Selling old armies.

[Sir Clausel]

Hi everyone.

Im thinking about selling my old firstborn ultramarines army since i really dont use it anymore. BUT since it is a pretty large force and i have spent so much time painting and converting it, it has alot of sentimental value for me. I know i cant be the only one who is this conflicted about it.

Its not like i need the money or something like that but i kinda hate that its not being used.

Have you guys any tips on what i should do? Have you sold an old army you didnt use and what did you feel after? Did you regret it or?

[Grotsmasha]

The best thing to do, is go to Ikea, buy a nice glass display case and put it out in the living room for all to admire, guarantee you'll smile every time you see it.

[Rhavien]

The one thing I've learned over the last 25 year is: Never sell old models. As time goes by you will regret it. Especially as you don't need the money.

Like grotsmasha already has said. Pick the models you like the most and get them a nice display place. Store the rest somewhere save. 

[Doghouse]

Unless you desperately need the money then I'd go with everyone here. I've lost track of the number of times I've seen players sell an army only to spend time years later trying to buy it back.

[duz_]

I disagree with the above 

I've offloaded several armies and projects I no longer have time, energy, interest, space for. This includes a good chunk of my first born Raven Guard. That was tough seeing my hand painted digicam bikers go knowing they'd be stripped and repainted. Freeing up the space and the extra coin was nice, so was the mental energy I gained from not having it weigh on me. 

[MARK0SIAN]

I would echo others here and say keep it unless you have some particular need to get rid of it like you need space/money etc.

I do understand the feeling of wanting it to be used though. Can I ask why you no longer use? Is it simply you don’t play the game anymore or just don’t play that particular army anymore? 

If it’s the latter maybe you could take them out for a spin sometime or even use them to delve into age of darkness as much of the army is likely useable. Failing that have you got a friend who would play it and look after it as a kind of custodian so that it’s being used by someone who appreciates it but is still yours?

[Tyriks]

I have sold armies and I have yet to regret it. But most of them have been projects I started but never really "clicked." I don't sell stuff I was emotionally invested in, even when they aren't fun to play because they will be at some point.

 

But selling unpainted stuff is a huge weight off my shoulders sometimes.

Edited June 26, 2022 by Nemesor Tyriks

[Sir Clausel]

This is a fully painted and "finished" army(no army is ever truly finished). But I dont play it anymore as i have made other marine armies which are mainly primaris.
But I think I will keep it for now as it sounds like i will regret it.
Thanks alot for your input guys.

[Slave to Darkness]

Dont sell, repaint red with a burning daemon skull on a black pad, will look much better. ;) 

 

Jokes aside, sit on the idea and have a good think about it, I sold some fantasy stuff that was pre slotta base (1st ed stuff I think) regret that now. 

[Noserenda]

Sold a lot of minis over the years and it often hurts, especially space marines as they depreciate sooo damn fast. If you don't need the money/space pack em away and enjoy them in the future. 

[firestorm40k]

I've sold several armies over the years - I think when you're starting in the hobby, you're still learning how to paint well or how to convert miniatures properly, it's inevitable that you end up selling your first attempts. I think I sold my first 5 or 6 'armies' (usually 1000-1500 points in 3rd Ed 40k) because of that. 

The situation you've described though is different - if you've had an army project that you're happy with the painting and model construction, I'd say it's a shame to sell them if they've been a labour of love and you were otherwise happy and proud of the finished results. In this instance, I'd say they're worth holding on to, putting on display - maybe only worth looking to sell if things get really tight, or you want to fund something nice (e.g. once in a lifetime holiday ). 

I can identify with this, as my Chaos Space Marines that I spent almost 7 years working on currently sit in cases under my bed, and I'll unlikely use them in games again - but they were such an investment of time and hobby passion on my part, I certainly wouldn't want to sell them. 

So to echo what others have said, keep your Marines, put them on display if you can. Unless you have to sell them because you've no choice, or are funding something special, I think you'd end up regretting it. 

[JaM_TW]

18 hours ago, duz_ said:

I disagree with the above 

I've offloaded several armies and projects I no longer have time, energy, interest, space for. This includes a good chunk of my first born Raven Guard. That was tough seeing my hand painted digicam bikers go knowing they'd be stripped and repainted. Freeing up the space and the extra coin was nice, so was the mental energy I gained from not having it weigh on me. 

Bolded by me. 

I am in this camp.  let someone else enjoy your minis, however they do it. 

Good luck!

[Emperor Ming]

I used to have a huge old metal praetorian guard force

I kept certain models like officers for sentimental value, then sold everything else

Better to have some for sentimental value rather than tons just sitting around gathering dust is my thoughts

 

[Halandaar]

I've sold several armies in the past but only regretted maybe one of those (my Minotaurs, which had a huge amount of extensively kitbashed units in it). Selling my Drukhari allowed me a clean slate to come back and do them better a few years later, and selling my Tyranids gave me the shelf space to start a new project I was more invested in.

There isn't a right or wrong answer here, it all depends on what you want to gain from selling it. If you don't need the money and you just want the space, consider boxing it up and putting it in storage (loft, garage or something). If it's more the feeling that it's wasted just sitting around not playing games, then you could always try to drum up some interest for a narrative campaign where the army's not-quite-up-to-date is less of a drawback.

 

 

[The Yncarne]

Every now and then I need to unload armies that no longer bring me joy. It frees up space for new stuff. The last two were marine armies I gave away. I want to believe that most of my former armies weren't stripped and repainted.

[MegaVolt87]

I never had any luck selling, even if it was cheap. I gave away armies, recycled them into others or traded unopened poxes at RRP with others with unpoened boxes from their mountain of shame. 

[lhg033]

I think it comes down to how sentimental you are and the level of your 'hobby magpie'

Sentimental 
Clearly you do care about this army. Maybe try dusting it off for a game at some point. Possible try older rules with them if you have opponents with similar older armies? Or alternativly, if it's your thing, just get the models out now and again to look at/setup on a table and enjoy seeing/handling them. If you find you dont have a connection with them anymore at this point it might be worth selling some/all of it. 

 I have a DA army in the loft that I've not touched in 20+ years but personally I couldnt sell it as for me it is too personal, depsite the paint job. That was the army I played to death with and really put effort into building. Even all the on sprue stuff I have for this is sentimental in some way as one day I will do more on it! (and everything else I've accumulated). By contrast, I would probably be happy to sell of quite a bit from my 1st ever army, 2nd edition chaos, if I ever were to retrieve it from my parents house. I'd keep a few trophy pieces and the codex but the rest I'm less fussed about. 

 

'Hobby Magpie' 

This is more down to what your personality is. As others have said, you may sell then later on want the same models again to either rebuild the army or for a new project.

I've sold a number of random projects that I decided I was just not really interested in. Generally I have no regrets here for the most part as it has been few and far between and is something I just am not interested in (WFB armies I dipped my toe into, random other stuff). from my experience I would say though, hang onto anything you think has character (or is a character). The only thing I do regret selling was the old metal Belakor though not enough I would re-buy it.

 

[WAR]

So I have both sold and not sold armies in the past. It depends on the sentimental value to me.  And often the sold armies I debate rebuilding them and often never do.  My Adepta Sororitas and Grey Knights I would never sale as I loved the fluff back in 2nd edition.  My Raptors Scout army is the only army I sold and then rebuilt it with all scouts again, and Phobos cause scouts are elites now......  I do have my 5th Company of Crimson Fist First born still, in storage, that I keep saying I'm gonna sell but don't. 

If you sell the models keep your favorites and conversions and put them on display is my best piece of advice.