Hobby Season 2021/22 Review

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity The 2021/22 Hobby Season draws to a close, and how did I do? So lets start with my first task:

Develop a more healthy hobby/life balance - go to bed at a decent hour[ish]   

I tend to go to bed around midnight and get up at 7:30-8:00 but I've recently been getting later and later to bed though, so it's still something I have to work on. My average sleep time has increased though so I think I'm doing OK on this.

Find time to play some games, not just tournament play, so I can have some fun among the daily grind...

Last year there was very little opportunity to game. I hadn't played 40k since 2019! But that was finally rectified this season with a few games of 9th edition. Sadly I didn't warm to it - overly complex, obsessed with damage output that just removes swathes of miniatures at a time, just doesn't appeal. Even the focus on objective scoring added a layer of complexity that felt redundant as you just end up intent on annihilating the other army - it's just the easiest way to play. It didn't feel tactical, it didn't evoke any of the joy, or satisfaction from my forays from 5th to 7th edition [maybe even 8th] - it felt like such a let-down. So, I just persevered with the 'hobby as my hobby'  and resolved to wait patiently until 40k fixed itself. But the boys got our act together a while back, continuing our Middle Earth Role Playing campaign occasionally. And then Otty's fervent championing of Middle Earth Battle Strategy Game led to us gaming regularly - expanding our warbands and most of all having fun. I haven't laughed so much gaming, in years. The game itself is simple, but nuanced. You can lose but still come out OK. Its campaign is easy to follow and the miniatures can be incredibly cheap and easy to paint [depending on your faction]. I've even felt the thrill of tactics that I recall from 5th edition. Heck, I've even got an adrenalin buzz during some games - my heart thumping in my chest as battle lines close. It's been an absolute blast. 

Oh, and I took part in Chorley Bowl, netting my first ever completed games of Blood Bowl - 2.5 of them! And I even came second!

But what of the hobby? Well, the first thing I completed were my twin Armiger Helverins for Dreadtober 2021. Motivation was sorely tested at this time. I hadn't played 9th edition 40k yet and there didn't seem much point to any of it. But that's when I reconciled that the hobby was my hobby, gaming less so. This realisation made me feel a lot better and even accept that if I painted nothing else this season, that was OK too, even if that was core to what I felt I enjoyed most.

I mostly finished one of my Munitorum Containers in December, haven't done the red pics so almost forgot about it. Will have to do the showcase next season but with this season's stamp of approval.

And somehow I had completely forgotten to showcase the finished TT Combat ruin, again TO DONE! pics need to be TO DONE! It's a bit big though so it makes putting it in my light box tricksy. Pics forthcoming.

 I did manage to paint the first of my Death Guard Kill Team though.  It was approaching the levels of grimdark I was aspiring to and although I couldn't hide my established style of painting completely, it was a lot of fun and different enough from how I usually paint.

I added five new Tyranid Warriors to my Hive Fleet, a new Codex would come out and possibly all of those Scything Talons would have been better off as double Boneswords but at least some upgrades would be better.

And I repainted my original 4 Warriors, so they were all consistent with my current painting ability and evolution of my Hive Fleet colour scheme.

Kitbashed Old Skool Tyranid Warriors to Tyranid Primes were also given a 2022 makeover. I swapped out the kitbashed Lash Whip and Bonesword for the Tyrant Guard versions, but the new Codex would even allow them to wield Heavy Venom Cannons, so that would have been nice to know in advance.

A lonely old Spore Mine had been knocking around for years, so he got updated too. There are a few plastic ones that could do with a tickle but now was not the time, maybe when I do the Termagants.

My Ravenwing Talonmaster had been long on the To Do shelf. Stalled with the black to highlight and when I finally came to tackle it it seemed I was hesitant for no good reason. Thereafter I tried to get some Black Knights and Attack Bikes up next but I still had all their metallics to do so it wasn't quite as easy to ride the crest of that black wave.

