You are making some great content. Enjoying the channel. I've got a few things I use to keep things under control. (1) Dana Howl came up with the #shamegolf game; its a way of gamifying the process of keeping purchases in line with your outputs; you add points for every model you buy and deduct points for every model you paint. Low numbers (like golf) are good. I am finding it helps me think twice before buying more. (2) Andy Ovel over at the Hobby Support Group podcast came up with the Ovel list - its like a bingo card of projects (you can have as many boxes as you want). I have nine slots, and it forces me to think about where the next shiny thing (project) could fit and what I would have to give up in order to do it; but above all: (3) I now assess every purchase in terms of WOHTs (Weeks of Hobby Time). Given my painting speed, an average box of Perry's would take me 4WOHTS to finish. My current list of projects will require an estimated 50WOHTS, so anything I purchase now could only be started a year out. Who knows what I will like then?
Thank you Warren, glad you’re enjoying it and thank you for watching. There are some really good ideas there. I quite like the bingo card idea, and your WOHT makes loads of sense - I think I do this a little in my head, but probably conveniently underestimate so I can buys things I want. Will power is a problem, so sometimes I just have to flat out ignore/avoid things so my head doesn’t get turned.
Gives me a lot to think about - my collecting and not building/painting/using is getting out of control. Time to take stock of my situation I think (I know the wife would appreciate the space in our closet). : ) Great video.
I’m on the verge of having too many projects on the go. I’m trying to limit myself to the rule sets I really want to play and enjoy playing. Like you middle earth is an ongoing project that I don’t really worry about. I want to get into some big army projects and get some focus, so I’ve gone back to looking at mass battle systems like Black Powder, Oathmark and Kings of War. I’ve found that skirmish games cause me a headache bringing in too many periods, rule sets and scenery projects to focus on! I think the opinion that skirmish games are great because it’s just a few figures is a bit of a trap. We can end up with loads of boxes of just a few figures and terrain and rule books for so many games systems it becomes a bit overwhelming.
I think when I got buried under a pile of projects a few years back it was mostly ‘skirmish’ games back then, so I think you have a point. Aside from MESBG, which I’m becoming more narrative focused anyway, I don’t think I’ll ever go to a competitive event (maybe Bolt Action as a one off). So I’m left with Black Powder/Hail Caesar/Pike and Shotte (future), and while they’re different, they’re also similar enough that I feel like I’m changing periods with the same set of rules. The historical games are also about me engaging with the period, the hobby of collecting and painting, with the actual gaming coming as a awesome extra, but something I’m comfortable doing less of.
Really good point - I too am trapped in skirmish games - though I also get stuck between painting at a high level vs painting. a unit which tends to add to the problem
@@MiniatureRealms I like the variety of skirmish games as I’m a bit of a Wargame Butterfly; oh Cruel Seas, that Black Seas would fill a niche, those Necromunda Orlock figures would work in Stargrave, how about repurposing the Nights Watch into Ragnarok and my 90 or so plastic Wolfen just make Oathmark and Saga Magic Minotaur lists a no brainer. My BoFA armies force also fits Pendrakens Warband rules which are movement tray based. In my mind I’m a Red Admiral, but I play like a Cabbage White because I’m never an expert in any rule set. I suppose I just enjoy the freedom. Oh and I’m definitely pulling the trigger on the new Kill Team (the Krieg have a steampunk vibe and strangely I own no sci-fi Orks) and when I get my Grey Heavens force they’ll pivot into Rangers of the Shadow Deep.
What a great Hobby-Man cave you got. Two to three projects I think is good to have and jump between. Only one project can easily burn you out so its good to take a small break doing other projects. At the moment I jump between two projects, TYW & Ancient Japan. Always trying to climb that mountain of metal & plastic. Great video, take care. 👍
Wow, mines close to that pile you have there. I’ve got 28mm Napoleonics (French and British) boxes, Bolt Action boxes, Wars of the Roses boxes, 10mm ACW, board game miniatures ie: Nemesis, Joan of Arc, Warhammer Quest pile of shame. Maybe two years worth of painting at my speed.
Funny enough I DID find this video before your others. I admit, historicals really aren't my thing, but it was rather fascinating to see someone's projects in an entirely different part of the hobby! I do really like your idea of "I will just love having this, so it's fine to keep it as a long project" and really that is kind of a nice thought. Games are great motivators, get things ready for gaming, but sometimes the hobby and the appreciation of the projects are enough to just have them around. For me, I ironically just have an issue of always wanting new projects. Just a need to move on and dabble in new ideas. I do mostly Warhammer, but have touched on other smaller games and collected random forces all over. I have considered selling some off, but I am taking the time to set up display shelves and just...having stuff to have. Good luck on trimming things down!
The buzz from starting a new project is a big draw for me, and many others I think. I guess the size of a gamers collection is only a problem if it becomes an issue for them, their families or bank balance 😂, aside from that it’s all positive. Thank you for watching and commenting.
@@MiniatureRealms - Thankfully historicals tend to be much cheaper than Warhammer. Though I tend to spend at least as much on related history books (usually nothing to do with gaming), so it probably balances out in the long run.
Wow man at first I looked and thought that's not pile of shame but gradually I my opinion started to change. We can never have to many projects tho mate. Look forward to seeing the bit in the piles turn up on the channel to mate. And we all have that 1 period of theme that is out golden egg and will never get rid of and you can probably guess mine. Keep it the great work aswell mate 😁👍
@@MiniatureRealms haha well along as the Mrs doesn't find out how much moneys sitting they aye. 🤣 I mean I know the value of a lot of that and even I winced 🤣
I kept my projects down to only two main historical periods - Napoleonics and Early WW2 both in 1/72 scale. I like having both armies, so that’s four factions in all. Was pretty manageable until lockdown came along... My WW2 projects have since expanded to four, and now I’ve started Spanish Civil War (also in 1/72) which is already threatening to stretch beyond two armies. Oh well, at least I never got into Warhammer or fantasy/scifi of any kind.
