2015 Hobby Audit (Final Thoughts) Part 4/4

The last of the 2015 Hobby Audit:

Part 4 of 4, 2015 Final Thoughts:

Well, with 7 of 14 goals achieved I think I will consider this past year mildly successful.  I am really happy with certain aspects, as in spending and concentrating my hobbying more on what I can get to the table.  Other aspects, meant to achieve an end goal of having actual painted models, I'm less happy with but glad that there is improvement over 2014.  Going into 2016, I still need to analyze purchases and kicstarters more carefully - I've improved, but I think I can (and need) to do better.

I really liked how setting the goal of having my Malifaux Guild crew ready for Adepticon drove a significant part of my hobbying and think I will consider this approach for something 2015.  It would be nice to continue it for all the Malifaux Guild models that ultimately did not make the 2014 cut but I've signed up for no tournaments at Adepticon and the local Malifaux scene is non-existent as far as I can tell.  Perhaps I will target something else for CMON Expo and/or the NOVA Open.

I do really wish I had actually managed to play more miniature games this past year.  Which is troubling after my relocation because I am not terribly interested in Bolt Action or Kings of War, which seem to be the major games that make up the local scene.  Although I am willing to give Kings of War a decent go once I've settled and have my Warriors of Chaos army back.  That being said, Mike over at Mini Mayhem and I have very similar interest for the most part so I know I can at least get some alternative stuff in with him.  I really think in 2016, once I'm settled, I need to consider focusing on a game to champion locally.  What that will be is an interesting choice for another day, as there are several factors I think have to be considered.

Lastly, some of my favorite things from 2015 (in a random order, ie as they come to mind):

• Malifaux Team Tournament at Adepticon.  Not only was it great hanging out with my partner Nick all day but we had some really fun games with great opponents.  We didn't end up doing that well, but our practice partners finished 1st!  I think Nick and I deserve all the credit for their victory!  ;)
• Mad Max.  Wow, just wow.  And if you didn't know this version is coming on DVD in 2016 (I think):  Mad Max Trailer.
• Star Wars, The Force Awakens.  My expectations were low:  "Just don't f'' it up."  I don't think they did.  I think they gave us original Star Wars geeks what we wanted.  Is it perfect, is it flawless, it is a great movie, etc?  No.  Did it make me feel like I was watching Star Wars?  Hell yeah.
• Guild Ball.  Mike and I have only gotten one extremely long game (should have counted is 5-6 games) in of this game but I am already in love with it.  Is it a better game than Blood Bowl?  Yes, yes, yes.  Will it completely replace Blood Bowl for me?  No, I don't think so but I hope they both continue to coexist for me.  There is something to goofy/randomness of Blood Bowl that I think will continue to tug at me.
• Ready Player One.  Maybe this book only appeals to a certain age demographic and only to certain subset of people, but wow.  It just blew me away and so many old memories.
• Leviathan Wakes.  I was hooked 10 pages into this book.  By page 30, I thought to myself "he can't keep this pace up there are 470 more pages!"  I was wrong.  
• Roman and Raffa from Massive Voodoo at the 2015 NOVA Open!  It was such a pleasure and experience to meet them and take classes from them.  
• Long story that I've tried to make short.  Painting grey plastic Malifaux Lone Marshal.  Guild guard long coats previously had been painted brown, therefore Marshal's long coat brown.  Horse, painted brown (note this and next steps done with airbrush).  Model on horse, TOO MUCH BROWN.  Repaint base coat on horse to grey.  Shade dark grey.  Highlight very very light grey.  OMG it splattered all over the place!!!  Calm thoughts, nothing to loose, see if you can salvage it.  Make dark grey wash.  Wash horse.  Shadows/crevices looking good.  Splattering less.  Wash again.  Better.  Wash again, OMG I might actually have some marginal talent as a painter.  Run to wife.  Show wife model.  Wife responds "It looks like it did before you painted it..."  She's not a nice woman...
• Games Workshop announces the return of Specialist Games.  I don't know exactly why this makes one of my favorite things of 2015.  Maybe:

Eventually, hobby goals for 2016...