That was hard work......

[Nosher]

So today I picked up my first 10mm minis in a long while - two 24 figure Bavarian Napoleonic Line units, units needed for a big General D'Armee game I have coming up at the end of July. I re-based thirty or so bases of skirmishers, realised I needed another two bases of Austrian Grenadier skirmishers so had to dig out some spares and get them prepped ready for painting.  I've got a 24 figure unit of Bavarian Lights and a 36 figure unit of Austrian Line to do and that will complete the task ready for the big game.

Wargaming is very much on a backburner for me at the moment. I just don't seem to be as enthused as I was and frankly I'm becoming a little bored and frustrated at the hobby in general but cant put my finger on why?

I didn't enjoy these tasks one little bit. It dioesn't help that I need new brushes and god only knows what has happened to my eyesight - I simply struggle to see any detail even with 2.0 reading glasses on...... When I completed the two units of Bavarian Line I didn't get that old warm fluffy feeling that I used to get from finishing units.

Does anyone else have periods like this?

[Leman]

Yes.........although I haven't felt like that for a while now. Currently I'm very enthused about getting on with a number of projects, but one at a time. I think I lost my enthusiasm when rules seemed to be getting more complex and tedious again, then along came BBB, HOW, TtS, Basic Impetus 2, Square Bashing and I rediscovered the pleasures of FOB2. But I have to give special mention to Neil Thomas' rules, Wargaming C19th Europe and One Hour Wargaming, which ultimately led to one of my regular opponents coming up with two hour wargaming (basically a meld of the two books). I hope you persevere and find your own breakthrough as this is a remarkably rewarding hobby when you are actually getting fun from it.

[slugbalancer]

I suspect everyone goes through periods like you describe.  Some longer than others.  Maybe a new scale or genre will get the juices flowing again.  Worked for me.

[paulr]

Perhaps a visit to the optometrist 

I hope the mojo returns soon

[Steve J]

I think we all do Nosher. For me I find:

- From Easter to end of August I do little painting as I'm outside as much as possible.
- From September onward I get my gaming mojo back, especially after Colours. So it's fair to say that I'm a seasonal gamer.
- Eyesight wise certainly not as good as it used to be. However I now have a blocky painting style that works for me and looks ok on the table. I no longer fuss over slight errors on webbing etc; life is frankly too short for that.
- Gaming wise hard to get motivated for solo games. My regular opponents are away, busy with work, family etc. Again, come the Autumn I feel that I want to game again.
- In terms of rules I now have a core set, such as BBB, HoW, BKCII that I know ans give a good, fun game in an evening.

So there we have it. Now the heatwave is over, I hope to get some more painting done, but won't worry too much if nothing happens...

[Westmarcher]

Yes, also. Eye sight also a handicap these days as well. 

Perhaps a visit to a war-games show will help regenerate enthusiasm? It has been known to work for me. 

[mollinary]

Does anyone else have periods like this?

Absolutely!  But I tend to just shift onto another part of my hobby. I love the history and research, reading about armies, battles tactics etc, trying to understand why things happened. I also love going out and walking the battlefields, and there are so many ECW ones to choose from. When I get bored with one thing, I can usually summon up enough enthusiasm for another aspect, until I move back.

Mollinary

[Steve J]

Agreed on the reading, researching etc.

[Ithoriel]

My problem is that, now I'm retired, instead of having oodles of time for wargaming, as I'd imagined when working, I'm finding I have less time.

Time is shared with board gaming, computer gaming, afternoon teas with friends, seeing the family more often, medical conditions of self/ friends/ family, going to the pictures once a week or more ("Pirates" yesterday, "Wonder Woman" today), reading, the odd evening at the pub and so on.

On the plus side, the Rolson Optivisor has made a huge difference to ease of painting.

[Leman]

Re the eyesight, I now do almost all my painting in prescription reading glasses and find it has made things much easier.

[d_Guy]

When I completed the two units of Bavarian Line I didn't get that old warm fluffy feeling that I used to get from finishing units.

Yes - I've been there. It's like the pieces that we had such great plans for, that we envisioned in all sorts of ways and for which we had prepared a very specific place amongst our armies - suddenly become bits of painted metal with all the magic gone.

I don't know why that is. Maybe we just loose our childlike ability to play. I hate it when it happens but then something comes along, some new inspiration (anything at all) and we jump in with both feet for an hour, a day, a week and suddenly the joy and imagination is back and we can return to our first loves.

How one makes this happen I am equally at a loss to say, all I know is it will.

Best regards,
d_guy

[Leman]

Yes, really weird - there I was, happily gaming the SYW and along came the latest issue of The Foreign Correspondent, with the news that Red Eagle had bought and rereleased the old Wargames South FPW 10mm range. My first 10mm collection had been those figures, sold about 18 years ago - but I missed them. Suddenly I was all FPW enthused again, bought Paris City of Light, bought a few Red Eagle packs, realised I still don't have any Pendraken Garde Nationale and Communards, or Brunswickers or ACW (C19th) civilians. This is what seems to happen in wargaming. Eventually the Ancients bug will come round again I imagine.

[fred.]

I find that playing a game always helps with enthusiasm - but the build up to a big game can become a bit of a slog.

Could be well worth a visit to the opticians - I've had a couple of new pairs of glasses recently - and the difference is significant. I had been using cheap readers before over the top of my prescription glasses - but the basic prescription needed updating so the readers weren't doing enough.

I find enthusiasm for projects waxes and wanes - you only have to see my painting diary thread - to see the multitude of things I have on the go. Some projects accelerate and produce rapid results, others are slow burners, others make glaciers look quick!

[Orcs]

I Find using an optivisor really helps with painting.

As far as painting Mojo is concerned I find certain things give me a block - The Dystopian Wars ships did this. So I have to paint something else for a while. I currently have the same with WSS cavalry (well all cavalry)

I think I am probably "addicted" to painting as Mrs Orcs can tell when I have not painted for a while, as apparently I get grumpy and tetchy so tells me to go and paint for an afternoon.

[Leman]

Same with me.