What Even Is A Tabletop Ready Miniature!? | Wargaming In A Weekend

Do you think the Wargaming hobby is intimidating to get into? I do! It took me ages to take the plunge... But I'm glad I did, IN MY OWN WAY! :)
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[@Rybonator]

This was my first video with a more 'Serious narrative/ending' to it. I hope you enjoyed, and I hope I kept it goofy enough to be entertaining. I truly don't care how YOU enjoy the hobby, I just think everyone who wants to try it, shouldn't be too intimidated to do so! :)

[@pennysaver9111]

Pardon my ignorance but what are the names of the models, they all look amazing! Or where can I get them? In particular the pegasus warrior you airbrushed.

[@Rybonator]

@@pennysaver9111 No worries! Check out the fantasy section of their website :) But here is the pegasus rider - www.ragingheroes.com/collections/fantasy/products/eurianne-des-greant-on-hippalectryon-sisters-f

[@meikahidenori]

Coming from Warhammer, TTReady means it has flat colour, that's it. They litterly used that as an example in the rule book! Infact it's rare to see a fully painted army at any table unless it's competitive and your limmited to how many you take based on army point value. I played Skaven against my husband and no joke i had twice the amount of minis and when you look at a block of 30 minis you do flats and a wash and essentially your done because no one can tell they aren't fully done properly unless they hold them...and if they aren't who cares? Best armies were undead - all bone.... fastest army I EVER painted and did it in a hour.😆 If you only have 20 minis or less, yeah go nuts and paint detail. If you have a 15,000 point skaven army (which is several dozen regiments ) then yeah nah, if you can fudge it no one will notice. Long as you put effort into a display peice (ie big item or singluar character thatbis always in rhe open) no one will notice you half arsed or couldn't be bothered to paint the block of 30 ratmen. I played Skyre so my peices were always doomwheel, warplock enginer and the rest were barely painted as they were all brown anyway.😆 with dnd long as you have a model just bring it far as I'm concerned , even if unpainted (Half the WotC models for Eberron suck anyway paintjob wise so a bare mini isn't any worse than those disasters)

[@soulance8342]

I enjoyed it greatly. Is it weird if all I want to do with minis is kit-bash, make an epic scene and paint it. I don't even care about playing.

[@gocaps83]

I'm definitely having this problem. Looking at /r minipainting makes me think my Bad Moons will never be ready. Time to simplify and lower my expectations as I am brand new.

[@piercedsiren]

This reminds me of cosplay. You can cosplay with an "incomplete" cosplay so long as it's clear who you're doing. Yes there's people with incredibly high quality stuff, but you don't need it.

[@Rybonator]

^ This is a good comparison. I cosplayed ONCE as a spartan soldier, but I didn't look like Leonidas ONE BIT! I just had fun with it though :)

[@AgentLadyHawkeye]

Absolutely! As a cosplayer I couldn't agree more. There are plenty of cosplays that people throw together out of what they have in their closets and it's still recognizably a specific character. Closet cosplay is still cosplay.

[@piercedsiren]

@@AgentLadyHawkeye I really think it's a great character if you can recognize it despite it not looking like it does in the original material. Not everyone can or will want to cosplay to perfect realism. It's more like "what would this character wear if they weren't wearing what they are ?"

[@AgentLadyHawkeye]

@@piercedsiren agreed. And sometimes it's actually harder to capture a character out of their canon costume.

[@TheeCatfreaky]

I like how you treat this topic in a serious way because it is serious and still don't lose your personality in this video! The barriers are really bad and if you have more fun playing than painting you are kept away from this hobby. Especially when you were introduced to war gaming and stuff online (as most of my friends were). So thank you for speaking on this topic and treating it seriously!

[@Rybonator]

Thank you for the kind comment Mara :) I do think if we can lower the barriers, and gatekeeping attitude of some players, this hobby would be more fun, grow incredibly large! (And cheaper as a result!)

[@moltari]

@@Rybonator I agree! Hate keeping keeps me out of war gaming in general. It’s so damaging to the hobby!

[@leurehc]

"I have a dozen Friends [...]" *lonely cries in the background*

[@JBantha]

As long as you can tell the teams apart: Tournament ready.

[@Rybonator]

^ Boom

[@chaosdestructionlove]

Honestly could just get a paint marker and colour the base x colour or dots in an easy to see place etc. it's really sad hearing how much pressure the mini painting expectations are putting on folks, esp since a lot of folks already are intimidated by artsy or crafty things.

[@nataliakapusciok4198]

​@@chaosdestructionlove At my LGS we don't give a crap and if new models/armies come we play on bases or marked cutout paper bases xD We also tell this to new players after intro games so they know they don't have to rush! (I know I'm watching it like 2 weeks too late) When we test armies or new combinations we use proxies with models we have if we have any - you can field a grey ocean as long as we know what is what. Aaaand then comes tournament time and for like a 1-1,5 months it's paint crunch to field new models and get those sweet 'hobby' points. But on local tournaments you just don't get all of the bonus, whats important is that there are models

[@LostWhits]

I saw a game played with primed pieces with yellow sticky dots on one side, and blue sticky dots on the other. They paint them during school term, but bought them on way home from school on the last day. 2 weeks of playing ain't no-one got time for paint to dry.

[@DDCRExposed]

Hot tip: painting eyes. I hold my breath as a sniper might before pulling the trigger so I can ease in without my heartbeat shaking my hands and I can do the eyes.

