Having previously focused more on the painting side, a lot of that experimenting and aimed at improvement over output, and regularly taken 50+ hours per mini I'd naturally never actually had a fully painted 2000 point army. Skirmish games, yes, Mordheim, Necromunda, Blood Bowl etc., but never 40k.
Add into that demanding work and 2 (soon 3!) kids and it was never going to happen at that rate. I'm lucky if I have a few hours a week and might get a game a month in.
I finally bit the bullet / got over myself and turned my eye to speed painting, seeing if I could maybe aim for 50 minutes rather than 50 hours per mini. In the end I've been averaging 75-90 mins per mini. Even though the results are table-top quality at best, but damned if it's isn't nice to get a riot of colour out the table!
I'll probably finish the 3000 or so points I have sitting just in time for the new Codex, but I'll gladly take that hit if it means we finally have our time in the sun!
There's is a local large GT here usually around Semptember, so my aim is to have a fully painted 2000 point army by then (Sept 2024).
There's a bigger casual 3000 point tournament in November as well so if I get my finger out I'll aim for that too.
Quality / Painting level prior
Selection of where I was before an extended break. The first picture is a before and after what I could produce - I stopped painting and read tutorials for about 3 months before picking up a brush again, some difference learning how to actually paid vs slapping it on!
First mini back after a break
This is what 'broke' me, it was pretty clear I was never going to get anything finished at this rate, took me nearly 50 hours from memory. I might have gotten a single 5 man unit complete in that rate in a year with the time I have free. Maybe 1 centerpiece (looking at you HH Fulrgim!)
Current Crop
Add into that demanding work and 2 (soon 3!) kids and it was never going to happen at that rate. I'm lucky if I have a few hours a week and might get a game a month in.
I finally bit the bullet / got over myself and turned my eye to speed painting, seeing if I could maybe aim for 50 minutes rather than 50 hours per mini. In the end I've been averaging 75-90 mins per mini. Even though the results are table-top quality at best, but damned if it's isn't nice to get a riot of colour out the table!
I'll probably finish the 3000 or so points I have sitting just in time for the new Codex, but I'll gladly take that hit if it means we finally have our time in the sun!
There's is a local large GT here usually around Semptember, so my aim is to have a fully painted 2000 point army by then (Sept 2024).
There's a bigger casual 3000 point tournament in November as well so if I get my finger out I'll aim for that too.
Quality / Painting level prior
Selection of where I was before an extended break. The first picture is a before and after what I could produce - I stopped painting and read tutorials for about 3 months before picking up a brush again, some difference learning how to actually paid vs slapping it on!
First mini back after a break
This is what 'broke' me, it was pretty clear I was never going to get anything finished at this rate, took me nearly 50 hours from memory. I might have gotten a single 5 man unit complete in that rate in a year with the time I have free. Maybe 1 centerpiece (looking at you HH Fulrgim!)
Current Crop
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