Topic: PROJECTS AND PROMISES. How to finish your army! -Report Back

[Midaski]

It would appear, after the success of the ‘Inventory Crisis’ thread, that I am not alone with unfinished armies.
Let’s see if this idea I’ve had might help.

I have spent most of the last couple of weeks since I laid out all my Empire models on the table, making lists, sorting the models, whether painted, modelled but unpainted, half modelled, or still unglued, into proposed units and armies.
I now have a very long list of things that need doing, but for the last few days I have fiddled around doing all sorts of little things, without any impact on the list.  

The best way to achieve the goal of a fully painted army is step by step, so I am proposing that we use this thread to set ourselves individual targets. Like climbing a ladder rung by rung, everyone can plan the steps required.

You decide what you need to do next towards your goal, and post it up here, and set yourself a realistic target date for completing it.
Then you can report back in when that ‘step’ is done, and then set yourself the next one, and so on.

We all say to ourselves; “I must do that next” or “I am going to sort this out this weekend.”
Does it happen – well very rarely with me, - too many other trivial distractions get in the way.

I just wonder if pledging something on this honourable forum might just make a difference?
It can be anything:
You need more FC detachment models. Step 1: Make the models. Step 2: Paint them.
Your painting skills have improved – repaint the earlier units you built.
Make matching Captasus and Foot Captain.

My first project – to be completed by Sunday evening March 20th is to finish greenstuffing the 40 crossbowmen, 20 Kislev and 20 Middenland, that have been sitting on the work table for 3 months.

[In light of the reasoning behind the idea, this could be the perfect self-perpetuating thread.]

[Pido]

You need more FC detachment models. Step 1: Make the models. Step 2: Paint them.

Like everybody has the models laying in boxes..most people have to buy the models first...


Am I allowed to add non-Empire models as well? Like I'm painting my Dark Elves rigth now, and within two weeks, I want five more crossbowmen finished. That's my goal, if it's edited out of the post because of being non-Empire...still my goal...

[GT]

OK, I'll throw my hat into the ring,

My goal is to paint up three different Gamezone miniatures (a Handgunner, a Halberdier and a Pistolier) by the 23rd of March so that everyone can see how nice they look.

Cheers,

GT
tDoW

[Heinrich_the_Grim]

This seems like a funny thing to participate in and since i'm going to paint a chaos army for my school project and i've not really started it so i'd pitch in and say.

I'm Going to Finish the unit of 5 Furies and paint them in the army theme, then i'm going to finish the Maneater and the rest of one knight of chaos unit by the end of March 20:th. (fully painted)

and then if i get really ambitious i'm going to show you some nice pics of 'em to you guys.

[CM Dante]

At the moment I'm trying to set myself the target of finishing at least one regiment a month with my Ogres. It's been working so far and its the most progress I've ever made with an army in such a short time.

The downside of "forcing" yourself to paint to deadlines is that sometimes the quality of the job will suffer. If ever I begin to feel I'm getting a bit sloppy on a model due to being bored by the repetitiveness of the paint job, I start working on a character model to break the trend and then go back to the R&F when hes done.

My first project – to be completed by Sunday evening March 20th is to finish greenstuffing the 40 crossbowmen, 20 Kislev and 20 Middenland, that have been sitting on the work table for 3 months.

What greenstuff work is it that you need to do to your models?

Cheers,

Dante

[Hagen_von_Loewenstein]

Good idea, but....


Naaaaaw, will never work.

Believe me, i tried it ALL!

[cripple]

My solution is to find something you don't want to paint, and force yourself to paint 4 models before you are allowed to paint the 1 model you really actually do want to paint. It helps somewhat.

[xnet445]

Like everybody has the models laying in boxes..most people have to buy the models first...

Umm......

I actually DO have a box of Free Company, a box of Griffon Legion, a Helblaster, and some other "stuff" still to be assembled.   I can't be the only one who's eyes are bigger than his time budget  

On my bench is a 10-man regiment of handgunners that is 90% complete. All they need is touch-up, basing and sealing. I plan to have them completed by Sunday the 20th. I have about 5500 points of Empire, of which about 2400 pts has at least 3 colors and little or no primer showing. Sadly, these handgunners on the bench will be only my 2nd finished regiment  

[buakjon]

I don't want to count how much stuff I have just laying around. I will however try and build up another unit of swordsmen by the 20th of this month.

[SigmarsHammer]

I hope to finish my knights horses by the end of tonight.

and have 750pts of my new army painted  and flocked by next firday

[Grutch]

I hope to finish the site revision before the end of this week.

-Grutch

[The Village Idiot]

I hope to finish the site revision before the end of this week.

-Grutch

SWEET!!!

Will you post some pictures of your finished work?  

The Village Idiot

[winger]

I wish to have 5 Orcs completely painted and finish my scratch built pump wagon by friday of next week (thank goodness spring break is almost here for me!!)

[Imrael]

I'm building a WAB viking army for a tournament in June, so my pledge is 2 fully finished and based 20-warrior regiments by the end of next week.  (I'm on a family hol next week which should give a little bit of time and focus).

My reward is to paint up 3 stray knights to add to my panthers.

[General Helstrom]

Good idea!

I want to finish painting my Greatswords by the end of next week - that is, sunday the 27th. Five are done already, ten more are sitting in their base colours, and the banner is done. The command group is undercoated only. I could do them in an evening or two but I'll be busting my head over Social and Economical History at least until next wednesday

The Greatswords are pretty much a reward in themselves, but just to keep the juices flowing... I want to paint my converted Warrior Priest after that.

I also want to buy a digital camera so I can show some proper pics!

[Midaski]

Well I am disappointed at all the 'heretical projects'   - I was really hoping this would be for the Glory of the Empire - be assured I will not be doing any "other" projects until ALL my Empire jobs are done.

