Well, 2020 is quickly coming to an end DONE and that means it’s time to look back on what we accomplished this last year from a hobby standpoint. This was our first year doing regular hobby round-ups on a semi-monthly basis and it’s cool to see what the full view on all that is. In today’s hobby year in review, Jack is talking about all of the models he painted.
This was certainly a year that happened. I’m extremely lucky that it sucked less for me than it did for most – while I did move it was by choice not necessity, and I’ve been fortunate that nobody in my immediate circle has gotten sick. I can basically break down the year into three segments: pre-pandemic, early pandemic, and all hope has been lost. Each of those sections have had some pretty distinct impacts on my hobby, and I’m not really sure what a “month” is anymore – I think we’ve had a couple dozen of them this year?
Pre-Pandemic
At the very beginning of the year I was excited as hell for 2020 – I’d just squeaked my Astraeus in before the deadline, which solidified a new way for me to paint yellow and I was starting to plan out what I’d be taking to NoVA. Combine that with local events and random game nights and I had all sorts of hobby motivation.
Alas, it was not to be, as just before I took my first vacation in ages everything started shutting down.
Early Pandemic
“Well Jack,” I told myself, sitting at home, “there might not be many games, but that’s just more hobby time and less need to paint for a specific list!” These few months ended up being the most productive I’ve had in ages – I knocked out a few remaining things for a list I wanted to run, and finished up a few bigger hobby projects that I’d never gotten around to doing in my constant rush to complete something before the next game.
Armiger Warglaive. Credit: Jack Hunter 
Armiger Warglaive. Credit: Jack Hunter
Ahhhh fuck
As we hit about the middle of the year it was blindingly clear that this was going to drag on and on with absolutely no end in sight, and my motivation fell off a cliff. The release of 9th edition and the Indomitus box helped, but not having any chance of games to actually use those models (or rules) in really hurt my ability to get shit done – in the second half of the year I only painted 16 models, less than half what I got done in the first three months.
Next Year
All told, I painted up about 50 models. Not the best, and not anywhere near as many as I was hoping, but not awful. Mostly Imperial Fists, which I’ll be continuing going into 2021 – I’m particularly looking forward to heavy intercessors, and a handful of knights, that I’d like to expand out to a full army at some point.
Other than continuing my Fists, I’m very much hoping to spend some time working on terrain. Given how much longer we’re going to be stuck at home, even as vaccines start rolling out, my best chance of getting games in will be at home where we can distance and have as few people around as possible, so I’d like to get a really nice board all set up.