Have only one failed project - 6mm Late WW2. Was tempted by the portability. Painted the tanks but never found a set of rules that I liked to play them.
I'm currently working on a Pike & Shott Swedish army with an HRE army waiting, 17 Kits in total which still need to be built. I all so build terrain on the side to take a break from building & painting infantry
Great video! Yes, I'm fairly new to the miniature war gaming hobby. I am addicted to Zombicide and I have purchased all core sets and waiting for the Undead or Alive that will drop in March 2022. I think the miniature agnostic game systems out there have saved me! Ha Ha! I plan on using the Zombicide minis and others for such games like Fistful of Lead and Five Parsecs From Home/Five Leagues from The Borderlands. Take Care and I'm happy to come across your YT channel. Subbed. 👍🍻👍
Hi thank you, I’ve just subscribed to yours now too. The wife and I play Zombicide a bit, but not enough to justify any of the expansions sadly, it’s a great game even if we do lose at lot. Your totally right about miniature agnostic games, luckily so many outside of the bigger companies are.
Aye, possessions can become a real burden when they exceed what you can ever make use of. Having helped clear out & sort through the possessions of an elderly family member, this was really bought home to me.
Yes this can be really difficult, definitely can have an effect mentally. With Wargaming stuff, as long as I have a stock take, tidy and clear out once in a while I find I can keep on top of things.
Nice approach, to think about it. I have a tight schedule for ww2 and than will go on with more other stuff I already have. Keeping focus but you can never have enough projects.
It was interesting to hear Dan talking on your most recent OOTFP episode about his Mordor and Isengard armies that weren’t planned. His backlog exists in his calendar if not physically
well aware this is almost an historic video now, but for posterity, my approach is to keep the scope of a project very small, and expand as required; Black seas for example, I bought the minimum amount to conceivably play the game with- the 2 frigates 4 brigs box. Having completed that (a couple of weeks) I now have enough to play the game with and see if I actually enjoy it. Same again with Battlefleet Gothic- I got 4 cruisers, got them completely finished (about one week), and I'm now adding the odd ship here and there, expanding as I go. I would find the prospect of a crate full of boxes and boxes f miniatures - entire armies, in fact - unapproachably large I doubt I'd ever begin. Excellent content, thankyou!
im all for you level of working out what you keep and what is acceptable, Im far more like Dan, and in some cases strict with projects that are even finished. If I haven't use or gamed with something or a while, theres a chance its going, it usually all works out, but occasionally there is sellers regret *those sicaran punishers I sold still make me sad* Lovely video as always Stu
Declining living standards and rising miniature costs means hoarding is the smart thing to do. Box everything up very carefully and save it for a rainy day. If there's a big sale I tend to dive in with both hands even if I know I probably won't get round to the project in a couple years. I think your Lord of the rings collection looks awesome, if you do finish them all in the next few years you'll have saved yourself a fortune, especially if they go out of print. I'm putting together some bolt action British now which were around 2 pounds a sprue a while back, they're the comically shit old kit which I'm meshing together with the gorgeous new kit for more variety. I agree, put things away but know you have them and then you won't get mentally overwhelmed. I paint one squad at a time and then pop up to the attic for another handful of sprues, it's like going to the hobby store. Although my girlfriend thinks it's a sickness! Loving the content at the moment mate, I think little personal videos like this are really cool.
Thank you 😊 Stocking up on stuff you know you will use in the future is a great idea, that’s definitely another reason I’m happy to keep the Lord of the rings stuff. I have to be careful not too keep stuff I may never use, so I sell bits off periodically, it helps with the mental tidiness and also gives me some hobby dollar.
Oh and if you want a family wargame that you can paint and play with the kids then you can’t beat Tail Feathers by Plaid Hat games. What’s not to like about a boxed game with mice and rats jousting on garden birds with sneak attacks on home trees. It’s got a great theme with an excellent flight mechanic. Next up on the painting table; a song thrush with leather barding - bonkers fun.
How did you get that picture of my pile of shame!? What is a project? I don’t think any of my projects ever completely finishes, there’s always the odd unit I want to add. For me I have realised that the collection is as much fun as anything
😂 I love the way you hobby, I hope in the future (once I’ve got loads of completed projects) I can do something similar, I love the idea of adding a unit here or there. But I love a fresh new project too 😅
This is a great video. Some awesome stuff you have. I don't class it as "A pile of shame" more a pile of potential. But a very well done video. And great thinking points for me. Thanks. 🦕🦕🦕🦕🌶🌶🌶🌶
I'm really glad I held out knowing that 28mm nepoleonic wasn't the scale I've wanted to do and now they've released epic battles waterloo so happy they have released this as I can order 19 battalions each for British and french and do corps level engagement
Yep Epic Naps is perfect, I could have saved some money if I’d held out, but I moved most stuff on for little loss. Still have a huge pile of plastic to paint though, just in a smaller scale 🤣
I did have far too many projects on the go, but my move to the Netherlands led to me selling a lot of stuff. I probably still have too much, but I am currently concentrating on Epic ACW for refighting a large number of Gettysburg and Antietam scenarios, 1914 in 12mm from Great Escape Games and Kallistra, with an expansion to Galicia and East Prussia on the Eastern front, and 15mm Wars of the Roses using mostly Peter Pig figures with some Ancient and Modern and a few Essex thrown in. On the backburner is expanding a number of existing projects - 10mm First Schleswig War, Crimean War, FAW, APW, FPW and RJW, as well as 15mm Great Italian Wars and SYW. Died the death,at least for now, Dark Age Britain, ECW and the Classical world. Fortunately I have been able to acquire a pretty spacious flat as I am up in the far north of the Netherlands in Groningen province, so no real storage problems.
