Right, I really really mean it this time. Even got a proper hobby room and everything! 2026 is the year I get back on the Hobby Horse and ride it into the sunset.
2024 was a great success until the sudden and unexpected death of my Dad, which put a real downer on things.
2025 I was dealing with grief, and the purchase of my forever home, so got relatively little hobby done due to sustained life upheavel and not one, but two depressive episodes.
But in 2026? I think I’m looking at plain sailing. Should be moving to a more rewarding and less stressful workstream professionally, which helps balance the mental humours and keeps the head weasels from their scurrying. And I’ve got my hobby/crafting room more or less as I want it. So I’ve about as few barriers to regular hobby sessions as I think can be expected. Heck, I’ve even got a private rear garden, not over looked by an adult care home, where I can big things sprayed nice and quick once the weather brightens up (probably around March/April).
As with 2024? I’m gonna kick off with my Epic Scale treasures. They’re quick to paint, and don’t take much to get a decent finish on. So they’re ideal in my opinion for building up hobby stamina, and getting further motivation as your results show really quick.
From there, I’ll likely alternate between 28mm Heresy and Necromunda. Got plenty of both to get through. So much I may need a third display cabinet.
And when I’ve got all that done? There’s still my complete HeroQuest collection to pile through.
Assembled a brace each of Glaives and Ascalon Superheavies. Fun little kits, and not overly fiddly despite the tiny scale.
Also knocked out half a box of Araknae. Other sprue I’ll make one each of the Accelerator and Punisher Cannons, and two from the Massive Frag Missiles.
Frag Missiles only get two shots a game, but are barrage, 3” blast and two attack dice for each of those. So pretty useful for dissuading enemy infantry within a respectable bubble.
Haven’t yet put my existing LI army back in the cabinet, as I wanted to blast through this lot. It’s also easier to keep them in their carry case for ease of reference when it’s painting time.
That does remind me I need to get a couple more paints. Not at all sure my Vampire Red and Blood Red have enough.
LI is not a game I think I would be very interested in, but I do like seeing what other people do with it, so it'll be fun to watch your tiny army come together. It's also nice to see you able to settle in to some normalcy, given your stated life events in the last couple of years.
I definitely need a break from unpleasantness. And doing hobby stuff is generally good for mental health. Certainly beats rotting in front of the telly night after night.
Sorry to hear about your dad.
And glad to hear you keeping busy. Busy is good.
Saw your new hobby room, and wish you and your family all the best, and much progress in the hobby.
I like to throw Baldermort into the background and get stuck in the sprue glue and paint.
Hope you will find his work as interesting and valuable as I do.
https://www.youtube.com/@Baldermort
Yes, as Middle Age makes itself felt, this is my first build wearing my reading/VDU specs. And what a difference it made. Even the fiddly heavy flamers on the Fun Buses were a doddle this time.
Getting your eyes tested is a sensible thing to do, even if you don’t end up needing them - all sorts of disease and illness can be spotted from them. So well worth getting your own peepers checked.
Fire Raptors will end up with the full suite of ball turrets, just not right now.
Also bonus pic of some of my to-do pile. Yes. Some.
Inspiring move to shift jobs into a less stressful one...something I've been looking at doing for a few years now but have been too cowardly to pull the trigger on.
By the looks of those boxes you've got plenty to keep you busy - lets see some paint on these little guys.
Thanks dude. It’s the same job, but more potentially rewarding case work. Seems there’s a finite amount of time you can deal with the dregs of society for nothing more than financial reward before the brain just says No More.
Anyways!
Day 4, 4th January 2026
Finished the Vindicators, and did the second box worth of Saturnine. Bonus pic of everything I’ve built this year, plus four superheavies from just before New Year.
Downstairs, which I really need to bring upstairs? 16 Whirlwinds/Scorpius, 2 more Fun Bus, 8 more Vindicators, 6 Land Raiders, 4 Dreadnought Drop Pods and 4 Regular Drop Pods.
Still to build is another box of Drop Pods, and the always almost forgotten four sets of Astartes Infantry.
Second and most likely final box of Drop Pods assembled. I figure eight going in fully loaded with four Dreadnought Drop Pods should be sufficient to create a hammer for a tactical anvil.
Also, group shot of everything needing painting. It is a lot, but if you recall my 2024 Odyssey? My LI Scheme is usually fast enough to let me really hammer it out rapidly.
