Sunday 24 May 2009

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.

20 comments:

  1. It's been a great year, Drax. Here's to many more...

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  2. Keep it up Drax, your blog is one of my favourites!

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  3. Congrats on one year and keep up the good work!

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  4. Your blog was one of the first blogs I ran across, and you were one of the first bloggers I got to know. I've enjoyed the past year and look forward to the next one!

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  5. Got to agree with the rest, congrats on the year of great blogging and I'm looking forward to many more :)

    Like Inner Geek, your blog was one of the first I found, and was instrumental in getting me to start my own. So thank you for that!

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  6. Here's to another year of fantastic work. You do some great stuff Drax!

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  7. Excellent work, looking forward to another year of quality updates.
    Thank you so very much for the 'frosting' article it saved my Marine Sergeant. I will post the experience on the blog once I get my head back into blogging.

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  8. A good year all round mate, these blog thingy's certainly get you motivated.

    Here's to the next year .... :-)

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  9. love your posts, always a good read. after Col. Gravis i htink this was the second blog that I started following and has always been inspirational!

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  10. What a busy year, you have a blog to be proud off.
    I look forward to reading more of your posts.

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  11. Ok ok pun time... Happy Draxnniversary!!! Or Happy Admiversary! For being such a pal, you can decide what we prefer. Congrats on the year matey, I've enjoyed reading all of your stuff, and here's to many more years in the blogosphere

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  12. Happy Anniversary!

    One of the worst things about making BoLS the biggest 40K blog around has been the inevitable appearance of trolls. Our first couple of years we had a lot of great civil posters who loved he hobby and read for the enjoyment of it. Now we're almost guaranteed to have one of the first three posts be something entirely negative and trollish.

    So if you keep making all the good strides you've made in the last year, you've got that to look forward to. :)

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  13. I might have found this great online community, eventually, but I'll always remember it was your blog that led the way. So, many thanks, and many congrats for a great first year.

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  14. Keep up the good work fella - I'm holidaying down in the deep west this summer if you'd like to put a face to a 'alias' ... I'll email you the details when they're confirmed...

    Keep up the good work fella AND Very nice work on the Guard Commander's Handbook!

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  15. Well done on a very successful year of bloggging... I can't actually remember when I started...

    Anyway I'd be up for a game with you on Vassal on one condition... you teach me how to use it...

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  16. congrats, Drax. Keep it coming :)

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  17. WOW!

    Thanks, guys: I've been in the wilds of 'up north' (Newcastle) for a few days, so it was a real pleasure to get back to find so many gracious and encouraging comments.

    Thank you so much, and thanks for letting me steal your ideas, too.

    - Drax.

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  18. Drax, thanks for the comment on my latest post... one question, how could you have left your FW vets unfinished?? I love those models, if I plucked up the cash for some Id be getting them built and painted as soon as I could!

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  19. Ach!

    The reason they're unfinished is because they hardly ever got used in the last codex. Now, not only are their rules cool; they also can field snipers again - somewhat vindicating the sniper model I converted. Huzzah!

    There's a link (top right) to my old 'progress' pics of them, but as I get back to them (and expand them into a whole platoon's worth) I'll need to revisit their skin tones, as even by my lacklustre standards the existing colours are a little lame.

    And I'm glad I bought them when I could too: I certainly couln't afford to now, sadly.

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  20. Bon anniversaire Amiral Drax ! :p

    Yeah it's been a busy bloggin year but I really enjoy reading through your articles.

    All I can wish is to read more and more from you in the future :)

    Cheers mate!

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Thanks for taking the time to comment!