Welcome to Wargame Trader! I’m excited to launch this blog to share updates, new features, and insights into the cool things we’re working on. There are big things on the horizon, but first, let me officially introduce you to what Wargame Trader is all about.
What is Wargame Trader?
Wargame Trader is a dedicated online marketplace built to meet the unique needs of tabletop wargaming enthusiasts, where you can buy and sell miniatures, terrain, and accessories. Whether you’re a seasoned collector, a competitive player, or someone just getting started, Wargame Trader has you covered. One of our defining goals is to establish a global standard for wargame pricing by integrating real-time and historical data for every product sold on our platform.
Our Origin Story
A few things aligned to bring the idea of Wargame Trader to life.
I grew up playing the miniature wargame Heroscape. The premise of the game was simple: an epic battle featuring a seemingly endless array of characters. Ninjas fought zombies, vikings took on futuristic cyborgs, and Spider-Man threw hands with a dragon. If you haven’t heard of it, that’s probably because it was discontinued back in 2010—14 years ago. But this year, something incredible happened: Heroscape was coming back. And just like that, I was pulled back in.
While I waited for the new Heroscape to drop, I started hunting for miniatures to add to my collection. I thought about how easy it is to find trading cards for another hobby of mine, Magic: The Gathering, thanks to TCGplayer—a marketplace dedicated exclusively to trading cards. By focusing on a specific niche, TCGplayer makes it easy to compare prices, find deals, and avoid the hassle of general-purpose platforms like eBay or ad-hoc listings in Facebook groups.
That’s when the idea for Wargame Trader began to form: a specialized platform for wargames, just like TCGplayer is for trading cards.
My idea solidified when my wife almost got scammed shopping on Facebook marketplace for a surprise birthday present: a Volcarren Wasteland Heroscape set. The present was amazing, but the close call made me think. A site like Wargame Trader could make building wargame collections less of a wild west and more accessible to newer players, as well as providing better tools for experienced buyers and sellers.
Why Wargame Trader?
Wargame Trader is built to address the specific needs of the wargaming community. Here’s what makes us stand out:
- Tailored for Wargamers: Unlike general-purpose marketplaces, Wargame Trader is built with wargamers in mind. The platform includes specialized categories for miniatures, terrain, and eventually, paints, rulebooks, and more. This means less time sifting through unrelated listings and more time finding exactly what you need. We can integrate current and historical data into a global standard that eBay's generalized approach just can’t match.
- Transparent and Secure: With buyer and seller protections, and a seller rating system, Wargame Trader ensures a trustworthy experience for everyone involved. We want to make wargaming more accessible and protect newer players from pitfalls like scams or misrepresented items.
- Smart Search & Filters: Easily find specific models, factions, terrain pieces or whatever else you’re looking for. Our wargame-specific features include standardized conditions, set completeness, and detailed categorization, making it easier to buy and sell with confidence.
- Compare Prices: Buyers can easily compare prices across listings, all in one place, while sellers can use our pricing data to help decide how much to list their items for.
- Easy Listing Tools: Our user-friendly listing system saves sellers time and effort. With a pre-filled wargaming database, you just input quantities and prices while our system handles the details.
- Lots of New Features: In the long term, we’ll have API integration, with community-driven apps for trading, army builders where you can import your list and buy what you need in one click, and more. Look out for new features coming soon, as well as new games being added to our platform.
Join the Wargame Trader Community
We’re starting with Heroscape, making it easy for people to build the kinds of armies middle-school me could only dream of. Soon we’ll be adding Warhammer 40k, followed by Age of Sigmar, Battletech, and beyond!
So, what are you waiting for? Join the Wargame Trader community today and take your wargaming journey to the next level. Let’s build something amazing together.
Let the trading begin!
-Bryan and the Wargame Trader team