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So, it's finally happened. I hate this hobby.

I'm not sure it's a reactive thing, and it's not a knee jerk, this feeling of ennui has been building for a while, but it's gone beyond the imaginary line I set and I'm not sure what to do.

So those that have been in this situation, what did you do to get out of this slump? I've invested thousands into the hobby, and short of a combination of burning and ebay, I'm stuck with a constant reminder of something that boils my blood when I'm in the same room as it. So for those that have come back after a time away, or stepped away for a period of time, how'd you do it?

I'm coming out of a six-month 40K slump right now. I spent the time playing tons of skirmish games and completing awesome unrelated hobby projects (a huge post-apocalypse terrain set, warbands, etc). Take a break - try something new - and eventually you'll find your way back, refreshed.

Thebiggesthat wrote:
So, it's finally happened. I hate this hobby.

Miniature wargaming in general or one particular game with one particular line of miniatures?

I'm stuck with a constant reminder of something that boils my blood when I'm in the same room as it.

Pack it away in boxes for now. Get it out of sight. You might want it later, but for now if it's causing that reaction, pack it away.

Now start a project that's just for you. Maybe there's a miniature or two that you've always wanted to paint up but you never bothered because it's not for the particular game you play. Maybe there's a model kit that would be fun. I'm painting this thing up right now (1/144 HG Gundam Man Rodi):



Will I eventually game with it? Yes. Probably. Does it have anything to do with any of the fantasy, sci-fi or history based miniatures I already have? Nope.

Stop paying attention to anything to do with the particular game or miniature line that pissed you off and just enjoy your personal project for now. Worry about all the stuff you bought when you feel like opening those boxes. They're not going anywhere, they'll wait for you.

What is bothering you the most?
Opponents?
Game play?
Painting?
Prices?

I used to be big on WHFB, but now I'm playing Bolt Action, Frostgrave, and Mordheim; and loving it.

What the others have said. I fell out of love with GW years ago, but thanks to to likes of X-Wing, Armada, FoW, Bolt Action and Frostgrave I'm more in love with tabletop gaming than ever.

 snurl wrote:
What is bothering you the most?
Opponents?
Game play?
Painting?
Prices?

I used to be big on WHFB, but now I'm playing Bolt Action, Frostgrave, and Mordheim; and loving it.

It's more that the games I play, I just can't enjoy. I'm bored of either being kicked in the head with loss after loss, or spending time building knowledge and trying to learn only to have it dismantled. Beginning to think I'm just not cut out as a gamer.

Honestly, if I could sell the lot I'd be delighted, then pick up a couple of bits to paint. The sad thing is, I'm at the stage where I'm that fed up I find myself stripping models after painting, as I'm not even happy with my standard of painting anymore.

The main thing is the spark isn't there.

First thing I'd suggest is just taking a good long break. Box the stuff up, and come back to it when you feel inspired and start to miss it; that could be tomorrow, it could be in a month or two, it could be in 3 year's time... .

Maybe look at some other forms of gaming, something more on the cooperative than competitive side; there are many board games that fit this bill, typically fantasy dungeon crawlers (D&D, Dwarf King's Quest, Descent, the new Dark Souls one) and a few actual wargames where win and loss are less important, like Frostgrave. You could even leave the physical side of things alone completely and take up video games, if you don't already.

On the painting front, don't force yourself, but don't be immediately disheartened if you don't get the results you want straight away. Progress comes with practice, so rather than get bogged down in a loop of paint and strip, paint and strip, take a dozen simple, expendable models and just practice your techniques, brush control, colour theory. Then do another load, and they'll come out better. Then another, so on and so forth.

From your dissatisfaction I assume you play 40k? The hobby isn't limited to 40k, there are many more [I'll say arguably, although I don't mean it] superior games and, arguably, superior models out there. I made the switch to Infinity when N3 dropped, selling off all my 40K stuff, and I'm more passionate about the hobby now than I ever was. I even have a blog, and a fully painted army! Playing one game exclusively is a recipe for burnout.

I agree with the idea that you should box things up for now and take a break for other interests. Take some time to figure out why you got into the hobby in the first place and if you still find those things enjoyable.

If you're more on the gaming side, maybe you just don't have a group that fits your needs. Some groups are competitive, some just get together as an excuse to talk story. Finding the right group may also open up new opportunities for games if you're burnt out with what you're doing now. My group is all newbies who can't finish a 1000 point game in 3 hours and we have a blast, but that would be hell for a competitive gamer. Or maybe wargaming was more of a creative outlet. Are there other options that would use many of the tools you already have? Other games? Scale modeling or railroading? Sculpting or traditional painting? All have enormous communities online that can be explored.

