Legally speaking; no. It says so right on the box: “Not Children’s Products“. Then why are they so fun?
Back when I started this blog in earnest (March 2024) I wrote down a bunch of topics I wanted to hit. They are all saved as draft posts. This is one of those original conversation topics.
You need tools, time, acumen, patience, light, space, and a whole mess of other things to make those models happen at the most basic level.
It is very timely because just the other day I ran across a reddit thread about how a Warhammer player’s parent gave their “toys” to a toddler to “play” with. “Trigger-bait” or not, LOTS of people were triggered with similar experiences and trauma from long, long ago. Whole armies thrown in the trash, broken models, painted, or re-painted models, and all manner of destruction.
It was awful. And it’s such a funny hobby. To outsiders, they’re looking at tiny bits of razor sharp plastic, worth less than the packaging it came in. Toy soldiers that break if the wind blows.
One of the toughest issues is that you have to get nose-to-nose with a painted figure to really appreciate what’s going on there.
Are they for kids? Sorta. Do kids like them; absolutely. But are they really for kids? Not so much.
That thought was going through my head every couple minutes as I spent near the entirety of New Year’s Day assembling the Darkwater box. My fingers were sore by the end of the day, and I have excellent tools. I pity any unsuspecting newcomer that buys a GW big-box and thinks they can just play a game.
You need tools, time, acumen, patience, light, space, and a whole mess of other things to make those models happen at the most basic level.
GW isn’t really good at setting expectations for newbies either. Just check out the reviews for GW games at Barnes & Noble. Once you weed through the pre-initiated, there’s sad parents and sad kids with broken figures and dashed dreams.
Funnily enough, that’s how Combat Arena made its way into my collection. I found a Facebook Marketplace seller who had a partially damaged copy. I feel the pain of a parent who has the best intentions for a gift and has it fall flat. Into teeny, tiny pieces. And is immediately scattered throughout the house. After some careful warming, bending, gluing, and a handful of 3D printed mini-prosthetics, the band is back together!
So, in closing. I argue that no, minis are not toys. They’re hard for even adults to assemble and maintain. They are playing pieces though, and as I’ve said before, designers would be good to remember that they’re playing pieces first.
They’re sharp, they’re small, they’re choking hazards, and they’re one of my favorite souvenirs of my childhood. Wait! Dang it! THEY’RE NOT TOYS!
