DISCUSSION: Making plans for 2018

Wathammer: Age of Sigmar
Daughters of Khaine: Witch Aelf

It's been a while since I've updated this, and for lots of reasons: some interesting, most not, but none relevant to the subject. Suffice to say, the last year has been somewhat hectic in non-hobby-related areas and my output suffered. In 2017, I finished a grand total of two painted miniatures: one in January, and one in April. So far in 2018, I'm setting no records, but I've matched that total in February alone and look set to add more in March. (Let's not mention January, eh?) I've also regained some enthusiasm for the hobby, and at last have the free time to make use of it. But how?

I have several projects that I'd like to work on this year. In reality, I have far more than I'll ever be able to, but that's nothing new. What is new is that I'm being more picky in the hope that I'll stay focused. I have every intention of making progress, and have already made a start.

Warhammer: Age of Sigmar: Daughters of Khaine

This one is brand new. The Daughters of Khaine are the first time Games Workshop have revisited one of the elven factions since the launch of Age of Sigmar in 2015. A couple of months ago, we saw the first teasers of what was coming. Inspired by this, I picked up the Start Collecting set and started experimenting with it. So far, I'm happy enough with the results (above) to have purchased more.

What I have so far

My goal here is simple: I want an army of them. Nothing huge—if anything, the smaller, the better—but enough to finally be able to say I have an army for this game system. My painting approach won't win any awards, but I'll endeavour to make them look decent with a minimal palette and simple, replicable techniques. I'm also going to have a go at batch painting to speed things along. Once upon a time, I could churn out a squad of space marines in a weekend. I don't expect that now, but a unit a month seems reasonable.

Warhammer 40,000: Spaces Wolves

Like many, I was instantly taken with the new 'primaris' range of space marines that came out with the new edition of Warhammer 40,000 last year. I have a handful of them and I've been converting them to fit the Space Wolves chapter, since I've always quite liked their aesthetic.

So far, I only have one with any paint on it, and he's not finished, but I'm happy with the direction it's taking. This is very much a painter's project: small in quantity and high in quality (well, high for me). I'm adopting a completely 'non-metallic metal' approach, and using lots of glazes for shading as opposed to using the dedicated 'shade' paints. I still haven't decided on a basing theme, but I know it'll feature snow.

I also have some spare primaris marines to add to my 'Talon's Reach' chapter. That project stalled very early on, but I'll revisit it from time to time when the mood strikes.

Golden Demon

I'm determined to make another attempt at this competition. I'd hoped to have something ready for the Age of Sigmar weekend event at the beginning of March, but despite prepping a couple of models well in advance, they're still unpainted. Since that event was ultimately cancelled due to the snow, there's still a chance it will run again at some point, but whether I have time to enter depends on when it is. That project remains on my to-do list, however, along with one or two other options. As yet, I don't know if I'll be looking to enter the competition at Warhammer Fest in May, or whether I'll hold off for another of the smaller events held at Warhammer World throughout the year. I won't put too much pressure on myself either way. My priority, this year, is to enjoy the hobby again and not stall other projects for the sake of trying too hard. Competition-level painting slows things down.

Armies on Parade

I've always wanted to enter this. If nothing else, doing so would mean I'd have painted a whole army. We're seven months away from the next one, which probably isn't enough time at the speed I paint. (I'm sure many other painters could muster several armies in that time.) I will, however, work towards it by adding to my collections this year with a view to entering in future.

Current options include:

• My Talon's Reach chapter, if I ever get it off the ground.
• My Space Wolves, probably with the addition of an Imperial Knight to flesh them out a bit.
• My Horus Heresy-era Thousand Sons.
• My Daughters of Khaine, depending on how the new project goes.

Clearing the decks (again)

I have a number of 'work-in-progress' projects from previous years still littering my desk. It’s a big number for such a small desk, and it's looking very cluttered. I only have the very edge, in front of my painting mat, on which to work at the moment. I could simply pick everything up and move it, but my goal is to clear the space by finishing things. Some of them, I already know, won't be touched. At most, I'll put them away to make room. There are a few, however, that I'd like to get done.

Chief among them are:

• Some Imperial Fists for my Horus Heresy army—not least because of the recently released Rogal Dorn miniature, which I will be adding to my collection in the near future.
• Some Thousand Sons for another Horus Heresy army. One of these—the first for the army—was actually the first model I finished this year. I don't plan on painting a lot of them, but there are a handful already on my desk that would make a happy dent in the overall project.
• Angron. I have several of the Forge World primarch models now, but he's the one I've made the most progress on. I only work on him every now and again in between projects, but he looks pretty decent so far. I'm keen to get him done just so he's finished and on display.

Horus Heresy: Thousand Sons tactical marine

There are lots of other miscellaneous bits and pieces dotted about that I'd like to get done too, but having too many projects as priorities simply won't work. I will, however, pick up each of them from time to time and make a little more progress where I can.

In the spirit of this, I don't plan on buying too many new models this year. My new Daughters of Khaine will obviously be an exception, along with a handful of other pieces that will no doubt crop up throughout the year (like Rogal Dorn and the recently teased Alpharius). There will always be a few that catch my eye and that I can't resist, but I'll try to be good and focus on what I already have.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is my goal for 2018. I know... We’ll see...