There's nothing wrong with moving on to other things. If you allow this hobby to motivate you to move on to something else you love, then the time, effort, and money you invested were all put to good use.

 tyrannosaurus wrote:
From your dissatisfaction I assume you play 40k? The hobby isn't limited to 40k, there are many more [I'll say arguably, although I don't mean it] superior games and, arguably, superior models out there. I made the switch to Infinity when N3 dropped, selling off all my 40K stuff, and I'm more passionate about the hobby now than I ever was. I even have a blog, and a fully painted army! Playing one game exclusively is a recipe for burnout.

I haven't played 40k in years.

Malifaux, Infinity, MtG mainly

For many years I cycled through my hobbies of bass building/modding, LEGO and wargaming. I recommend putting wargaming aside and doing something else for a while.

Despite my usual cycle of hobbies, I've been actively wargaming for about 6 years now which is by far the longest continuous period of time I've spent in the hobby. The key was finding the right group of gamers with similar interests which for me was indie skirmish gaming.

Maybe a new gaming group/club/venue would help you? Either way it sounds like it's time for a break.

I can't say I've ever "hated" the hobby, but there have definitely been cycles where I've spent a lot less time, or nearly none at all, building models or playing wargames. Mostly, it intersects with video games that come out that I really enjoy, and then I go for a bit of a video game cycle, because after all, we only have so much free time.

My suggestion is to set her free, and see if she comes back to you Just do other things that are fun, and eventually, you may or may not get the bug to fiddle with a model or march little toy soldiers on the battlefield again.

Worth mentioning that losing interest in things you used to enjoy can be a sign of a broader mental health issue (i.e. depression.)

Not necessarily saying there's anything specific that suggests in the OP, continual negative experiences are going to put people off anything eventually, but it's possible, and it's something that an individual may be too close to to appreciate what could be obvious from a wider perspective.

Like a lot of people, I stopped at around 18. I'd still read the occasional book, play the occasional game of blood bowl or video game, get a case out and look at a few models etc, but for over a decade I didn't buy or paint a single model. One day I saw a model (the dv helbrute) and just felt the compulsion to paint one. Since then I've steadily gotten back into it.

You don't need to bin anything, pack it up, store it away and get on with life without it. If you ever want to open the boxes, they are there. Happy days either way.

I'd recommend either taking a break, it's nearly Summer and there is a whole lot of outdoors which is full of exciting and pretty thangs, and it's mostly cheaper than GW or MtG !

I'd also maybe also suggest getting someone in your gaming circle to watch you play and then offer constructive advice on any mistakes you might have made, and of course asking the other player at the end of a game can help, interweb theory is all very well but bear in mind a lot of it is not really that good and may not always apply to your local meta

FInally, unless you really need the money I wouldn't ditch anything, just box it up, although obviously Magic cards that are going to rotate out of Standard soon might be good to offload if you plan on a break

And finally like Az13 said it could be a mental or physical issue, it never hurts to go to the Doctors just to get checked

There's 'Hobby' as in, general Miniatures gaming. And there's what some people consider a single gaming ruleset and model base, as well as culture.

Most people I've ever known who've felt this sort of thing were all mono-system gamers. I for one, by skipping on the bloat that is 40k, have the time, money and effort to play literally a dozen wonderful other games each of which scratches different itches.

From Infinity, TnT, Dark Age, Heavy Gear, Malifaux, Warmachine, Armada, X-Wing, Dropzone Commander and more... all wonderful games that do different things well.

Thebiggesthat wrote:

I haven't played 40k in years.

Malifaux, Infinity, MtG mainly

No idea about Magic, since I've not played it, but both Malifaux and Infinity are dense games with a lot to learn, either in terms of core rules or special abilities/rules interactions. They also have a rep for small, fiddly models.

There's a whole world of games out there that are designed to be easier to get into or easy to play. Boardgames are built to play in an evening or less, but there are plenty of wargames or hybrid games that are built that way too. Osprey make a bunch of cheap, light games that cover a range of genres, for example. And there are a lot of wargame-like boardgames - not just Space Hulk! Are the folks you play with locally up for some lighter games? To be honest, when we play we tend to chat, have a couple of beers and push some models around - still kudos to whoever wins, or a smart tactic, but we're there to hang out with friends.

Having models (and painted models at that) is ALWAYS a positive - you can ALWAYS do something with them.
.
Painting - again, I believe you've dived in at the tougher end of the spectrum. I've got 20 years painting experience behind me and some of the faces on the primed Malifaux figures sitting in front of me are making me nervous. Look for a game with relatively simple models to build and paint, or choose a genre with a range of options to choose your own models and rules. You can have a decent skirmish game with a couple of packs of Brigade Games' swashbucklers or Copplestone explorers or Pulp Miniatures' figures (actually, Brigade carry a ton of ranges in the US). Nice chunky figures, relatively simple detail, but they paint like a dream and look great when they're finished.

