The Tally of 2019

Nearly closing time - let's have a quick count-up!

For those who don't know, this is the idea behind "Project: Micawber"...

"Annual leadpile twenty Intercessors, annual painting nineteen Intercessors nineteen marines and a scout, result: stagnation.

Annual leadpile twenty Intercessors, annual painting twenty Intercessors nought and a teleport homer, 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!

2018 was something of a disaster (unless you're in the business of selling me models) whereby I ran a deficit of over 400 miniatures (my newfound enthusiasm for 40k knowing no bounds)

This was my 2019:

Bought

It's been worse.

Warhammer Conquest did for me again (thank Sigmar that magazine is finally coming to the end of its run), and so did a brief diversion into Renegade Chaos Chapters and - much to my surprise - Bolt Action.

I also got a lot of Daemons, basically to try out Contrast Paint; and a small force of AdMech, to try out shooting my opponent full of holes.

Acquisition total: 320 models.

Painted

Space Wolves saw a lot of action, and I'm very chuffed that I managed to start and finish an entire 40k army within the space of a calendar year. So assuming Primaris Ragnar doesn't get released (which he will) and I resist buying him (which I won't), I can close the books on one of my armies and just enjoy playing them.

I added a few more units to my largest army of Thousand Sons, though still seem to be some way off finishing them yet. Look to the skies for reinforcements there.

The same is true for the Black Legion - which went from the bare essentials to a fully-formed army. I've got a good chunk left to add to that one - although I would have been done by now if I hadn't decided to also paint up a small force of Purge and Scourged (no regrets about that choice - I love my heretics).

No big models this year (a la Magnus the Red, Heldrake, Mutalith Vortex Beasts). The biggest I managed was a Redemptor Dreadought, which might explain how I was able to make some headway.

I've also done some more painting for others - either as presents or commissions - so as reward for my altruism, they also get added to the count.

• 5 x Intercessors
• 5 x Intercessors
• 6 x Aggressors
• 10 x Reivers
• 6 x Aggressors
• 10 x Hellblasters
• 8 x Khorne Berzerkers
• 3 x Obliterators
• 5 x Raptors
• 1 x Exalted Champion
• 1 x Primaris Wolf Lord
• 3 x Inceptors
• 3 x Inceptors
• 1 x Primaris Battle Leader
• 1 x Primaris Librarian
• 5 x Raptors
• 1 x Chaos Spawn
• 1 x Warp Snotling
• 10 x Rubric Marines
• 1 x Ork Boss ‘Wintaaaz’
• 1 x Ahriman, Arch-Sorcerer of Tzeentch
• 2 x Chaos Spawn
• 1 x Haarken Worldclaimer
• 1 x Chaos Lord with Jump Pack
• 1 x Chaos Cultist with Heavy Stubber
• 31 x Deutsches Afrikakorps
• 10 x Palanite Enforcer Patrol
• 1 x Scopum Spawn
• 1 x Wolf Lord in Gravis Armour
• 1 x Redemptor Dreadnought
• 2 x Inceptors
• 10 x Fenrisian Wolves
• 1 x Lieutenant in Phobos Armour
• 1 x Librarian in Phobos Armour
• 1 x Primaris Wolf Priest
• 1 x Terminator Sorcerer
• 5 x Purge Chosen
• 5 x Plague Marines
• 1 x Helbrute
• 1 x Bjorn the Fell-Handed
• 1 x Sorcerer
• 5 x Scourged Chosen
• 2 x Helbrute
• 1 x Greater Possessed
• 1 x Chaos Space Marine banner
• 1 x Daemon Prince of Nurgle
• 4 x Necromunda Spyrers
• 1 x Changeling*
• 3 x Obliterators
• 5 x Havocs
• 10 x Warp Talons
• 3 x Chaos Champions
• 3 x Chaos Rhinos
• 1 x Chaos Sorcerer of Nurgle
• 3 x Dark Apostle & Dark Disciples
• 1 x Poxbringer
• 23 x Plaguebearers
• 3 x Plague Drones
• 6 x Nurglings
• 1 x Tech-Priest Dominus*
• 1 x Tech-Priest*
• 2 x Ironstrider Ballistari*
• 2 x Onager Dunecrawlers*
• 5 x Skitarii Rangers*
• 20 x Skitarii Vanguard*
• 1 x Tech-Priest Demiurg
• 5 x Skitarii Rangers*
• 5 x Skitarii Vanguard*
• 1 x Tech-Priest Domina
• 20 x Bloodletters
• 4 x HeroQuest
• 5 x Hellblasters
• 5 x Intercessors
• 1 x Primaris Ancient
• 1 x Primaris Battle Leader

Painted total: 320 models
(+/- models)

A busy year. A record year, in fact (factoring in my strange way of accounting for things), surpassing 2015's total of 246.

