Year of the Elf
I originally wanted to call this post "Year of the (Space) (A)elf," but what I've learned in my technical writing classes is that a title like that might turn people off from "engaging" in my "content."
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So a new year dawns, and with it comes a new set of hobby goals. I love making hobby goals for the new year, despite having a poor track record of finishing them. I do believe that my goals for 2021 were to paint every Direchasm war band for Warhammer Underworlds, and thinking about it now, I find that I have finished exactly one (1). Hobby goals are also something that's celebrated in the Brush Wielders Union (BWU); a positive, and supportive, group of like-minded hobbyists that I joined this past year. In the BWU they even give out enamel pins for those who manage to meet their hobby goals. Dare I say that I think this is just the kind of motivation I need to actually walk the walk.
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So for 2022, I've decided that I'm going to make my painting table particularly elf-y. Here's how and why:
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As you may remember, I am involved in a Warhammer 40,000 2nd edition army challenge wherein I chose to paint some models from my extensive Eldar collection. Combined with the fact that it appears as though Games Workshop is planning a new aeldari release, I think the decision as to which army I'll be working on for 40k is pretty well decided. A fully-playable, 2,000 point Craftworlds/Asuryani/Eldar army is my first hobby goal.
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You'll also recall from last week, that I've been playing Warhammer for over twenty-five years, beginning with the high elves in the Warhammer fourth edition starter set. Yet, for all that the Warhammer high elves mean to me, my Age of Sigmar experiences have been noticeably elf-less. This will change with my second hobby goal: a fully-playable, 2,000 point Lumineth Realm-Lords army.
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Those are the two goals I'd like to hold myself to this coming year, but I thought it might be fun to see how long and how far I can take this theme for 2022. So here are just a few ways that I think I can theme my year around all things (a)elf:
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Kings of War. Every year in Nanaimo, BC is a series of tournaments known as Kippers' Melee, where a large Kings of War contingent meet. I have an insane amount of old Citadel high elves kicking around, still on sprue. These would look great all based-up on movement trays and done up as a Kings of War army. To expedite this, I may rely more heavily on Citadel's Contrast paints than normal. I used Contrast paints almost exclusively on a Star Wars Legion Rebel army some years ago, and it turned out to be a quick and painless way to quickly do up an army. A third army in 2022 might be a tall order, especially considering the speed at which I paint, but it's something to consider.
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Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game. I recently came across a Rivendell army that I built and primed years ago. The warriors of Lord Elrond's house would fit well into an already elf-laden year of projects.
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Aeronautica Imperialis. The new set with asuryani planes just came out a couple months ago, and school and an apartment move got in the way of me really sinking my teeth into the set. A small squadron of planes could easily get heaped upon 2022's lofty pile of goals.
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Role-Playing Games. I could try running the Stormbringer RPG if I really wanted to subject my innocent gaming group to my madness, or try to exclusively play with elf characters in RPGs (with the exception of my podcast, wherein I'm already playing a dwarf character). in RPGs where elves don't exist, an otherworldly fay character could be made.
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Michael Moorcock's Elric stories. Speaking of an otherworldly fay character, I own the White Wolf Publishing collection of Michael Moorcock's Elric stories. I bought it years ago (at some cost) with the intent to have it be the springboard I use to get into his writing, but I haven't read it yet. I'm going to read it cover to cover.
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Wine. I dunno… Don't elves drink a lot of wine? Can't I do that?
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So there it is! 2022's all sketched out. If all goes according to plan, my brush shouldn't touch a single model that doesn't have pointy ears, and every gaming table I sidle up to should have the serried platinum ranks of (space) (a)elves ready to fight at my command. Let's check in a year from now to see how this all goes, shall we?
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