As we delved deeper into #MESBG some of my warband got promoted from plain old Moria Goblins to Moria Goblin Blackshield. Otty kitbashed this one and I got him painted over two evenings. The very next week 2 more got promoted so Otty had to build those too.

I was disillusioned about what to paint next and foolishly felt a massive piece of terrain using far too many colours and details was the answer to that malaise. I spent weeks and weeks on Sector Imperialis Administratum. But the results speak for themselves. I even considered this as a 'Lord of War' on my hobby bingo sheet [before I misplaced it]. It's that big and that detailed, that again I feel if this was the only thing I'd completed all season I'd have been happy!

I couldn't be more pleased with the results, it's the best piece of Red Planet terrain I've done so far, the best balance of my colour scheme. It frustrates me that I have limited use for it but it will form part of my #ArmiesOnParade board for this year at least.

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More Moria Blackshields were converted by Otty, and again, two nights later they were painted. They're chunky fellas but their Defence of 6 justifies this - they tank a lot of hits so I am very much appreciating their role in my warband.

Porkbelly Stuffers Halfling Blood Bowl Team were about 18 months in production. An absolute blast to paint and so characterful. I strongly believe every hobbyist should give them a go.

Modern Synthesist's Tyranid Barricade a gift of the original inspiration for my own Tyranid terrain bioconstructs. It was only right that I gave it the Ferron splinter fleet treatment. A palette cleanser but also another item finished.

While I struggled with my Ravenwing I found a lovely little item of wargear for my Moria Goblins. They're quite slow, only moving 5", but I could purchase a War Drum, which could add 3" to their movement to any models within 12" of the drummer, so long as they don't charge at the end. Otty gave me a drum and I managed to do this little drummer boy in less than 24 hours! There's huge satisfaction in that. I don't speed paint so this was such a pleasure to do so quick.

I'll just give a final mention to my Ravenwing bikes. These have been a real challenge, not the fear of the black, just the overwhelming effort required to get them done. I thought I'd be able to finish them off before the end of the season but I did a little spreadsheet of what was left and it was evident that I was unlikely to finish what remained in the 2 weeks I had left. Possible, but unlikely. There were 11- 20 elements remaining on each of the 7 bikes and 3 bike/sidecars and I didn't think I could guarantee at least 1 element a day [290 individual tasks altogether]. For instance the three sets of black highlights I estimate as 3 nights each, that's 9 days for just 3 elements. I still have to make the 3 attack bike bases, which can only be done when the bikes are finished and glued together, so it's clear why I've found it challenging and why I've relaxed about it rather than get stressed. They'll be done early next season so maybe I'll get the same sense of satisfaction that I did with the Armigers - get all my achievement in first go... 🤞

But wait, what's this? I've got another finished item that will be coming in a future post that I couldn't fit in before the end of the season. All the issues with the Ravenwing prompted me to have a crack at some of my Death Guard - they also need painting if I want them for AoP afterall. The fact I did these four in 5 day, again brings me joy to speed paint but to a standard I am happy with. So, look forward to seeing these mucky beggars [and their mates] soon.

I really need to set a cutoff point for the season - anything completed in the final week rolls over into the new season. I only went and finished the second Munitorum Container the night after the Death Guard and 2 nights before Review day!

So, how do I feel about the season? Productivity wise it was not a vintage year, although the last week has felt pretty productive and I've since recalled a couple of additional items I completed that are pretty big, I just didn't take pics of them. Thankfully, I was emotionally very satisfied with my output anyway, really pleased. It helps I was happy with just the Armigers, even if I can barely remember completing them now. The only disappointment was I wasn't able to make more use of the Great Big BLESSED VERDIGRIS Stamps of Approval! I love the effect, it would have been nice to see more of them. There is a subtle feeling I wish I had done more, but that's only because I know it is possible to do so and there's still so much to do. But, it just feels like a rewarding period, despite only 50[ish] models painted and 5 items ticked off on my To Do List.