I think I will change it up a bit though. Few of these tanks have handy handholds for the Speed Paint/Contrast stage. And the paint I use is fairly slow to dry.
So I think, with so many assembled models at once? I’m gonna batch it. So, get them all Mech Std Grey, then the Gun Metal pre-highlight. From there break out the Grim Black and Just. Keep. Going. All the tops one night, all the bottoms the next (oooer, sounds a bit rude!). With that most time consuming stage done? Go back to squadron at a time for detailing (picking out weapons, tracks, spot colours).
Evening Doc, sounds like a rough period but hopefully 2026 will be an easy year for you. A dedicated hobby room/area will mean there are no excuses for de-stressing and unwinding with a paint brush in hand!
Looks like you have plenty to be getting on with and that is a hell of a mechanised division you’ve pieced together so far.
I generally prefer building to painting, but I find building LI scale models a real chore (while painting them is more enjoyable). So you've made impressive progress!
That's a very clean and well-organised hobby space you have. I have no immediate prospect of getting a hobby space of my own, as we've downsized to a 2-bedroom apartment and my wife (who stealth-retired on me a few years ago) has taken possession of our second bedroom. I therefore continue to occupy the coffee table. Priming is a problem, however, as we no longer have a balcony.
Head Weasels is a mental health reference, when your thoughts won’t settle, or indeed focus. It’s not necessarily negative or self harming thought, just like a constant mind storm preventing you focussing and concentrating, so you end up with a head full of thoughts, slumped on the sofa.
Epic is my go-to for getting back into the swing of hobbying. Whether you’re building or painting the tiny scale means you can make good progress in short spaces of time.
The build can be fiddly, but ever since I got my VDU/Reading glasses? It’s been so, so much easier. My prescription isn’t heavy, just the usual middle age stuff. But pop them on, and the slight magnification works wonders.
It’s also a very satisfying scale to collect. Not only does it not take long compared to larger scales to knock out a painted army? But painted armies look fantastic. In terms of cinematics of the mind? Seeing my collection all painted and displayed, hundreds of tiny warriors, dozens of tanks? Makes me think of End Game and the Charge of the Rohirrim.
And once you’ve spent three, four weeks doing an epic army or adding new units? Your hobby stamina (well, mine at least!) is sufficient to make good progress on 28mm scale.
Please note I know I missed the end of the gun barrels. That’s because that was my hand hold, and each tank is going to take a couple of sessions (top and bottom side, innit).
Might do more, but currently enjoying some Murder, She Wrote.
Underside of last night’s tanks Grim Blacked, and started on my 16 Vindicators.
Tattoo day tomorrow, including finishing off the inner elbow. Which hurts, like, a lot. So not sure how much I’ll be up to. Really depends on pain levels and that.
Back from tattoo, and it’s not hurty at all. Which means, once I’ve enjoyed Spartacus, House of Ashur I should be able to crack on in the hobby grotto.
Vindicators finished being Grim Blacked. Serious inroads made to the Super Heavy Contingent too.
Tomorrow I’ll do the underside of the Super Heavies, and make a start on the fliers I think. Drop Pods I only really want to black in the fins and door edges. I reckon a thin wash of a rusty brown would finish off the interiors.
Sunday Roast kicked arse. Though still prefer a nice smoked gammon joint over any other meat.
Waddled up to the Hobby Grotto, and finished off the Super Heavies (two of each tank, four Mastodons) and made a start on the Thunderhawk and Fire Raptors.
In case anyone is wondering? The stuff between the drying models and the desk top is a pre-cut grease proof baking sheet. It works a treat!
And decided to stop farting around the poop, and did the Saturnine Infantry in Grim Black.
Slap Chop (Mech Std Grey spray, zenithal dry brush Gun Metal, then the Grim Black speed paint) really worked on them. Well chuffed.
In the zone. So started the Araknae platforms. Zone has faded, so if you’ll excuse me? I’m off to continue watching Murder, She Wrote.
YES DOC we love to see it! Looking forward to seeing what you conjure for us in 2026. Loving the plog so far. I've always had an eye on Epic scale, and plogs like yours make it look veryyy intriguing
Thanks dude. I’d say it’s a lovely scale to paint but……
Day 12, 12th January 2026.