My first project – to be completed by Sunday evening March 20th is to finish greenstuffing the 40 crossbowmen, 20 Kislev and 20 Middenland, that have been sitting on the work table for 3 months.

What greenstuff work is it that you need to do to your models?

Dante

The Kislevs all have to have furry tops to their boots, some need furry hats, and jacket rims - the Middenlanders have 'hair extensions' and other odd bits.
If you were paying attention in earlier threads, I have got Kislevs with only one boot done.

@Gen H: Can't help with the camera - you'll have to earn it -
  Try selling something -   Your body
NO you probably can't wait that long

Like everybody has the models laying in boxes..most people have to buy the models first...  

I understand some of the members may be in this situation, BUT...
their project could be to earn the money for the box

It has been fairly evident that a LOT of members, especially those who have been Empire devotees for a number of years, have a LOT of 'unfinished' stuff lying around.
The idea was to try and challenge them to sort it out.

I hope to finish the site revision before the end of this week.

It worked guys :clap:  :clap: Some of us have been conspiring for weeks to get the Emperor going, and "we had a cunning plan"

[Midaski]

Sorry missed this bit in replies above.

The downside of "forcing" yourself to paint to deadlines is that sometimes the quality of the job will suffer. If ever I begin to feel I'm getting a bit sloppy on a model due to being bored by the repetitiveness of the paint job, I start working on a character model to break the trend and then go back to the R&F when hes done.

Agreed to a point, but if I got all my models painted in their basic army colours, and then made a fresh project to 'touch up' that would be very positive progress.
Those of us who have the 'painting block' are generally not the site's 'Master Painters' - so we are looking for a good tabletop standard.
Experience - like completing regular 'projects'   will make us better anyway.
During my recent 'excavations of the dark depths' of the cupboards, I found my 50+ Altdorf Halberdiers First Empire models I did - straight one coat single colours on a white undercoat, Enchanted Blue, Blood Red, Dwarf Bronze armour - VERY bright.
Then I looked at my Kislevs started about 5 years later and though they still are no great shakes, there is a world of difference.

The idea of this thread is that EVERYONE can join in;
The newbie can make his first models, others can build their armies up, and the 'veterans' can tackle that "special" they've thought about for years.

Personally I have something in mind I want to build up to.
An idea inspired by seeing something on the internet, that has fired the imagination, and will I believe be quite unusual.
I have had the idea, researched the fluff, and even acquired most of the bits, BUT I have decided looking at my 'survey' that there are other things I must do first.
I KNOW that otherwise my idea will go the way of all the other unfinished stuff I have.

So there's my motivation - work down my list, have painted up armies that I can instantly bring to battle, and THEN I will tackle THE Special Project.

[BK]

I am (slowly) working of my Cavalry Empire (still have to paint 10 knights and 18 handgunners), and then I plaan to colect and paint Army of Middenland, all that while painting Bretonia (OK, semi-heretical, but at least all Grail Knights have heads from KotWW) and then truly heretical thing - Slanesh Beast/Mortal Army.

[FR1DAY]

Lile the idea. I WILL have my unit of 20 Wissenland Halberdiers painted by Sunday the 20th so help me Sigmar. Not sure about all this project talk, sound a bit like fight club.

[BAWTRM]

My god, this thread has forced me to look into the amount of models I simply haven't assembled yet, let alone painted!

Let's see:
2 boxes of Swordsmen
2 boxes of Free Company
10 knights
1 Stank
2 Hellblasters
And that's just the big projects (and not looking at my 40K or BFG stuff).

Therefore I'll set myself this goal:

Complete 2 boxes of Swordsmen within the next two weeks

[Donnachaidh]

Not sure about all this project talk, sound a bit like fight club.

So, the first rule of "PROJECTS AND PROMISES. How to finish your army! club" is don't talk about "PROJECTS AND PROMISES. How to finish your army! club"

End of thread  

I'm forcing my way through the last four units of Imperial Crosbowmen for Warmaster.  They are by far my most hated unit as far as painting is concerned, and the way I see it is that once they are out of the way, the rest will be easy.

But I do find when painting an army to choose the biggest pain in the arse to paint first, and work backwards in order of pain in the arse, so by the time you are doing your last few units, you should be going great guns.

When I did the Scots, I did the Highlanders first (total pain) and the Pikemen last (easy as you like) It worked well and helped keep me motivated.

[Konrad von Richtmark]

Well, right now I have seven regular spearmen to go. Nothing ambitious, I know. Being a stupid noob when I first got my spearmen, I now have 2 units of 19(!) each, painted differently. Also, I managed to ruin the shields of one of the units when I used paint removal to bring the units together, costing me an Empire Detachment box

Then, if I still get time before the annual gaming club tourney, I'll get a new unit of White Wolf knights to replace my crappily painted and modelled current ones.

[Donnachaidh]

Also, I managed to ruin the shields of one of the units when I used paint removal to bring the units together, costing me an Empire Detachment box

Well, if you want any spare spearmen shields let me know.  I used the shield left over from my halberdiers on my spearmen.

 I think I can generally get free postage to Finland....

[Midaski]

Wow - if you've got 7 free I'll have some!
The new ones with the lion?

I did my Averlanders with several old style metal spearmen, mixed in, and I always [WYSIWYG] put shields somewhere on the Command. So I've got the ALtdorf Spears lined up, and I'm 7 short.

Anything bits-wise you need? E-mail me - I'm at my pc all day.
  Bit like a market place this?

[Clarkarias]

I wish to have my swordsmen basic troops done by March 31st.  (I'd say sooner but I won't be around for both weekends in there).

And the commands for 3 units a week later.