Sounds like you a fairly manageable set of projects, but like me if you add too much more it could be a tipping point. I like your distinction between current projects and adding to existing ones. For me I can definitely treat them slightly differently.
Mine is so much worse, GW staff days along with a decent main job left me with a massive pile, been selling off stuff to trim down. Still a way to go. It can become a monkey on the back. Currently on a pause til bits get finished
thank goodness it just shrunk by a container the last few weeks. I realize i woudl still need to live to be about 90 in perfect health to get close to completing......
I don't have any failed projects...Just about 20 in progress. I've wanted to start doing French and Indian War for a while, but Yorkshire Gamer is tempting me with Italian Wars.
I think 20 would mean too many would never get done for me, though I guess that depends on what stage they’re at. If I had 20 playable armies that I was adding bits to constantly, then I think that could work, but right now all my historical projects are new.
My gaming in 28mm is pivoting from large scale Fantasy Battle and Historical to Saga and Osprey skirmish level games though I’m loath to slim the Dark Elf (circa 1997 and half painted (my shame) and Beastmen down. In Sci-Fi I can’t get rid of my AT43 factory painted armies though again I intend to slim them down (no one needs 9 Fire-toads after the Christmas game). Slaughterloo was on the block but there’s a new Osprey Silver Bayonet fantasy Napoleonics book this year… Like you I have a MESBG pile of shame (and it’s BOFA equivalent) but the Isengard Scouts are done and the Morannon Orcs 50% complete leaving Rohan and Rivendell to do - can’t buy the Rangers until they’re done. I’m 14 regiments into my Union ACW but have had to swap to Pendraken AWI for a game in October. The real problem is what to do with Flames of War and Warzone. I never made the jump to FOW 4th edition so neither of these forces (whilst painted) get played. There is a reckoning coming this autumn as I need the space for (fingers-crossed) Epic Napoleonics next year. I’m not sure I’m coping 😉 but I’m making progress. At the last count I could play about 50 different games.
Sounds like you have a good handle on things, even if you have a lot of armies/projects. I find it pretty easy to move things on if it’s unpainted, but I’m also very happy to keep things that are painted but not played, as long as I feel that if I got back playing again that I’d be happy with the paint jobs. I have sold armies that I know I might like to play systems for in the future, knowing that if I do go back I’d start a new army anyway. I have a few regrets, selling OOP editions of games from the 80s and 90s (what I’d do for Heroquest at an affordable price to play with my eldest). Also regret selling all my metal Warhammer Fantasy Dwarves (I did make some good money though).
I have the opposite issue. Over the last year I have managed to paint through virtually all of my pile of shame. I am down to literally just five or six 28mm miniatures left and a few hundred 15mm AWI and ACW troops which are going to be continued as I am nearly done with all my 28mm stuff. I made a vow to my self that going forward I would not over burden my self with miniatures and only buy more when I am getting down to only a few left for a project. I don't ever want to have the kind of pile of shame I see on your table. I think that would be a gigantic waste of money. I think the greatest realization for me was I am not painting for perfection and when that clicked I was able to speed through hundreds of 28mm miniatures and get them out of the pile of shame. Now when I want to paint something for display sure I will slow down and focus a lot more of my effort and time into that but you can't do that for games that require more than a couple of miniatures or you will never get anywhere. A good rule is for historical gaming to stick to 1-3 historical periods. Now for the other genres just have to not go overboard. I never want more than a couple of projects on the go and usually different era ones to avoid boredom.
Whether you have 1 or 51 armies, when you sell all of your backlog off, you will have regret. I may not get to my entire backlog in my lifetime, but at least i won't partake in a vicious cycle of selling and re-buying it all over again. It honestly doesn't bother me to have as much as i do, and i love having the variety of hobby projects to fit any mood that i may have.
Like this looking at competing projects, Luckily I'm very good at keeping my projects to a minimum, at the moment I'm only working on a space marine army, a Chaos marine army, Warhammer empire army, undead army, orc army, northern alliance army, French and German armies WW1, Union and confederate armies, Napoleonic British and French, English Civil War Round Head and Cavaliers, Cossack and Polish armies, Crusader and Muslim armies, Vickings, Egyptian, Persian, Assyrian and Babylonian, oh and a zombiecide project, oh my god where's the alcohol, lol, all the best, Garry
I would say that if you are enjoying painting and collecting them then it isn't really a problem unless you legitimately start running out of space. As the first lockdown showed us, even our large "project pile" got eaten away and is only now starting to grow again. The wife and I tend to just stick to skirmish level games as the smaller forces allow for a wider range of games, models, rulesets and overall variety. And I think that last is key - being able to pop between smaller warband/skirmish level projects keeps it fresh. But we are also non-tournament players so don't need to a barracks full of roster alternates either. I think we have like 8 or 9 different systems off the top of my head. Do you enjoy it? Is anyone yelling at you to get rid of it? Then don't worry about it. Buy some more Really Useful Boxes instead. They are great for filing the pile of projects in.
Yep I agree with all of this. I have to be careful not to play too many rule sets as my brain can’t handle it, perhaps why I’m using Black Powder/Hail Caesar etc, so very similar. I’ve no pressure to get rid of stuff either, my wife leave me to it. I sell stuff I won’t use, then buy more 😂
After 50 years I have finally decided that I have collected & painted enough armies (how many thousand is a lot of figures? 5+?, & that only covers Ancients, Napoleonic, ACW, & WW2). All in that unfashionable 1/72 scale, & the 'pile of shame' is now nil, well almost. Time now to concentrate on actual gaming - going to have to live to at least 200 to do them justice!