I. Hate. Drop. Pods.
Oh they’ll get finished, as I ain’t no quitter. But I’m not buying any more. Absolute pain in the arse to paint. Have I painted the doors shut? Dunno. Mebbes. Do I care? No.
But that’s the Araknae finished and obvs, the horrible Drop Pods underway.
Might just glue them shut and be done with it to be honest.
Ugh. Fine. Sculpting tool used to flip them open. Might as well do it “right”. Interior I think I’m just gonna use a strategic wash.
And finally, more or less just in time? My new paints have arrived.
Will get in the Grotto later though. Chippy Tea for dinner as I can’t be arsed to cook, so hopefully can thrash out a load of metallics. Don’t want to set myself a specific target. But I hope to do the tracks and or/weapons on a bunch of the tanks.
And here’s tonight’s progress, finishing off Grim Black on the Drop Pods. Petals need a touch up as the Speed Paint does love to flow into ribbed surfaces.
As MSG’s tone is different between spray can and pot? I think I want to find a suitable receptacle and spray straight into it, creating a small pool I can take a brush to for said touch up.
For my next trick, starting probably tomorrow? Doing all the metal bits.
Just fiddly. And because vertical, Contrast-a-like paints tend to puddle, so they’re messy to work with.
They are gonna look decent when I’m done though. Experimented on one of the Dreadnought ones, painting the ribbing of the ramps/petals/doors in a simple Gun Metal. I reckon that, with a Wash (part brown, part black, thinned) will pop them nicely.
With my move to another (hopefully more interesting) department at work confirmed? I’m taking today as a half day, on account I Genuinely Have Nothing To Do.
I intend to have a shower, then go visit the homeware store to get a bin for bedroom and bin for hobby room (been meaning to do this for months, but always forget when I’m there)
After that? More on the Drop Pods, with the possibility a Hobby Frenzy might ensue and I blitz loads of stuff, making up for only little bits being done the past two evenings.
But that’s a “nice to happen” not a “must happen”. Because remember. All progress, however small or modest, is still progress.
Not my finest work, but just top coat of red away from calling this experience over. Might still return with a thing wash for the petals and interiors.
Currently still languishing in my fart sack. But about to get up, get showered then nick off to my local GW to sign up for the 1,000,000 Miniatures Challenge, which began yesterday,
I intend to use that to drive me on through my Astartes Infantry. The four sealed boxes I have get me pretty much all the way there, coming in at 88 finished bases. But, I don’t need and so likely won’t use all the command stand stuff. So it won’t be that many. Probably closer to 20 per box. Though I may finagle an additional base from the leftovers so I can add Apothecaries to my Tactical Units.
But being an overachiever? I think I’ll also use it to drive me to get my Big Scale (28mm, 32mm, who knows!) done. And that is the bulk of this year’s current pile of opporchancity.
Currently stands at..erm….60 MkII, 20 MkIII, 40 MkVI and 12 Saturnine Terminators. There’s also a brace of Saturnine Dreadnoughts, and my third Leviathan which I guess would come under infantry, as they’re propelled by feets.
I’ll also advance my painting pile. I want to at least finish off painting the underside metallics on the LI tanks. Ideally, by this time next week? I’d like to have the tanks and Araknae platforms all done and dusted (Drop Pods are there, but really do just need a thin wash).
From there? I know I can knock out a whole box of Astartes Infantry in an evening. Especially if I’m sensible and do the undercoat spray throughout working hours (maybe 10 minutes per session to tack down the sprue strips and spray). Next week is a particular window of opportunity there, as I’m moving team and workstream in a week, so right now don’t have a huge amount on. So..laptop in the hobby room, and I can potentially multitask.
That, depending on weather, could be done in the garden, or via spray box with the hose out a window or out the back door.
Super keen to get all the LI backlog done. Not only is it super sweet to have an entire collection painted? But I want to see it’s greatly expanded numbers in the display cabinet.
Tomorrow I think I’ll focus on the Rhino chassis tanks. At least get their metallics done, maybe the begin the reddening.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Dysartes wrote: We'll definitely want to see updated army/cabinet pics once everything is done, Doc.
Sorry for quoting when I’ve already resonded. But your comment lead me to check Argos, make sure the same model (or near as dammit) is still available. And it is. And a 20% off offer.
Tanks are looking good Doc, the detail on the heavy bolster is impressive - you planning on doing that for all the tanks?