The fact I'm now able to reconcile any progress, regardless of how much, as satisfying is a real bonus for me. Whether it's sustainable or not is to be seen, but I'm grateful and fulfilled with my efforts this season and only hope to feel as satisfied for 2022/23. Oh, and did I mention I was one of the featured Tyranid armies on Warhammer Community page? That's something to be chuffed about 😎

The Big Build is my 'self-help' initiative to build miniatures. Building isn't always my favourite thing but without a construction phase I can't have a painting phase. So I recognise the special effort this challenge is to me, so I can progress through to the painting stage.

I built my Helverins for #DreadTober

 

I built 5 Tyranid Warriors, you've seen them completed.

My mate Pete got me a Primaris Chaplain on motorbike, I couldn't wait to get that guy built.

#NewYearNewArmy and I thought my evolving Death Guard Kill Team could form a potential foe for my #ArmiesOnParade2022

Which included PoxWalkers

I made the base for the second floor of my TT Combat MDF terrain, should I wish to use it as a separate structure. 

5 more Death Guard got built

and 10 more Poxwalkers.

I also got a Lord of Contagion built. 

And the small battleforce was filled out with a Foetid Bloat Drone

I also made a Haemotrope Plasma Reactor.

Some Necrons, in anticipation of teaching my son to paint...

Modern Synthesists Tyranid Barricade needed just a bit of my basing sand to tie it in with the rest of my terrain.

I finally kitbashed the last of my Ravenwing bikes. Attack Bikes and Black Knights were part way through the painting but I felt having these hanging around at the build stage would mean they may never get done. Instead it makes the Ravenwing project more challenging but ultimately more rewarding.

I kitbashed a little drummer boy for my Moria Goblins.

And Liam had a frenzy of interest in Adeptus Titanicus, realise us having only 1 Cerastus Lancer each wasn't 'legal', bought 2 more, gave me one and ensured that I will commit in all seriousness to completing my titans... next season anyway 😉

Adeptus Titanicus - Cerastus Knight Lancer - Big Build TO DONE!

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity I've quite a lot of content to try and fit into the blog, not specifically hobby, a few more #MESBG Battle Reports because we had a weekend of gaming at Otty's. Liam brought his finished titans for Adeptus Titanicus to have a practice game [see picture below]. In so doing he also got me a second Cerastus Knight Lancer as you can only take them in lances of 2, so I needed a second. So I built this fella up.

I also had a small vent that I'd press moulded in Milliput that I glued onto the base, it's slightly distorted shape perfect because a giant robot just stood on it! 

Don't know when I'll fit painting it into my schedule but wanted it logged before the end of the season and when I get to it I'll finish off my War Griffons.

 I think this is my last Great Big Big Build BLESSED VERDIGRIS Stamp of Approval for the Season. I have another finished item to add, but that will have to wait until after my review and I've had chance to write the blogpost and then we can get onto new badges!

 

Dark Angels - Ravenwing Bikes, Attack Bikes & Black Knights - Black highlights

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity I've been #PaintingWarhammer on my Ravenwing bikers. I finally broke out the Incubi Darkness to start the highlights and lest just say I hate it.

Oh my, this is about as tedious as it gets. I just have zero enjoyment in painting Space marines like this. These five riders is all I could manage in one sitting and I could tell I was getting lazy and clumsy the more I persevered.

The line highlights are super thick, but that's OK, if I'd made sure the paint was thinned so it blended more into the black as it feathered off. I can fix this with some thinned black, to help blend the transition. I do actually like that compared to adding the highlight, but it's another process and yet more work to do and I feel like I've lost my mojo at this point.

I made a little spreadsheet to keep track of [almost] everything that still needs doing to finish them off for #ArmiesOnParade The three sets of black highlights will be the hardest part but I think I need to find a way to split things up a bit. Batch painting is all well and good but sometimes you then need to sub-batch [chunk] things to get through it.