That seems like a very good plan. I’m certainly still very much in the ‘collection’ phase, but with some of my projects the plan is to make them the ‘only’ project for that scale and period - with the full intention to get them finished I’ve the next few years and them game with them forevermore/until the bitter end 😂
I don’t manage my projects really. I know guys who like to limit the number they have going, but the idea seems foreign to me. I have 10 or 12 going right now and I’m perfectly fine with that. My wife undoubtedly has a different opinion. I simply shift the priorities of my projects. I have four historical projects for Adepticon next Spring so for right now those are my primary focus. A few months down the road, if things on those projects progress far enough I can slack off enough to add in one of my smaller projects and work on those a bit as well. I have a lot of interests in various periods of military history so I just accept it as normal that I would have a lot of projects. Thanks to your project I now have an interest in the Wars of the Roses and hope to get a project going for that in the coming months. I get bored or burned out easily when I’ve been painting up a lot of ACW or 15mm WWII, so it’s nice to have other, smaller projects that I can pick up and work on for an evening. It’s not enough to get anything major accomplished but it gives me a break from my primary project and does make some progress on another. For your ACW project, is there someone local you are planning to play that with or are you going to be flying solo for your Antietam battle?
I can definitely understand the attraction of multiple periods, that definitely helps keep them fresh for me too. I find this with historical gaming far more than I do with fantasy games. If I thought I could do more (and keeping working on/completing them), I’d add more now, but they’re safer being on my ‘to do’ list. I haven’t roped in anyone for Antietam yet, but not tried yet either. I’ve never really solo gamed, but I might try it with with some of the smaller scale/large battle games. Can’t imagine it would be enjoyable for Skirmish style games, better suited to ‘reenactment’.
@@MiniatureRealms Well, I was thinking that if there was someone local that you could bring in it might cut down on the workload for your project. They do one side and you do the other. For our Gettysburg game I am going to be doing the Confederates, Longstreet’s two divisions and Anderson’s division from A.P. Hill’s corps, while my friend is doing the Union forces. It’s still a good sized project but nothing like if I had to do both sides.
Ah I see, yeah a joint project is always nice, you can bounce off each other’s ideas and energy as well. For my historical projects I’m pretty much flying solo, doing what interests me, most of my gaming friends don’t play these games. I’ve no doubt I can find some locals to play when I try, but I’m going to carry on doing both sides for now (I quite like being self sufficient anyway 😂).
😂 Mine used to, there’s quite a bit in my loft too, it’s mostly terrain and other paraphernalia now though, after the clear up a few years back I’ve not got much more than what’s in the video now.
How many projects do I have? LOADS!! How many failed? None… 😬 Paused? Like 3, maybe 4. How many mini’s do I have? As of today when I counted my Pile Of Potential, I have 1,246 mini’s total 😂 I am donating a load of AoS and 40k to a School though as they are really strapped for cash and play WarCry and Kill Team, so that’ll be about 300minis going and it’ll make me feel good about myself for helping them out :p
@@MiniatureRealms they are only paused ;p they’re still getting painted every so often :p haha Yeah they’ll be super happy! :D and it means I don’t feel guilty for having 30~ Skaven that I’ll never paint 😂
I’m definitely enjoying smaller scales for bigger battles/games, don’t think I’ll ever be able to give up 28mm completely, but only for skirmish style games.
I’m mainly at 1/72 - works great for both big battles and large skirmishes. Most of my terrain will also double for multiple periods. 28mm is just so tempting, (all those gorgeous figures!) but so far I’ve managed to resist. I know I don’t have space for large scale terrain!
@@sirrathersplendid4825 I’m actually surprised that the sculpting in 28mm can be as bad as it is. For example, 28mm WWII figures are very bad across the board. Sculpts in 20mm and 15mm are far better for that period.
@@neue01 - I’ve not really looked at WW2 in 28mm, mainly because the range of AFVs available is limited, whereas in 1/72 or 1/76 you can buy any vehicle ever made, just about. Far more tempted by Napoleonic and Medieval in 28mm, where the detailing in some ranges is simply beautiful.
Brother my pile of (let’s call it “opportunity” and nit “shame” laughter) is enormous indeed. But I’m with you… it makes me happy…
Absolutely, and my stash may have grown a lot since this video as well 😆.
You are making some great content. Enjoying the channel. I've got a few things I use to keep things under control. (1) Dana Howl came up with the #shamegolf game; its a way of gamifying the process of keeping purchases in line with your outputs; you add points for every model you buy and deduct points for every model you paint. Low numbers (like golf) are good. I am finding it helps me think twice before buying more. (2) Andy Ovel over at the Hobby Support Group podcast came up with the Ovel list - its like a bingo card of projects (you can have as many boxes as you want). I have nine slots, and it forces me to think about where the next shiny thing (project) could fit and what I would have to give up in order to do it; but above all: (3) I now assess every purchase in terms of WOHTs (Weeks of Hobby Time). Given my painting speed, an average box of Perry's would take me 4WOHTS to finish. My current list of projects will require an estimated 50WOHTS, so anything I purchase now could only be started a year out. Who knows what I will like then?
Thank you Warren, glad you’re enjoying it and thank you for watching.
There are some really good ideas there. I quite like the bingo card idea, and your WOHT makes loads of sense - I think I do this a little in my head, but probably conveniently underestimate so I can buys things I want. Will power is a problem, so sometimes I just have to flat out ignore/avoid things so my head doesn’t get turned.
Haha my project list seems to grow ( much much faster ) than my completed list !! 😅 and i paint alot !! 😊
😂🤣 The bane of every wargamer I think.
Gives me a lot to think about - my collecting and not building/painting/using is getting out of control. Time to take stock of my situation I think (I know the wife would appreciate the space in our closet). : ) Great video.
Thank you.