How much did you end up pledging for the challenge, and did you get the free model? I signed up for 25, which I should probably manage (considering doing a few epic models to boost my numbers!)
Hey Doc, it’s an impressive pace and quality that you are managing to maintain, you certainly seem to be getting through the tanks. How many more do you think you have to complete now?
It’s ordered! Arriving on 3rd February. Which means by then? I need to have extracted digit and shifted the remaining gubbins to the tip.
Which I’ll probably do Friday on my lunch break. Saturday is busy, as day time I’m going to GW to spend enough to get that free model, then get my hair and beard dyed again. Evening time I’ve got Nephloof. So…it’s gonna be a day time hobby session Saturday. Nephloof is a lovely lad, but not sure the hobby grotto is quite the right place for him on his eternal hunt for that second braincell.
Yeah. Haven’t finished it yet, up to pp44. It fleshes out some nice Necron lore, and I think it’s setting up a theatre of war, rather than being a beginning to end affair. Like, this is going to take in-universe decades to achieve,
Has there been any great revelations or amazing insights?
(I’ve not bought the 500 and don’t plan to so don’t worry about spoiling anything on my behalf!)
Not so far, but I’ve enjoyed reading about the Nekresor. It’s actually kinda horrifying that its legions will forcibly convert other Necrons into Destroyers.
At once the most satisfying and irritating phase. Because whilst it really makes the models pop? The first cost always, always looks crap. And you have to be super neat with placement.
Thank you. Whilst easy enough to paint with a brush in good condition, the placement is tricky.
I try to pick out areas which help show off the shape of the thing, without overwhelming the Legion’s primary colour.
Sometimes it’s easy. What works on a Rhino APC will work on any Rhino chassis variant. Likewise, all missile racks get some red on their housing,
Landraiders and Spartan Chassis variants are, typically, close enough to one another for the same placement, but the larger the chassis, the more noodly details I want to bring out on the hull and sides.
Good bit of progress today. Basecoat Reddening on the Typhons, Cerberus, Ascalon and Falcions.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Edit - I’m aware the Falchions, and to a lesser degree Cerberus look imbalanced right now, what with the Massive Shiny Barrels.
However, I’ll be apply a coppery/bronze tone to some of the barrel details. That should knock it back and balance things out.
With the basecoat done, the topcoat should be fairly swift. Mostly because I’m tied into the placement, and won’t be poking right into the sides of the detail.
And before then, I’ve just..erm….two each of the other Super Heavies, then the fliers. Oh, and the four Mastodons.
After that? It’s just the bases of Saturnine Terminators. And indeed, the bases they stand upon. I probably should’ve referred to them as stands.
It’s Friday! It’s just before 12pm! I’ve a friend’s birthday bash later today! It’s a half day from work! You know what that means…..
Yes! But let’s be rational, there’s just no way you could train the mice to read the map and operate heavy artillery in a satisfactory manner.
So instead?
Everyone upstairs to the Hobby Grotto Very Quickly Now!
It’s some “would be naughty if I was proper bunking off work, but I’m a good employee so haven’t gone the naughty route” afternoon hobby!
Pics to follow later.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Getting close to this project being done. All that remains is Top Coat Red on all the tanks and Saturnine Dreads.
Then I need to do the Fliers and Saturnine Terminators.
I may leave the bases that need painting until I’ve started on the main infantry. That way, I can blitz them all in a oner, hopefully ensuring better consistency.
Pub night tonight (Dracula Parrot, first opening night. Got to support your local alternative spot), so only a little bit done.
Every model at this stage is essentially done. I may revisit here and there to pick out some details, but that’s a “wait and see how I feel about the whole of the thing” issue.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
ingtaer wrote: Certainly smashing through it mate, nice work. Wish I could find the motivation to paint everyday.
It helps my lifestyle is entirely open to it. No kids, no pets, no partner. I also work from home, so I don’t have the drag of a commute to eat away at post-work energy.
Beyond that? It’s just having stuff on the boil and a wee bit of planning ahead. This year, I’ve rarely set a specific goal for a given day. I just get sat down at the desk, gloves and specs one, paints out and crack on. If I’m not feeling it? I’ll just finish the stage I’m doing on that model, then go do something else. I’m still a step ahead of where I was.
