The Tally of 2016

So that was 2016 (stop crying, or at least have a brief pause to re-hydrate)...

The Year In Review

And this is the update to "Project: Micawber", let's all say it together...

"Annual leadpile twenty bestigor, annual painting nineteen bestigor nineteen got and a ungor, result: stagnation.
Annual leadpile twenty bestigor, annual painting twenty bestigor nought and a ungor, result: progress."

Project: Micawber

The premise is simple: paint more models than I acquire, add them up at the end of the year and bring down that leadpile!

In 2015, I nudged over the line with a single model to my credit. This was despite having my most prolific year of painting - somewhat undermined when over 100 models from the Dungeon Saga Kickstarter arrived.

And still not a lick of scenery painted. I'll get around to it at some point.

This was my 2016:

Bought

I began the year with a zero-model acquisition policy (which makes about as much sense as a zero-oxygen policy, and was far more difficult to adhere to).

That said, my purchasing habits changed considerably. Whereas previously I generally hoovered up all sorts of models second-hand; this year, almost three-quarters of purchases came from Games Workshop (either direct or via retailers), and mostly comprised of two boxed games, one supplement, two Start Collecting boxes and a Battleforce.

Prior to that, I'd bought nothing but paints from GW. Over the past few years, my hobby budget and time restrictions haven't really changed, so I'm putting this one down as a big win in GW's favour: Age of Sigmar, its assorted products, and the new methods they've used to market them, really have succeeded in grabbing my attention (and more importantly, cash) and holding it.

Acquisition total: 182 models.

Painted

• 1 x Morghur, Master of Skulls
• 3 x Chaos Spawn
• 3 x Razorgor
• 1 x Doombull
• 40 x Gor
• 10 x Pink Horrors, Blue Horrors and Brimstone Horrors
• 4 x Dungeon Saga Masters of Evil - Elshara, Grund, Hoggar, Mortibris
• 8 x Kairic Acolytes
• 1 x Goblin Big Boss on Gigantic Spider
• 12 x Forest Goblin Spider Riders
• 1 x Grom the Paunch
• 12 x Hobgoblin Wolf Riders
• 1 x Goblin Big Boss
• 1 x Goblin Shaman
• 1 x Goblin Great Shaman
• 42 x Goblin Spears
• 10 x Ironjawz Ardboyz
• 9 x Dwarf King’s Quest – skeletons, zombies, revenant, ghost, zombie troll
• 2 x Rennie & Tilda
• 4 x Chaos Familiars - Pug, Blot, Tweak and Slop
• 6 x Anglo-Saxon Geburs
• 8 x Moria Goblins
• 1 x Cave Troll
• 10 x Dwarf Thunderers
• 12 x Last Alliance Elves
• 1 x Ironjawz Warchanter
• 3 x Night Goblin Fanatics
• 1 x Treeman
• 1 x Night Goblin unit filler
• 1 x Night Goblin Netter
• 1 x Ogre Paymaster
• 21 x Infernal Crypts

Painted total: 232 models
(+50 models)

Woot woot! The first year of clear progress, rather than staggering across the finish line by a couple of models. That's the consequence of a frenzied month of advent calendar painting. I must do it again next year.

Aside from December's paint-o-rama, I mostly stuck to a couple of large projects (Chaos Beasts, Goblins, Dungeon Saga), albeit abandoning other ones (sorry, Silver Tower, I'll get to you next year).

Looking back, my first painting post wasn't until May (I could blame the newly-arrived junior Stylus in January - but to be honest, it looks like I was playing a lot of X-Wing around that time). As always, there's nothing like the spur of a battle to get me painting.

Other notables of 2016

• Favourite unit: I'm quite fond of how my Ironjaw Ardboyz turned out (and am still chuffed that you can see them on the GW product page)
• Favourite model: For both look and paint job, I'm going with the Werefor of Thegn (although Grom the Paunch runs him a very close second on his chubby legs)
• Favourite battle: I haven't played many 'pitched battle' type games, so I'd choose a three-way X-Wing game between Kasfunatu, Kraken and myself - utter space mayhem.
• WoffBoot X: Something of a hodge-podge this year (though not an unenjoyable one), mixing up AoS, X-Wing and Star Wars Rebellion. There was no competitive table to finish on, something we may review for the next one.
• Battles played: 39 - a lot more than last year, which was a big surprise to me. But reviewing them, the majority were short, 60-90 minute pick-up games (X-Wing, Dungeon Saga, Lunchtime HeroQuest). Obviously, a much easier commitment of time and energy than booking the evening and clearing the living room floor (maybe only one or two games of that kind).
• Blog posts: As with last year, I think our best effort was the perennial video report by Peachy Carnehan and Danny Dravot (although the sadly-lapsed Lunchtime HeroQuests were a lot of fun, especially with the cameos from the Wee Krakens).

Goals for 2017

I try to avoid resolutions, as I never keep them and it interrupts my wayward style of painting, but let's create some hostages to fortune:

• Finish all of Dungeon Saga
• Complete all Age of Sigmar forces (Chaos, Destruction, Gorechosen and Silver Tower)
• Finish all Lord of the Rings models (maybe even play a game with them)
• Finish my Anglo-Saxons (because that's just getting embarrassing)
• Paint some scenery, any scenery.

Sorry, 8th Ed, I don't plan on prioritising you next year. But I dare say I'll squeeze out a few more regiments.

Have a great 2017, leadfellows. Let's all stare down those snake eyes!