I also don't paint to showcase standard. Many of the models you see gracing manufacturers' websites take hours or even days to paint. Some of the models aren't even varnished for fear of how the varnish will alter the delicate blending, or soak into weathering powders and ruin the effect. You can get a nice model with a neat base paintjob - maybe two layers of painting on each detail, or using the "Dip" method to bring out shadows. Your tenth figure will always be better than your first, your hundredth will be better still.

You know what - on the table, painted models all look great. From 3 feet, a coarse, a contrasting paintjob looks better than really fine brushwork.

Scratchbuild some terrain for your games - start easy with hills, outcrops and clumps of foliage, move up to rivers and roads, then buildings. Plan out and build a terrain board.

And maybe, yeah, just go and do something else for the summer. Come back to the minis when you feel like it again.

Hobbies are meant to be relaxing and fun - when they become chores, you're right to wonder whether they're worth it. I'm just coming out a bit of a slump now - I tidied up some model bases that I wasn't happy with last weekend, the first time I'd picked up a paintbrush in six months, and put some weathering on some figures' cloaks. Now I have a ton of models waiting to paint, but they'll still be there over the summer. Instead I'm planning some gaming sessions with friends - trying a couple of new games, maybe a campaign over the summer.

Happens to all of us - don't worry, just enjoy the summer.

Thebiggesthat wrote:

 tyrannosaurus wrote:
From your dissatisfaction I assume you play 40k? The hobby isn't limited to 40k, there are many more [I'll say arguably, although I don't mean it] superior games and, arguably, superior models out there. I made the switch to Infinity when N3 dropped, selling off all my 40K stuff, and I'm more passionate about the hobby now than I ever was. I even have a blog, and a fully painted army! Playing one game exclusively is a recipe for burnout.

I haven't played 40k in years.

Malifaux, Infinity, MtG mainly

You're a lost cause, can't help you, sorry.

Thebiggesthat wrote:
So, it's finally happened. I hate this hobby.

I'm not sure it's a reactive thing, and it's not a knee jerk, this feeling of ennui has been building for a while, but it's gone beyond the imaginary line I set and I'm not sure what to do.

So those that have been in this situation, what did you do to get out of this slump? I've invested thousands into the hobby, and short of a combination of burning and ebay, I'm stuck with a constant reminder of something that boils my blood when I'm in the same room as it. So for those that have come back after a time away, or stepped away for a period of time, how'd you do it?

Seriously, I go back to old school games, such as 1 ed D and D, Twilight 2000, and my current project, collecting Heritage miniatures games. YMMV, but basically, you double back to something simpler that drew you in back in the day, be it painting, gaming, kicking around with a Jolt and your mates while talking shop.

Mine is modeling, basic gaming, and relearning cultures and familiarizing myself with local gaming store etiquette , and the player base. for someone whose been on the road for eight or nine years, its quite refreshing.

of all thing, too- Malfaux is getting to be my gateway back to civilized society.

That and Kingdom Death, LMAO

I go through waves with my mini wargaming stuff (I mainly play Fantasy but have 40k armies, LOTR armies, and some firestorm stuff that I never got into but like the models)

Anyways just do what other people said and box it away and do something else. Find a new hobby, something totally different that gives you different experience (totally not trying to sound like a hippie here but I think I failed haha)

Anyways I play Fantasy (that's my favourite miniature game) for 3-6 months fairly steady (painting, playing, list building etc etc) then usual I get tired of it and want to do something else, usually because I have neglected my other interests or hobbies a little more than I'd like. Then I just don't go into the room I have my stuff in and I don't look it up (occasionally browsing the forums though).
Then I start to miss it after maybe 3-6 months and I get a new model or get a game in or something. I either miss the gaming or I miss the painting. Right now I'm kind of missing both but it's summer and I will be busy so then when winter rolls around I'll be able to do some more gaming!

Don't sell it though, you'll sell it for a loss and then when you do end up wanting to play again (and trust me you will, or another miniature game) you'll have them just in case and won't be out any money.

Sounds like burnout. Most hobbyists get it. I get it pretty frequently. Pack your stuff away and find something else to devote your free time to. Don't even think about the hobby. After a few months, peek back in to see if anything piques your interest again. If it doesn't, give it a while longer.

I tend to go through it every now and then.
I simply box everything up for a few months.

I then keep an eye on GW and FW websites until I see something I fall in love with.
I simply buy it to paint and once I've done that in usually back into it again.

Sell it all and get something you enjoy, its just lumps of plastic and paint, and come back when you feel the will to do so, A hobby should not make you feel frustrated

Thebiggesthat wrote:
I'm bored of either being kicked in the head with loss after loss, or spending time building knowledge and trying to learn only to have it dismantled. Beginning to think I'm just not cut out as a gamer.

