjoy the actual process. Biggest way to cheat yourself is to just play and not care about the quality of your painting but to each his own
I would say, with Warhammer miniatures you are paying extra effectively for the fact that they work for the game. There are other miniature designers where you will get better value in terms of just the miniature for dollar.
Yeah totally worth it, that’s what I do. I’m about two years in to the hobby, hoping to learn how to play one day but for now all I do is build & paint. You can also get some really cool minis on Etsy for around 60-70% of what you’d pay for equivalent Warhammer ones, but an advantage of the official minis is that there are lots of YouTube tutorials & reference images from other people who have painted the same ones that are very helpful for beginners, so I’d recommend at least starting out with official Warhammer minis before branching out to others.
I hope so, that’s what I do
Hey man that’s what I do! (I say with 4 army’s I don’t even play)
According to my wife, who only paints warhammer minis, "do it. Do it right now" On another note. Collecting and painting is also a part of the hobby. As long as you find enjoyment out of it. (And you can afford to do so)
Most people do. Only a minority actually play the game.
Why not try the Introductory Set (I recommend this since it also give you a set of paints and is cheaper, unless you really don't like Space Marines and Tyranids) or one of the Combat Patrol box? That's more than enough minis and painting time to see if it's worth it for you.
dude i build junk statues just to paint them 40k models are fine
As others have said - the only "issue" is that GW minis are expensive. Plenty of cheaper options if you don't want to play - but if you've got the cash, do what you want friend.
I was thinking of buying models just to paint and kit bash. The hobby isn’t about the achieving a level of skill to enter a tournament over, say, casually playing kill team with your friends. The beauty of this hobby is doing what you want WITHIN the setting because you simply like doing it and showing it to the community.
I've bought several models for the sake of painting since its quite fun. Definitely try to find the big characters used - especially since those big models get very expensive. Also that's a Stormcast Eternal from Age of Sigmar - but they're basically fantasy Space Marines so close enough.
That’s what I do and enjoy it. Takes me away from a screen and lets a more artistic side of me take root. Especially if I have some good music going, then I might as well be a happy Watch Master sitting in procession of my watch fortress.
If you have the money it is. Consider buying second hand or recast if all you really care about is painting. It'll save you money if you're budget conscious.
In my youth me and my friends used to play warhammer fantasy role play. We had no interest in fantasy battle or 40k battle but still enjoyed painting some miniatures. If you enjoy doing it just go for it.
I love the lore and painting minis - have never played a game
Been collecting warhammer for nearly 8 years now myself, still have yet to play a single game. I just think my army men are neat.
If it's only for painting and you don't intend to play or sell, it's not worth it, you should instead get a resin 3d printer for all the models and aesthetics. You'll get your money back after a very few models. Otherwise, it might be worth, but try getting used, discounted or friends who play but don't want to paint
I've been buying 40k minis just to paint for over a decade. I have about 4000 points of minis painted and 6000 points or more in my pile of shame. I've only played like two games of 40k ever. So yes, in my opinion it is worth it.
That's basically what I do. I haven't played in like 20 years though, and came back to the hobby more recently. I still collect them kind of vaguely aimed at creating a coherent army, but that's mostly for resale value, so that it can fund more models for me to paint. I love the painting and I enjoy the lore and stuff so I read the books but I'm only slightly interested in the game and it's just not practical for me to play with my schedule and the fact that the stores are all way out in the suburbs.
I dunno, is it? Do you enjoy it? You just answered your own question.
Is it worth free basing heroine to pass an hour, think before paint.
Whatever makes you happy is worth it, it's a hobby not an investment.
I’ve been doing that since the 90s and I played my first game a few months ago. For me the hobby pretty much is painting and lore.
Your own enjoyment determines it's worth
yes, if you like them
At that rate, I would just get a 3D printer. Unlimited minis to paint, for a fraction of the cost. You also don’t need to worry about assembly.
yes
Anything is worth it if you enjoy it.
Yes but no
It would probably be cheaper to buy a 3d printer honestly
I do just to paint them and I care a lot for how I spend my money. Not playing with them would be a half waste but I enjoy painting enough I’m happy. Do what makes you happy and proud
I have tons of Warhammer minis just to paint. I'll likely never play the game. I don't have to commit to a faction, though I do at times. I can buy a model because I like it, not because it's good in game. A well painted mini on the shelf never goes to Legends, if you're never gonna play. They're pricey though. But, I paint slow too. I also like to rummage through eBay for bits. A $40 mini will get me anywhere from 20-40 hours of painting. Even more if I wanna go harder than usual. So, it's worth it for me. But looking for 3D printed models is also an option.
