How to Avoid Hobby Burn-Out

We've all done it. Be it because we stayed up until 3 am for three months straight getting an army ready for a tournament, played one system over and over again until we bled plastic, metal and resin, or the latest codex release just irked you so badly it made you throw up your hands and scream "Overpowered!" to the heavens. We've all burnt ourselves out on this wonderful hobby we indulge in at one time or another.

Well if you're like me, you've invested a goodly chunk of change into the hobby, no matter what your game system of choice. Every time in the past that I've gotten burnt out on my hobby, inevitably I look at all my models and kits that I put so much effort into, or have yet to even open, and feel like I'm wasting money every week I'm not playing, modeling or painting.

So how do we avoid hobby burn out?

Hobbyist or Gamer: Do You Have to Choose?

Peruse the interwebz and blogs relating to this hobby of ours, and you're bound to come across the great debate of whether or not you should concentrate on playing to win, or concentrate of the story, modeling and painting aspects of the game.

Are you a Hobbyist, or a Gamer? Do you play to win, or do you care more about how your army looks and the story behind it?

My answer to that is a question in and of itself; Why do I have to choose?

Product Review: Battlefoam P.A.C.K. GO

Among the many things I've learned over the years of attending Adepticon and other GTs, there's one thing that stands out as probably the most practical of them all.

Pack less crap!!!

This coming Adepticon I'm taking my own advice, and planning out a more efficient means of transporting what I need to bring. This includes the army case. Since I'm bringing Grey Knights this time, the P.A.C.K. 720 is a bit much in terms of space. I knew I wanted another Battlefoam product, but wasn't sure which one.

Then I found the P.AC.K. GO video and preview. Guess what arrived on my doorstep last Thursday?

Project Grey Knights: From the Ground Up

So I've taken my Centurions to Adepticon now for two years in a row, and wanted to bring something different to the table this next year. I've got a ton of ideas in my head for future armies. My next huge, army-wide conversion endeavor will most likely be a Tau force. However, since their new codex is rumored to be released sometime late next year, that ambition is a ways off.
So now what to bring?

After already painting an entire Deathwing army on commission, and committing to entering at least three figures into the Crystal Brush competition next year, I didn't want to invest as much time as I did into my Centurions. Considering that my first purchase when I got back into the hobby back in 3rd Ed. was Grey Knights, and that they have the potential for a low model count, they were a logical choice for me!

And no, it doesn't hurt that they have nice new, shiny plastics and a great new Codex.

Pushing Around Green Stuff: Chain Mail

Sculpting your own chain mail for tabards, shirts, and cloaks is honestly one of the easier things to try when getting your toes wet working with green stuff. The two key parts to it are the proper tools and the right technique. Once you've got those two things, you're ready to outfit an army in custom chain mail.

And yes, I'm even venturing into the realm of video tutorials here with this one.

Why Do More than Just Tabletop Quality?

Ever heard of the "Three Color Minimum" requirements for painting when looking into tournaments? I've seen some armies where that was taken quite literally. Heck, I've seen that recited as a mantra in the past. Luckily for the sake of our eyes, the prevalence of these paint jobs are not the average, and in fact have been in decline for quite a few years now.

So what is the average? That's where a much more common mantra enters into play... Tabletop Quality.

Let me first say that there is nothing wrong with a Tabletop Quality army. The vast majority of them look excellent on the tabletop... Hence the term itself. I'm not trying to preach some elitist opinion that everyone needs to spend 10 hours per fig, I'm just trying to avoid a reinvention of the "Three Color Minimum".

It doesn't take much, so let's dive in.

Black Templar Chaplain Conversion

The Black Templars were really my first true army. The first one I ever built from the ground up and took pride in.

And then I sold it.

Yes, yes I know. Even though the funds from that sale made my Centurions possible, I still regret that decision somewhat. At the same time, though, I really dove into converting head-first with this army. Today I'm showcasing the Chaplain from it.