And it was enough to break even. Just enough, as it happens. I couldn't squeeze out another model - not a cheeky Spawn or a Cultist - to push me over the edge into a win. So we end with equilibrium.

Although, as I bonus, I also sold 110 models this year - so the leadpile has been reduced, in spite of my best efforts.

*Now these models were nearly, or mostly, painted when I acquired them. But I'm adding them to the tally since a) I'm counting them in the 'acquired' column anyway, so it's 'one in, one out'; and b) I had to repaint their bases to bring them in line. So it still counts as me doing work on them.

Also, you'll notice that not all of these models have links yet - that's because this is going so close to the wire, the decals are still wet on some of them. Upon my honour, they were finished in 2019.

... with 32 minutes to spare.

Other notables of 2019

• Favourite unit: There's a lot more to choose from, and I was going to pick the Gallowsman Enforcers, but I can't torture myself two years in a row by picking something I had to give away. I'll go with The Purge Chosen, who were great fun to build and paint and - a rarity for me - not a hint of gold on the armour.


• Favourite model: All the shortlists for this one included models I had converted in some way, so there's a clue about what I'm currently enjoying the most in the hobby. I think the rosette has to go to the Tech-Priest Domina, a model that came about, not because I had an army for it, but because I dug around my spares and wanted to tinker.


• Favourite battle: Another one where I'm spoiled for choice, given my year included three filmed battle reports, three narrative campaigns, two tournaments, and a greater variety of opponents than ever before. As a narrative, the Zamaroon campaign told a great story; the Siege of Rylstone Keep was just the biggest damn battle I've ever played; while my Black Legion's tussle with the Mordian Iron Guard was a classic match-up against a proper old-school army (and opponent!)
  A warm thanks to anyone who played against me this year - there wasn't a single game that I didn't thoroughly enjoy.


• WoffBoot XIII: A Wooden Spoon! I managed to defeat Kraken in the final battle, and still take the Wooden Spoon from him, which is some impressive feat of contortion.
  While we're tallying tournaments, I was also fortunate enough to attend the first and second Weekend at Burnie's events, (already legendary) and took a clutch of trophies from there (First Place, Best Narrative and Player's Player), which make a pleasant addition to the cabinet, though less useful for stirring soup.


• Battles played: 37 battles of 40k played, which is another high.
  My back-of-the-envelope calculations give me 25 wins, 10 losses and 2 draws - although the really interesting number is 16 different opponents this year, which is a much bigger win.
  Not many other games played, although I have once again run a Junior WoffBoot, plus many proto-Warhammer games with the kids, plus DM'd two HeroQuest campaigns to completion, so I'm claiming extra points for all of those.

• Blog posts: No competition for this one - it has to be our 1,000th blog post where the good readers finally got to stake their claim between #TeamKraken or #TeamStylus - absolute belter of a fight too.

[Non] Goals from 2019

I was wise enough not to set any goals for the year - and so, by that measure, I've succeeded! (and failed). But here's where we are with the armies:

• Astra Militarum
  Still in their boxes, on their sprues. I could bash a decent-sized army out with one concerted effort, and I really ought to.
• Adeptus Mechanicus
  I decided against collecting them and sold off what I had.
  Then I decided, sod it, and bought a small force in near-completion to play with right away. Happy to leave them as they are for the moment and just get the feel of playing.
• Black Legion
  As I mentioned, these would have been done if I hadn't branched out into other chapters. It doesn't help that chaos units take so well to conversion, you can never build enough characters.
• Death Guard
  Still boxed, still waiting. I'd sell them off, but these seem so much fun to play.
• Genestealer Cults
  Built them, undercoated them (even magnetised them), but when the time came to put paint on the models, I just wasn't feeling it. Sold the lot on to a good owner, and they're now seeing some action.
• OrksStill made of lead, still in deep storage. Maybe one day, I'll get around to selling or painting them for old times's sake.
• Thousand Sons
  Still my 'main' army, although they didn't see quite as much action this year. Added another unit of Rubrics and finally put Ahriman in the mix. There's more to add to this one - I've still go plenty of ideas.
• Space Wolves
  A rare success story - the whole lot done and done in a year. Lots of lovely Primaris units, a good mix of characters, and even the mighty Bjorn the Fell-Handed. If I've got to have loyalists, I'm glad it's these pups.

I didn't even mention Daemons last year, so how's that for prescient?

Goals for 2020

Let's be bold and try and set some goals for completion:

• Black Legion
• Daemons
• Astra Militarum
• Something non-40k, like Bolt Action or Age of Sigmar
• And, since I've enjoyed this so much, I'll try and paint a dozen models that have no immediate use or relevance for me as gaming pieces, just for their own sake.

Have a great 2020, leadfellows. May your targets always be acquired!