It's been a while since I last talked about this. When I say a while I obviously mean over a year! But since coming back into the hobby I have not actually spent ANY money on either gaming or painting. Or should I say any of MY money.
I guess before continuing I had better quantify what I mean by this. All my wargaming and painting have been paid for either by Christmas or Birthday presents, the flogging of old wargames figures or famously my back and breast from my Sealed Knot days. The last revenue stream has been the painting and selling of figures or the painting for figures that has got me a fair bit of kit.
So more or less I have managed to get a hell of a lot of kit together over the last two years and without the worry of taking it out of the pot. In fact my hobby has subbed baying the bills a couple of times in the past. However a mix of the Waterloo Project and the recent spending spree at Castle Donnington has almost dried up the pool, so much so that I don't think I will be spending much more during the rest of this year. In fact I am almost certain of it as I have just sent off the Baccus Prussian order and a fairly sexy Leven order.
Before you all reach for hankies let me set things straight, I am not at all without stuff to paint, hell I think even at my current rate I will not run out in the next few years. Indeed I am really surprised that I have managed to turn my small hill into a mountain, but that's the curse of the wargamer I guess.
No rather than spend more money I am dead set on getting through my commitments, the 6mm Zulu's will feature a lot over the next few months until I have them all painted up. I also have the Santa Clause to paint up having received it this week. I also will start to receive my Winter War Kickstarter and plan to start work on that fairly soon so I can start selling the painted figures to recharge my war chest ready for the Spring Campaign. This was a set tactic from the beginning as I was sure I will be able to get far in excess of what I have paid for the figures given that the figures work out about 50p each and will retail at £5 a pack of four. Based on those prices all the vehicles will be free so really as long as the figures turn up I am onto a winner. I may even throw some of the vehicles when they arrive straight into my community currency to exchange for wanted lead.
So even though my painting time is now far more restricted than it was six months ago I still think I can keep neutral and yet still buy plenty of lead fun, but I wonder how many others can boost this lucky way of wargameing?
I don't have to spend much on the hobby because for many years I have taken advantage of sales and such and bought figures at a much faster pace than I can paint. I haven't counted, but I estimate that I have over 3000 unpainted miniatures. And most of them I would like to paint. I stil have a dozen packs of Minifigs from when a hobby store closed in the '80's. Doesn't mean I don't purchase a few new figures each year, but the expense is reasonable.
ReplyDeleteI do fund projects with other projects when I was lucky enough to paint all the time at work but little of my real money goes on the hobby, my birthday recently wa a welcome helping hand.
ReplyDeleteI wish I was as restrained as you... I'm subject to the SHINY! I do plan on following suit next year though and trying to make the hobby self sustaining. Good call on the Winter War kickstarter too, that should really pay for itself
ReplyDeleteI'm reasonably disciplined on the lead front, but books are my downfall. [If you ignore the 60x15mm Cossacks and the carabinier regiment I just bought and the additional Grenzers and Russian Jagers I need to get soon(ish)] . . .
ReplyDelete:O(
I'm with Paul with a bad case of the Oooooh Shiney!!
ReplyDeleteI reflected a couple of months ago whether I had already accumilated enough lead and plastic to see my paiting days through to the end..... I probably do. After a spree of painitng what I had already I have been pulled astray again by firstly Longstreet and then By Fire and Sword.
All credit to you Ian.
I'm not disciplined at all, I've never completed a project and always end up doing other stuff. I just can't help it! But its a good idea using your dosh situation to get stuff completed, its a bit strange but I envy you!!
ReplyDelete@ Mike, I just did a rough count and I have well over 3,000 6mm so that's not too bad, especially as most of these will be painted by 2015 but I also must have 5-800 15mm figures and about 100 28mm with another 240+ 28mm on the way, now I am starting to sweat!! But at least most of these are going to get painted up at some point over the next few years and my buying of figures will now mostly be 6mm and 28mm Fantasy as we need them. At least that's the plan
ReplyDelete@ Fran, that's the best way really, shame about not being able to paint at work, have you asked the new boss? :-)
@ Paul, I think I really needed something like the Winter War as I have so many 6mm figures to paint for myself and a couple of friends that I really did not want to do more to generate lead cash, plus followers only want SO much 6mm and it's already a big part of the blog.
@ Gary, well you should have received another book today ;-) I still have a pile of books to read, I also have bought a load more from someone at work but usually I don't spend a massive amount on books.
@ Mike, Originally necessity cut my cloth of late but I am happy keeping within boarders but in the past I have sold on my share of unfinished projects as well as the odd fully finished project.
@ Ray, do you ever go back to work on those unfinished projects? I guess one big reason I seem so well disciplined is that I paint far more than I game. I want that to change to an extent but at the moment I am happyish with the balance
Ian
I love that you've been able to use gift money, that's what we do when we go to the cafe, we use gift cards and I love it.
ReplyDeletePS: I laughed at the hanky bit.
Something to aspire to. As far as trading my skill set I'm not totally sure what I could do that others might want. Most everyone seems fairly competent to exceptional at all aspects of the hobby, while I'm still shaking off decades of rust.
ReplyDelete@ Spooky, Gift money spent on my hobby is always well spent and it's guilt free so it's an all round win for me.
ReplyDelete@ Sean, don't be so hard on yourself and for every gamer who can paint more than they need is a whole pack who would love to get figures painted for them
Ian