Humboldt War Hammers

What is it that keeps all of us motivated and interested in painting and sticking it out with that one army all the way to completion? I have been painting my Wood Elves for years, and they are still not done. Fortunately I do have enough models to play a fully painted army, but it has taken quite a while to achieve that. I tend to jump back and forth between projects, armies, and now game systems. Through the club I have met other gamers and painters; Vince, Patrick, Lucas, and others, who somehow manage to keep painting one army until it is done. How do you stay motivated?

Not long ago I purchased the Assault on Black Reach boxed set and made a magnanimous proclamation that I was going to paint my Space Orks myself, like I did my Woodies. Life has since gotten in the way, as it often does, and I have a group of five nobz sitting on my painting desk unfinished with even the basecoat. Now, I am contemplating getting some Mountain Men for Warhammer: Legends of the Old West. Not only that, but I am thinking of how I want to paint them. This presents more then one problem for me. First, I still have Space Orks that need love. Second, my wife thinks that I have too many models as it is, and not enough room for more. She complains that when brings laundry into our bedroom, she knocks down some of my army. That is a problem.

The other problem that extends from my army/game hopping, is that I do not fully get to learn one army (or game system) and all of the little tactical intricacies that go into their respective game play. As a result of that, I have suffered a myriad of massacres at the hands of other players (even Lee and I hate losing to Lee. Probably because he laughs at you when he wins). I also tend to not fully learn the rules. Luckily I have been playing long enough to where I can get through a game. But there are times when some obscure rule come up that I need to find because it can have a impact on the outcome of the game. I bring this up, because I played Patrick and Scott both with a “Forrest Spirit” Wood Elf list. Against Patrick, I did not fully read the rules of the army, and a couple of things in the game may have had a different resolution then what the final outcome was. Now Patrick plays to have fun, but I still feel bad. Patrick if you are reading this, I am referring to “Treesinging.” My mages did need to be in a certain range, and sorry for not checking earlier. The prior edition did not have that requirement. In another game against Lee, we did not know a rule regarding characters in combat, and Lee’s vampire never got to see combat when she should have. Now, it was Lee, so nobody cares, but against anyone else I would have felt bad (just kidding Lee).

I suppose though that is a failing of a lot of gamers. I have read similar sentiments from GW staff members. And further, I suppose that is one of the reasons why gaming is so much fun (and equally frustrating). I’ll keep painting my Orks, and in seven more years I’ll probably have enough to field a fully painted army, with some Orks waiting to be finished and added. Well, hopefully not that long, but you all get the idea; in the mean time, keep painting and playing. Scotty, I do want to play against your painted Brets soon.