So where do you buy your micro armor?

[Cav Dog]

I bought my first micro armor in 1979 at King's Hobby Shop in Austin, TX. King's is still there but they haven't had micro armor for years. Once I joined the Army and got stationed at Ft Hood I bought a lot of it at the Killeen Hobby Center. I should have just set up an allotment for them as I would shop there every payday. Used to see a lot of GIs near the Hobby Center but they were shopping for a more physical type of entertainment, the Hobby Center was near D Street which was where the street walkers hung out on payday. I had a girlfriend at UT in Austin so I didn't need their services.

I went through a pretty significant period without buying any micro armor until after I retired and moved to Chicago. That was in 2005 when I started buying it online direct from GHQ. I also attended Little Wars HMGS conventions and often bought Micro Armor from folks like Last Square, I-94 and others there. There is also a really good FLGS in Mount Prospect called Games Plus that still carries micro armor and I bought a lot from them as well.

I haven't found any games stores in Texas that carry GHQ so I buy everything online direct from GHQ or occasionally Legions IV Hire.

[Tanker Mike]

Back in the 20th Century, I usually purchased locally. Boardroom Games, Tom Metzler Hobby Shop, and another whose name escapes me. All are long gone. So, the past 20? years I've purchased direct from GHQ and occasionally from eBay.

[Hoth_902]

Cama, I never looked around the area much. Knowing it was a rundown area, I would just park at the store and go in and then leave. I think when I was there last or at some point the bottom was a train store. Memory is foggy.

[pmskaar]

Hey Gang

I have bought my Micro Armor from quite a variety of sources. Since I have been collecting for about 40 years now, my sources have varied.

My first Micro Armor purchases were from the Cav Store outside of Ft. Knox back in 1981. I bought 2 packs of T-62s, 2 packs of BMP-1s, and 2 packs of BTR-60s to get a starter Cold War Russian force.

In the 1980s I purchased a lot of Micro Armor from Brookhurst Hobbies when I lived in Southern California. I also bought some stuff from Valley Plaza Hobbies, a Game Store in Long Beach which I can't recall, and another one in Burbank which name eludes me as well.

In 1988, I was out of the Army and self employed and working with my Dad. I remember my first trip to Minneapolis and actually visited Greg Scott at his house as that was the listed address for GHQ. He invited me to come check out the shop and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I know I made a bunch of purchases. Each succeeding year when I had work up there, I would always make a stop to talk shop with the the GHQ team and buy more stuff.

With the closing of many FLGS and the others discontinuing carrying GHQ products, I have gone direct to the source - GHQ.

[nashorn88]

Why does it sound like everyone that posting is over 40 and remember the golden age of Wargaming.
Anyone under 40 ?

[MechCommander]

I am under 40 Nash. Though I have not bought a GHQ model direct in a long time now as money is getting tight, have too many vehicle project at my house. and the stores in my hometown do not carry any historical minis at all due to lack of interest nor stock. .

[Brigade Commander]

Why does it sound like everyone that posting is over 40 and remember the golden age of Wargaming.
Anyone under 40 ?

Because if it is not an electronic game it does not exist to the younger generations. They did not grow up building models or playing SPI's subscription magazine / game every other month. Did I ever miss them going away. Issue 29 I believe it was, USN, covering WWII Pacific or i think around 46, North Africa. Makes me want to dig out the box(es). Had a subscription for about three or four years. Some were duds, including the football one, at least for me but always enjoyed the anticipation.

[nashorn88]

Why does it sound like everyone that posting is over 40 and remember the golden age of Wargaming.
Anyone under 40 ?

Because if it is not an electronic game it does not exist to the younger generations. They did not grow up building models or playing SPI's subscription magazine / game every other month. Did I ever miss them going away. Issue 29 I believe it was, USN, covering WWII Pacific or i think around 46, North Africa. Makes me want to dig out the box(es). Had a subscription for about three or four years. Some were duds, including the football one, at least for me but always enjoyed the anticipation.

You hit the nail on the head.
None of my kids care about it. No one else in my family even have hobbies. Guess I’m the odd ball.
Me on the other hand have too many hobbies.

Well at least there’s one member that chime in under 40.

[STS]

Why does it sound like everyone that posting is over 40 and remember the golden age of Wargaming.
Anyone under 40 ?

Because if it is not an electronic game it does not exist to the younger generations. They did not grow up building models or playing SPI's subscription magazine / game every other month. Did I ever miss them going away. Issue 29 I believe it was, USN, covering WWII Pacific or i think around 46, North Africa. Makes me want to dig out the box(es). Had a subscription for about three or four years. Some were duds, including the football one, at least for me but always enjoyed the anticipation.

I wouldn't necessarily agree on the first part. If you look at the table top or board game market, it's booming. GW stock is now worth ~20x as much when compared to 5 years ago, pre-covid, game fairs were packed with a lots of young people and you got more and more games hitting the shelves, that are specifically aimed at younger crowds. The X-Wing tabletop went through the roof 4-5 years ago.

The younger generation is playing and building, just not with 1/2400 WW1 warships, or 10 mm napoleonic infantry, that don't really have specific rules to go with them and that you have to actively search for to find. They probably get into the hobby with something from GW or FFG, most likely something featuring a big movie license. Even for those interested in historic wargaming, GHQ will probably be only the second or third stop after getting into the more easily accessible games out there.

[PolishGI]

I would have to say the GHQ website or Noble Knight.

[nashorn88]

Just curious? How much do you guys pay for a pack oversea and in Canada?

[whenimaginationfails]

Why does it sound like everyone that posting is over 40 and remember the golden age of Wargaming.
Anyone under 40 ?

I guess the 80s were the golden age of Cold War micro armor, but I think the wargaming hobby is doing ok. Never going to see anything approaching computer games (or tradable card games), but the hobby still seems pretty healthy. I don't have GHQ's financials, but I expect their sales aren't falling the way Nikon, Fuji and Canon camera sales have these last ten years.

My local hobby store stopped carrying GHQ regularly a few years back though I see the occasional used packs every once in a while. For WW2/Cold War everything is 15mm to 28mm. Which is fine for skirmish to company sized games, but doesn't look right if you want a game with a battalion+ of figures on the table and is pretty expensive as well.

Mostly I just purchase direct from the manufacturer with the occasional purchase from eBay for something painted well.

I got into this hobby because someone setup a massive Soviet invasion of West Germany scenario at a local university gaming convention near where I lived. So much eye candy over a ball room. Unfortunately, that gaming convention is no more and the closest gaming convention is over an hour away from the largest city in New England. Hopefully, GHQ will add a way to sign up to the Opponent Finder.

[pvt64]

I get mine from either Noble Knight Games, Game Craft Miniatures or Chrisswim! Have not ordered directly from GHQ in years.

[cabin4clw]

I have ordered a lot from ghq after the local hobby store stopped carrying microarmor. I have also ordered from I-94 Enterprises.

[DAK]

I buy my micro armor from Noble Knight Games, located in Wisconsin. Each pack is a dollar cheaper than buying directly from GHQ. So if you are placing a big order the savings add up. I usually get my order in a few days and customer service is second to none.