Moving forward, I’ve a wide selection of 32mm Heresy to do. Current plan as I envisage it is to aim for a unit a week. Sprue, cleaned, built, undercoated, painted, based. The rinse and repeat until I’m out of proverbial ammo. I think I want to do my infantry first. They’re more time consuming than a Tank or a Dread. But ultimately more satisfying for display purposes.
My advice is to just…try it. Whatever your lifestyle allows, be it a daily, weekly, monthly or more ad hoc session? Just do it. Set the time aside and get something, anything done.
As folks familiar with my wildly successful until Dad went and died 2024 Hobby Odyssey will know? I used to be a super reluctant painter. Now? I genuinely look forward to a half hour or so in the Hobby Grotto. It’s nicely relaxing.
I do indeed. Wound up with that many because I got the Saturnine set, having previously procured a box worth.
Speaking of Saturnine? Felt very in the mood, so did the Terminators.
Just a wee bit of detail to go, specifically the banner on the Command Squad, and the kilts where necessary. But first I need to remind myself what colours I used on the rest of my force.
Do need to retouch one of the gunships. The speed paint had pooled on the top side (must’ve left it upside down to dry after doing the underside). Careful work with a hobby knife sorted it, and just needs the merest dod to sort it.
That’s a great photo of the army, can’t believe you have managed to get that all done in just over a month. It is amazing how a half hour here or there adds up to some real hobby time, me it is quite satisfying getting the next colour completed or model finished.
It all looks very impressive, I like the red detailing on the paint scheme. How many points of army is that? And when the terminators are completed what are you going to add to it next, titans?
Automatically Appended Next Post: Day 45, 14 February 2026
Oooh me ‘ead. I am not as young as I used to be. Suffering a bit after pub escapades last night.
But the show must go on! Today, I’ll get the fliers finished. First I must buy some soft drink, then I need to delve into my carry case, as I need to use the existing Fire Raptors as reference for the next ones.
Making up for spending most of the day in bed feeling sorry for myself, and got two of four sets of Infantry prepped. So 8 Dreads assembled, 20 Missile Launchers shouldered, and the corner removed to better expose the Assault Marines, which have a gate channel thing up top as well as on their feet.
If I clear down my work bench, I should be able to get these guys and bases sprayed, and be working on the other two sets at the same time.
Undecided if I want to break the sprues down further. It’s not strictly necessary for the undercoat stage. But once I’m wanting in at shoulder pads? It makes life easier.
Right. Now off to read my Liber Strategia, and work out how many of the soon to be 32 bases of Tacticals are getting an Apothecary.
And that’s all my Astartes Infantry ready for undercoating.
Gonna leave it for an hour or so to make sure all the glue is properly set. Then clear the decks down, and get on with the spraying. Also, I’ve worked out that from this lot, I’ll need to use every Apothecary on Tactical Bases. Then every Tactical Based unit in my army will have Medicae. Well. Bases within 4”.
Sod it. Spray time!
And a Double Sod It. All your base are belong to spray booth.
Recipe can be found on Page 3 of this thread. But that’s all,the bases that needed basing based barring the thin Agrax wash. But lunchtime is nearly over, so that will be this evening’s job, yes.
And bases all done. Frees up tomorrow for doing as much of the Grim Black as I can stomach (might take two or three sessions throughout the day. Maybe four), then Sunday for Metallics and Red blobs on right hand Pauldrons. Plus slightly fancy on the Terminators.
Definitely more than optimistic I’ll be all done by the end of the week.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Oh, and I found me magnets, so ready to build the second Saturnine Dread in due course. And it’s weapons.
Still feeling a bit grotty, but hopefully another Lemsip will kick me into gear, as it’s a long haul today to get as much Grim Black done before I get bored and wander off.
I expect if I do a number of half hour or 45 minute sessions I’ll get through it.
So far done all the Missile Support, all the Plasma Support, all the Contemptors and all the the Terminators.
Gonna have a telly break, then return to finish the job. Also need to see if I’ve got that nifty White Contrast. I think it’s in the Magic Box O’Stuff.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Bah, arseblisters! Supermarket carries superglue right enough, but no brush-on.
Guess it’s up early ish tomorrow to try the hardware store.
And that’s the Grim Black finished. Tomorrow I’ll do all the Metallics, which really shouldn’t take terribly long. Maybe start, possibly finish the reddening.
Looking forward to the finish, and getting a full army group shot.