 

I'm also considering palette cleansers - mini tasks to do inbetween these processes to avoid being completely demoralised. As it stands I only have one Death Guard painted and if I aim to have my Ravenwing fighting the Death Guard I specifically expanded for #NewYearNewArmy I really should try and paint some of them. So I may just take a little break to get four Plague Marines done. And yes, the irony that I am taking a break from hated Space Marines by painting Plague Marines is not lost on me. But it's a very different process, one I enjoyed immensely last time and perhaps might be rewarding second time around.

Battle Report - Middle Earth Battle Companies - Baggage Train

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity - I've been playing #MESBG [Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game] again at Otty's. I appreciate this is rapidly making a mockery of blogs title of 40kaddict but I go where the fun is. This was an exciting game against Liam's Elves, We rolled the baggage train where I had 5 'pack horses' along my [southern] board edge. My aim was to have 3 pieces of cargo at the end of the game. I also got an influence point for each item moving off the board. Liam had to kill a pack train and steal it's cargo and then escape on the northern board edge.

Now we read the rules quite a few times as it felt like the victory conditions were the wrong way round. I just had to hold onto the cargo, but that promise of extra influence points was mighty tempting. So I headed off to the right side to try to make for the trees and cover

Unfortunately Liam's Elf bowmen had range, accuracy and proper deadly. I soon realised the long march up the board needed more cover.

So, I started to sneak behind the trees and then took full advantage of the slightly larger than your average pack horse - wagons and cattle to hide some of my units behind them. 

Liam could see me heading to the northeast board edge so reposition to cut me off. But my convoy continued on and I was beginning to struggle with congestion in some areas but still used the wagons for cover.

Things are beginning to get tense now, Liam closed off my escape and managed to get his foot troops and archers into the woods too. Priority is going to ne essential.

I move further up, with my cattle hoping to sneak off down the flank, the other items still as obstacles he has to get round, or kill. I have to say my heart was pounding at this stage. Numerous turns building up to this point.

I'm guessing I lost priority as it's all kicking off now. My pack train was both a boon and a curse, getting in the way, blocking charges but also trapping some of my own models. Sadly I missed a picture before this. I was in a very lucky position where the troll managed to pick up a knight on his horse and hurl it 6" through a wagon a 3 other infantry. Each warrior he hit managed to avoid injury but one of them clipped the knight as he crashed into them and he was injured in the final sprawl as he landed. It was an epic moment.

But Liam had quality fighters in his warband and started to pick off my Goblins, while my own success dwindled after the mighty thrown cavalry. He'd also misunderstood his objective in killing the back train and taking the cargo, so quickly set about destroying wagons and my herd of pigs But I think he was too bloodthirsty in his zeal and may have tipped me into 25%. I'd lost my force but I think I'd won the game. I still had 3 pieces of cargo and Liam had failed to steal those he'd taken from the damaged train.

A really tense and exciting game, plenty of suspense leading up to the first clash of battle. The combat itself was challenging and I was lucky with the outcome, but the victory conditions were really confusing, certainly moreso for me in control of the pack train and it didn't help that Liam hadn't understood he had to kill/destroy each pack horse and then steal away it's cargo. I'm sure he'll play it differently next time.

And there we have the map, I've started to make inroads to Scott's domain in the south. I'd thought to make a buffer between My red hexes of Moria and Lothlorien and Otty's green hexes, but thought if I'd put the marker I used in the south there Otty my see it as aggression. Instead he took those hexes and now I have him breathing down my door. That's what happens when you don't play to your faction!

The 2022/23 Hobby Season starts soon, join me!

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #warhammercommunity the 2022/23 hobby season will be starting soon so for those alumni who joined in last season it's time to start looking back at your TO DO lists - at what you've TO DONE!, what might have slipped and those lovely unexpected successes that happened despite life getting in the way and loss of mojo - I speak from experience [yet again].