[@tmntleo]

Reminds me of the time I wasn't allowed to join a D&D game. First it was because I didn't have a custom mini (I usually use a painted Warforged mini that was given to me since I'd never been to a game where a custom was required, but in this case I was told I needed a custom mini which I had ordered and it hadn't shown up. I had told the DM it wasn't here yet and he said it was fine since this was just the session 0, but when I got there suddenly it wasn't fine and I had to spend the whole session not playing), then it was because it wasn't painted, then it was because it wasn't painted "well enough". I have a tremor, painting is difficult. I enjoy it which is why I still do it, it does actually help with the tremor and also calms me down quite a bit, but nothing is gonna be amazing and flawless and these peeps knew full well about my shaky hand issue and I was, once again, told it would be fine. "As long as it is painted that's fine" was what I was told. In the end the DM painted it for me (he volunteered to do it, but then proceeded to act like it was the biggest inconvenience ever), but I left after a couple of sessions because the players all acted like I was an inconvenience all the time, like anytime I asked if we could do something it was always replied with something like "Of course the PALADIN wants to check out the temple" "Oh yes, let's send the PALADIN in to talk because goody god boy will fix it". Takeaway from this vid and story, don't gatekeep games with ridiculous requirements. A mini is a mini, I've played in D&D games where my mini is a cheap fluffy easter chick glued to a blue square or a piece of Lego. Heck, in one game our battle map was a chess board and our minis were wooden chess pieces that we'd painted and put googly eyes on, we played like that for two years!

[@sarahs4655]

They wouldn't let you play because your mini wasn't painted well enough? Duuuuuuuude that's bullshit. We always have an abundance of spare minis people can use if they want, because I love painting them, but its just as likely someone will use a lego person, or an eraser, or a bottle cap. Not to mention there's plenty of people who don't use maps and minis at all when they play. Ugh, the gatekeeping is so toxic.

[@Rybonator]

That sounds awful Commander, it sucks that you were brushed aside like that. I have shaky hands too, so it's difficult for me to continue for a long period of painting, so I feel you. I'm sorry that happened. But hey! You came out on the other side all the better for it, and do cool things like googly eyed chess pieces! haha :) Sounds rad to me!

[@isabellamandert7848]

That sounds terrible, Commander, so sorry to hear that! I used to be nervous thinking I would have to have a mini and paint it in order to play D&D only to find out that -luckily- that's BS. In my group we usually go with theater of the mind and if we really need a map I prepare it on the grid-side of flipchart paper and the "minis" are numbered coin-sized pieces of wood. In the group I play in and don't DM our minis are also those same pieces of wood with our character names on them and my familiar is literally a pistachio shell. I love it!

[@dougredshirt3991]

Goodness, when I started playing D&D back in the 70s, we used a checker board for the dungeon floor and dominoes for walls. Can't remember what we used for playing pieces.

[@Bluecho4]

Wow, that DM sounds like an unreasonable person, and not worth playing with. Gatekeepers all over the shop...

[@rambler209]

I remember playing 40k and fantasy at the local shop during summers in college. Without fail, we would always have at least one squad on the table that was only the bases, because the someone had just bought the item and hadn't gotten to put them together yet. I painted my army slowly because I didn't have much time to spend on it, and I never saw gatekeeping about how "table ready" the minis were. I think, if I saw that happen, I would have turned around and told everyone I met that they shouldn't go to that place to play or buy.

[@mandala314]

My background is fine art but I started painting minis & I'm addicted! The only thing I do different is use long liner brushes - they hold a LOT of paint & the tips are finer than the tiniest brushes. Also dry-brushing adds tons of detail & model paints are so liquid, I use plain tube acrylics for dry-brusing & shipping. Also try using small bits of sea sponge held in tweezers, it's great for textures

[@jennagottlieb9799]

I used to play 40k at a games workshop in tournaments where the require 3 colors down and I can not paint as I have a motor function disability and to get around their rules (players and like half the staff did not care) I would do a base coat and 2 stripes and put some rocks on the base with hot glue. I Think this rule was in effect just so people didn’t buy models and build them day of to use in the tournament.

[@Rybonator]

Man, if you bought the model, who cares! Buy it day of, that's fine with me! You just have less practice than I would now! haha. I totally get the shakes when I paint, though not to a disability level, so my sympathies for you having to skirt the rules. But at least you found a way around :)

[@robo1540]

my definition of tabletop ready is like a chess piece, a small piece of paper with the name of the unit written on it, or a tiny pebble

[@samuellund1377]

"Ok, so we're going to be using M&M's to represent these enemies" Can we eat them when they die? "Of course." Sweet.

[@zephyrstrife4668]

A friend of mine doesn't really like painting models, but I love the idea of doing so. I'm still trying to find time to paint my marines so I can make him a bit jealous, lol. Since we are just friends, we don't give a damn that the models aren't painted, they just look nice. I don't even have anything other than acrylic craft paints to paint with.

[@LucretiaPearl]

Totally agree the term should be "tournament ready" rather than "table-top ready" It's one thing to have tournaments with that to keep cheating/thieving easier to spot, but for just a random game with trusted friends, you maybe put something else (like name on the bottom) to differentiate if needed. I never tried warhammer or that type, just makes sense to do it like you prefer.

[@Rybonator]

I 100% agree. It's misleading, and makes people feel as if they can't even start in the hobby

[@m2lus523]

On the one hand I agree with the video... on the other those are some really nice minis, and with the price of Raging Heroes minis I don't think I would ever consider just settling for "tabletop ready"

[@jessicahawkins669]

Bless, Rybonator. Thank you for making this. I adore painting minis. It's my way of dealing with my own personal issues. It's a way for me to relax. But a friend who plays competitively in Warhammer here in Aus before the lockdowns warned me about wargaming. He said, "Jess, if you just want new minis to paint, that's fine. But don't get into the hobby to try and play. I know you, and your anxiety won't stand up to the pressure." And I've listened. I only paint for me and the enjoyment of my group. It shouldn't matter how well done a mini is to be part of something.

