This is regarding my minis hobby. Those who know me well know that while I love the Warhammer and Warhammer 40k Universes (kind of one in the same really), and love the miniatures, I'm not much of a game player. I love collecting the miniatures, assembling and painting them. Conversions are a big part of my fun.
I've spend a large about of money of the past couple decades on Games Workshop/ Citadel miniatures, paints, hobby supplies, buildings, books (oh yes...lots of BL books) and of course, most of all Miniatures.
I've said it several times in the past, and I believe it to be true...Games Workshop owns a portion of my soul. Prices have risen repeatedly, yet I still stick with them. I think GW minis are the very best looking figs on the market and of course, I'll keep buying them.
I have several different armies:
WFB: Empire (was fully painted, now about half painted as I started replacing old figs for the new sculpts.)
WFB: Orcs and Goblins (mostly goblins, which are likely my favorite to paint). About half painted (and with mostly goblins, that's been a manly task).
WFB: High Elves (these have been on the shelves for too long, and need to be dusted off and taken for a spin) Half painted.
WFB: Hordes of Chaos. My most recent acquisition, using them as bad guys in my ongoing WFRP game.
40k: Space Marines (Blood Ravens). These are my babies. About 90% painted.
40k: Eldar, started selling them off...and the new codex and figs came out and I just HAD to start collecting them again. Maybe 75% painted.
40k: Imperial Guard. Just a few Tanith and Steel Legion Guys left now. Just in case I want to use them in an RPG, or have a Daemonhunter/ Witchhunter army.
40k: Witchhunters. Several Sisters of Battle. Cool frigging figs. Maybe 50% painted.
40k: Tau Empire. My most successful army. 75% Painted. Love these guys. They look SO cool!
Now...with the advent of the new Chaos Space Marine Army Box...I just GOTTA get that! I have it on pre-order through the FLGS.
What's wrong with me?
I play Warhammer 40k maybe once every few months. Tops. Warhammer Fantasy even less often (though I do prefer that game). Assembling and painting figs...almost nightly.
I have three huge cases (GW Army Cases of course) filled to beyond capacity with figs (as a matter of fact, I need another one really soon.)
Maybe I didn't get enough toys as a kid or something. Man, I make up for it now.
So when does this become an obsession?
Honestly, I don't know.
I don't really sacrifice on groceries for figs or anything. I drop maybe $100 a month on something Warhammer or Warhammer-related. Easy. Consistently. I can guarantee that every bonus check and tax return gets exchanged for whole army boxed sets every time, for the past maybe 7-8 years...and that is on top of the usual budget.
Maybe it's an addiction?
That doesn't sound healthy either.
My hobby is an important part of my life. I have my work, and my family life. I have my health and my hobby. I think of life in terms of a table with 4 legs: you have to support all of them, or else the table falls down.
My hobby is my piece of mind. It keeps me happy in the face of a hard day at work, horrific news stories and a never-ending pile of bills I have to pay. When I get done with all of those, I rely on my hobby to let me relax and get away from it for a while.
Thankfully, I have a wonderful wife who not only supports my hobby, but she participates too! She's an avid painter and player as well.
I think my Warhammer Hobby is like breakfast cereal "part of a well balanced...life".
I think if more people could have a hobby they enjoyed, and dedicated a small portion of their day to it, there would be far less stress (and stress-related accidents/ incidents).
Until that day, I can thank Jervis Johnson, Gav Thorpe, Dan Abnett, Jes Goodwin and all the other folks at GW for being my crack peddler.
Now I've got to go...I got minis primed and awaiting paint!
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