How to Store and Transport Your Miniatures Safely

Quick answer

Let every coat, glue joint, and 3D print cure fully before storage, then choose foam trays sized to your tallest banner or weapon, or magnetized bases in a rigid case for spiky models. Label each tray by squad and keep the case out of hot cars. That single routine prevents most bent barrels, snapped bayonets, and rubbed paint.

A painted squad can survive a decade of games or one bad trip in a shoebox. The difference is rarely luck; it is how you store miniatures between games and how you transport miniatures to the table. Most damage happens after the paint dries, when models are stacked, shifted, or left somewhere hot.

This guide walks through a storage and transport routine that works for heroic 28mm troops, modular 3D printed kits, and metal miniatures. It uses foam trays, magnets, and a few cheap hardware-store items. Products like the Tannenburg 10 Man Firing Line and Victorian Ammo Pouches appear only where their catalog facts solve a real storage problem.

Step 1: Let paint, glue, and prints cure completely

Before any model goes into a case, give it time. Acrylic paint, super glue, and resin or plastic 3D prints all continue to cure after they feel dry. Packing a freshly finished squad into foam can press still-soft paint into the tray lining and leave a permanent texture. A simple checkpoint is smell: if you can still detect solvent or resin odor, wait longer.

For 3D printed kits, follow the maker's guidance on post-curing and support removal. The Tannenburg 10 Man Firing Line is supplied on a high density Snap Tray for simple identification and removal, with minimal cleanup and brush-away supports. Finish that cleanup fully before storage so loose fragments do not scratch paint later.

• Common mistake: sealing a model in a plastic box while the paint is still tacky, which traps moisture and softens the finish.

Step 2: Pick a storage method that matches the model

Foam trays suit ranked infantry, bulky squads, and models with few thin protrusions. Cut or buy foam with compartments slightly wider than the base so the model cannot rotate. Magnetized bases suit spiky or irregular models because nothing presses against the paint, but they need a rigid case so the steel sheet cannot flex and pop models loose.

The right choice depends on what you actually own. A 10-model squad with bayonets and banners usually stores better in foam with a dedicated slot per figure, while a single character with a fragile weapon often travels better on a magnet. There is no universal answer, and mixing methods across one army is normal.

• Checkpoint: shake the loaded tray gently over a soft surface. If anything shifts more than a few millimeters, the compartment is too loose.

Step 3: Plan the case around your tallest and widest model

Measure the tallest banner, raised weapon, or antenna in the force, then choose tray depth from that number. A case that fits the average trooper but crushes the standard bearer will bend that banner on the first trip. If a model is unusually tall, store it in its own tray or lay it in a deeper compartment rather than forcing it.

For heroic 28mm infantry, standard 25mm round bases are common. The Tank Crew and Dogs set includes a 25mm round base, and the Broolian Beast Guard 10 Man Close Combat Squad includes 10x 25mm round plastic slotta bases. Knowing your base sizes makes it easier to buy or cut foam that actually fits.

• Common mistake: buying a miniature carrying case by model count instead of by model dimensions.

Step 4: Protect small parts with dedicated compartments

Loose arms, heads, and pouches are the first things to disappear. Keep them in a small lidded compartment, a labeled bag, or a bits box inside the main case so they cannot migrate into foam and dent painted figures. This matters most for modular kits that are meant to be assembled, swapped, or repaired later.

The Victorian Ammo Pouches are a good example: nine pouches sized for 28mm heroic scale troops, recommended for use with Victoria Miniatures Victorian Torsos. If you keep them in a loose bag with metal miniatures, they can scratch or be crushed. A shallow compartment or a small plastic tub solves that.

• Checkpoint: after a game, count loose parts back into their compartment before closing the case.

Step 5: Pack the case so nothing can shift in transit

Fill empty space. A case that is half full lets trays slide, and sliding trays rub paint off shoulders and helmets. Use spare foam blocks, bubble wrap, or a folded cloth to take up the gap. If you use magnets, make sure every model sits flat on the steel sheet and that the sheet itself is fixed to the case.

For road trips, place the case on the floor behind a seat or in the passenger footwell rather than on a seat where it can slide or fall. Heat is the other enemy: a closed car in summer can soften resin and warp thin parts, so never leave miniatures in a parked vehicle.

• Common mistake: carrying a case by the lid or handle while it is unlatched, which drops the whole tray.

Step 6: Label trays and keep a repair kit

Label each tray by squad or project so you can pull one out without unpacking everything. A strip of masking tape and a marker is enough. This also helps you notice when a model is missing before you leave for a game, rather than after you arrive.

Keep a small repair kit in the case: super glue, a hobby knife, a fine file, and a couple of spare bases. Even careful transport occasionally snaps a bayonet or a thin weapon. Being able to fix it at the table beats packing the model away for months.

• Checkpoint: before a tournament or club night, open each tray and confirm every model is seated and undamaged.

Storage and transport checklist

1. Cure first: Let paint, glue, and 3D prints finish curing before packing; if you can still smell solvent or resin, wait. Checkpoint: no tacky paint and no odor before the model enters a case.
2. Match method to model: Use foam for ranked infantry and magnetized bases for spiky or irregular models in a rigid case. Checkpoint: gently shake the tray; nothing should shift more than a few millimeters.
3. Measure the tallest model: Choose tray depth from the tallest banner or weapon, not the average trooper. Checkpoint: close the lid on a test fit before committing to a case.
4. Contain small parts: Keep loose arms, heads, and pouches in a lidded compartment or bits box inside the main case. Checkpoint: count loose parts back in after each game.
5. Fill empty space: Use foam blocks or cloth to stop trays sliding, and never leave miniatures in a hot car. Checkpoint: the case should not rattle when lifted.
6. Label and repair: Label trays by squad and keep super glue, a hobby knife, a file, and spare bases in the case. Checkpoint: open each tray before you leave for a game.

Products that help with storage and transport

• Tannenburg 10 Man Firing Line: Fully modular, push-together Grimdark troops presented on a high density Snap Tray for simple identification and removal, with minimal cleanup and brush-away supports. The Snap Tray keeps components organized before assembly, and the push-together design lets you test-fit figures before committing to glue, which reduces broken parts during storage.
• Victorian Ammo Pouches: 9 Victorian Ammo Pouches sized for 28mm heroic scale troops, recommended for use with Victoria Miniatures Victorian Torsos, in high resolution plastic 3D print. Small pouches are easy to lose or crush, so a shallow lidded compartment or bits box keeps them safe until you attach them.
• Tank Crew and Dogs: Includes a Tank Ace, Tank Crewman, modular male and female crew, Chips, Furball, and Horrie, on a 25mm round base. Knowing the base size helps you choose or cut foam that fits the crew and dogs without pressing on fragile details.

A repeatable storage routine protects your paint and your time. Cure models fully, match the tray to the model, fill the gaps, and label everything. Do that and your miniatures will arrive at the table exactly as they left it.