[@Rybonator]

Amen! I get random spurts of painting inspiration, but not enough to -display detail- paint a whole army. It's just not fun at that point, and stresses me out :(

[@HerosMuse]

tabletop ready sounds like classic internet gatekeeping

[@Rybonator]

You're not wrong

[@NiteLynr]

Thank you so much for this. Just getting back into it after a couple of decades away and was getting into the 'Aw hell, do I have to be Golden Demon level?' phase and you've reinvigorated my "screw 'em" mode...going to paint my armies /my/ way and have fun with my mates, thank you again.

[@Rybonator]

This made me freaking smile Nite! I'm super excited for you! Hope to play you some day :)

[@NiteLynr]

@@Rybonator Ya never know! For now, I'm worrying about getting my resin settings right, dialing in my airbrush and learning all the new updated rules although OPR is dragging me off on a tangent...

[@happypancakes6895]

I always enjoy the people in communities who say "you don't have to have all this stuff to be able to join" because when it comes down to it, not everyone has the money or the time to do what some would say they "need" to do to be able to participate. And those people are usually the ones who encourage new comers to join and have fun with what they have.

[@Rybonator]

I'm glad you enjoyed :) I'd ALWAYS much rather have MORE people to play with, rather than less.

[@WhydTheyChangeOurNames]

My first custom D20 is in its final 2 hours of soft curing right now and that's all thanks to your amazing content and infectious positive attitude that gave me the determination that I could do this too. So thank you!

[@Rybonator]

That's so awesome Brendan! Thank YOU for watching and participating in the hobby :) That makes me so happy! Send pics!

[@WhydTheyChangeOurNames]

@@Rybonator I'll tweet them to you tomorrow after I've hopefully cleaned and painted them :)

[@beezany]

I agree with you on the "tournament ready" terminology! GW has been moving in that direction lately by calling their basic standard "battle ready" instead of "tabletop ready." They've also changed their 40K rules so that painting scores points instead of being a requirement for play. I'm just glad that my local club is very beginner-friendly and not at all strict about painting requirements.

[@weizenfuchs]

For us, tabletop ready is as soon as the mini is able to stand on it's own on the base. A good friend of mine started playing and it's incredible satisfying to see new minis painted or some details changed whenever he brings his army. Being able to see his progress is awesome.

[@zreiser]

THANK YOU! There's too much gatekeeping in the ttrpg sphere; the fewer barriers there are, the better!

[@Rybonator]

Absolutely! The more the merrier!

[@boardsandstuff5008]

Is mostly Wargames. Table top rpgs are more flexibles and focus on playing the game. At least where I played. I got into warhammer but as the video states I quickly gave up under the presure and criticism of people who expect you to be a Picasso of mini painting or else they won’t allow you to play.

[@boardsandstuff5008]

At one point I had to paint over three times before the big kahunas of the war gaming scene in my community gave the seal of approval. So I gave up sold all my warhammer stuff and stayed with dnd and board games which are very fun and the board game community is more focused on panting a game than preping for a miniatures fashion show.

[@guidetoanything]

This was great, I so far haven't been interested in warhammer type games because of all the minis involved, also the lore and it seems you have to be very intensely interested in it to actually join in, but you're always so supportive and I'm glad that you've found a few groups who are more inclusive. I agree that all game groups should be more inclusive if they want new members to have fun with. Best wishes :)

[@Rybonator]

I don't think you need to know the lore (though ALL of warhammer age of sigmar lore is RAD as heck haha.), but yeah there is pages on pages of things you need to learn/remember for each army in order to maximize their effectiveness. THAT should be the main barrier, not 'gatekeeping' of quality. It's definitely something you have to be willing to put some time towards, so I get a general hesitancy. I'm glad you still find the content around it entertaining and positive :)

[@pflasterstrips7254]

get a piece of cradboard cut in the right size of the base of the model write what kind of unit it is with sharpy play with that. extra points for different color for easier recognition.

[@Rybonator]

Borrow a buddy's Games Workshop boxes to make my cardboard proxies, just to really stick it to em ;p

[@Stevelover0267]

This is a really good video. My boyfriend has been interested in Warhammer 40k for awhile and I agreed to play with him, so I'm just getting into it right now. I've never built or painted miniatures before, and I didn't realize that some people had such high standards for how minis should look. Luckily I'll only be playing with him so I can relax if my slaansh army doesn't turn out "tabletop ready".

[@Rybonator]

oh man, enjoy your slanesh! I just started a slaves to darkness sigmar army, and am excited. Best of luck in your battles with your bf!

[@Stevelover0267]

@@Rybonator thanks! I'm super excited to start playing. And I know it will make him happy too! Funny enough he got me into d&d in a very similar fashion

[@AMK650]

Too be honest the one that was simply primed white and washed with one colour looked awesome. I think that is way better than having just 3 random colors slapped on to it.

[@Rybonator]

I really like the dip wash look on a lot of minis :) shows a lot of detail for hardly any work!

