119 Annual Review (and Highlights)

Hullo, all,

I just realised that I've been in the blogosphere for a little over a year. And what a year.

New job, new house and new baby on the way...but that's all incidental. My statement of intent when starting was as follows:

This is an experiment, and it has probably three parts:
1) I shall try to update this blog - as and when work pressures allow - to show progress I'm making with my WH40K and WFB armies. This is likely to be slow, but does at least give me the excuse to write up my army lists and take photos;
2) Hopefully, this will encourage me to finish more units more regularly and less piecemeal;
3) Finally, I've already found considerable inspiration from those bloggers already doing something similar and - while I don't pretend my armies are anything special - my ideas may just be of interest to others.

We'll see.

I'm very glad that I put in that caveat about "- as and when work pressures allow -" because there's the kicker. The new job has been taking up far more of my evening time than I was expecting: it's been like my first year of teaching all over again!


But even with the frustrations of quotidian life the blog's been a tremendous spur to get painting done, and I've enjoyed posting the pics. I've also been far less piecemeal, which enabled me for the first time to complete a fully painted, FOC-legal and competitive force. Great stuff!

For any of you wondering, I've started to document my Warhammer Fantasy stuff separately, though this is decidedly (and deliberately) piecemeal.

So what have been the highlights for Drax over the past year?

• The awesome (and rapidly expanding) community: you're all so so very, very supportive! And in a year (with the unfortunate exception of BoLS, despite the Flylords' wonderful efforts) I've not come across a single example of trollishness or wanton negativity! Not one! Kudos, by the way, to Ron over at FTW for being imaginative and innovative in his approach to fostering a community spirit.
• My 'Wyvern' Chimera conversion(s). At least five people have been kind enough to let me know that they've been using or adapting the design (which I adapted from some work by The Ammo Bunker). Thanks for the comments on this, everyone, and I'm sorry if the new codex rules make it slightly less tenable.
• Cadfael the dog being immortalised in the form of 'After The War'. Thanks to those of you who've laughed with me at my comical hound (and used his image). He's snoring right now after a long, sunny walk today through the beautiful Devonshire countryside.
• Being sent free models and bitz by good people who read my stuff and want to help...not once but twice! Thank you, chaps, and I hope I get the opportunity to pay it forward some time.
• Being asked for my thoughts, opinions and advice from time-to-time. I'm very much a 'closet' 40K player (being isolated in the countryside and generally shunning GW stores doesn't help) so it's surprising that some have asked, but I think about 40K a lot - almost every night to clear my head of work-stuff before sleep - so maybe that helps.
• Discovering Vassal 40K: a simply perfect means by which I can get to play, and 73rd has been a frequent and sporting opponent. He beat me the other day, but his Deathwing Terminator Chaplain still caught the wrong end of bayonet practice!
• Making my 'self build' and painting him by candlelight(?!) on New Year's Eve. Fun!
• Anything else? Yes! I've discovered a very useful cure for varnish frosting, had the fun of trying to comment in French, German and Spanish on other blogs, penned lyrical ditties at the behest of The Inner Geek and even had a couple of photos used on BoLS. Now there's a blogger's dream come true.

Thanks for your support, Ladies and Gents - it's always appreciated. May the community continue to flourish.

- Drax.