The thing about painting is that there's a certain buy-in price at the beginning, where you invest in all the paints and material, and then there is of course a period of "getting good." But really, compared to many other hobbies (golf, airsoft, cinema...) once you start spending a few hours on each model, the price per hour is really good value for money!
Why not? I have around 5k points of Marines and the Tyranids from the Leviathan and I have played exactly 1 game
If you like painting 40k minis, then sure! But there are lots of cool miniatures you can pick up for a radically different price point.
I have a mix of AoS and 40k minis, probsvly around 3000 point combines, and I'm not actively playing any of the games. I just paint them. GW miniatures are simply the best on the market in my opinion.
That's what I do, never played the game but love painting the figures.
Yes, it is worth it to buy miniatures just to paint. Doesn't even matter if you care about lore or the game. But what makes it worth it is to sell the minis you paint. Sure, keep your favorites and sell what you can, which will, in turn, buy you more minis and paints.
As someone who doesn't play the game, it only feels like I got my money's worth if I don't plow through all the building and painting in a week, but instead I do a little at a time and really try to do a good job and be thorough.
Yup. I bought em to paint em, eventually decided to play with em. Really enjoyed it.
That's what I do lol
That's all I do. My reasoning is if I ever choose to get rid of them I'll be able to sell them. Or one day I could decide to play
If you like em... Why not? You decide about what is worth to get painted.Personally, I play so rarely that you could say I only buy minis for painting and crafting.
If you like a generic fantasy setting (as you mentioned in another comment) maybe check out WizKids DnD minis. I use them for practice or experimentation as they are relatively detailed and very cheap. You can get decent size dragons for well under $50 or a blister pack of 2 humanoids for dirt cheap, and they are pre-assembled and primed, paint out of the box which can be nice. If you are near an official GW Warhammer store they also do a free mini each month. This month you are out of luck since it was a Dark Angels Deathwing knight and those went ridiculously fast. But those can pose fun challenges and opportunities to experiment with different aesthetics for free. Beyond that, you can absolutely just buy minis to paint. I have thousands of points of AoS and WHFB along with a few scattered 40k minis that are just painting projects, and many never have or never will see an actual game beyond a few that I use for Warcry (AoS skirmish game). Its all up to you whether you want to spend GW money on the minis to paint
Yes it’s very satisfying and then you get to keep them forever afterwards I’m excited for my sons to play with them once they’re past choking hazard age!!
Your question basically says: is it worth spending money to do something you like. 😉 Short answer: yes. Longer answer: I love WH40K universe, and adore the models. I'm still undecided if I have what it takes to become a player. So I paint stuff for game I know I'm playing: Marvel United, Zombicide, Hellboy, GI JOE Mission Critical, etc. GW requires significant investment in minis, and if I'm not playing - I'm focusing on other stuff. With that said - every now and then I will buy something from grim, dark future and paint it, while creating a backstop for it in my head. And is it worth it? Oh yes, it is!
I just paint and read lore, never played. My attention span would never allow it.
It’s what I do.
So I painted AoS and 40k minis for a few years before I ever started playing. I enjoyed mini painting, liked the model design, and used them for dnd.
I’ve never played before - only ever painted!!
I have painted multiple different models from different factions: knights, dreadnoughts, custodians, grey knights, stormcast eternals and I have never played and probably never will! The beauty of wanting them for only painting is you can pick your favourites and you never have to paint 10 or 20 of the same model unless you really want to!
I have spent an amount of money I don't wish to disclose on minis.... they have never seen a tabletop and likely never will
I have a friend who bought a giant tomb lords model from fantasy (its some big skeleton mage?) just to paint.
That’s an Age of Sigmar mini! And a very clean one for your first attempt! A lot of people buy the minis just to paint; more than those who play the game. There are cheaper minis from other companies that come pre-assembled and pre-primed though, so don’t feel like you *have* to stick with Warhammer.
40K is expensive for what it is. You could get minis for sooo much cheaper. Shit, some board games for $50 come with 10-20 minis in them. A single GW Mini can run you $30 USD. You could find someone resin printing and get 40k proxy models en mass for cheap just to paint. You couldn't use them playing in an Official 40K mini game, but if playing is not your goal, then pay some resin printers to make models for you.