The original plan when I started with 'great big stamps of approval' was that I wouldn't do multi-coloured stamps, just alternate between red and green, but who was I kidding? I absolutely loved the Great Big BLESSED VERDIGRIS Stamp of Approval, I'm only sad I didn't get to use it as often as it deserved! But despite that, my own review of my season feels so satisfying, so I can't complain. But what of the official 40kaddict 2022/23 Great Big Stamp of Approval? Well, I decided to continue the theme from weathered copper and bronze to good old weathered iron and steel. That's right folks, Great Big Rusty Stamps of Approval all round. Not only that, there are again subtle shades of rust. I know it's similar in tone to 2020/21's Great Big Granite Stamp of Approval, but I'm definitely feeling this more, so I hope you like. Feel free to download and use them on your blog as and when you get stuff  'TO DONE!'

Or you can record your achievements with an 'unbranded' version.

And should you feel inclined to differentiate your efforts yet further here 's the major goal stamps

And minor goals [which I actually found a use for last season].

And I also got the Big Build...

 and Base [and obviously Prime] Stamps done too. I heartily recommend this video from Tabletop Minions to understand where I was going with the 'Big Build' concept, he's touched on and expanded exactly why I created this a few years back.

Just a reminder of what it's about, in 2011 I made my first To Do List, amusingly it now looks like this:

• AoBR Tactical Squad
• AoBR Dreadnought
• AoBR Terminators
• Scout Squad
• Ravenwing bike squad
• Dark Angel Drop Pod
• Purity Seal all of my son's Tyranids
• Gloss Varnish all of my son's Tyranids
• Tyranid Prime
• Mycetic Spore
• Paint Vent Tower
• Paint defence platforms x4
• Complete pot pourri vegetation
• Complete future containers
• Complete 40k Cathedral tower
• STC Single story ruin
• STC Hex Defence platforms
• STC Targus Assault Blockade
• STC Vent tower
• STC Athena plateau
• STC Mercury plateau
• STC 40k Cathedral tower
• 60mm Dreadnought crater

So 4 things still haven't been done and quite frankly never will ;) . The purpose was to try to focus my efforts to outline a list of things I'd love to do over a twelve month period and if I achieved any of them great, all of them, so much better. But more importantly I needed a structure to cling to when my efforts became aimless. That's not to say deviations from the list were forbidden it was more for when I went 'well what's next?'

It became an annual blog post to review what I'd done and set new tasks. Throughout the season I would reveal my 'To Dones!' as completed items both on and off the list. Showcase posts are nothing new to hobby blogs but again it was a structure to help build the identity of this blog. Then, in 2014 I invited readers and passers-by of the blog to join in. Well, when you have a good idea why not share it around? I got about 10 people joining in and it looked like we were quite a supportive little bunch. I think over time steam ran out a little bit, but folk continue to join in each season and hopefully the same will ring true for 2021/22.

To help things out a bit I've created a Hobby Season Facebook group, it's here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/278747245819138/

So, if you're joining in just ask and I'll add you into the group, that way you can share your blog posts or any efforts to those also joining in. I hope this platform will allow more interaction for those taking part and keep us all motivated.

I guess the last question is why 28th August as the start/end date, why not January 1st?

I think back in 2011 it was at that time I thought a structure needed to be in place and it was as good a time as any to post a To Do List, afterall the footy season starts around this time too, no one complains about that, do they?

Anyway, 28th August join me for the new Hobby Season :)

NOT Battle Reports - Middle Earth Battle Companies - 2 battles

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity - I've been playing #MESBG [Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game] again at Otty's. I continue to take pictures of the games, but not always write the report soon after. This means these two games I had are really sketchy in my memory and not much of a report with so few images to remind me. 

First up though I was playing Recovery against Scott's Khandish [mainly] cavalry. This was a real disadvantage for me as there are 5 objective along the centre of the board. First to search an objective and find the sole relic hidden in one of them and escape the board wins. Scott's cavalry and chariot can all move 10", I just have two Wargs with that pace. Add in the fact I have massive hill between me and the objectives and I was going to struggle to win that race. It might have been more interesting to have swapped sides but it's moot now. I got priority and luckily my +1 and rerolls to climb tests at least got many of my Goblins to the op of the cliffs. Meanwhile my Troll went round the left flank and my Wargs the right.

