Would you play with unpainted figs?

[MikeH]

Play with what you have for now, as it will encourage you to paint up the figures that do well in the game

[Archdukek]

Only very, very rarely if I wanted to try out a new unit type before spending time to money on getting it painted. I hate painting but love the sight of painted miniatures on the table.

However, I might be tempted to use some Army Painter primer to spray one set of figures red and the other blue and claim that I am fielding the classic Red and Blue armies beloved of military planners. How's that for an ImagiNation!

John

[shandy]

I never really understood that discussion. I mean, it's your time, do what you want and what makes you happy - it's better to have fun than to chastise yourself for not meeting other people's standards.

[Morgan]

What shandy said. If playing a game is a higher priority for you, do it with scraps of paper if necessary. If painting is its own reward, get on and do that first. Personally, I would never pass up a game just because I hadn't painted something.

[Peter]

My main motivation for getting SP2 was already having Napoleonic, ACW and First Northern War (British/Maori) forces available. But in general I'll wait til I have troops painted before they go on the table.

Peter

[sackatatties]

My original period was Napoleonic... Needless to say there was always someone in the club to tell you the colour of the epaulets on your 15mm cacadores was the wrong shade. Sometimes it was less painful to play with unpainted figures (shock, horror).

I'll usually do a speed paint run to get the figures on the table and add the depth and detail when I have the time (or at least that's the theory).

Figures aren't really a problem for me - it's painting terrain that I hate.......

[Lightbulb]

I don't let myself play with unpainted miniatures. That way I have some motivation to paint them. Even it's just to a very basic level.

I do find it works but once I have one army done painting a second is less likely. Sadly doesn't stop me buying new projects though.

[pedivere]

the aspiration of "gaming with painted miniatures only" is a double edged sword as I have come to learn from both points of view.
As probably everyone, I started wargaming with unpainted miniatures mostly,as I wanted to game. Long before proper wargaming, I had been painting my toys and models, so I was not a stranger to thze concept. While gaming, I did paint miniatures and did prefer to game with them, but I never refused any oponent because he would not have painted ones. I could not have, since I never had enough painted miniatures so fielded unpainted units myself. And that is actually the problem with demanding from others to have painted miniatures. Apart from the joy of a visually attractive game, it comes with a whole package of exclusivity attitude and pretense, in the line of "wanting to join the club but not wanting to follow the rules" and that kind of "club" attitude (which interestingly I have observed mostly among british gamers, not german or US ones...). Anyway, since a few years I have gamed with painted miniatures only (myself), not least because it forces me to paint them. I would still never refuse to game someone with unpainted ones, and I would try to encourage them to follow my example. Because looking down on others because they, for whatever reasons, cannot perform the same way is simply the most damaging one can do to a wargaming community. Beside it showing a despicable character you know my number

[nicholascaldwell]

Good heavens, man! Get those figures on the table! The biggest incentive to painting is to play a game without painted miniatures. And if you never paint them - so what? It's more important to have an enjoyable memory of a fun game with friends.

I'm envious - all I have time for at the moment is painting (due to 6 month old junior gamer). If I could sneak in a couple of hours for a game I'd use jelly babies for units if I had to!

Best,
Nick

[Derek H]

The biggest incentive to painting is to play a game without painted miniatures. And if you never paint them - so what? It's more important to have an enjoyable memory of a fun game with friends.
Nick[/quote}

My biggest incentive to painting is that I get to play games with the figures when I get them finished.

And I have plenty of other toys for fun games with my friends while I'm doing it.