You know, before the Quarantimes began, I was in pretty good shape re: having a good backlog to work down and not really planning on picking up many new models.

Then the pandemic hit and two things happened:

1) All of my big Infinity events were (quite rightly) canceled. This just sucked the air out of my enthusiasm for painting for the game. I wrapped up a couple of models early on, but I haven’t really touched them since. My Kaldstrom box is sitting on a stack of boxes, untouched.

2) Games Workshop (quite rightly) closed their warehouse (for what turned out to be a bit over a month, 3/24 to 5/1). I became terrified that, Time Enough at Last, I’d have limitless time to paint models but no models to paint. Literally, I panic-bought an Age of Sigmar army. I panic-bought an Age of Sigmar army.

Once you’re back into the GW ecosphere (and that warehouse is open again), it’s very easy to stay in it. They’re always putting out something cool, and while inevitably that something won’t actually be a good game it’ll be unquestionably fun to paint… and that’s OK when I won’t actually get to play these games and can only engage them from a hobby perspective.

So: doubling down on Adeptus Titanicus. An Age of Sigmar army. All the Blackstone Fortress expansions. A Saga army of Skaven models. A bunch of Necromunda. A 40K army. Aeronautica Imperialis.

And don’t get me wrong: I’ve enjoyed painting this stuff. But I’ve got a healthy backlog now. I don’t see anything I’m really hyped for on the immediate horizon. I’m back to where I was in March, I think.

So, I’m going to try to go all of September without buying a single new mini. Wish me luck.

Closed out a couple of things and made progress on some old stuff.

Very close to being done with these Goliath Juves & stimmers. Painted up a test Shiho model that I’m happy with; made good progress on teeing them up.

Staycation ended yesterday evening, and I took a quick photo of where things stood when I had to go back to work.

I:

• Finished 10x Hellblasters
• Finished Power Sword-ed Indomitus characters
  • Judicar
  • Gravis Captain
  • 3x Bladeguard Veterans
• Almost finished Ogre Characters
  • Slaughtermaster
  • Firebelly
  • Butcher
  • Paymaster
• Primed Bushido Shiho models

The Ogres aren’t entirely done: I still need to apply snow and water effects. I’m underwhelmed by how they look, but have reminded myself that the rest of the army was painted to get them done, not to get them perfect… so these will be adequate.

The Crimson Fists are coming along, I’m glad to have some of the Indomitus models finished, even if the Judicar is objectively the worst designed model GW has produced in recent years.

Looking forward to shifting gears and knocking out some Bushido before the wave of September Minimoto releases shift. I’ve got the two new Minimoto samurai in-hand, but have held off on building them until I’ve painted the Shiho.

Halfway through my vacation and here’s where we’re at:

Also: I’ve printed off a ton of Forest Dragon Warmaster Wood Elves.

Burning leave and (hopefully) avoiding burnout, this is what I plan to work on next week. Won’t get through all of it but I’m going to try.

I’m working on Crimson Fists. Here’s my test model (minus decals and grasses; everything that gets done mid-varnishing).