2017 Hobby Year in Review

Once again it’s time for a reflection on a year of hobby.

Overview

I started the year with a deadline looming. A Team Yankee campaign was getting started. I had just acquired enough models to fill out an army and only had about five weeks to get it table ready. I also had Dropzone Commander and Arena Rex backburnered.

I managed to hit my goals for Team Yankee, although I didn’t have a chance to properly weather before the first game day. Adepticon came, and I bought a ton again. This time I bought into Bushido plus a rulebook and a handful of This Is Not a Test models. I had a great time at the Arena Rex tournament (even though I’m pretty sure I came in last) and bought more models.

Wyrd’s Easter sale also came and brought with it a restock of Nightmare Coryphee, which I had been using as an excuse to not paint it. Working through my limited Arcanists took me into the summer.

The fall found me painting up another full army for another game, a Battle of the Bulge campaign for Bolt Action. I slowly worked through the rest of the backlog, and managed to clear the backlog twice as winter approached. Until the Wyrd Black Friday order came, and brought with it Christmas Rasputina and assorted friends.

For now, I’ve given up on Bushido. The models sit sadly in their blisters, waiting for some love.

I’ve continued to grow the gallery, splitting off some of the games into their own sections as they grow. Each time I do a photo shoot I do a few models either from before the blog or that just need to be reshot. It’ll take a long time to get through everything, however.

Total: 168 models (+10.5% YoY)

  • 41 Malifaux models
  • 23 Dropzone models
  • 38 Team Yankee models
  • 45 Bolt Action models
  • 15 Arena Rex  models
  • 6 other models, including terrain, This is Not a Test,  and a random Hasslefree model

Malifaux

Malifaux remains my main game. I don’t do events often, but more Fridays than not I get a game at the FLGS. I branched into Arcanists with the Dark Carnival box and am just getting started with the new Christmas Rasputina set.

Dropzone Commander

Dropzone has faded pretty much into the background. I was hoping that adding Resistance (started last year, finished up this year) would reinvigorate me, but the community has seriously died down. Team Yankee and then Bolt Action took most of my monthly weekend game days, which didn’t help. I’m cautiously optimistic about the second edition.

Team Yankee

I got into Team Yankee in a big way early in the year with a campaign. I wasn’t happy with my original camo paint job from last year, but took another stab at in, complete with using a bunch of weathering products from AK Interactive. There’s still plenty of room for growth, but I’m a lot happier with the results. The campaign is coming back for a big finale in February, and I’ve got some toys from the new Stripes book on the way. Just not infantry. I hate me some 15mm infantry.

Bolt Action

As the Team Yankee campaign was winding down, I learned of a Battle of the Bulge Bolt Action campaign getting started. I’ve long been curious about Bolt Action, but never found the time. I took the plunge this time, painting an entire Winter American army in about six weeks. I kept experimenting with weathering. I think my winter M10 Tank Destroyer is my best work yet. The campaign finished in late December. There’s talk of Pacific in the new year, but I don’t think I have another 28mm army in me just yet.

Arena Rex

Arena Rex is my favorite game I never play. Other than one demo, I’ve only played at the tournament at Adepticon. I just can’t resist the models. I’m signed up for the tournament at next year’s Adepticon. There’s been some buzz at the FLGS, so maybe I can sucker some people into playing. If not, I’ll just keep painting the models.

Other

The other list is pretty small this year. I picked up some This is Not a Test models at Adepticon. I dig the system and setting, although it’s a bit campaigny for my taste. I also demoed and bought into Bushido, but for now they’re staying in their blisters. Sadly, no Guild Ball is on the list. It was always going to be a tertiary game, but between Season 3 upending things (hard to keep up with the changes when you’re so casual about the game) and the total bust of a casual tourny at Adepticon (turns out there was no event, it was just to reserve tables..) I’ve lost interest for now.

Looking to 2018

The immediate focus is once again Team Yankee. Again, I have a game in February and models to get done ahead of it.

I also want to get Christmas Rasputina and her frozen friends on the table as quickly as possible. I have vague ideas about trying to get the other Malifaux Nightmare crews I have sitting in boxes after that.

We’ll see where Bolt Action ends up. My Winter Airborne don’t exactly fit into the Pacific theater. I find myself curious about doing a horde Japanese army, but I haven’t quite sold myself yet.

I’d like to paint up Bushido as well. I bought Ito, and snake people are cool.

I have a vision of a construction site table I’d like to build. Unfortunately, there are three big problems:

  1. There doesn’t see to be cheap plastic bulldozer, earthmover, and other construction equipment models that aren’t toys
  2. None of the games I play would thematically fit on such a table.
  3. I barely use the old west / Malifaux table I have now.

So I guess I’ll have to keep that on hold for now.

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