I thought I might hold off the end-of-the-month wrap-up until tomorrow, but the fact is I'm not going to squeak out that set of eight Numidians slingers by tomorrow--I just know my own painting speed and it is not going to happen. Plus it is a slow day and I'm feeling introspective, and tomorrow I'll be helping a friend move.
My miniature painting total for April was an anemic 14, my worst month to date this year. On the upside, I'm within 12 of my goal for the year and am still painting about six times as many miniatures per month as I was last year. There were several reasons for my lassitude in painting: illness, switching to terrain-building for a spell, and general ennui (or acadia, as I called it). In all likelihood the slingers will be done by this weekend, so I'll have a strong start to May, and right now I generally feel motivated to paint again.
I got in one wargaming session this month, which is about normal for me. Since I run at least one RPG session each week (sometimes two) I feel like I'm getting together with people enough. I just feel a little embarrassed that I kicked the bejeezus out of the new guy.
As I mentioned earlier, I got started on a modular dungeon, but then abruptly stopped. I have been thinking I might spend a month making terrain once I hit the 100 miniatures painted mark or finish the second Numidian set. We'll see, a lot of things could change.
I also ordered 57 Wargames Factory Shock Troops, which should be winging their way here next month. I'm having a little buyer's remorse about getting these guys; I don't play any sci-fi games and haven't been into 40K much. I don't even know how I'm going to paint them: quick and easy or in a scheme I might actually like.
For my last meandering point, I wanted to talk about being the Army Collector. There's a certain tragic quality to it, because I collect armies as much to build and paint as to play. As I said earlier, I'm good to get one game in a month. But lately I've been thinking about what kind of armies I like to collect, and one of those answers is big ones. Or rather, ones that give a sense of gravitas about them. In years past, when I hardly got anything painted, I tended towards more skirmish games: they were cheap and could be fully painted without too much difficulty. Now, though, between my own increase in painting volume and the availability of inexpensive plastic miniatures, I really warm to the idea of larger, more colorful armies. Maybe it is the romantic in me. Maybe it is my sense of having accomplished something big. Maybe I'm a closet megalomaniac. But seeing units of multiple figures lined up with flags waving just seems more compelling to me than six figures, even really well painted ones. Those seem more like a display piece or a diorama than a wargaming army.
I know others will disagree, and that's cool. It's a broad hobby and I'm just talking about what is buttering my muffin these days.
My miniature painting total for April was an anemic 14, my worst month to date this year. On the upside, I'm within 12 of my goal for the year and am still painting about six times as many miniatures per month as I was last year. There were several reasons for my lassitude in painting: illness, switching to terrain-building for a spell, and general ennui (or acadia, as I called it). In all likelihood the slingers will be done by this weekend, so I'll have a strong start to May, and right now I generally feel motivated to paint again.
I got in one wargaming session this month, which is about normal for me. Since I run at least one RPG session each week (sometimes two) I feel like I'm getting together with people enough. I just feel a little embarrassed that I kicked the bejeezus out of the new guy.
As I mentioned earlier, I got started on a modular dungeon, but then abruptly stopped. I have been thinking I might spend a month making terrain once I hit the 100 miniatures painted mark or finish the second Numidian set. We'll see, a lot of things could change.
I also ordered 57 Wargames Factory Shock Troops, which should be winging their way here next month. I'm having a little buyer's remorse about getting these guys; I don't play any sci-fi games and haven't been into 40K much. I don't even know how I'm going to paint them: quick and easy or in a scheme I might actually like.
For my last meandering point, I wanted to talk about being the Army Collector. There's a certain tragic quality to it, because I collect armies as much to build and paint as to play. As I said earlier, I'm good to get one game in a month. But lately I've been thinking about what kind of armies I like to collect, and one of those answers is big ones. Or rather, ones that give a sense of gravitas about them. In years past, when I hardly got anything painted, I tended towards more skirmish games: they were cheap and could be fully painted without too much difficulty. Now, though, between my own increase in painting volume and the availability of inexpensive plastic miniatures, I really warm to the idea of larger, more colorful armies. Maybe it is the romantic in me. Maybe it is my sense of having accomplished something big. Maybe I'm a closet megalomaniac. But seeing units of multiple figures lined up with flags waving just seems more compelling to me than six figures, even really well painted ones. Those seem more like a display piece or a diorama than a wargaming army.
I know others will disagree, and that's cool. It's a broad hobby and I'm just talking about what is buttering my muffin these days.
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