Hey everybody,
It’s January 1st, a day so full of promise, so it can only mean one thing: time to come up with a list of hopes and dreams for the coming year, probably none of which will actually come to fruition by this time in 2023! This year, I’m planning to try something a little different, though, in the hope that it might actually lead to something more achievable! Without further ado, let’s get to it!
Terrain
I always find myself a little… not bored, per se, but I find terrain a lot more difficult to approach. I think wanting the scenery to look good without going to town and picking out all of the detailing on it has me at war with myself over how to actually paint the stuff! That said, I have painted up a few bits and pieces now, and I am quite pleased with how it has turned out, by and large, so I think if I can keep chugging on with the odd bits and bobs in the next twelve months, I might get into something of a rhythm with it.
It has definitely been a good idea to paint the zone mortalis stuff on a slow and steady basis, just doing two sections at a time. It helps, of course, having a colour scheme nailed down in advance! But I will definitely be getting more of this stuff painted up in the coming year – whether I get the entire Dark Uprising set finished by the end of the year, who can say! But you never know…
Hobby Goal: paint some more terrain!
Adepta Sororitas
I love these models, I think they look superb, and I really want to make sure I do a good job on them – which is probably why it has been taking me so long to get them painted! In 2021 I did come up with a colour scheme that I was pleased with, and which I wanted to paint, but it wasn’t that long before my youngest daughter was born, and everything kinda went out the window until I settled on the Genestealer Cults models for the rest of the year. For 2022, I’m thinking that I will try to take things a bit slowly, and just work on one unit per month. My thinking is, if I tell myself “I want to get this squad of Sisters painted by the end of the month” and no pressure to get more done, but equally I still have a bit of a time limit on there, it should provide enough motivation and, once I’ve finished the first unit, I’d like to think that will inspire me to keep going!
Hobby Goal: get more models painted! But only on a month-by-month basis.
Ossiarch Bonereapers
I spent a lot of time last year painting up this army, and I love it dearly. Unfortunately, I don’t know anybody who plays AoS nearby, or even who has an interest in it, so I’m not really sure where I stand with this right now! I’m probably going to paint up the cavalry and the catapult, as I already have those ready to build up. I would also like to have another box of the Mortek Guard, but I think I might actually hold off on any further purchases until I’m sure I’m going to actually get anything out of them on the table!
Genestealer Cults
I’ve painted up a lot of these guys in the last four months, but I still have a lot to get through! I might slow down a little and paint one unit per month, as with the Sisters, though equally it might be an idea to keep up the pace in the hope that I can steam through everything! I don’t think I’ll be buying anything else for the army just yet, but I suppose you never know once the codex arrives! My current sights are set on getting some more Acolyte Hybrids painted up next, as I think I only have one squad of these painted, and also the Nexos, as that is a great model! We’ll see, anyway.
Hobby Goal: continue the good work!
Tyranids
Speaking of the Cults, I do also want to make some in-roads with their four-armed masters. I really felt like I was on the cusp of making a proper go of things with the Tyranids in 2021, but it seems like that wasn’t to be as I switched my focus to the Cult instead. I am in danger of casting my net too wide at this point, I know, but I think it would be nice to have a solid force of Tyranids to play games with as well. I think I only played 2-3 games with them back in 8th edition, but I remember feeling like it was a really good experience, as the army is one that has a great variety of units at its disposal – there are good psykers, good melee units and some good shooting. It’s like a decent all-rounder army, with so much character from the variety of bug models on offer! Back in September, I primed three Tyranid Warriors, and I believe I’ve got a few other models also primed and ready. So I would like to get everything that is in this state painted by the end of the year, if nothing else!
Hobby Goal: paint up all of those units that are currently primed; finish off any part-painted models.
Other things
This is a fairly broad category, I know, but I don’t really know where else to lump them all! I have a number of other projects that are percolating away in the background, and I would like to see some sense of completion. The Delaque expansion box (to say nothing of all the other Necromunda stuff that is hanging about!), Warcry stuff, Drukhari stuff, AdMech stuff… it’s all mounting up!
I still haven’t decided what to do about the Tempestus Scions, the Deathwatch, or the Blood Angels that are predominantly unpainted and languishing in the loft. While I’m undecided, though, I’m not touching them in case I end up selling them and then regretting it. I have (somewhat) decided that I want to keep the AdMech force that I have roughly where it is – there’s possibly a third squad of Skitarii that I need to paint, and some Sicarians. I might get the Skitarii Marshal, not sure, but I am thinking to just keep those chaps where they are, and it’s not going to be a serious army project for me, per se. It’ll be something I can throw in alongside the Sisters perhaps, or else just keep for small games. I love the models so I don’t want to get rid of them, but similarly I don’t want to expand beyond my means any more!
I have a lot of Drukhari models that haven’t been looked at for quite some time now, and I think I need to have a clear out, if for no other reason than to clear some headspace. There are a lot of Wych Cult models that I’ve got partly painted (or worse) that I’ve never used, and I would like to have more of these ready to go, but I know I also have a lot of Kabalite Warriors that I probably don’t really need, so should try to thin out some more.
There are also a lot of Necron models that I need to paint, but I am pretty sure I do want to actually keep all of these, having thinned the ranks a few years ago. I have some Lychguard and some Wraiths that I really want to get painted, so I should probably make an effort with those. I also have some more Immortals that need paint. But the Necrons force isn’t as in need of attention as some of the others I have!
I also find myself in a bit of a quandary now with my Chaos Marines, because I have a lot of these models but so few painted, I’m unsure as to whether I should just cut my losses and call it a day with them, as it’s just yet one more army that I have to do stuff with (plus I play a lot of games against Heretic Astartes, so it could be a bit boring). But the models are so beautiful, I find myself thinking I might just keep what I already have, and not get anything else. But then, there are new plastic Chosen coming out, and I’m kinda in love… I suppose we shall see, but I do feel there might be a sort-out on the cards for these!
Hobby Goal: try to get my life sorted!
Tau Empire
So I’ve left the biggest one til last, but I have plans to re-do a Tau army in 2022. The codex is coming out soon, I believe, so I think it’s as good a time as any to make an effort with this project. However, having previously bought an entire army in one hit, and building it but then being kinda scared off and selling it all, I think I need to have a much more measured approach this time around. I currently have built the Pathfinders unit that was included with Kill Team Chalnath, and I think that’s fine, I’m going to get these guys painted up in January and that will be it. Then in February, I’ll get something else (probably Fire Warriors), build and paint them, then that’ll be it. And so on, and so on. By the end of the year, I think I should have a nice army, but I’m currently planning to have a small game (perhaps!) at Easter, as in four months I am hoping that I will have painted enough units to make this happen. I want to reiterate, though, that this is not going to turn into a monster for me – I am (for once!) going to take my time, and build this slowly. I suppose time will tell, but I have enough projects going on now that I don’t think I can afford to go off the rails in any way, really!
Hobby Goal: start a new Tau army, painting up just one unit per month.
In conclusion, I think I need to try my hardest to focus on what I still have left to paint, and just get on with it. If I can take this measured approach of just one unit per month, I think I could definitely see results – and if it inspires me to maybe to more than one, then all the better! I’m being purposefully hesitant, as I don’t want to over-commit myself and end up feeling bad for not getting anywhere, but also I know that when a project inspires me, as I saw with the Genestealer Cults in 2021, I can definitely do more than one unit fairly quickly, and so will see my progress ratchet up. Here’s hoping for a very successful 2022!
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