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I'm sure everyone, as well as myself, has been in the position of being in the process of starting/completing an army and noticing another army that you like a lot. When you feel so tempted to start buying up new models of this different army, how do you resist it? Do you succumb to the desire of a new army or do you continue working on your current one?

I look at my bank balance.

Tygre wrote:
I look at my bank balance.

So true.

Neophilia is pretty prevalent in this community. It's hard to resist buying the new shiny toy when you know everyone else is buying and enjoying that new shiny toy.

But, you have to remember your goals. Do you really want to be that guy that has a garage full of incomplete projects? Wouldn't it feel nice to have a finished army for once? It's less 'new army syndrome' and more 'instant gratification'. You want to buy the new thing because that rewards you instantly, whereas finishing the kits and armies that you have take more time and are less instantly rewarding. They are, however, more rewarding over the long run.

And of course, you look at your wallet. If money really isn't an issue, then go for it, but the more you get, the less time you'll have for all of the stuff you've already gotten.

Use buying a new army as a REWARD for FINISHING an old army.

I....don't.

Probably why I have basically 1 separate SM army for each of the "big 3" and two vanilla chapters, and basically one army for each of the chaos legions, among other things.

Simple. Play with painted models.

You don't. Or well I often don't. But when I do its because I took the time to build lists with the new shiny which often shows me the reason I haven't picked up said army already.

So my suggestion is succumb to the dark side. Then if you still want to build that new army then why not?

 TapedTempest wrote:
I'm sure everyone, as well as myself, has been in the position of being in the process of starting/completing an army and noticing another army that you like a lot. When you feel so tempted to start buying up new models of this different army, how do you resist it? Do you succumb to the desire of a new army or do you continue working on your current one?

The last several years? Not a problem. I spend some time digging through my collection and list-building, and interest fades after a few weeks.

 Elbows wrote:
Simple. Play with painted models.

Very much this.

My painting pile (not including board game stuff I'm painting as nicey-nice) is down to less than 40 figures.
I've had it down to zero several times over the past few years but let Dark Imperium overwhelm my better sense.

I have had my bank set my card so that I cannot use it to buy things in the shops, and I can only extract cash over the counter at the bank.
Not being able to spend does wonders, both for ones balance and ones painting pile.

 MechaEmperor7000 wrote:
I....don't.

Probably why I have basically 1 separate SM army for each of the "big 3" and two vanilla chapters, and basically one army for each of the chaos legions, among other things.

Basically this. This is because I have basically a 500-700 point force of EVERY faction in the game.

Since getting back into the hobby I have allowed myself one Imperium, one Xenos and one Chaos hobby.

Enough variety so that I don't get bored, without delving into 'omgwtf i must have this even though i shouldn't'

Very nearly did that with DG after Mortarion but stuck with 1k sons

I definitely suffer from this but I'm now capping at my favourite 3....Dark Angels, Eldar, Iron Warriors. That's it for 40K for me (don't you dare come out with plastic sisters now). Aiming for 2000pts of each and then keep adding with models I have.

Well, that's the plan anyway, lol.

Tygre wrote:
I look at my bank balance.

This. I also think of other real life stuff that is more important, and ever important I check my backlog. Also I have a lot of willpower. I do orders in a bulk yearly purchase for huge discounts so I paint it all through the year and don't buy anything new until I get what I have painted barring a really exceptional release and even then it has to be something small.

Currently have a massive Tau army collection easily approaching 4.5k. I am also just starting to spray paint my Deathwatch and Dark Eldar models for painting. These armies won't be anywhere near as big as my Tau and I intend to just get a battle ready army + stuff that looks cool as opposed to a apoc army. These armies will be small collections at first.

This year my big yearly order is right around the corner and it;'s going to be a big Khradron Overlords order + some stuff for all the races.

For the first time ever I've been overwhelmed. Lots of stuff has gone perma out of sale where I am so I had to go and buy stuff ahead of time while there was stuff left which means my plate is much bigger than usual. I might not actually be able to get all this painted in one year kind of big. :( It might be just over.

Edit
Just say no.

 privateer4hire wrote:

 Elbows wrote:
Simple. Play with painted models.

Very much this.

My painting pile (not including board game stuff I'm painting as nicey-nice) is down to less than 40 figures.
I've had it down to zero several times over the past few years but let Dark Imperium overwhelm my better sense.

I will not field my army in 8th until it is ALL painted 100%. Keeps me focused for sure. Work may keep me from playing, but it won't be wasting time on miniatures unrelated to my guard.

I first got interested in 40k in the 9th grade. I bought the Rouge Trader book to start (yes, I'm knocking on 40's door.) Then Realm of Chaos I and II. Then I got 2 ork books. One was "Ere We Go" and I don't remember the other (I found Rouge Trader and Ere We Go and have them on my bookshelf now.) I ended up with a few Space Marines, 2 Lords of Change, a good many Eldar, and a bunch of Fantasy Battle Wood Elves. I wasted a bunch of money to never get a single entire army built. That sucks and I don't want to ever do that again.

I buy whatever strikes my fancy. Which is why I'm at 4K of Nids, 4K Ultramarines, 4K of Red Corsairs/Astral Claws, 3k Blood Angels, 3k Ynnari, 1.5k of Genestealer Cult, 1.5k of Necrons and 500pts of Orks. Sure, I could focus up but sometimes I just don't want to play Space bugs and power armor.