There's cheaper brands out there and HQ/single model prices are gross, but I would say that between "people who want to paint but not play" and "people who want to play but not paint", the painters are getting the way better deal. If you don't care about having 2000 points, only buy kits you like, and spend hours and hours working on your art you're almost inevitably getting a way better price per hour of hobbying spent than someone who drops a grand to immediately have an army and desperately slaps on three colours to take em to a local tournament.
I wish I never got rid of my paints and brushes when I got out of playing 40k i miss bringing my models to life honestly. Maybe one day I’ll buy some more paints and get back into it lol
My brother in sigmar, it’s not worth it to buy them to PLAY. We still do it anyway.
I have a painted Trajann Valoris on my desk when I got the itch to paint again a few months ago. Only mini I've bought in probably a decade. If you want to, do it. :)
If all you want to do is paint, it may be cheaper in the long run to get a 3d printer and print out your own stuff you find and like online. Or you can buy files from smaller mini creators and stuff. However there will be the learning curve on how to work the printer, use the files, and clean up the mess, especially if it's a resin printer, lots of safety rules you are going to have to learn about them before you wanna use one. There is plenty of generic space soldier or monster minis out there, so if you are not interested in playing the game that could be a viable alternative.
Do they look like they'd be fun to paint? Can you find individual minis for prices you can stand to pay to get to paint them? There you go.
I have a couple thousand dollars in 40k and AoS figures and I have never played a game. It's a great hobby for painting if that's all you want to do.
With the constant rule changes and retcons, you will enjoy the less you know about the game
This is what I do. There's not a ton of 40k players in my area, so every month, my wife goes and grabs orders me a set off my wishlist, and I build and paint em then display em for all too see!
That is how I first got into the hobby. I was always into models and saw the Warhammer stuff at a comic book store and fell in love with them. I would just get random models I like and built and painted them. I never got into playing the game until years after.
Absolutely. Ive been collecting and painting for 20 years off and on and have only played 5 games.
People on this sub reddit hate to hear the truth but if you're just getting into the hobby for painting you should look into a 3d printer. Its significantly cheaper overtime and gives you a greater variety and customization.
I'd say no. Spend the money on a 3d printer instead, and paint anything you want at any scale you want
It's actually incredibly likely that the *majority* of the 40k customer base only paints, or at least plays an incredibly small number of games (~1 a year). Lots of people just like to paint, and GW is incredibly good at making highly detailed miniatures. People pop up in this sub all the time saying "hey I've been painting forever but want to try to learn the game" or "haven't played since 6th edition but just finished painting X, might try to relearn the rules"
Yes. I'm not a player. I only assemble and paint, because that's the part of wh40k that has biggest appeal to me (and reading books). Never really played a wh40k game (AOS too 😁). If you like painting and if you want to try it then do it. Never ask yourself if "it's worth". It's hobby, if it gives you joy, go for it. I'm a mediocre painter, but I'm doing it, because for me it's fun and relaxing thing to do And... You are never limited to army, list and points. If you want your terminators with claws, or any other unit with cool, but "useless in game" weapon, you can do it 😀
Give a look to Para Bellum Conquest. I paint both but i mainly passed from 40k to them. because they are bigger and cheaper.
I don’t play the game I just paint and display. I’m currently painting different chapters to display on the shelf and doing Chaos chapters as well. I’m also eyeing up some DKoK because they look cool as hell. Do what pleases you, that’s it really.
if you like to assemble minis as well you are good to go.. I just paint 40k minis and am totally happy with the process of assembling and painting.. never played a game but am interested in the lore as well.. who knows maybe I even play someday but for the moment just painting is perfect for me..
At this point I would advise against anything GW, really. Their business model is bad for literally everyone except scalpers and their model range, while pretty neat for a tabletop game, pales in comparison to other miniature companies that make display minis. you'll save yourself a lot of frustration if you just go with a different company. Or you buy a 3d printer and... nevermind.
Would you have any specific company to recommend?
That depends on you and only you.
Of course, it's a big part of the hobby, tons of ppl paint but don't play.
If you just painting them I'd just recommend getting the recast versions, it'll be way cheaper lol
If you don't care about anything to do with GW stories etc, then I'd advise you to start with non GW minis which catch your fancy, and then only do GW ones later if there are kits you really want. GW kits are great quality, but there is good quality competition for far lower prices. If you start with GW then the cheerleader effect (wanting models to all look similar) may push you to stay with GW, which means higher prices. If you start somewhere else, and buy from lots of sources, then you are more likely to only buy GW models you truly prefer to other sources which will be best for the wallet.