Well if you end up having a clear out, you can always sell it and spend the money on more 😂
I’m on the verge of having too many projects on the go. I’m trying to limit myself to the rule sets I really want to play and enjoy playing. Like you middle earth is an ongoing project that I don’t really worry about. I want to get into some big army projects and get some focus, so I’ve gone back to looking at mass battle systems like Black Powder, Oathmark and Kings of War. I’ve found that skirmish games cause me a headache bringing in too many periods, rule sets and scenery projects to focus on! I think the opinion that skirmish games are great because it’s just a few figures is a bit of a trap. We can end up with loads of boxes of just a few figures and terrain and rule books for so many games systems it becomes a bit overwhelming.
I think when I got buried under a pile of projects a few years back it was mostly ‘skirmish’ games back then, so I think you have a point.
Aside from MESBG, which I’m becoming more narrative focused anyway, I don’t think I’ll ever go to a competitive event (maybe Bolt Action as a one off). So I’m left with Black Powder/Hail Caesar/Pike and Shotte (future), and while they’re different, they’re also similar enough that I feel like I’m changing periods with the same set of rules. The historical games are also about me engaging with the period, the hobby of collecting and painting, with the actual gaming coming as a awesome extra, but something I’m comfortable doing less of.
Really good point - I too am trapped in skirmish games - though I also get stuck between painting at a high level vs painting. a unit which tends to add to the problem
I can understand the painting point as well, I never do the quickest option, find it hard to not do that extra highlight sometimes.
@@MiniatureRealms Sounds like a solid plan. Keep the updates coming. I'm really enjoying the content.
@@MiniatureRealms I like the variety of skirmish games as I’m a bit of a Wargame Butterfly; oh Cruel Seas, that Black Seas would fill a niche, those Necromunda Orlock figures would work in Stargrave, how about repurposing the Nights Watch into Ragnarok and my 90 or so plastic Wolfen just make Oathmark and Saga Magic Minotaur lists a no brainer. My BoFA armies force also fits Pendrakens Warband rules which are movement tray based. In my mind I’m a Red Admiral, but I play like a Cabbage White because I’m never an expert in any rule set. I suppose I just enjoy the freedom.
Oh and I’m definitely pulling the trigger on the new Kill Team (the Krieg have a steampunk vibe and strangely I own no sci-fi Orks) and when I get my Grey Heavens force they’ll pivot into Rangers of the Shadow Deep.
What a great Hobby-Man cave you got. Two to three projects I think is good to have and jump between. Only one project can easily burn you out so its good to take a small break doing other projects. At the moment I jump between two projects, TYW & Ancient Japan. Always trying to climb that mountain of metal & plastic. Great video, take care. 👍
Thank you. You seem to have a sensible approach there, projects with quite different aesthetics as well (I know that helps me).
Wow, mines close to that pile you have there.
I’ve got 28mm Napoleonics (French and British) boxes, Bolt Action boxes, Wars of the Roses boxes, 10mm ACW, board game miniatures ie: Nemesis, Joan of Arc, Warhammer Quest pile of shame.
Maybe two years worth of painting at my speed.
You’ll be fine, just don’t add to it 😂
Funny enough I DID find this video before your others. I admit, historicals really aren't my thing, but it was rather fascinating to see someone's projects in an entirely different part of the hobby! I do really like your idea of "I will just love having this, so it's fine to keep it as a long project" and really that is kind of a nice thought. Games are great motivators, get things ready for gaming, but sometimes the hobby and the appreciation of the projects are enough to just have them around.
For me, I ironically just have an issue of always wanting new projects. Just a need to move on and dabble in new ideas. I do mostly Warhammer, but have touched on other smaller games and collected random forces all over. I have considered selling some off, but I am taking the time to set up display shelves and just...having stuff to have. Good luck on trimming things down!
The buzz from starting a new project is a big draw for me, and many others I think. I guess the size of a gamers collection is only a problem if it becomes an issue for them, their families or bank balance 😂, aside from that it’s all positive.
Thank you for watching and commenting.
@@MiniatureRealms - Thankfully historicals tend to be much cheaper than Warhammer. Though I tend to spend at least as much on related history books (usually nothing to do with gaming), so it probably balances out in the long run.
Yes absolutely, same for me. But even with history books I probably spend much less on historicals than I have before with large model count GW games.
Wow man at first I looked and thought that's not pile of shame but gradually I my opinion started to change. We can never have to many projects tho mate. Look forward to seeing the bit in the piles turn up on the channel to mate. And we all have that 1 period of theme that is out golden egg and will never get rid of and you can probably guess mine. Keep it the great work aswell mate 😁👍
As long as I have a plan for it, I’ll generally keep it, I’m getting better at admitting when something will never get done though.
@@MiniatureRealms haha well along as the Mrs doesn't find out how much moneys sitting they aye. 🤣 I mean I know the value of a lot of that and even I winced 🤣
😂🤣
I kept my projects down to only two main historical periods - Napoleonics and Early WW2 both in 1/72 scale. I like having both armies, so that’s four factions in all. Was pretty manageable until lockdown came along...
My WW2 projects have since expanded to four, and now I’ve started Spanish Civil War (also in 1/72) which is already threatening to stretch beyond two armies. Oh well, at least I never got into Warhammer or fantasy/scifi of any kind.
Have only one failed project - 6mm Late WW2. Was tempted by the portability. Painted the tanks but never found a set of rules that I liked to play them.
I'm currently working on a Pike & Shott Swedish army with an HRE army waiting, 17 Kits in total which still need to be built. I all so build terrain on the side to take a break from building & painting infantry
I find terrain is often a perfect way of doing some hobby but having a bit of a break from a large project at the same time.
Love ya, for that video ;)
🙂 Thank you
Great video! Yes, I'm fairly new to the miniature war gaming hobby. I am addicted to Zombicide and I have purchased all core sets and waiting for the Undead or Alive that will drop in March 2022. I think the miniature agnostic game systems out there have saved me! Ha Ha! I plan on using the Zombicide minis and others for such games like Fistful of Lead and Five Parsecs From Home/Five Leagues from The Borderlands. Take Care and I'm happy to come across your YT channel. Subbed. 👍🍻👍
Hi thank you, I’ve just subscribed to yours now too. The wife and I play Zombicide a bit, but not enough to justify any of the expansions sadly, it’s a great game even if we do lose at lot. Your totally right about miniature agnostic games, luckily so many outside of the bigger companies are.