[@mraccomplice]

Okay so I'm in a very emotional state right now and I started crying at the later half (around 5:24) because it just spoke to me as a creative. I don't do minis but I cosplay and I constantly feel that nagging of like this needs to be PERFECT and 100% COMPLETE and "accurate" to the point where I where... I just WON'T do some cosplays because I feel like I wouldn't be able to do them at all or get them "perfect". I love this video so much, actually

[@moltari]

Oh man. Thanks for turning me in to contrast paints for my resin printed minis. That’s… maybe the easiest way for me to make them look decent at the d&d table.

[@Tyler_Gomola]

I personally think that the only aspect of the hobby that should have a paint-based barrier to entry is painting competitions. The actual war game side, even at tournament level, should have one barrier; is the mini assembled and on the correct size base. You got that, you're good to go. This obsession with high level painting has made multiple lgs i played at completely inhospitable to new players.

[@cassandracastro2759]

Not a wargamer, but I love miniature painting. I really enjoy the relaxing process and the satisfying results of that hobby. Having said that, I never considered a game with miniatures that needed to have the minis painted before playing it. It's just bling bling, and during the play I'm more concentrated on the mechanical choices rather than the aspect of the table. Obviously it's prettier when you have the minis painted so they don't look like pieces of plastic thrown into a colorful cardboard/plastic setting, but in the end it's just that, pretty. BTW, I'd totally dig that stone sculture aesthetic, I'll look fo a cheap set on which to try it.

[@kosachilles2504]

Really enjoying this series!! Love seeing all these 3d printed miniatures

[@Dekan83]

I love your content! You have inspired me to attemp my desires, I have begun to create my own dice and other fun things!!!

[@Rybonator]

That's awesome Dekan! That makes me so happy :) I'm glad you found some things that you are passionate about!

[@Dekan83]

I watched your videos and absolutely loved the ideas!!! you are very informative and accurate and detailed with all of your instructional vids, thank you!!!!!

[@Rybonator]

@@Dekan83 You're welcome my friend :)

[@chaoskarlos987]

I love painting and basing minis and i think its very cool if both army are fully painted and based very well. On that note: painting takes a lot of time and playing with unpainted minis doesnt make the game worse

[@HagenBraun]

First off, let me say that I completely agree with the sentiment of your video: As a community, we should try to keep the barrier to entry for the tabletop hobby low, and nobody should feel like they can tell you how to play with your own toys. But for me personally, there is also something in the message of your video that kind of misses the mark: From my perspective, the tabletop hobby is not just about playing whatever war game you have picked. It's also about the spectacle and about self-expression though the aesthetics of your army. Sure, you can just play the game if you want to. Or you can just paint. But still, there is a way to engage with the hobby that really, integrally includes both. At least that's what made me get into miniature games when I was younger: The prospect of two fully realized, individualized armies facing off on a scenic board. Not simply the idea of pushing around grey models on a featureless tabletop. To a degree, I think you feel this, too. After all, in your other video you recommend 3D printing those two One Page Rules Lizardman/Tomb Kings proxy armies. You don't recommend making cardboard tokens and writing "LIZZARD" or "SKELLINGTON" on them, even though surely the barrier to entry for that is even lower than 3D printing. I think it somewhat reveals what aspects of the hobby you find fun: You obviously like working with resin and 3D printing (I got that clue from the whole youtube channel thing you have going on). To me, that kind of thing would have been way more daunting than buying a box of guys and slapping three paints on them. That is another part of your video that does not resonate with me completely: It's clear that you don't particularly enjoy painting models, and you present the prospect of painting "tabletop ready" as a chore. But painting can be fun, and indeed is fun for a lot of people. I don't think it's good to prime new players with the mindset of "Playing the game is the fun part, painting is a chore that gatekeepers try to force on you". In reality, both parts of the hobby can be fun (although of course they won't be fun for everyone). And, by the way, I personally think you could also enjoy painting more if you got into it a bit more deeply or found the right approach. It's clear that you like the artistic and crafty side of tabletop stuff, judging from all those dice making videos. I don't think it's wrong if people only want to play tabletop games with armies painted to a certain standard. After all, if that's the big draw of the tabletop hobby for you over stuff like board games or computer strategy games, that's a very valid reason. And I also don't necessarily think it's wrong for hobby spaces like game stores to make it clear that the expectation is that if you want to play in that space, you have to engage with the crafty side of the hobby at least to a certain degree. Just, you know, be reasonable about it. Don't just tell people "Come back when you have painted 2000 points worth of models, noob". Actually teach them about painting. Make them realize it does not have to be a chore. Set reasonable expectation, like slow-growing an army by painting a box of models per month. Cheer people on for having one more model painted than last time, even if their army is mostly grey. That kind of thing. Again, I really agree with the sentiment. Lower that barrier to entry. But also ask the question "Entry to what?". And maybe the answer should not just be "Entry to the 'game' part of tabletop games." but could also be "Entry to playing with a painted army that you are proud of."

[@kirajones1650]

I honestly didn’t know this was a thing? I definitely see the appeal of painting the minis so you can have a beautiful looking set but setting that as a standard? Heck! I bounce between projects so often I’d never finish a set! Really cool to see all the different ways you could paint them though! Maybe one day!

[@Rybonator]

My wife calls me a Hobby Hopper for the same reason haha. I'm hoping to have a fully painted set one day! But it may take years...

[@kirajones1650]

@@Rybonator it’ll be the best heckin painted set the world has ever known!!! I’m excited for the day I can play in person and have an excuse to paint a mini for dnd XD

[@MrWingman]

THAT was a great video! Because its exactly that what drives me crazy about wargaming and has hold me back for so long. I personally dont like unpainted minis on the table but its basically unavoidable. Im painting for month now on my 100+ model army of dwarfs for the old world and I just today accepted that its ok to play with unpainted miniatures and just paint whenever I feel like and not because I have to finish the army. Thank you for the video!

