Almost every hobbyist has one: an army from a game they stopped playing, models from an old edition, or a box of childhood miniatures rediscovered in the loft. They are full of memories and hours of painting, but they rarely see a table again. Rather than leaving them in a foam case or selling them for a fraction of their worth, many collectors give retired models a permanent place on display.
The short answer: pick the best and most meaningful models rather than displaying everything, put them on a tiered stand or a dedicated shelf so they read as a collection, store the rest in padded boxes away from heat and light, and label the display with the army, year or game. A light clean and a coat of varnish usually makes old paint jobs look their best.
Why display miniatures you no longer play with?
Retired armies are a record of your hobby history, and they are often the models you spent most time on. On display they become a talking point and a reminder of past campaigns. Storing them out of sight also makes it easy to forget about damage from damp or heat.
Should you display everything or just the best?
Display the highlights: characters, centrepieces, your best-painted squad and anything with sentimental value. A shelf of fifty identical troopers looks less impressive than a curated dozen. Keep the rest boxed and swap pieces in from time to time; see rotating your display.
| Option | Best for | Drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Tiered stand on a shelf | A curated selection, easy to see | Needs occasional dusting |
| Glass cabinet | Fragile or valuable pieces | Costly and space-hungry |
| Single plinth | One special character or centrepiece | Shows only one model |
| Padded storage box | The rest of the army | Out of sight, easily forgotten |
| Selling | Models with no meaning to you | Painted armies rarely fetch what they cost |
What stand suits a retired army?
Choose by base size. Infantry on 25–32mm bases fit a 17-slot tiered stand, while characters, cavalry and monsters need larger slots. Our stands are compatible with Warhammer 40,000® miniatures and most other games on standard bases, including older models on slotted or square bases that sit within the slot size. The size guide compares every option.
How do you prepare old models for display?
Dust them with a soft brush, wash grubby models gently in lukewarm water with a drop of washing-up liquid, and re-glue anything loose. Touch up chipped edges and seal with a matt varnish so the paint survives handling. If an old paint job embarrasses you, a simple wash and fresh highlights can transform it without a full repaint.
How do you display childhood or old-edition miniatures?
Treat them as vintage pieces: group them together, add a small card with the year or edition and leave the original paint as part of the story. Mixed sizes and old bases are common, so a modular stand that lets you set different heights helps; see displaying mixed-scale collections.
How should you store the models you do not display?
Use magnetic or foam-lined boxes, kept somewhere cool and dry, away from lofts, garages and radiators where heat and damp damage paint and glue. Note on the lid what is inside. Our guide to storing painted miniatures long-term covers this in detail.
How do you label a retired collection?
A simple card listing the army, the year you painted it and perhaps a memorable game turns a shelf into a story. Keep labels small and consistent so they do not distract from the models; see labelling a miniature display.
Give retired armies pride of place
- WarSplay Classic – £18.95, 17 slots over 5 tiers for 28–32mm bases
- WarSplay Classic Mini – £11.95, 8 slots for a small curated selection
- WarSplay Hero – £18.95, 9 slots for characters and monsters up to 80mm
- WarSplay Pro – from £24.95, 40mm plinths with a UV-printed scenic backdrop and optional magnet holes
Pre-assembled, made in our UK workshop and dispatched within 2 business days. Not sure which? Try the display stand finder.
Related reading
- Miniature Display Ideas for a Games Room
- Gift Ideas for Women Who Paint Miniatures
- How to Display Mixed-Scale Miniature Collections
- Miniature Storage vs Display: Which Does Your Collection Need?
- How to Store Painted Miniatures Long-Term Without Damage
- How to Label Your Miniature Display
Warhammer 40,000® is a trademark of Games Workshop Group PLC. WarSplay® and Blubbercove Ltd are not affiliated with, authorised by, endorsed by, or licensed by Games Workshop Group PLC. The name is used solely to indicate product compatibility.