Aye, possessions can become a real burden when they exceed what you can ever make use of. Having helped clear out & sort through the possessions of an elderly family member, this was really bought home to me.
Yes this can be really difficult, definitely can have an effect mentally. With Wargaming stuff, as long as I have a stock take, tidy and clear out once in a while I find I can keep on top of things.
Ever watched the George Carlin bit on having too much stuff?
I’ve just googled it 😂
Cripes, I’ve gotta get a hand on my various collections. 🙈🙈🙈 Will take literally years for my next of kin to sort through.
Nice approach, to think about it. I have a tight schedule for ww2 and than will go on with more other stuff I already have. Keeping focus but you can never have enough projects.
Keeping focus is definitely key, I find when I lose focus on a project I know I may have one too many on the go, it’s all a delicate balance.
It was interesting to hear Dan talking on your most recent OOTFP episode about his Mordor and Isengard armies that weren’t planned. His backlog exists in his calendar if not physically
Haha I guess so yes, a non physical backlog is definitely tidier.
well aware this is almost an historic video now, but for posterity, my approach is to keep the scope of a project very small, and expand as required; Black seas for example, I bought the minimum amount to conceivably play the game with- the 2 frigates 4 brigs box. Having completed that (a couple of weeks) I now have enough to play the game with and see if I actually enjoy it. Same again with Battlefleet Gothic- I got 4 cruisers, got them completely finished (about one week), and I'm now adding the odd ship here and there, expanding as I go. I would find the prospect of a crate full of boxes and boxes f miniatures - entire armies, in fact - unapproachably large I doubt I'd ever begin. Excellent content, thankyou!
Thank you 😊.
Your approach is definitely a very sensible one, I wish I had the willpower to do the same.
im all for you level of working out what you keep and what is acceptable, Im far more like Dan, and in some cases strict with projects that are even finished. If I haven't use or gamed with something or a while, theres a chance its going, it usually all works out, but occasionally there is sellers regret *those sicaran punishers I sold still make me sad*
Lovely video as always Stu
Cheers dude
Declining living standards and rising miniature costs means hoarding is the smart thing to do. Box everything up very carefully and save it for a rainy day. If there's a big sale I tend to dive in with both hands even if I know I probably won't get round to the project in a couple years. I think your Lord of the rings collection looks awesome, if you do finish them all in the next few years you'll have saved yourself a fortune, especially if they go out of print.
I'm putting together some bolt action British now which were around 2 pounds a sprue a while back, they're the comically shit old kit which I'm meshing together with the gorgeous new kit for more variety. I agree, put things away but know you have them and then you won't get mentally overwhelmed. I paint one squad at a time and then pop up to the attic for another handful of sprues, it's like going to the hobby store. Although my girlfriend thinks it's a sickness!
Loving the content at the moment mate, I think little personal videos like this are really cool.
Thank you 😊
Stocking up on stuff you know you will use in the future is a great idea, that’s definitely another reason I’m happy to keep the Lord of the rings stuff. I have to be careful not too keep stuff I may never use, so I sell bits off periodically, it helps with the mental tidiness and also gives me some hobby dollar.
Wow, now that is a lot of projects that you are trying to work on.
Yeah 😳, chipping away at them slowly though.
Oh and if you want a family wargame that you can paint and play with the kids then you can’t beat Tail Feathers by Plaid Hat games. What’s not to like about a boxed game with mice and rats jousting on garden birds with sneak attacks on home trees. It’s got a great theme with an excellent flight mechanic. Next up on the painting table; a song thrush with leather barding - bonkers fun.
I’ve never heard of it, but that sounds really interesting, will give that a look.
Will definitelylook that one up. Need something to hook the sproglets into modelling and gaming :-)
glad to see I am not the only one that suffers from the madness.
😂
How did you get that picture of my pile of shame!? What is a project? I don’t think any of my projects ever completely finishes, there’s always the odd unit I want to add. For me I have realised that the collection is as much fun as anything
😂
I love the way you hobby, I hope in the future (once I’ve got loads of completed projects) I can do something similar, I love the idea of adding a unit here or there. But I love a fresh new project too 😅
This is a great video. Some awesome stuff you have. I don't class it as "A pile of shame" more a pile of potential. But a very well done video. And great thinking points for me. Thanks. 🦕🦕🦕🦕🌶🌶🌶🌶
Cheers mate 🙂
I'm really glad I held out knowing that 28mm nepoleonic wasn't the scale I've wanted to do and now they've released epic battles waterloo so happy they have released this as I can order 19 battalions each for British and french and do corps level engagement
Yep Epic Naps is perfect, I could have saved some money if I’d held out, but I moved most stuff on for little loss. Still have a huge pile of plastic to paint though, just in a smaller scale 🤣
Yes, and yes.
🤣
I did have far too many projects on the go, but my move to the Netherlands led to me selling a lot of stuff. I probably still have too much, but I am currently concentrating on Epic ACW for refighting a large number of Gettysburg and Antietam scenarios, 1914 in 12mm from Great Escape Games and Kallistra, with an expansion to Galicia and East Prussia on the Eastern front, and 15mm Wars of the Roses using mostly Peter Pig figures with some Ancient and Modern and a few Essex thrown in. On the backburner is expanding a number of existing projects - 10mm First Schleswig War, Crimean War, FAW, APW, FPW and RJW, as well as 15mm Great Italian Wars and SYW. Died the death,at least for now, Dark Age Britain, ECW and the Classical world. Fortunately I have been able to acquire a pretty spacious flat as I am up in the far north of the Netherlands in Groningen province, so no real storage problems.
