Well this is the first time I have done this for a few years. Fatherhood I guess. My little darling is with her mum and I have watched all the Christmas TV I can stand. So it's the end of another year and a chance to reflect. This is about the eighth attempt at trying to get this done. Fatigue is not fun. 2021 was the last time I managed this sort of post and I figured I have more direction when I have a plan.
I have done a bit more on the blog this year than I have done in the last few years. The blog has been on a bit of a decline since 2019. I will blame my health and the real world being slightly more important to me. I have found a bit more space and time towards the end of this year. Soooo...I think I will keep in going. This year will see as many posts as I managed in the last two years and I've done the highest number of posts since 2019.
I haven't made a huge amount of purchases in 2024, in terms of cash at least. I found a lot of figures for almost nothing. Mostly 28mm medieval stuff but a lot of random frames as well. Most was planned for Sludge or Turnip 28. It came with a load of extras. Then there was some Battletech and Star Wars Legion purchases and aside from some 3d printed oil barrels. I brought a couple of board games from charity shops and spent nothing on RPGs at all. The total is probably closer to £300 than £400. Spending in 2025 is dependant on my Bingo plan for the New Cruelty. There is scope for a change of plan.
I've been ill and this has really affected everything I do. I've been without a work space since 2023 and it was only in September this year that I had the energy to do anything. Then it was October before I started painting. Historically I used to aim for ten figures a week. I guess I am closer to ten figures a month. Well not quite. I hit round abou fifty five. Still most were big figures such as Battletech mechs.
The biggest (and some of the smallest) were the Battletech mins. I've never painted Battletech before but I guess I have painted some stuff like it before. Something different I guess. Battletech is something I played back in the 80s. I was a bit meh about it then. Now I have two mates that are into it and suddenly I have played it a bit more. Enough that I have started to like it. I have some mechs in the queue that are primed, based and on the bench. I have kind of decided that I won't buy any more until I have painted what I have or are pretty close to finishing them. I might buy some more terrain.
I aim to paint more than I buy in any given year.. Failed at that. I found a guy on a car boot sale who was selling stuff off rather cheaply. This was mostly boxes. I guess I have had about thirty kits and a lot of random frames. I worked it out and I was pay a little over 10%. Most of the boxes are in a bigger box which has been hidden in the boiler cupboard. I have a good chunk of bits for bits boxes and a substantial Sludge army out of it.
Oooh Sludge. I now have a substantial army glued together and a good chunk are primed. I need some more bases. I would hope to get this finished in 2025 and maybe get a game in. I like the aesthetic. Not sure anyone else does.
Having acquired a 3D printer and a wash and cure station I think this will have an impact on what I do in 2025. The wash and cure needs a new motherboard but that shouldn't be too expensive. I might need to find the right project. I suspect I will aim more at terrain than minis. It is however half buried at the moment.
Over the course of the year I got two pots of paint, both for Battletech. By and large I don't actually need any more paint. My paint racks are pretty much full so I would have to laser cut some more. I have enjoyed using contrast and the original speedpaints. I might dip my toe into the newer range of speedpaints. I did buy my first purpose built wet palette. I have been using a homemade one for years but couldn't find it. It wasn't going to cost that much more than making my own, so what the hell. Then I got some stuff to make my own transfers. I suspect I will make more of that in 2025.
Then there is The Damned from Atlantic via Game found. The current ETA is March 2025. So about two years from the time I backed it. I am giving my screen a Paddington Bear stare as I am typing. It's five boxes and around another four boxes of loose frames. I wanted this very badly as the time. I think that time has passed. I am sure I will paint some but we will see. This was another reason not to back stuff online.
Star Wars Legion looks like it will play a part in 2025. Probably at least as big as 2024. I suspect this will be a bigger deal as a 3D printing. About two thirds of what I got done this year was SWL. The new year looks like it has some releases of stuff I will like. So watch this space.
Every year I tells myself I am going to paint a Blood Bowl team. I have my Skaven team ready to go. I have actually played a couple of games this year and nearly spent some money on Star Players. I might just proxy them as I was looking at £100 for four figures. I have the dwarves ready to go and a lot of stuff still on the frame. It would be nice to get one or two teams done.
My Viking game got played a bit at the beginning of the year. I have painted a couple of dozen minis for this and worked on my background. In the round I could have done a bit more but I have almost everything I need. There is still some stuff I want in terms of figures. I still don't have dark age zombies in my collection. Now there is an idea I can get behind.
In terms of spending I am using the Bingo sheets to determine what I spend. I expect to spend more if I am doing more anyway. Given that I expect to be doing some 3D printing maybe I will spend less. This meant need to have a printing plan and not get distracted by new releases or old habits.
I usually allow myself one spending blind spot. As long as it reaches a particular objective. So one of my gaming goals is to have a figure for every fantasy trope class, of both genders for all classic fantasy races. There are always a few missing because, oddly, nobody does this in a single range. So I wait to find stuff that is about right or can be kitbashed. I can't face any more elves (or the people who habitually play them). Mostly good for male dwarves and adding to the females as I find them. This leaves halflings. Halflings are a bit of a bete noire. I get some minis and then I find something I like better. My role playing figures need to be kept in a broadly dark age theme. This may yet turn into Celtic Dwarves.
I finished about half a dozen Stargrave figures and some stuff for Frostgrave. No games tho. It would be nice to have a few games next year. I don't suspect I will be buying much in 2025. We will see what comes out of Northstar.
Whilst I like the idea of painting more figures than I buy. Some of what I bought was already painted but even with what I have this wasn't going to create a positive balance. And I am not thinking about the random purchases. Even at the high end of output, my backlog just found enough figures to keep me busy for something to three years. I look at it in terms of having the biggest pile of kitbashing bits of anyone I know. Do I count the Damned as this year or 2023? The plan says if I paint I can buy.
I want to do some more hex terrain this year. I already have a substantial number ready to get painted. I need to get some more hexes cut. I have some thicker foam and the plan is to do some trenches, tunnels and alien hives. I should really be doing some desert stuff to. I will actually have to use it. I do have the space available to do a couple of big terrain projects in the shed. Just need the energy to do that. And maybe a slight rise the the temperature
In the round I am hoping that 2025 will be a better year all round. I can see a couple of hurdles, but will will see. 2024 hasn't been a bad year and there have been a couple of high points but I am not sad to see the back of it.
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