[@maertsnosmirc]

I'm sitting down with my first minis for Kill Team having a minor panic attack, so I really appreciate this video.

[@Rybonator]

Don't sweat it. Have fun, and enjoy! If it stops being fun, take a break and relax, come back to it later :)

[@johncaisse2607]

I think if someone is willing to use Risk pieces to stand in for armies, just to learn to play the game before they sink hundreds of dollars into it - then they are tabletop ready.

[@TJtheBee]

You know what else bugs me about tabletop gaming? Well, two things. One: I have a "get started" box of Slaves to Darkness, and while I'm slowly "painting" them (they're halfway done and in my bits box right now), I don't know how many points they are and if I could play a game with just them. I'm not fully sure who I could ask. The other issue is, my local hobby shop isn't super welcoming, and my fear is that I'd go to a tournament there and find...and I apologize...neckbeards. Especially as a transman who hasn't physically transitioned. There's a certain stereotype to the hobby that means that for people like me, getting in the door feels impossible. And that's not to mention the cost. I'll just stick to D&D. It's more my speed anyway - assuming I can ever find people to play. But at least in that case, there's less that I need to learn, and I can have some control over who I game with.

[@Rybonator]

I have the same box! Love the minis in it, but it's not enough for a 1000 point game sadly, which is considered a small game :/ You are right, there are in fact the 'stereotypical neck beard' types who ruin great hobbies like this! They used to ruin DnD too, but that's gotten a lot better :)

[@beezany]

Yeah, the "Start Collecting" boxes are only helpful if you already know what you're doing. GW has improved on that with their new "Combat Patrol" boxes, which are specifically built to provide you with a minimum-size (500 point) army. The downside is that they're $140 instead of $90ish, but at least they're ready to play. And you have my sympathy on the fitting-in aspect too. I'm non-binary myself, and I'm lucky to have a local wargame scene that is generally accepting of my queerness.

[@mudawott]

There is a stereotype. And its there for a reason. But! Some game stores have gey started or painting days and they can be great for scoping out the customers that visit (Thats how i scope places to play)

[@jovialjesus7144]

Not sure about the link between struggling with picking up a game because the steep learning curve and being transgender in the hobby. Can't help with the second but the start collecting shouldn't be confusing as long as you have the slaves to darkness book, reading that and the core rules are literally the first step if you want to play. You can even use the free online tool GW provides to build an AoS list (warscroll builder) and see how many points you have. I would also say that if you are still learning the game and only have a few models you shouldn't worry about tournaments or the competitive scene at this stage, just play a couple small games and figure out if you like AoS first.

[@jordanpruett2177]

The neckbeard issue is why I haven't gotten into it. I'm afab nonbinary but haven't been able to medically transition so I tend to be percieved as a chick. The game store that runs it at a time I can go has a big neckbeard issue. My sister went with her boyfriend who's into the game, not a neckbeard, and told me she wouldn't go there without a guy with her because of all the creeps.

[@braddalrymple8615]

You have inspired me to actually prime those minnies that I put together and never got anywhere with because I felt overwhelmed. You're always a hero to me❤

[@Rybonator]

D'aww Brad :) That's so wholesome! I'm glad you got bit by the inspiration bug! Can't wait to see what you make :)

[@nativeenglishpaul2836]

Fantastic video. I have felt this way for years. I am afraid to put paint on my minis because I am sure I will ruin them and can't possibly achieve the level of detail or cool looking models that other people do. That's it, you've inspired me to get some paint on them this weekend.

[@tren4_]

This is so cool! Love your channel. Loved this take and it made me want to join the hobby!

[@Rybonator]

Tren, that made my day! That is exactly what I wanted to hear from someone :) I hope that if you do give it a shot, you love every minute of it!

[@spoonz202]

One of the reasons that most places require 3 colors is because they don't want to get them confused between players so people can't accuse others of stealing them. 3 colors allows a good level of combinations so that hopefully they're not all the same. that said some people really play gatekeeper here.

[@Rybonator]

That's a great argument in favor of the 3 color rule! I can see that being an issue. Thanks for the new perspective on it! And yeah, gatekeeping is heavy here though..

[@redred9000]

Gate keeping will be the death of any hobby

[@Rybonator]

Exactly! New players, means MORE players :)

[@Adri_Unsung]

Sometimes opinions are facts 😌

[@Rybonator]

Heh, I feel validated now :)

[@jacob6071]

*stares in confused D&D DM* you mean there are games where a cardboard square with "chimera" hastily written on it isn't good enough?

[@Rybonator]

Lmao, are you my old DM? Nah that's always a blast. That just means you have EVERY mini at your fingertips!

[@jacob6071]

@@Rybonator lol almost certainly not. I have upgraded to a resin printer last year so I now don't need the cardboard proxies nearly as much

[@roundishwhale]

Very Lovely Video! Always for lowering the entry barrier on hobbies^^

[@alienlobsteroo4882]

I have two different definitions regarding Tabletop readiness: 1. (If playing with friends): "As long as you can make out who the units belong too, it's good enough to be played with!" 2. (If playing with people who expect a little more): "As long as your army has it's basic colour scheme painted and your army has a clear cohesion between different units, it's good enough!" and a third one for Showroom readiness: 3. As long as you think "This is one of my best works!" or you feel like deserving a pat on the back, it's absolutely showroom material!