Sounds like you a fairly manageable set of projects, but like me if you add too much more it could be a tipping point.
I like your distinction between current projects and adding to existing ones. For me I can definitely treat them slightly differently.
Nice and peaceful and spacious up there in Groningen :-) But yeah, quite an embarrassment of projects.
Mine is so much worse, GW staff days along with a decent main job left me with a massive pile, been selling off stuff to trim down. Still a way to go. It can become a monkey on the back. Currently on a pause til bits get finished
That’s a healthy approach, it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on things so they don’t become an issue.
I am trying to work through my pile of shame. I am also trying to limit myself to skirmish level at 28mm.
That’s a very sensible plan, I’m constantly having to stop myself from new projects, so much I want to do.
thank goodness it just shrunk by a container the last few weeks. I realize i woudl still need to live to be about 90 in perfect health to get close to completing......
It’s crazy how much we build up isn’t it.
I don't have any failed projects...Just about 20 in progress.
I've wanted to start doing French and Indian War for a while, but Yorkshire Gamer is tempting me with Italian Wars.
I think 20 would mean too many would never get done for me, though I guess that depends on what stage they’re at. If I had 20 playable armies that I was adding bits to constantly, then I think that could work, but right now all my historical projects are new.
The sheer quantity of sprue-grey models I have on my shelves should be criminal...
😂🤣
My gaming in 28mm is pivoting from large scale Fantasy Battle and Historical to Saga and Osprey skirmish level games though I’m loath to slim the Dark Elf (circa 1997 and half painted (my shame) and Beastmen down. In Sci-Fi I can’t get rid of my AT43 factory painted armies though again I intend to slim them down (no one needs 9 Fire-toads after the Christmas game). Slaughterloo was on the block but there’s a new Osprey Silver Bayonet fantasy Napoleonics book this year…
Like you I have a MESBG pile of shame (and it’s BOFA equivalent) but the Isengard Scouts are done and the Morannon Orcs 50% complete leaving Rohan and Rivendell to do - can’t buy the Rangers until they’re done.
I’m 14 regiments into my Union ACW but have had to swap to Pendraken AWI for a game in October. The real problem is what to do with Flames of War and Warzone. I never made the jump to FOW 4th edition so neither of these forces (whilst painted) get played.
There is a reckoning coming this autumn as I need the space for (fingers-crossed) Epic Napoleonics next year.
I’m not sure I’m coping 😉 but I’m making progress.
At the last count I could play about 50 different games.
Sounds like you have a good handle on things, even if you have a lot of armies/projects.
I find it pretty easy to move things on if it’s unpainted, but I’m also very happy to keep things that are painted but not played, as long as I feel that if I got back playing again that I’d be happy with the paint jobs. I have sold armies that I know I might like to play systems for in the future, knowing that if I do go back I’d start a new army anyway.
I have a few regrets, selling OOP editions of games from the 80s and 90s (what I’d do for Heroquest at an affordable price to play with my eldest). Also regret selling all my metal Warhammer Fantasy Dwarves (I did make some good money though).
I have the opposite issue. Over the last year I have managed to paint through virtually all of my pile of shame. I am down to literally just five or six 28mm miniatures left and a few hundred 15mm AWI and ACW troops which are going to be continued as I am nearly done with all my 28mm stuff. I made a vow to my self that going forward I would not over burden my self with miniatures and only buy more when I am getting down to only a few left for a project. I don't ever want to have the kind of pile of shame I see on your table. I think that would be a gigantic waste of money. I think the greatest realization for me was I am not painting for perfection and when that clicked I was able to speed through hundreds of 28mm miniatures and get them out of the pile of shame. Now when I want to paint something for display sure I will slow down and focus a lot more of my effort and time into that but you can't do that for games that require more than a couple of miniatures or you will never get anywhere. A good rule is for historical gaming to stick to 1-3 historical periods. Now for the other genres just have to not go overboard. I never want more than a couple of projects on the go and usually different era ones to avoid boredom.
That’s a great place to be, I wish I had that discipline.
RIP your middle earth backlog when the inevitable models for the amazon show start coming out.
😂🤣 This is true.
Whether you have 1 or 51 armies, when you sell all of your backlog off, you will have regret. I may not get to my entire backlog in my lifetime, but at least i won't partake in a vicious cycle of selling and re-buying it all over again. It honestly doesn't bother me to have as much as i do, and i love having the variety of hobby projects to fit any mood that i may have.
I think that’s key, that you’re happy with the amount you have, and I agree it’s definitely nice to have projects to rotate and return to.
Like this looking at competing projects, Luckily I'm very good at keeping my projects to a minimum, at the moment I'm only working on a space marine army, a Chaos marine army, Warhammer empire army, undead army, orc army, northern alliance army, French and German armies WW1, Union and confederate armies, Napoleonic British and French, English Civil War Round Head and Cavaliers, Cossack and Polish armies, Crusader and Muslim armies, Vickings, Egyptian, Persian, Assyrian and Babylonian, oh and a zombiecide project, oh my god where's the alcohol, lol, all the best, Garry
😂🤣🤣
I read the first line and was thinking ‘what the.., I’ve just seen your video with a table full’, then I read the rest 😂
I would say that if you are enjoying painting and collecting them then it isn't really a problem unless you legitimately start running out of space. As the first lockdown showed us, even our large "project pile" got eaten away and is only now starting to grow again.
The wife and I tend to just stick to skirmish level games as the smaller forces allow for a wider range of games, models, rulesets and overall variety. And I think that last is key - being able to pop between smaller warband/skirmish level projects keeps it fresh. But we are also non-tournament players so don't need to a barracks full of roster alternates either. I think we have like 8 or 9 different systems off the top of my head.
Do you enjoy it? Is anyone yelling at you to get rid of it? Then don't worry about it. Buy some more Really Useful Boxes instead. They are great for filing the pile of projects in.
