The Tally of 2017

And for those of you paying attention, that was 2017. At least Bowie didn't die in this one.

Guys, I just discovered this brand new game ... I think it could be big.

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

"Annual leadpile twenty terminators, annual painting nineteen terminators nineteen marines and a cultist, result: stagnation.
Annual leadpile twenty terminators, annual painting twenty terminators nought and a cultist, 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 2016, I sailed across the finish line, racking up a massive 50 models to my credit. I had similarly high hopes - nay, higher hopes, for this year. Because of course, I had promised not to buy any new models.

This was my 2017:

Bought

Yet again, I promised myself I wouldn't buy any new models this year ... that lasted until mid-February. This year, I make no such pledge, maybe it will have the inverse effect.

(That said, I know I am getting a few Battalion boxes from Santa. And I've already thrown my cap at the yet-to-be-released Darkoath Queen. And if those rumours about Sisters of Battle turn out to be true... Oh yes, and Goblin Sky-Pirates)

At least the rate has slowed down a little. These are the fewest models I've bought in a couple of years, and mostly centred around three big chunks: the Age of Sigmar starter set, an old Beastmen battalion box (one of those eBay lots you can't pass by), and an initial dive into the Thousand Sons.

Acquisition total: 150 models.

Painted

• 21 x Warlord of Galahir set
• 3 x Tyrant of Halpi set
• 2 x Return of Valandor – celestian, undead demon
• 1 x Knight-Questor
• 1 x Magister
• 10 x Tzaangor
• 1 x Excelsior Warpriest
• 1 x Gryph-hound
• 4 x Gorechosen
• 10 x Ironjawz Brutes
• 1 x Ironjawz Megaboss
• 1 x Ironjaw Weirdnob
• 1 x Orc Big ‘Un
• 1 x Chimera
• 10 x Chaos Warriors
• 3 x Ironjawz Gore-Gruntas
• 1 x Ogroid Thaumaturge
• 2 x Kairic Acolytes
• 1 x Slambo
• 1 x Mistweaver Saih
• 10 x Thousand Sons Rubric Marines
• 1 x Exalted Sorcerer on Disc
• 1 x Wight King
• 1 x Skink Starpriest
• 5 x Thousand Sons Scarab Occult Terminators
• 3 x Steelheart’s Champions
• 20 x Chaos Cultists
• 9 x LoTR Elves
• 5 x Liberators
• 2 x Teutogen Guard
• 1 x Reiklander Captain
• 1 x Middenheim Champion
• 1 x Rodrigo Delmonte
• 1 x Tenebrael Shard
• 1 x Curseling, Eye of Tzeentch
• 1 x Sorceress
• 1 x Gaunt Summoner
• 6 x Goblin Spear Chukkas & crew
• 2 x Orc Bullies
• 1 x Fyreslayer Doomseeker
• 1 x Leopoldo di Lucci
• 10 x Astra Militarum infantry squad

Painted total: 168 models
(+18 models)

Against all odds, I made it across the finish line, and in double-digits too. The meagre margin of victory represents my second-best score since I've started this exercise, which makes you wonder what I was playing at for all those other years.

I can thank Satan Claus and his frenzied Advent Painting Challenge, which pushed me over the finish line - over a quarter of my painted total came in the month of December. We'll have to think of something equally gruelling next year.

In fairness to myself, moving house meant I was deprived of any means of painting for three months, which explains why my output was correspondingly diminished. No excused next year.

Other notables of 2017

• Favourite unit: I liked the way the Ironjawz Brutes turned out, and I find painting Stormcasts to be a joy, but the winners have to be the Thousand Sons Rubric Marines - my first 40k squad, they weren't easy, but I do love the final effect.


• Favourite model: This is a tougher one, as I seem to have done a lot of individual models this year. Slambo gets an honourable mention, for being so much fun to paint. I really like all of the Silver Tower heroes, and couldn't choose between them. I think I'll plump for the Gaunt Summoner, for being a great model, for the elbow-grease required and how well it came out.


• Favourite battle: At present, my favourite battle is 'the last 40k one I played', so I guess I'll pick Sisters of Battle vs Thousand Sons. 40k 8th Edition has been a revelation - I really took to the Age of Sigmar-style ruleset, and to have tactical objectives and stratagems on top of that really ices my cake.


• WoffBoot XI: Our first full-blooded Age of Sigmar tournament, and it was a lot of fun. I wish I'd been able to paint up a full Disciples of Tzeentch list, rather than playing Mixed Chaos (although I also had to paint up an Ironjawz list to load out, which proved formidable than my own). After a six-month hiatus, I could really do with getting my head back around all the AoS material out there.


• Battles played: 40 - one more than last year! Quite a few big games (although our Tzeentch campaign remains unfinished), and almost no X-Wing. The pick-up game slot seems to have been filled with Dungeon Saga, Warhammer Quest and Shadespire (expect at least two of those to continue next year).


• Blog posts: No YouTube battle report this year (for shame), but for an example of truly frenetic hobbying, I'll direct you to our Advent Challenge.

[Failed] Goals from 2017

I predicted that I would never keep my hobby resolutions, and that prediction was entirely successful. Winning!

• Finish all of Dungeon Saga
  Partial credit. I got very close: all the major sets are done. All that remains are a few freebies (and the doors, always the doors)


• Complete all Age of Sigmar forces
  Silver Tower: the advent challenge really pushed me on. All but three models done (and I added three random heroes into the set, so it's a wash).
  
  Destruction: I painted up all the Ironjawz, except for three Gore-Gruntas (who took so long, they've deterred me from the rest), so they're pretty much done.
  
  Gorechosen: all of the core set, none of the additional warriors
  
  Chaos: no idea where we are with this. Despite having almost 3,000 points, the collection is looking a bit too ... chaotic ... for my taste. I need to round of all of the factions (Tzeentch, Khorne, Brayherd, Slaves to Darkness) into some coherence, and try not to think about Nurgle.


• Finish all Lord of the Rings models
  I painted nine elves because Santa made me. Other than that, I've been a bad hobbitses.


• Finish my Anglo-Saxons
  Not a single ceorl painted. Send me to the ducking stool.
  


• Paint some scenery, any scenery
  Hah! I did better - I commissioned some scenery painted! (that's not really better is it?)

Goals for 2018

Right. With gimlet-eyed determination, I am going to make these goals, and I am going to keep these goals.

• An new mystery 40k army (although my Christmas Eve challenge gives the game away)
• Khorne Bloodbound
• Disciples of Tzeentch
• Stormcast Eternals

By my estimation, that will eat into about two-thirds of my production capacity. The rest will be taken care of with character models, finishing up units, and whatever random crap gets thrown at me during next year's Advent Challenge. And maybe a bit of scenery. Maybe not the scenery.

Have a great 2018, leadfellows. Let's ride those boxcars to victory!