Well were are fully in the dog days of summer and it is time for everyone’s yearly mid-year check! Have you met your resolutions yet?
Let’s look back at what I wanted to accomplish over the year and see where I am at.
- Join and contribute to a painting group – (on target)
I have made a monthly entry to our painting group every month now for the entire year! Sometimes it was the last day of the month, without the base done. But still the effort was there and I was always happy with the results! My February entry even won the monthly raffle so 20 dollars in store credit, oh happy days! (Seriously people it’s a win – win to join these things!)
- Personal goal of not buying miniatures until others are done – (yea….)
Talk about setting yourself up for failure. Through trades and some really good deals from local sellers I gained the following models: 1 Changeling, 1 Glottkin, 3 Plague Drones, 8 Blightkings, 10 Plaguebearers, 3 Nurglings, 1 Bloab Rotspawned, 5 Chaos Knights, 5 Chaos Chosen, 1 High Elf Archmage, 1 Great Eagle, and 1 Free Peoples General. However, I have painted the following: 1 Changeling, 1 Greater Lord of Change, 1 Karios Fateweaver, 6 Flamers of Tzeentch, 1 Archmage, 1 High Warden on Griffon, 10 Spireguard, 10 Swordmasters, 1 High Elf Archmage, and 2 DnD miniatures. So I have acquired 40 new models and painted 34 which almost puts me back to where I started this year…. I guess it is time to modify this one a little bit and say that I will have my Spire of Dawn High Elves (just have 5 Reavers left) and will have my starter set Stormcast Eternals done before getting anymore models.
- Organize paints, models, and miniatures – (done)
This one was required with a new member of the house moving in (Born January 21st)! Needing to free up space I re purposed some of my bookshelf space to show completed models (would love a display case). Then I organized my miniatures that were not painted so they would fit in a single neatly organized box. Next I made a spreadsheet of all my painted and unpainted miniatures, and then a spreadsheet of all my paints. It took all of 3-4 hours and has made finding models so much easier!
- Become a better painter and player – (on track but not 100%)
For the painting portion of this one I am doing very well, see joining a painting group. Since committing to painting a unit every month, I have definitely seen an improvement to where my models are at. Some of it might be more paint choices and better brushes but I am a faster painter with a better eye today then I was 6 months ago. For being a player I am better then when I first started, and a lot of that has to do with watching battle reports online, and playing in a couple of tournaments. However I am also a little out of practice as I wanted to play 2 nights a month and that has not happened. (See Born January 21st). Asking my wife to take sole responsibility for a screaming child, when we have both worked all week is just not fair. However as we approach the 6 month old date, she is beginning to sleep through the night and go to bed at a real bedtime! (Seriously this is exciting) My hope is that I can get back on the wagon this fall and get more games in.
- Try out new games and continue playing WarmaHordes – (failed)
Going to call this one failed for sure, which is really disappointing. I have really enjoyed my time playing WarmaHordes, but the players at my local store do not have a set day and time to play. So if I wanted to get a game in I would run the risk of showing up and nobody being there. With the other new board games that is another one that is gnawing away at me. I would love to get Silver Tower or the new 8th edition box set for 40k. But with my time being as limited as it is, I have to shelve those dreams for this year, and hope that 2018 things will calm down a little bit.
- Writing a weekly article for Spikey Bits – (on target)
For the most part I have hit this goal every week since I started back in June of 2016. There might be a missed week here or there or other weeks where Rob uses two articles, but my average is about one a week and I will take it! This year there has even been some dialog on the comments section, and constructive criticism. Which is great, I am always trying to improve my hobbies (writing being one of them) so love to hear from the people that read these.
Finally I am going to give five predictions for the next 6 months of AOS a whirl. I do not have any sort of inside scoop, crystal ball, or blackmail on GW so this is straight up me thinking hard and spewing out some words.
- With the new Generals Handbook coming out, we will see mixed faction battalions. There is one in the new Kharadron Overlords book with Stormcast, but I see it happening across all the grand alliances.
- Death gets some a lot of love with new models and factions. The reason is because there is a lot of focus in the Realm of Death right now with the skirmish book and Shadespire coming out soon.
- Nurgle Daemons are going to see a new release. Only this because the 8th edition of 40k came out and has the Nurgle Marines in the box. (Love those models)
- Another Warhammer Quest comes out this time focusing on Chaos being the good guys trying to free Slaanesh. (Let’s be honest this is more of a dream then prediction)
- A brand new Destruction army introduced, I would guess some kind of nomad giant clan that might even include a brand of dwarves or elves. (Also the frost-wreathed ice attack gets nerfed)
There you have it, as you can see even us holy Spikey Bits writes do not always meet our hobby goals! So here is to making up that last 6 months of the year and getting them done. Also seriously GW make that Slaanesh Warhammer Quest game happen…..