 TapedTempest wrote:
I'm sure everyone, as well as myself, has been in the position of being in the process of starting/completing an army and noticing another army that you like a lot. When you feel so tempted to start buying up new models of this different army, how do you resist it?

I look at my shelves of unpainted/unassembled models and say, 'I'm not adding to that!'

Finally found an army that really aesthetically captivated me in Ad Mech when it was released. Now I'm not interested in collecting anything else.

I have a framed whiteboard in my hobby room, a little smaller than A4 size, with a list of most the unfinished projects I have started. That stops me from carrying on starting new ones.

 Elbows wrote:
Simple. Play with painted models.

In addition to what others have said, I think this is the best advice anyone can give you. By restricting yourself to fielding only painted models, it gives you an incentive to actually take the time to paint them, which will in turn increase your attachment to said models. I have models I have put 40+ hours into painting. When you add up the time you spent painting models collectively in an army, you will find it difficult not to use them. On top of that, your models will look gorgeous & they will make you happy every time you see them.

Tygre wrote:
I look at my bank balance.

That and the huge pile of boxes, sprues and unpainted miniatures.

Play only with painted models combined with starting a family. You'll soon realize you're not going to build up an army very quickly.

Tygre wrote:
I look at my bank balance.

Its not only the bank balance, but also the time to spend for a new army in terms of modeling and painting.
Generally, I dont play unpainted models, maybe in apoc games.

Tygre wrote:
I look at my bank balance.

Same bro. I have a mobile app so viewing my (lack of) funds is just a press of a button away.

I don't have a very good history of resistance. Hence, I have at least some models from almost every faction in the game at this point.

I do, however, try to mitigate the costs (both financial and temporal) of this by setting goals or restrictions for any new army I start up. Some of these goals are more successfully met than others.

At present, I've done up some lists for the majority of my armies that expand from 1000-2000 points. Each is as unique as possible in the aspect of its faction that it's attempting to represent, to keep things diverse. My goal is to focus on getting the minis for each of these lists painted up before I really move on to anything else.

It's...difficult, but setting goals like this at least helps me keep things under control. Somewhat.

I did pick up Dark Imperium despite the fact that doing so essentially kicked of a new Space Marine faction force for me, but I convinced myself that doing so was primarily for the rulebook (as everything taken together was a really good price).

By considering what I'd have to spend to start a 4th Army, and considering what stuff I want more of for my existing armies.

It's easy to compare something like Kataphron Destroyers to an Exorcist or Manticore and go "yeah, more artillery sounds good".

Really, whenever I'm about to impulse buy anything discretionary, I consider whether I'd rather have it or other things that I want, and in general the things I've already resolved to desire win out.



With regards to painting, it's very easy to get burnt out after painting Guardsman #165. You never want your army to become a chore or an obstacle, and the hobby is the reward itself. Playing a few games, even with your unpainted figures, can get you excited about having a foot horde again and the motivation up to get through the 200 troopers still to go.

It's also hard to paint anything you don't use. I have a set of Sisters Repentia that I stripped down to repaint at the beginning of the summer, but because I never use Sisters Repentia, they're at the end of the painting order, and I buy and fully paint things I'm excited about for my army that I'll actually use before painting them.

 Commissar Benny wrote:

 Elbows wrote:
Simple. Play with painted models.

In addition to what others have said, I think this is the best advice anyone can give you. By restricting yourself to fielding only painted models, it gives you an incentive to actually take the time to paint them, which will in turn increase your attachment to said models. I have models I have put 40+ hours into painting. When you add up the time you spent painting models collectively in an army, you will find it difficult not to use them. On top of that, your models will look gorgeous & they will make you happy every time you see them.

Yep, agreed on all counts (though I'd never spend 40+ hours painting a model - I'm too impatient for that!). I think the main thing for me is that an "army" for me is not a matter of how fast I can buy eBay kits on discount and slap them together with glue. When I want to start a new army the question becomes --- how much time and effort will it take to put together a playable army. That number/endeavor trumps the measly $300 you could spend on discounted kits to throw grey plastic on the table. Anybody can do that (and everybody does).

I don't buy into any game system half-assed now. If I like a game I have a sit down and think "Will I buy all the models I need, enjoy painting them - will I then buy a new game mat to suit the game and will I buy/build a table or two worth of terrain. Will I be willing to buy the army books, rulebooks, dice, templates etc. which are necessary for the game...". When you think about the reality of wargaming like that it becomes much easier to ignore the impulse buy.

It's not some impossible standard to achieve - I don't paint models particularly well. I don't spend thousands of hours painting an army...but it is a genuine 6 month + investment, so knowing that going forward, it's very easy to curb that desire.

Its a lifestyle not a syndrome Whats so wrong with wanting to play/paint different armies aslong you can afford it?

Personally I always enjoyed trying different things out in games and right now im in a place in my life with university+work that gives me time and money to spend on something I enjoy. Fastforward a few years and I will be busy with house/work/kids and then it will be great to already have my armies complete.

I make sure to never impulse buy anything tho to avoid feeling regrets. Much of my hobby is planning, listbuilding, research etc to minimise the risk that I do bad purchases.

You only live once and you havent truly lived until a Mawloc is on your shelf watching over you

I always start a new army with at least 2K points purchased up front.

This avoids the growing collection of assorted squads/models/boxes that are essentially useless.

I always set a goal of like a TO&E or something that I want to fill. So I draw up what I want, and then I label what I need from it. For example, attached is a link to how I've organized my Superheavy Tank Regiment. It's got columns for what models I need, and what models I need to paint.