[@Emanuele_Sacchi]

I'm 100% with you man... my minis are "tabletop ready" when they are assembled/3d printed. Of course when I'm in the mood and I have time to spare I also enjoy painting heroes, big monsters, and the like, but the vast majority of my minis are (and will likely remain forever) blank.

[@cal9052]

this is my favorite series you've done in a while I don't have a 3d printer yet but once I get it I'm trying out warhammer

[@malanok]

You're right that "tournament ready" would be a much better term, tabletop ready just means the game can be played and models recognised at a glance (ie, not an army of empty bases). Personally I am in the hobby for building and painting and only play when my brother really wants to

[@cinnabarsin4288]

If someone won't play with you because of your state of painting, probably not the person you want to be playing with anyway. I think most people just appreciate that someone's made the effort to get paint onto their stuff, even if it's just a zenethal priming with a wash - which looks legitimately good in my opinion. Like people pay a lot of money in certain Kickstarters to have that done for them.

[@AMK650]

I am getting into miniture painting at the moment. I want to paint minis and I thought why not paint some that you can use for dnd. So now I am waiting for my anycubic photon and a redgrass wet palette , already got 3 subscription for mini models, already looked at a few colors I want in my local game shop and I am just so excited. It is such an expensive hobby to really start and I am so lucky that I can do it at last.

[@Rybonator]

That's a freaking awesome attitude to have! I'm so happy for you that you get to start this hobby :)

[@BionicleKid97]

I got into 40k not to long ago (tyranids) and I got a buddy of mine to play too (orks). We have drastically different painting styles, and at first he didn't even want to paint, he was so scared of the "standards" that he wanted to just pay someone to paint them. He is by no means a "display ready" painter (and neither am I), but the fact that he paints at all is awesome. We spend some weekends just painting our figures together and he can get a full squad of boyz done before I finish 2 of my genestealers, and his army looks awesome. Even if its just citadel base colors, no washes or highlights or layers, no blending or multi-tones. He makes clean, crisp lines and throws together thoughtful and intricate pallets that make his units look cohesive, but unique. I am so glad he didn't let other people's ideas of painting standards stop him.

[@Rybonator]

^ Dude, high five to the both of you :) that's such a good way to go about it

[@normanjessicaj]

I really like how that blue wash turned out.

[@Flarecobra]

Sometimes it is more about playing with the Grey Tide then just painting. And why it's good to have friends who do enjoy painting if you are not one for painting yourself.

[@Sirdeathvids]

While you are correct that tabletop ready technically is once the minis are put together, tabletop quality for me is when the miniatures have basecoats and a wash. I do some dry brushing too, but the wash is what makes my basic paint schemes still look good in the eyes of non-painters and are good enough for me.

[@Laura_Trompz]

Wow it's sad that there is so much gatekeeping, I didnt know that, but I'm interested in painting minis anyway

[@Rybonator]

It's totally fine for groups to have a requirement for painted minis. But I just haven't found that to be a reality people follow. Everyone just wants to play! :)

[@Laura_Trompz]

@@Rybonator I know most gate keeping in hobbies like that is just from a loud minority, and groups having requirements is also 100% understandable. I just wish those judgy people would just chill

[@truesprue]

Tabletop ready is mostly a marketing term used to incite the need to buy brushes, paint, and basing material - which are usually from the same company also. Paint and play accordingly to your own standards.

[@Rybonator]

^ It goes past then when they prohibit players from joining events though :/ But I agree 100%, do what's fun for you.

[@gardnerjp1]

I'm going to bed. This video had so much anxiety packed into a short film about what would otherwise be a very enjoyable and relaxing hobby lol

[@dinonut80]

I really appreciate you addressing some of this kind of gatekeeping that keeps more people from enjoying tabletop games.

[@Nidrog]

I certainly would have loved to catch this video like... two years ago when I got back into the hobby. I was dreading the idea of painting minis because I HATED that back when I started in my teens. It was the worst thing about it all, even with my clumsy hands and being sometimes unable to glue stuff easily, I hated the painting aspect of it all so I just wasn't sure how I'd feel about the painting. And now I'm enjoying it. Hell thanks to Covid I haven't even been able to find a group to play with. So really right now, all I'm doing is just, painting minis and slowly building my collection and having a good time with that. It's so... Calming to just sit down, pop in a video, and start painting. Sure I take a long ass time with my minis too. The current one is at least 10+ hours and it is nowhere near as good as the one you spent 6 hours on. But that's fine. This is how I'm spending my time and I'm enjoying it.

[@GlutzahnLP]

If a group requires more that you can deliver as a beginner, thats fine as long as they help you reach what they need, with that you can learn from them and get better yourself

[@bean3550]

LOVING the sass masters in the comments who paint dots or stripes to meet the 3-colour rule. Masters of malicious compliance

[@olivierRH]

This applies to so many facets of life :'D Thank you for this!

[@Rybonator]

Of course! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

[@Magikarp_king]

Look your mini really isn't table top ready until you have perfected non metal metal paints. Love the video and I totally agree. My friends and I have partially painted armies and we love playing and don't even care if your just have the bases with a symbol on it so we know what they are.

[@Rybonator]

The day I do NMM is the day I have a mental breakdown haha Amen, a buddy and I do proxies all the time :)

[@Magikarp_king]

@@Rybonator I gave up on nmm after two tries and it not turning out. I need a lot more practice.

[@RoseKindred]

One reason I stopped going to a particular GW is that my minis were not "Table Ready" and they refused to let us play without it. 3 colors minimum, a full base with texture, clear coated and protected. They argued that letting anything less would devalue their product in the shop. I played Black Templars, they were essentially only 2 colors even according to their paint guides, eyes didn't count.

