The Tally of 2021

Another rotation of the sun inexplicably completed. All that is left are the memories.

It's not all 40k. Don't get Arcee about it.

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

"Annual leadpile twenty Possessed, annual painting nineteen Possessed, nineteen Chaos Space Marines and a Cultist, result: stagnation.

Annual leadpile twenty Possessed, annual painting twenty Possessed 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!

Last year was a colossal failure, with various lockdowns partially to blame. So for 2021 I set myself a couple of ambitious goals (not knowing that a completely different ambitious goal was waiting for me around the corner...)

Bought

Nothing!

That was my primary goal for this year, and despite some narrow squeaks (I mean, they released a brand new Thousand Sons model, for Tzeentch's sake!), I succeeded. Not one new model purchased this year.

And I must say, I thoroughly recommend the experience. It's made me resilient to the weekly teasers and pre-orders that usually cause the wallet to itch. It's made me dig into the leadpile that I've already acquired (and acquired for a reason - because I wanted to paint them).

Another unforeseen bonus is that it's made me more creative: a good chunk of my Creations of Bile army emerged from the bitz box, and being denied a brand new Infernal Master forced me to get creative and produce one of my very favourite kitbashes.

I also didn't count models I was buying for other people, which I think also forced me into generosity - I don't think I've ever painted so many miniatures to give away, so clearly my karma just needed a gentle shove.

I'm not going to be quite so draconian this year, but I hope it's taught me to pump my brakes a little more with hobby purchases.

I will say, in full disclosure, that I was gifted a couple of miniatures (actually gifted, not in return for cash), so I am 14 models to the credit. But that's a drop in the ocean to my usual annual increase, and I'm not counting them. If the universe wants to bestow models upon me, I won't spit in its eye.

Acquisition total: 0 models.

Painted

• 8 x Possessed
• 5 x Bad Moon Orks
• 10 x Chaos Space Marines
• 1 x Master of Possession
• 3 x Treekin
• 1 x Arcee
•  4 x Ur-Ghuls (gift)
• 1 x Taddeus the Purifier (gift)
• 1 x Pious Vorne (gift)
• 5 x Warp Talons
• 1 x Venomcrawler
• 2 x Highwaymen
• 2 x Obliterators
• 14 x Chaos Cultists
• 8 x Possessed
• 3 x Mutilators
• 10 x Assault Intercessors
• 3 x Eradicators
• 10 x Mechanicum Thralls (commission)
• 8 x Gallowsmen (commission)
• 1 x Terminator Sorcerer
• 1 x Greater Possessed
• 1 x Exalted Champion
• 1 x Master of Executions
• 7 x Chaos Cultists
• 1 x Kevin (gift)
• 1 x Carnifex (gift)
• 1 x Infernal Master
• 4 x Drepur's Wraithcreepers (gift)
• 4 x Storm of Celestus (gift)
• 4 x Hedkrakka's Madmob (gift)
• 1 x Ghorgon
• 1 x Wildfire Taurus
• 1 x Dark Apostle
• 6 x Imperial Guardsman
• 1 x Imperial Guard Mortar Team
• 16 x Khorne Berserkers
• 1 x Kharn the Betrayer
• 5 x Bloodreavers
• 9 x Rubric Marines
• 1 x Chaos Sorcerer
• 1 x Thousand Sons Sorcerer
• 1 x Pvt Adam (gift)

Painted total: 170 models

The result is that I'm in credit in triple-figures for the first time since I started keeping track. If I keep this up, I could have cleared my unpainted pile by the time I'm 50 (don't hold your breath).

To start with the failure: my other ambitious goal was to randomly pick and paint a model per month. I still think it is a great idea, but it crashed into a wall by March, mostly because I was invited to take part in the Hobbypocalypse challenge in January, and that was just one project too many.

And what a challenge it was! Aside from occupying half a year of painting output, it resulted in the completion of a brand new army for me (most of which is full of conversions, which is no small feat, since I repeatedly tell myself I don't like converting). I'm very pleased with the Creations of Bile, both as an hobby project and an army on the field. so that was time well spent.

The rest of the year was spent adding a few units to existing armies: Space Wolves, Thousand Sons, Black Legion, plus a couple of big beasties for Age of Sigmar and a whole chunk of World Eaters, which I suppose technically counts as another new army.

So not a bad tally, and there's a lot of units in there that I've really enjoyed painting, so that's a win.

Other notables of 2021

• 
  Favourite unit:
  There's a lots of contenders here: my classic Bad Moon Orks, Space Wolves Assault Intercessors, Black Legion Rubric Marines, Creations of Bile Cultists, gore-soaked World Eaters. I think the prize goes to the Creations of Bile Possessed - I really enjoyed putting my stamp on them.
  
  
• Favourite model:
  Another crowded field, especially as there were lots of models that had either been waiting a long time, or pushed me to try new techniques. I think necessity wins out: my kitbashed Infernal Master brought together a lot of elements and is now a firm favourite in the Court of Miracles.
  
  
• Favourite battle: 
  There's been some very memorable fights, from the epic two-parter of Mantis Warriors against all the Tyranids; a chance to play with a Thousand Sons codex on pre-order day; and the blessed return of events and gaming weekends. But what takes the biscuit is the four-way mayhem of the Hobbypocalypse finale - carnage and hilarity in equal measure.


• Battles played: 
  26 battles of 40k played (plus five Necromunda, one Age of Sigmar, a dozen Underworlds, and countless homebrew wargames with my kids), which is surprisingly higher than last year. I'm hoping to stretch out into more varied games systems next year, not least because my poor Blood Bowl set has been sadly neglected among all this productivity.
  
  
• Blog posts: 
  I'm going to pick my recent battle against Pootle for a close, fascinating game with a first-rate write-up. I haven't hosted as many games this year, for one reason or another, and that's something else I'll have to remedy.

[Non] Goals from 2021

With only two goals, at least I couldn't fail more than two goals...

• No New Models
  Cleared that hurdle no sweat (although having years of unpainted plastic does sugar the pill a little not)
• Paint a random model/unit each month
  Managed three months, so one-quarter credit. I might try something similar, but with me picking the units, since it was being faced with a 20-strong pack of Blood Reavers that finally broke me.

Goals for 2022

• New army
  I'm signed up to Hobbypocalypse 2, so a new 1500pt army is assured (I hope!)
• Paint a random model/unit each month
  I'll try this again, but this time, without the Wheel of Fate (who trusts fate these days?)
• Play at least one game from six different systems
  Just throwing that one out there. Maybe one of them will be Fantasy Battle?

Have an great 2022, leadfellows! Or just an adequate one, the bar doesn't have to be high.