2016 End of Year Gamer Review

Every year, I do a little "Gamer Year in Review", and while I usually wait until a bit later to do this type of post, I'm doing it early this year.  Why?  Well, to be honest, I'm fairly certain that I'm done gaming for 2016.  Kinda sad, but it really sets the tone for this post overall.  Usually, I'm pretty positive, talking about what my favorite games were, what my plans are (gaming wise) for the upcoming year, etc.  I'll be honest, I don't have any gaming plans for 2017.  I hate to say it, but gaming just MAY very well have died for me in 2016.  Yeah, it's not gonna be a fun post... but on the bright side, I did finish a bunch of models!  I'll probably reference last year's post as well, just to kind of compare/contrast.

Let's start on the positive note, here's a total list of all the models painted in 2016:

Pathfinder 

- 3x Characters

AOS

- Relictor

- Lord on Dracoth

- 5x Retributors 

- 3x Prosecutors 

- 10x Liberators 

- 5x Skullreapers

- Bloodsecrator 

- Knight-Venator

- 5x Judicators 

- Khorgorath

- 2x Slaughterpriest

- 5x Bloodwarriors

- Bloodstoker

- 20x Bloodreavers

AVP

- 5x Stalkers

- 5x Marines

- 3x Predators

- 11x Infant Aliens

FoW

- 20x Stands of Italian Infantry

Terrain

- 5x Trees

- Plast Craft Medieval building

- Plast Craft Infinity Terrain (15 buildings)

- Dwarf statue

KDM

- 2x Alt Starter Characters

SAGA

- 22x Teutonic Infantry (Repaints)

(154 models total)

*Compared to 2015's 145 models total

So, a slight increase.  Favorite models?  I'd have to say my Slaughterpriests, with the Skullreapers

being a close 2nd.  I was just really pleased with how both of them turned out, both of which were done completely differently as well.  (Skin wise). As I mentioned, the Skullreapers were a pretty close second, as without the process I stumbled upon by working on them, I probably wouldn't have figured out the process for the 2nd Slaughterpriest.

Now, onto the bummer part, top 5 most games played in 2016:

Pokemon TCG - 32 Plays

Ashes - 10 Plays

Weiss Schwartz- 8 Plays

AVP: Hunt Begins - 5 plays

Legendary Encounters: Aliens - 4

Every other game is 4 plays or less...

Total games played: 87 (compared to 2015's 298 total played)

2016's 87 games played compared to 2015's 298 is a HUGE difference, and really illustrates the problem I kept mentioning this year.  If I really want to make things seem worse, only 13 of the above 87 were against another adult (I.e. Not vs my daughter or not solo games). AND all 13 games were card games.  In other words, I had not played a tabletop miniatures game vs an adult AT ALL in 2016!  

So, my top game of 2016?  It's a pretty short list... I think I'd have to say it would have to be Legendary Encounters.  In general, I like the Legendary system as a whole, and works well solo.  Quick to set up, fun and thematic, great art, etc.  I just wish I put it onto the table a bit more often...

Plans for 2017?

I kind of laugh that I complained about not being able to get many games in during 2015 given the abysmal numbers this year!  So my plan?  I don't really have one for next year.  I haven't had any new models to paint in a month or so, and seeing as I'm REALLY not getting any games in, I have a hard time justifying buying any new games.  Sure, there are games out there I'd like to play, minis I'd like to paint, but what's the point if I'm not actually going to use them?  I've always considered myself a gamer first and a hobbyist second, with my motivation for all the painting I've done being to get a fully painted army on the tabletop.  If nothing makes it to the tabletop, then there is no reason to paint.  No reason to paint if I'm not getting to play, no reason to buy if I'm not gonna play.  You get the drift.  Again, there are a lot of games out there that I want to play, but I know I won't actually get to play them, so what's the point?

I do have a few games on my Christmas list, but outside of receiving them as a gift, I don't expect I'll be buying any new games next year unless something changes. 

So yeah, that's 2016 in a nutshell.  Sorry for such a depressing post.  In the meantime, I've been trying to come up with a replacement hobby, but haven't been having much luck.  Here's to hoping I can figure things out, and 2017 will be a better year.

As always, thanks to all those that have continually visited and commented on my posts!

-WuhSawBe-