Orlygg's Oldhammer New Year Resolutions

Some twelve months ago I made a series of resolutions, as I am sure that many people do, even wargamers, and I find that in the few remaining hours of 2013 I have some time to reflect on them. Just look here for the original article. Its been quite a year for me, as I am sure it has been for you, and it was certainly a year for the Oldhammer Community! We have had ups and downs but ultimately, its a big well done to everybody! Great blogs, great games, great painted miniatures and great events, big and small.

Well let's have a look at what I set out to achieve this year!

2012-2013

1. Play a game of Warhammer (or related games) with someone on the Warhammer Opponent Finder.

The author of this blog with Rick Priestley and John Stallard. 

It seemed like a huge task back then! Actually find someone who liked Old School GW games and play a few of them, maybe once or twice! It seems a bit naive now doesn't it? Yes, with support from the Ansell family at the Wargames Foundry that ambition was magnified one hundred fold when Marcus emailed me and offered the Foundry's services for our event. I got to meet a large number of fascinating individuals and even a Warhammer Celeb or two! I played in a Realm of Chaos warbands extravaganza and at Blog-Con a few months later where the Deathfist was resoundly beaten by massively overpowered undead units - no wonder Warhammer Armies states that skeletons should be fielded in units no greater than 30! Not in units twice that size with the Lichemaster to boot! Still, it was great fun and I am hungry for more next summer!

Chatting with Gaj and Bryan Ansell. Something to do with beards and whiskey if I remember correctly! What was satisfying, was talking to Garth about an email he sent me in the early days. To cut a long story short, he told me he didn't expect the 'Oldhammer thing to explode' - thankfully, he was utterly wrong! 

A huge scale game! Third Edition Slaves to Darkness warbands game! 

Resolution Achieved!

2. Safely organise my painted models and catagorise my unpainted ones.

The Ironing Board is not Citadel,

This was a little more challenging than I thought. I dreamt of a massive glass cabinets like you see at proper wargames shows but the wife wanted something in keeping with the house. So, like all good husbands, I did what I was told and we used this Welsh Dresser as a makeshift display cabinet for me miniatures. And it does a great job too!

Resolution Achieved!

3. Collect more Limited Edition Citadel miniatures

I love the strange gems of yesteryear. I was sniped quite a few times for this model until I found it incorrectly listed and bought it for mere pence! Bonus!

This one was easier! I managed to get my hands on one of my favourite ever models, the Spined Dragon and a fair few lovely old pre-slottas too; like the Wereansell model and one of the early Thruds. All should see paint in the new year! I have no intention of waltzing along the road of SERIOUS collecting though. So no Ass Cannons or Chicken Dragons for me. 

Beautiful to behold and a bastard to construct!

Resolution Achieved! 

4. Buy a good copy of Advanced Heroquest, Space Marine (first edition) or Adeptus Titanicus.

One day... One day..!

I really tried with this one, but apart from paying well over the odds, I lost every set I bid for. Still, there is always next year!

Resolution Ongoing!

5. Paint The Nightmare Legion.

Thanks dad for buying these in Wonderworld all those years ago. At least you no longer have to ask if i have painted the legion anymore!

It only took me twenty-five years but I did it! Even though painting the miniatures was tough, the finish result really makes up for all the time you invest. The trouble is, every time I pause to contemplate them on the Welsh Dresser I am tempted to do another Regiment of Renown - but which one!

Resolution Achieved! 

6. Complete small daemonic armies for all four powers using Realm of Chaos.

No identikit plastic soulless rubbish here. 

Okay, I didn't manage this one but I did get an army painted. The Khorne force that you can see above which had its genesis in the warband Dan used during out Realm of Chaos campaign a few years ago. Too be honest, in twenty-five years of gaming this is the first army I EVER finished! So its quite an achievement really! Now I just have to finish the Slaanesh one! 

Resolution Not Achieved - but kind of achieved in a way!

2013-2014

But what for the future? What will I set out to achieve in the next 12 months. To be honest, its easier this time around as I have a target of Oldhammer 2014 in August to get myself in order for while last year things were still and bit of a straw clutch. Still, here are my ideas!

1. Collect, paint and actually complete two entire armies! This will include my Slanneshi force and one other. 

2. Develop, test and host a set of scenarios inspired by things like Orc's Drift and Lichemaster. This will include providing all the background, scenery and painted models so that people can just play the scenarios and enjoy them. Narrative gaming, and roleplaying, will be very strong elements to these games. 

3. Inspired the Oldhammer Community to create warbands once again for the Oldhammer Weekend. Only this time using Rogue Trader rules and the 40k warbands described in Dark Millenium, Slaves to Darkness! Much more on this soon!

4. Continue to collect limited edition figures which may or may not help support Resolution 2. 

5. Complete the Warhammer Bestiary painting project by the end of the year. 

6. Buy a copy of Space Marine, Adeptus Titanicus or Advanced Heroquest. 

Well there you go. Hopefully, this year leaves you with lots of happy Oldhammer or wargaming memories and all I have left to do is wish you all a very happy New Year. 

Absinthe, Sambuca and Jagermiester await!

Orlygg.