I got the search the objective on the furthest right - no relic. Scott started on the left and then, like me, deduced it had been hidden by Liam and Otty in the centre objective, leaving that wagon right in the way of my Troll attempting to catch up with the warrior hot-footing it up the board with the loot. Somehow, one of my Goblin Archers picked him off from maximum range, dropping the little green relic, but another warrior was nearby to take up the prize. Meanwhile the rest of his army prepared to face down my Wargs emerging from the trees in the top right.

I came down from the hill, using the watchtower as cover. I may have searched the wagon to remove it as an obstacle, but the Troll managed to get past and perhaps squash on of the horsemen [or that's him next to the chariot], but it didn't look like I could catch the relic-bearer.

I vainly pushed on but I think it was just too far to catch up and I can't see any more Wargs. I think I lost this.

However, you can see my red pins I have quite an 'empire'. We started not from the yellow hexes, but I do have the Lake of Rhun, which means ever expansion phase, on a 4+ I get to secure an additional hex. Which I am going to try to use to my advantage. Also, having the Grey Havens means I can capture any coastal hex which might prove useful too.

I think the second game of the evening was Seize Ground against Otty's Rohirrim. I hadn't expected a second game as it was getting to 10:30 but he said it wouldn't take too long, I think I was there until 1:30am! Ordinarily I'd have knocked it on the head but this was one of the most tactical games I'd played so far 

As the mission was very similar to how 5th edition 40k used to play its objectives it was really cool to try to find ways to be sat on an objective just as the game ends. But the game only ends when a warband is broke. So, it's a finer window of success because who knows when that will happen? In 40k it was at the end of turn 5, unless the game carries on so you always had a clue when you had to be camped. Anyway, I was trying avoid his cavalry as much as possible, which is why my Wargs hid in the vegetable patch and I tried to put as much terrain between me and his more effective archers. I even hid behind a wizened old man objective in the bottom right - using him as a human shield! Very Goblinesque!

The hedge at the crossroad became a hugely strategic obstacle. It had stopped Otty from charging forward but having killed onw Warg with throwing spears he'd retreated and now it was slowing me getting to his horse warriors. Meanwhile his ghostly apparition [that randomly appears because he holds the Dead Marshes] held the strategic objective of a haystack.

I was able to advance up the centre of the board with my Troll, leaving the piggy objective in the crossroads unguarded. Otty sent the ghost to capture it but I sneakily managed to trap him, but not strong enough to despatch it back to the afterlife.

I think my Troll killed a Knight and a foot soldier, then stomped back to the crossroads while my Blackshield in the top right managed to engage with the remaining Knight and deny him the doggy objective.

Now, I'm not sure what happened in the end but I think I somehow managed to win this. I know Otty has the peasant objective in the top right and I still have bottom left, so that was one each. I think the knight in the top left might have been killed by the Blackshield, the middle objective was contested and the haystack unclaimed. I was absolutely knackered but really excited about how it was enjoyable for tactical reasons. I think I had been a little outclassed again but it felt like decisions I made, like surging my Blackshields towards the rangers in the top left forced Otty to change his tactics. 

Bearing in mind 4 of the objectives were in the top half of the board, only 1 in my half it was quite the slog for my slow moving gobbos. The Wargs are a useful addition for pace but it's a real challenge to get around, especially when you're up against cavalry and Otty, Liam and Scott are all using mounted troops, with increasing numbers in each. I think I need a third Warg to join the other two and definitely my Cave Troll is working well alongside the Blackshields. Once I've got those in place I might look to fill out more Goblins, I can take 20 models in my warband, rather than the usual maximum of 15. I'll see what my Influence points can get me after another Warg.