I just realised that I am a Pinball Wargamer

[joroas]

I wondered what I was for a while but two news items yesterday focussed my attention. Firstly, a club that I joined nearly 30 years ago, and sporadically attended, folds at the end of the month and, secondly, the only blog I ever read, Tales from GHQ, came out: http://talesfromghq.blogspot.co.uk/ and crystallised my problem. I thought I was a butterfly, but now know that I am not:

Over the last 10 years or so I was gathering stuff for retirement, which was good.  The problem was that I was associated with three clubs and attended games hosted by two friends, all of which were different with their own genres, all of which I bought into.  The problem over the last three years is that having amassed such a huge collection I have no idea why I ended up with it or why I kept it.  I have sold off huge amounts of stuff, but still have so much stuff that will never be painted.  This is not about money, I have no problem with that, it is about what I REALLY want to play.

My machine needs to reset!

[Sunjester]

A feeling I can empathise with myself.

Whilst I cannot claim to have made such a firm stand as "no new periods" I find I have no desire to start new mass armies, but concentrate on completing those I already possess.
Rather than start complete new periods, I have looked for ways of giving new life to old projects. For example, I had Renaissance Poles and Ottomans, so I invested in The Pikeman's Lament, which has resulted in some fun games. I had a small collection of Border Reivers in a box at the back of a cupboard, so I got a copy of En Garde (and so far, resisted the suggestions of others to buy some French Musketeers and Cardinal's Guard!).
Where I have gone for a new period, it is strictly on a small-scale, skirmish basis.

I'm trying the best I can!

[joroas]

Well, being in a number of clubs I bought what was current and then never got around to it.  Then you buy all the new trendy rules and never read them, let alone play them.  I have armies that I bought years ago that are still unopened in the shed, as those who have seen my sales will have noted.  It becomes very depressing as you have a lead mountain that you can't possibly clear.

I can also identify with Dave's statement:

Here in GHQ I have come to the conclusion that as far as we can all the games from the SYW to 1914 will be played using Black Powder. We play too many games you see and use too many rule sets. Even the five sets I've written I find I confuse, a kind of Hail Powder & Shotte problem!

[Marine0846]

joroas,

I find myself in some what the same boat as you.
Lots of lead and will never get it all painted.
Now retired, I do have more time to paint.
In the last two weeks, have gone for WWII,
to Indian Mutiny, them to Pirates, now Spanish American War.
To my credit I have primed some great 1898 Miniatures
and may even get a few painted.
But now just picked up the rules set Blood and Plunder.
Will I go back to Pirates? So many periods, oh my.
 But in March did paint 160 Perry WOTR figures.
Be happy, just embrace the chaos.

[Lowtardog]

Just talking about this at our club, a lad I know attends routinely 2-3 clubs and they game different periods, in different scales so he has lots of projects but none of which are ready to play.

I am an addict sold a lot of gear off but have a sizeable collection grown again over last couple of years.  Like Sunjester rejuvenate your figures for skirmish games of pick up new rules etc. paint enough for that game and then you have a result and can box them back up (those unpainted) until the fever takes you again.

On a recent binger with sword and spear I am focusing on getting an army painted as quickly as possible, for the simple reason I know if they sit too long I will be into the next big thing, try and keep it going at present working for me with 90 figures done and another 60 to go

[joroas]

This is the nub of the problem, isn't it.  Too many interesting periods in too many scales and too many rules.  Trimming it down to a sensible level is a hard job.  Everything is bought, some is unopened and the rest is in varying stages of production.  Picking exactly what to finish is a killer to a butterfly.

[FramFramson]

So, based on your avatar, would that make you a pinball wizard?

[joroas]

You'll find your coat by the door!

[FramFramson]

I just knew there had to be a twist. 

[Yankeepedlar01]

John, I'm finding my new approach very easy to stick to and liberating too. I enjoy the company and the games much more now there is no self imposed pressure to complete this or that unit or project. I even enjoy looking at new stuff more in a strange way, as I'm not even tempted to buy into it. Painting is now always a pleasure and never a chore. When are you coming up for a game next?

[Phil Robinson]

Dave has always berated me for starting new projects before completing existing ones, but what I always try to do is get enough figures done to play a game of some description. When we have played a game I am usually inspired to paint more ready for the next one, or even buy more ;~), each new unit adds to the experience next time out. With some rules it does not have to be a complete unit, only yesterday we played a game with two units of one base, classing them as tiny in Black Powder rules.
Another thing to remember is though, that new shiny range/period which is so tempting you, means that you may well be playing the same game with different attired troops, so think, count to ten, do I really want to do this?
Don't let it become a race either, it is a hobby, relax and enjoy your inner butterfly, we cannot tame it I fear.

[Yankeepedlar01]

As I've said to both you, Phil, and John a lot of the problem lies in unrealistic expectations of what can/will be possible in the time frame available and the myriad demands made on it by life in general. I was fortunate in some ways to retire early and have always had the ability to focus on something to completion when I've wanted to. Not all of us are the same, so don't worry but do what you can John.

[carlos marighela]

So, based on your avatar, would that make you a pinball wizard?

Based on his location, Tales from GHQ should probably be Tales from GCHQ but that would be in breach of the Official Secrets Act and subject to a custodial sentence. Have a donut!

 

[FramFramson]

 

[Arlequín]

... a lot of the problem lies in unrealistic expectations of what can/will be possible ...

Is that not the essential truth of every wargame project ever envisioned. 

I get distracted by what the cool kids are creating and releasing, in some cases it might even be something that I have never previously shown an interest in.

However I have forced myself to develop a resistance against impulse buying and enforce a 'cooling-off period' before buying anything. It takes a bit of fun out of shows and costs a few bob extra in p+p, but overall saves me cash and ultimately a lot of hand-wringing at some future point.

Thinking "I really should paint Unit X" and "I ought to get started on Project Y" is just creating guilt - a quite toxic emotion and typically inactivity follows or an half-bothered job at best. Do what you want today and if it turns out to be that it is something different tomorrow, so be it. Those odd days spent on something add up over time to push something to completion.

I did a 'Desert Island Discs' style list of ten periods I wanted to do above all others, then reduced that to five. Crossed off the ones that didn't have full figure ranges to support them at that time, or which in my view only had poor quality ranges (so that removed virtually everything Warlord does), which left me with just three; which is what I'm working on now.

Sure, I still get distracted by shiny things and explore something new, but if I can resist buying for a few days that usually ends it and I get back to what I had been doing.

Anyhow it works for me, may or may not work for someone else.