I hear ya on this, my win, draw and loss values are something like 1-2-26. I would spend hours and hours pouring over the codex, making loads of notes and then producing tons of army lists...each one with plans, backup plans, sub plans and fallback plans. Then on the day, I'd agonise over which one to pick, my friend would turn up late with a scrappy bit of paper that he'd jotted his army down on in 20mins earlier that morning and he'd still hand my behind to me near enough every time.

In the end I just gave up on having battles and started painting for fun. By what I like the look of, not whether its useful in battle...outfit it how I want, not to make it WYSIWYG.

SGTSwampy wrote:

Thebiggesthat wrote:
I'm bored of either being kicked in the head with loss after loss, or spending time building knowledge and trying to learn only to have it dismantled. Beginning to think I'm just not cut out as a gamer.

I hear ya on this, my win, draw and loss values are something like 1-2-26. I would spend hours and hours pouring over the codex, making loads of notes and then producing tons of army lists...each one with plans, backup plans, sub plans and fallback plans. Then on the day, I'd agonise over which one to pick, my friend would turn up late with a scrappy bit of paper that he'd jotted his army down on in 20mins earlier that morning and he'd still hand my behind to me near enough every time.

In the end I just gave up on having battles and started painting for fun. By what I like the look of, not whether its useful in battle...outfit it how I want, not to make it WYSIWYG.

A lot of this has to do with the people you game with. Even if you're a great gamer, if your opponents are more skilled, more experienced, or have greater resources, sometimes you're just in a hard place to win.

This is one of the reasons that I've repeatedly voiced my opinion that a "fair game" in a non-tournament setting requires a balancing factor that takes into account the two forces, the game board, and the two players. In other words, in order to have a game where both competitors have roughly equal chances of winning, one person will often need a handicap, because of a variety of factors. Maybe they're just a better player; maybe it's a bad matchup, but who cares? To make it enjoyable for both, adjustments have to be made.

This is often the case with my own games. A lot of the times, it's just because someone wants to play a pretty gimpy army that is thematically interesting but practically weak; but they don't want to just be slaughtered because it's a crappy use of 1500 points. The solution is often for one person to recognize that and say, "okay, well, let me take out X Y and Z and see how it goes."

Also, handicaps in other games aren't unusual at all. If you look at chess, for instance, if I'm a much better player, I'll simply start with a couple fewer pieces. Makes it more interesting for both of us.

This is where historical scenario games come in handy. Instead of playing against an "equal" list, often the forces are mismatched from the start. How long can you hold off Burnside at the lower bridge at Sharpsburg? How long can you hold the Alamo? Can you stop the panzers at Bastogne?
With wargames, the play's the thing.
Get away from WAAC-minded players and try a few friendly games. Or, swap sides with your opponent.

 snurl wrote:
This is where historical scenario games come in handy. Instead of playing against an "equal" list, often the forces are mismatched from the start. How long can you hold off Burnside at the lower bridge at Sharpsburg? How long can you hold the Alamo? Can you stop the panzers at Bastogne?
With wargames, the play's the thing.
Get away from WAAC-minded players and try a few friendly games. Or, swap sides with your opponent.

I agree, but it's not limited to historical gaming. It just requires that you have an opponent more interested in putting together an interesting scenario than in list-building. Takes a bit more work, but it can be fun to sit down with your opponent and discuss how you can play out a specific tactical scenario.

It might be something like, "Let's play out the invasion of an imperial outpost". Then you think about victory conditions and objectives. The next step in most games would be each player going back to their codex and working out the best army, but INSTEAD, the narrative-minded players discuss what units might logically be involved in such a scenario and that guides the units chosen.

Sometimes it's even provided for you. Battletech comes to mind. It has dozens of scenario books that not only give you the victory conditions, but also show you how the board will be and which units are involved. Of course they are often modified by the players, but it's a very good guideline and leads to a very different way of playing.

Of course it must be mentioned that games like 40k that have so many different layers of unit load-outs, rules, special rules, etc, etc. actually reward heavy list building and rules-stacking. There are many games that are not quite so encouraging of such behavior.

You have to do what makes you happy. I've had several periods where I've put away my brushes and just stopped but have always come back to the hobby. Have a time out, do something completely unrelated to what you are doing right now and see how you feel in six months or a year.

Distance makes the heart grow fonder...or whatever that saying is. In 45 years of hobbying/gaming, I've seen my WAAAAAGH for the hobby ebb and flow. It's only natural. I'd like to say there's a formula or solution-in-a-bag I can prescribe, but there just isn't. Explore other things, or other aspects of gaming. A fresh view can very invigorating. Finally, remember, this is a hobby, not a cult. There's no penalties for stepping out of the rotation.

Take a break, you'll come back into it when you're ready either by curiously reading up on stuff in the background or looking through pictures or your models.