A Multitude of Figures

[Ochoin]

From boxes of 48 (or more) plastic figures, to single command figures from Newline, purchasing figures comes with a variety of choices in terms of numbers.

No one likes having to buy figures you don't want & will never use. As I have a large box of "surplus" plastic figures, I guess the boxes of these fall into that category. Given the relative cheapness of these, that's not that much of a problem. The metal variety generally come in groups of 3, 4, 8 or more as a pack. As unit sizes are often stipulated by wargames rules, this sometimes means buying a full pack to get one needed figure. Spare metal figures are less economically satisfying.

I'm building a Lion Rampant medieval retinue. Units come in 6s or 12s. As I'm using my favourite manufacturer, Tumbling Dice, whose figures come in 8s, it means a number of extra figures have been bought.

This isn't so much a whine as an observation, and sometimes those "extras" turn out to be useful in expanded programs. I *do* have, however, lots of single figures, painted up & with no role in a game, just because I hate not to have them finished.

donald

[Bessiere]

I'm basing my cavalry in groups of 12 which leaves extras from the larger Zvezda sets. The Russian hussars come 18 to the box so essentially I get 3 units from 2 boxes. HaT makes Russian dragoons but no command figures so once again Zvezda comes to my rescue with the art-of-tactic dragoon command set of 3. 3 boxes of HaT and I get 4 units by getting a command set for each.
Like you I do end up with lots of leftover figures, thousands of "lost boys" waiting in a box.
Cheers,
Bessiere

[Fire at Will]

My cavalry units are usually 8 figures, which would lead to having 4 left over, unless I am making multiple units and buying multiple boxes. With the Strelets WSS cavalry, it is less of an issue as I split out the over-dressed officers as command figures.

With infantry it is trickier as I like units to have a consistent feel, ie. marching, firing etc, so I have to buy enough boxes to provide the right numbers of neat units. So I always seem to have left-overs, some of which can be used for skirmishers

[Xantippos]

I like to have huge armies, and I am usually complaining about lack of men nowadays!

For me, the ideal thing is 50 men in infantry, and 18 in cavalry. The 50 men (or more!) Esci boxes were perfect. 18 in cavalry is rarer, but for example Hat does it with reissue, and is great.

When I buy sets of about 24 men, and they cost me around 18 $, like the Ultima Ratio Gladiators, doesn't seem right. They are wonderful figures, that is why I got them, but once the mould is done and all this, I would think to give twice the amount wouldn't be exaggerate.