Sunday 24 June 2018

Gaming Ponderings

Hi!

I have taken a bit of a break from my painting to ponder the lack of actual gaming I've done over the last 18 months or so.

Back in 2016, I had a burst of gaming shenanigans, playing 6 games in about three weeks but since then, I must admit that I haven't managed to play a single game. Part of this is due to my moving house last year with the need to pack up everything and then unpack stuff for the new flat but work has also played it's part, leaving me knackered when I get home and in no mood to get the miniatures out and get gaming.

The Boar Company versus Orcs

I'm by nature a solo gamer and the thought of joining a gaming club doesn't appeal as most of the people I've played against in the past tend towards either the power gamer or rules lawyer, both of which annoy me no end. Coupled with my gnat like attention span, I find it quite difficult to put together even a small warband for any force, even at skirmish level for the assorted projects I pick up and put down over the course of the year.

Ultramarine Detachment

The result seems to have been a dramatic drop off in any games I play. Back in my high school days, I'd play at least a couple of games of 2nd edition 40k a month and even at uni I'd manage to play out entire skirmish campaigns featuring my Stainless Steel Rat project but lately I seem to be dropping away from it all and I'm not too pleased about it!

Part of the issue is that I still haven't had chance to get my gaming table put together in the new flat as it's languishing in our library under an assortment of stuff that still needs sorting out but I think another issue may be my move back to 28mm.

Judges deal with a hostage situation on Farpoint

I seem to be spending an awful lot of time painting stuff only for it to sit on a shelf while my smaller scale stuff would regularly see action.

With this in mind, I have been perusing my Somewhere on the Border blog as I've returned to sculpting my SD scale figures and am really finding the experience rewarding and enjoyable and with a bit of work already have two decent sized skirmish warbands put together and completed with two more in various stages of completion.

 Boar Company versus Marik Goldhelm's villains

I seem to have found my niche that ticks all the boxes for me. The scale is fine, with the miniatures being large enough to have character but still small enough to get a decent game in on a 3'x3' board. Sculpting and painting my own stuff has also proved most rewarding too and while it's a slower process than just unpacking stuff from it's blister pack and cracking on with painting, it is far more enjoyable.

Adventurers disturb a Fire Grub burrow

While they may not be everyone's cup of tea, I find myself drawn more towards such a personal project than much of the stuff that resulted in my painting malaise of earlier this year and suspect that the little chaps are going to be the focus of my hobby for the foreseeable future.

While GW has been sorely tempting me with lots of fantastic stuff, my frustrations at not being able to paint stuff to the standard I want and the detail that the rather fab sculpting demands, these chunky little guys I sculpt myself with their faults, flaws but still a charming character of their own are giving me more enjoyment to work on.

I'm going to try and concentrate on sculpting and painting enough stuff to start a mini skirmish campaign and we shall see if I can't get out of the gaming doldrums!

Sadly this will result in a bit of a drop off in content on Tales From Farpoint but it can't be helped and maybe the resulting activity on Somewhere on the Border will spur me onto more classic stuff as I do still hold out the real wish to put together a 2nd edition 40k army using the new miniatures from GW.

Classic 40k!

This is a project I've been touching on for absolutely ages now and something I seem to put off time and time again for various reasons so maybe a bit of a break into my own stuff will give me the inspiration I need to really take a look at the possibility of actually making a go at one of the main reasons I put this blog together in the first place!

Anyhoo, I seem to have digressed off again and apologies for all the ramblings!

Hopefully I will manage to get myself organised enough to play the mini campaign for Somewhere on the Border and get inspired by some 40k goodness too!

In the meantime, All the best!

3 comments:

  1. We all go through these phases mate. Sometimes I go for months without a game or even painting a model. Just stick with it; I enjoy your blog and you end products are great!

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  2. I know these periods of inactivity all too well. Sometimes it's because I'm stuck, not happy with what I was painting and/or playing. Sometimes the hobby just needs something fresh, a new project. I think your stuff is great and hopefully it won't be too long before you find a thing to drive you forward.

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  3. Many thanks for the comments folks!

    Hopefully I will get chance to update the blog with some new and interesting content soon!

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