A few years ago, on another blog I wrote, I stole a meme that was going around the Python programming community around New Years’. Basically, it’s a series of retrospective questions on your programming in the last year – I’ve decided it to rewrite it to be more hobby focused. I’ll be posting this under the #MinisIn2015 hashtag, if anyone feels like writing their own.
What’s the coolest wargaming model, book, tool etc. you discovered in 2015?
For me, this was the new Eldar codex (my review starts here). Yes, I know, Cheese for the Cheese God. But it was a really well written codex. The performance of the army matched the fluff, there were few units that I looked at and went “Well, that’s super-pointless…”, avenues for a number of different play styles, etc. It plays like the Eldar should play, and that was a revelation for me – a codex that matched fluff and crunch that well.
I’m hoping 2016 is the Year of Bringing Everyone Else Up To Speed.
What new hobby technique did you learn in 2015?
Terrain building. This was an aspect of the hobby I didn’t do much with (despite Carl Tuttle calling it the “Third Army”). Basically, I’ve never had a whole lot of room for terrain and the like, so I’ve never bothered. But this year I decided to give it a shot, and made this:
Which I will admit to being super-pleased with. Now, as with all things, I totally want to make a themed table full of terrain.
Which hobby-related blog, podcast or website did you read/listen to the most in 2015?
As the Independent Characters were still around for most of 2015, they get credit as the podcast I listened to the most. Since then, my internet hobby needs have been filled by listening to either the Eye of Horus podcast for 30K or Forge the Narrative for general 40K and wargaming news.
When the urge hits, I also binge-read the articles at frontlinegaming.org
What are the top things you want to learn in 2016?
My overall hobby goal is to be able to field my Eldar, fully painted and based, at 2000 pts. I’m close but not quite there yet, and I’d like to have that wrapped up by the LVO. Of course there’s always some stuff on the workbench, and ideally I’d like to have more than just one set list of Eldar fully painted, but that’s where I’m at.
But the question says learn. Pushing your skills and the like. For that, I’ve got two:
Yellow. Yellow terrifies me as a color, which is a little awkward as I’ve embarked on a 30K Imperial Fists army. So that’s the thing I want to learn – properly painting Yellow. I’ve got one test figure down, but I’m not at the point of being able to do it at the speed where an army will ever see the tabletop.
Big Models. Knights and Titans. I want to push myself to paint something big and flashy and centerpiece-quality. Likely a pair of Knights before moving on to something expensive and made of resin…
What is the top wargaming model, book, tool, etc. you wish someone would release in 2016?
Plastic Sisters of Battle. Not even a question – the Sisters were my first real army, I love them to death, and they make decent allies, but they deserve a full-on codex and modern, updated kits.
So it GW. It would be like opening a portal straight into my bank account.
Beyond that, Dropfleet Commander‘s estimated delivery date is “June 2016”, and I backed it pretty heavily, because it looks great. But there’s always a peril to Kickstarter campaigns, with slipping deadlines, production problems, etc. So that’s my second wish – that releasing that game goes off without a hitch?
Now how about you? What happened in your 2015?
As a reminder, we’re now a month in to the Feast of Fluff custom faction contest. Don’t forget to be working on your entries, and win awesome prizes from Frontline Gaming, KR Multicase, Secret Weapon, Greenman Designs and Mechanical Warhorse!