Yep I agree with all of this. I have to be careful not to play too many rule sets as my brain can’t handle it, perhaps why I’m using Black Powder/Hail Caesar etc, so very similar.
I’ve no pressure to get rid of stuff either, my wife leave me to it. I sell stuff I won’t use, then buy more 😂
Similar rulesets do help don't they? We have that with the Osprey blue books based around versions of the Lion Rampant system - Pikeman's Lament ones
It helps me a little, I definitely have a hobby brain before a rules remembering brain.
After 50 years I have finally decided that I have collected & painted enough armies (how many thousand is a lot of figures? 5+?, & that only covers Ancients, Napoleonic, ACW, & WW2). All in that unfashionable 1/72 scale, & the 'pile of shame' is now nil, well almost. Time now to concentrate on actual gaming - going to have to live to at least 200 to do them justice!
That seems like a very good plan. I’m certainly still very much in the ‘collection’ phase, but with some of my projects the plan is to make them the ‘only’ project for that scale and period - with the full intention to get them finished I’ve the next few years and them game with them forevermore/until the bitter end 😂
I don’t manage my projects really. I know guys who like to limit the number they have going, but the idea seems foreign to me. I have 10 or 12 going right now and I’m perfectly fine with that. My wife undoubtedly has a different opinion. I simply shift the priorities of my projects. I have four historical projects for Adepticon next Spring so for right now those are my primary focus. A few months down the road, if things on those projects progress far enough I can slack off enough to add in one of my smaller projects and work on those a bit as well. I have a lot of interests in various periods of military history so I just accept it as normal that I would have a lot of projects. Thanks to your project I now have an interest in the Wars of the Roses and hope to get a project going for that in the coming months. I get bored or burned out easily when I’ve been painting up a lot of ACW or 15mm WWII, so it’s nice to have other, smaller projects that I can pick up and work on for an evening. It’s not enough to get anything major accomplished but it gives me a break from my primary project and does make some progress on another.
For your ACW project, is there someone local you are planning to play that with or are you going to be flying solo for your Antietam battle?
I can definitely understand the attraction of multiple periods, that definitely helps keep them fresh for me too. I find this with historical gaming far more than I do with fantasy games. If I thought I could do more (and keeping working on/completing them), I’d add more now, but they’re safer being on my ‘to do’ list.
I haven’t roped in anyone for Antietam yet, but not tried yet either. I’ve never really solo gamed, but I might try it with with some of the smaller scale/large battle games. Can’t imagine it would be enjoyable for Skirmish style games, better suited to ‘reenactment’.
@@MiniatureRealms Well, I was thinking that if there was someone local that you could bring in it might cut down on the workload for your project. They do one side and you do the other. For our Gettysburg game I am going to be doing the Confederates, Longstreet’s two divisions and Anderson’s division from A.P. Hill’s corps, while my friend is doing the Union forces. It’s still a good sized project but nothing like if I had to do both sides.
Ah I see, yeah a joint project is always nice, you can bounce off each other’s ideas and energy as well. For my historical projects I’m pretty much flying solo, doing what interests me, most of my gaming friends don’t play these games. I’ve no doubt I can find some locals to play when I try, but I’m going to carry on doing both sides for now (I quite like being self sufficient anyway 😂).
My pile of shame fills most of my shed.
😂 Mine used to, there’s quite a bit in my loft too, it’s mostly terrain and other paraphernalia now though, after the clear up a few years back I’ve not got much more than what’s in the video now.
NEVER ENOUGH........time!
🤣 so so true.
I don't think I'd be able to sleep at night knowing I have have much unfinished stuff. 🤣 My pile is bad enough as it is!
I knew this video would make you twitch 😂
@@MiniatureRealms Toe curling. Haha. Great video though dude!
And this was before FOW came along, to be soon supplemented with Epic ACW LOL.
I know, that video no makes me laugh so much 😆
I’ve legit filmed a very very similar video today! 😂😂
How many projects do I have? LOADS!!
How many failed? None… 😬
Paused? Like 3, maybe 4.
How many mini’s do I have? As of today when I counted my Pile Of Potential, I have 1,246 mini’s total 😂 I am donating a load of AoS and 40k to a School though as they are really strapped for cash and play WarCry and Kill Team, so that’ll be about 300minis going and it’ll make me feel good about myself for helping them out :p
Love the ‘not failed but paused’ 😂
Great if you to donate to school, I’m sure there will be some very happy kids.
@@MiniatureRealms they are only paused ;p they’re still getting painted every so often :p haha
Yeah they’ll be super happy! :D and it means I don’t feel guilty for having 30~ Skaven that I’ll never paint 😂
to date 0 complete and 995948 failed and 3 on the go lol
Sounds about right 🤣
Huge.....Nuff said. BTW don't tell the wife
😂😅
Pick a scale like 15mm and stick to it. 28mm always looks nice but it takes up too much space and isn’t worth it in the long run.
I’m definitely enjoying smaller scales for bigger battles/games, don’t think I’ll ever be able to give up 28mm completely, but only for skirmish style games.
I’m mainly at 1/72 - works great for both big battles and large skirmishes. Most of my terrain will also double for multiple periods.
28mm is just so tempting, (all those gorgeous figures!) but so far I’ve managed to resist. I know I don’t have space for large scale terrain!
@@sirrathersplendid4825 I’m actually surprised that the sculpting in 28mm can be as bad as it is. For example, 28mm WWII figures are very bad across the board. Sculpts in 20mm and 15mm are far better for that period.
@@neue01 - I’ve not really looked at WW2 in 28mm, mainly because the range of AFVs available is limited, whereas in 1/72 or 1/76 you can buy any vehicle ever made, just about.
Far more tempted by Napoleonic and Medieval in 28mm, where the detailing in some ranges is simply beautiful.