Exploring the Possibility of a Holiday Swap

[ElectricPaladin]

What's a holiday swap, you ask?

It works like this:

1. Some kind organizer (that will almost certainly be me) sets everything up.
2. If you're interested, you post to the thread with what games you play, and what factions you play within those games.
3. The organizer assigns you a swap partner. You secretly create a package including a wargames gift of some kind and an item characteristic of wherever you live - the organizer will set a price limit - and send it to them.
4. On a set date, everyone opens their package.
5. Pictures are posted. Much fun is had by all.

I've done this before - over on the Infinity forums - and it was great fun. However, as you all have increasingly become my main online community (in part because you're awesome, and in part because my work's content filtering doesn't block you , and in part because I'm a multi-gamer, so the all-wargames forum is obviously going to be my favorite), I want to do it here. It was a smashing success.

This is not a sign-up thread - though if you want to drop a note saying "I'd be interested; let me know when it happens" that would be good data. This is a thread to gather information and gauge the community's interest. In particular, I'm looking for your answers to the following questions:

• What's the most money you'd be willing to spend in such an activity (keep in mind that you would be recieving a similar amount in return)?
• Would you prefer a painted swap (you don't just buy your partner a present - you take the time to paint the model/unit/vehicle/whatever yourself) or just a "secret santa"-style arrangement (just send some gifts)?
• Would you be willing to act as an angel (that's someone with the time and disposable income to prepare an extra swap package in case someone flakes out on us)?
• Would you be willing to ship internationally? I'm willing to make this a North America only swap, but I'd hate to do that (because then there's no way I could get olberon, TDA, or Eldargal as my partner :P).

For context, my last swap had a $35 price limit, but I could see going larger or smaller. There was a little bit of international shipping, but I was able to arrange for everyone who was unable to ship internationally due to cost to have a local swap partner. We only had one flake. The angel who saved the day didn't even need to spend any money beyond shipping, because both the hobby gift and the local item were stuff he had lying around. My wife - who has done many knitting swaps on Ravelry - has informed me that flakes are incredibly rare, so probably we just got unlucky.

My last swap was a painted swap, which everyone enjoyed hugely. It gave a lot of the participants the opportunity to try their hand at a faction they weren't familiar with. I think that this being a painted swap would be even more fun than it was over on the Infinity boards because you never know what you might end up painting. In my last swap, folks just got to paint factions they weren't used to. Here, you could end up painting models from a brand new game. Warhammer 40k, Warhammer Fantasy, Bolt Action, Flames of War, Saga, Infinity... you never know.

I will begin a sign-up thread once I have gathered some information about the community's preferences. My hope is to have everyone assigned a partner by the beginning of October, with a ship date at the end of November so that everyone will definitely have their package by the last week or so of December.

[ElectricPaladin]

I'm really surprised that no one is interested, but I'm going to bump this just in case no one saw it yesterday...

[Fizzybubela]

I like the idea. I'd be interested in doing it.

[ElectricPaladin]

I like the idea. I'd be interested in doing it.

Awesome! Now let's see if anyone else signs up...

[Chris Copeland]

Paladin, I'd join. Also, I hope your school year is off to a good start, bro! Mine is! Cope

[ElectricPaladin]

Paladin, I'd join. Also, I hope your school year is off to a good start, bro! Mine is! Cope

It's great! I'm at a new site with an aggressively competent administrative staff. It is a brand new and very good experience.

[Rosebriar]

I would be interested. Seems fun.

For cost cap, I can see going up to $50 but any more than that and a lot of people will have to bow out probably. And, I don't think I could contribute meaningfully to a painted one but I am on board with converting. Just thoughts.

[ElectricPaladin]

I would be interested. Seems fun.

For cost cap, I can see going up to $50 but any more than that and a lot of people will have to bow out probably. And, I don't think I could contribute meaningfully to a painted one but I am on board with converting. Just thoughts.

I'd be willing to set the bar at: "do at least something to meaningfully and creatively contribute to the models you are giving to your partner so s/he gets something cool and unique." Not all of us are painters, not all of us are converters, but all of us are at least a little good at something.

And if you're really unconfident in your ability to do either, I don't think anyone would feel too terribly cheating at just getting a secret santa gift. This is meant to be a relaxed endeavor.

ADDITIONALLY!

According to my wife - an inveterate swampistress (not that kind of swapmistress, so don't get any ideas...) that if myself, Rosebriar, Chris Copeland, and Fizzybubela all join in, we have ourselves a swap!

I will continue to monitor and post on this thread in case anyone wants to drop any more data points about their various preferences. Except the proper sign-up thread to drop in about a week.

[Deadlift]

I'm really surprised that no one is interested, but I'm going to bump this just in case no one saw it yesterday...

Yes I'm interested, just picked up your PM and read this thread. I'm happy to ship overseas, and prefer the idea of painting something new myself. Nice idea matey

[Bigred]

If you linked to this in the Oubliette I bet you'd get more of of the regulars to see it.

-L