‘We Few, We Happy Few’

Toy soldier collectors are regularly reminded that they are in a 'niche' or 'boutique' hobby. There are even murmurs from some collectors that rising costs are slowly but surely returning the hobby to its aristocratic roots. This vision of a looming apocalypse for the hobby, where only the wealthy are able to indulge their passion for military miniatures, is thankfully exaggerated. Nevertheless, it is true that manufacturers will need to be increasingly creative in their efforts to balance the competing demands for affordable figures.