[@Rybonator]

Dude, that's stupid. They are 2 separate hobbies imo. What DEVALUES their product is you not buying them anymore after that.

[@RoseKindred]

@@Rybonator Yea, I quit for a while shortly after that. Like almost a decade. I try the best I could with painting, and now that my hands are worse, I find my enjoyment in building the model(s) and living the lore in various games. One reason I found your channel, I was looking into making my own dice a little more disabled-friendly So I can play DnD and the like.

[@Mageling55]

I have the opposite problem. I don't really care about wargaming, I just want to paint cool minis. At least not more than the tiniest possible armys. Its too much for my brain to track

[@Rybonator]

Man, you are a unicorn in the hobby! I bet you could paint people's minis for them and they'd pay ya :)

[@Mageling55]

@@Rybonator That would involve having the time and space to get good at it first. I have this problem with a bunch of board games actually, but the computer versions work ok. I just get frustrated keeping track of all the different rules

[@kennashey]

Thanks for covering this topic! I would play more D&D at the local game stores, but the requirements that some groups sets is just prohibitive!

[@RockAndRollsTableTop]

Love the video. You got me into 3d printing and I’m planing to start making my own dice in the future. I would love to see you print the RWI cast and maybe do a diy on making a UV cure probe light for hollow prints.

[@Striker2054]

And this describes a few of the people I know and why they don't play minis games. No matter how much I tell them that they don't need to worry about it, they just can't get past the idea of a "Tabletop Ready Army."

[@DubiousAlien]

I bought the Dark Vengance starter set back in 2014. I have all the supplies and tools to paint the minitures but I've been so scared of ruining them or not being good enough. Maybe it's time to finally start.

[@jordanpruett2177]

This was literally the original reason I didn't get into war hammer. I didn't want to put a crap ton of time into a hobby that I wasn't sure I would stick with and just kind of get an idea about the game. It wasn't until I talked to someone who actually played, who I met by chance, that I found out that the attitude abt "tabletop ready" isn't as common as the internet makes it seem. I still haven't had a chance to get into it, for a few reasons, but at least now I have some hope of getting into it.

[@pflasterstrips7254]

WTF? that pegasus has plastic wings? Do you even care about them? i started raising haryp eagles and use theire feathers for realistic wings. you better have a custom name for each character on the bottom of theire base.

[@Rybonator]

Unless you personally say goodnight to each of your minis in your army BY NAME, don't even call yourself a wargamer.

[@notme9798]

Made me feel so much better

[@CorvusNumber6]

Great video as usual! But why do you have a sea shanty in your 'Dice Series' playlist? Cheers! Dave. 👍🏻😎

[@Rybonator]

Lol whoops! Not sure why. It's a banger tho! Removed it :)

[@CorvusNumber6]

@@Rybonator Løl 🤣 It really was a banger - it used to wake me up in the middle of the night on random play 🤣

[@kylewilmes9259]

outsourcing is also an option, I myself don't care to paint minis. I'll print or design them all day long but I don't have the attention span to paint them let alone even prime them. so I myself made a deal with a friend, I print any mini he wants, he paints any mini I provide, win-win.

[@orifox1629]

I've never painted my minis. I haven't done wargamming but for RPGs I've always just used my minis unpainted. I plan on running a game with entirely unpainted minis because I don't have steady hands and I kinda like the bare models, plus i'm poor. But if i had money I'd probably get into kitbashing because it seems really awesome and I didn't know it was a thing until my awesome former wargammer wife told me about it.

[@Rybonator]

Kitbashing is a blast! I haven't gotten enough pieces just yet, but I can't wait until I can kitbash like a pro :D

[@Bobcat173rd]

Just paint the base white and call them an arctic unit. Tundra baby.

[@Rybonator]

'My character had all his color stolen by a color demon.'

[@basilmemories]

and here i am on the other side "I don't want to drop all this money on figs, and I'm ambivalent about learning a new system right now, but I really, REALLY want to paint some minis." However the one and done method doesn't really float my boat, what are good paints for doing layers? I've been meaning to pick up airbrushing and my home medium is watercolors, so i like my gradients and blending. perhaps too much. I make no promises that my armies won't be stupidly vaporwave.

[@Rybonator]

I have made a synth-wizard with vaporwave stuff before haha. I love it! I like using citadel paints, but Valejo is pretty accepted as one of the best paints for layers etc. :)

[@AzraelThanatos]

Just as a major note, the dip method is not what you're saying. It's hit the base colors then you dip it. The tabletop ready is more of a type of painting for it so that it looks good at a table distance from you. It's more of something for determining what it's painted to, and often viewed as something for what you would do with your blocks of troops, it's basically one where it's not going all into it, often using the various speed and batch painting techniques. It's more of a different focus in how you're painting. Your standard paint job would be for your heroes and centerpiece models, tabletop for the base troops like the 20+ Archers and Spearmen you have ranked up as part of the force. Display ready is normally an entirely different level of thing, that's the one where it's a anything and everything on a single mini. It's showing off with it and those minis tend to not be ones that you're going to show. Three colors up is what used to be the standard paint level required for a lot of tournaments...and more of a thing where you might have people who would spend hours on each and every mini in their force to paint them while the other side might have a bunch of half completed minis they cobbled together in the tournament. And it also helped deal with the people who have more money than attachment to an army, where you'd have people who had the funds to buy a brand new army around whatever is newly considered over powered just to crush people and start turning up with them, adding paint requirements helps there because it's a larger step in getting them out of it.

[@erlandjohansen7195]

I'm quite the opposite, happy to paint for ages but not really interested in playing. I much prefer purely cooperative tabletop games, but that's just me.

[@mumtrz]

The term tabletop ready is basically a gatekeeping phrase at this point

[@vincejester7558]

Its like the pro football league and arena football league. They have different levels of commitment to entry. We can't all be in the elites just cuz we want to real bad. Fully painted figs show some commitment to the sport.

[@Harrythebotar]

If I may. I will lay upon you a secret, of painting miniatures of all stripes, classes and skill levels. Your first ones will suck. They will suck. And you will love them regardless. "Tabletop standard" is a very new kind of thing and honestly, its a lot of hog wash. Everyone starts somewhere and as someone who has been painting for more than 6 years, my first mini's blew chunks. Yet, still I look at them, gloopy eyes and single tone panels and love them all the same. Even if you never paint your mini's that's just fine, but know those who stand shoulder to shoulder, those who also hold the brush, they are not your enemy, your competition. They are your fellow artists and artisans, your cohorts and companions in this delightful delve into creative freedoms. No painting your mini's is fine, priming them, with a wash and dry brush is fine too. But never be ashamed or scared about painting them. Love them, let the color flow freely and if you hold the love in your heart for what you have made, than others will hold it too. Let it flow freely and let the know the dragon you just painted with a single mono tone and splotchy wash is fucking RAD.

[@Rybonator]

You rock Harry :) Inspirational AF :)

[@QuarionGalanodel]

Here's my list of standards Play Standard: Your minis are assembled and sturdy enough that they wont fall apart if it falls over ... Yeah that's about it

[@OldWorldNobility]

Any group or worse yet business that refuses to let you play over paint, needs a serious reality check in what constitutes a busy adult life, diplomacy, and just being a decent human being.

[@erinblanchard4702]

One could make the argument that a (smaller) but similar mentality is there for those of us who play solely online. I can’t afford to custom commission art for every one of my characters, monsters, npcs, etc. Do sometimes I choose to purchase a commission every once and a while? Sure. Do I love when I get the chance to do it and get some awesome art from an awesome artists? ABSOLUTELY. But I can’t do it every time. So if sometimes the tokens online are stock photos, picrews, or just whatever I have on Roll20 that’s OKAY and I shouldn’t have to feel ashamed about that.

[@Rybonator]

Oh absolutely! It's great when you CAN! But as a DM, no way could I ever afford custom art for all the monsters I'd use online

[@trolleymouse]

Bruh. Painted my dudes with grey skin, yellow fabric, brown leather and wood, metallic blue metal. Hit it with a wash. Smeared the base with basing material. Tabletop ready for zero effort.

[@Escalotes]

Generally agree with the video's sentiment, but let's not forget part of the justification behind the "tabletop ready" method is so an opponent unfamiliar with your army's faction can tell your units apart. It's a rule meant to protect new players, not alienate them.

[@Rybonator]

Totally a fair point! But I would personally think that if I am a new enough player, the color of a nurgle, vs a stormcast isn't going to make enough of a difference to me to know what they are/do. Other than knowing which units are mine vs yours in a pile up, I don't think it helps THAT much. But I get your point :)

[@datheavyguyiguess]

Usually if a player is that new, there are other ways to tell units apart. General mini contour, or maybe even your opponent actually explaining to you what's what like a good sport.

[@Escalotes]

@@Rybonator for sure man, great video overall and we all appreciate you!

[@xCCflierx]

did you do a review for hero forges 3d printed color minis?

[@KamenRiderFeline]

I am still amazed what people do to take the fun out of things that are supposed to be fun... It's a general statement because I am not in the hobby, I just like to watch people make dice or miniatures and it can be applied to most hobbies. There are reasonable, necessary rules and then there are people who are in for the rules and not for whatever the hobby is about. So.. yeah, I think getting into Wargaming is intimidating.

[@PrincessSixThirteen]

I'm not interested in Warhammer, but I am interested in TTRPGs. The thought of painting minis to any standard scares me. Good thing I game with a group where chess pieces would be a step up

[@Rybonator]

Haha, oh yeah, we were cardboard players for the longest time :)

[@Michael-dt7sd]

I'm tempted to get a set of figures, and paint them as horribly as possible while still making them technically "Tabletop Ready" just for reactions.

[@tba3625]

I'm sorry but can we talk about the gradient on those wings? it's freaking awesome.

[@alexhulea2735]

ALERT!!! Rybonator sarcasm level 9000+ and rising :3 and to me, tabletop ready means 'enough details to look finished'. my necrons are just base+shade+ mediocre attempt at highlights+some form of basing (baking soda+glue for texture and zandri dust/some form of grey on the base)

[@beholdr87]

This right here is the *EXACT* reason why I will never get into Warhammer. I would love to play Warhammer 40k with my friends down at my local game shop every other weekend, but nope, I suck at art, I could f*&% up a stick figure. Not spending 12+ hours to paint a single mini (horribly) just to walk in the door.

[@Rybonator]

Just DON'T paint them :) If your friends or people you play with don't care, the game itself is a blast!

[@lyssandere5895]

If anyone asks me why I've decided to buy contrast paints when I already have miniature paints, I'll be directing them to this video 😌

[@Rybonator]

Whoop! Contrast paints make excellent airbrush paints, and I frucking love them for regular paints! Goobertown has a great DIY contrast paint video :)

[@snakemont]

Raging heroes minis...omg! How awesome!