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Watched Marie Kondo and started to deal with the backlog by selling off everything that did not "bring joy". This mindset also helps in avoiding buying new stuff, as I stop and think realistically if it will bring joy or just clog up my backlog with more items.

Also organising my entire collection of wargaming in see-through boxes, one for each project helps a lot, as the size of my backlog is no longer hidden in boxes in the basement. Looking at the hundreds of unfinished minis and many awesome projects to be helps reign in the pull of the new and exciting things.

This isn't new. When I was first collecting minis, I could choose from 40k, WFB, Space Hulk, Epic (two versions - Space Marine and Adeptus Titanicus), Dark Future and Advanced Heroquest. All stocked in stores, all with miniatures ranges, all getting additional material published in WD.

A few ywars later it was WFB, 40k, Man O' War, Necromunda, Mordheim, BFG, Epic, Warhammer Quest and Inquisitor.

That's just 40k. When I found my local game shop, I was also looking at BattleTech, Full Thrust, Heavy Gear, Kryomek, Confrontation, Void and any number of historical games.

The solution is simple - don't buy everything. If you want to paint, buy models you like. If you want to play games and don't care what games, get whatever is played locally. If you want to play a particular game, buy two small forces and build interest if you can.

Involve yourself with what you do have, not what's out there or what you missed. Instead of stalking news sites and forums, paint that backlog, play some games, whatever.

 Strg Alt wrote:
. Simply not playing.

...sometimes it is the only way to win!



Well, I do it pretty simply.

1. I am never chasing the meta. I am chasing only the things I want to play
2. That means enough stuff for two forces.... then the game never dies. I can play it forever!
3. Generic over unique. I tend to buy things I can use in multiple game systems and rotate them around
4. Only using painted stuff and not buying more until the old is mostly painted. I actually ran out of miniatures to paint this year!
5. In the short term, paper templates are fun to make and use too.

As for genres I play:
1. Blood Bowl - A genre to itself!
2. 40K themed games- not always GW systems though
3. Historicals- Ancients and Alt History
4. Cthulu-esque/Horror- Various time periods
5. Supers

I also love the Osprey series of rules, even if I only play a small handful of them.

I've got Kings of War, Kings of War Vanguard, Infinity, Malifaux, Gaslands and ancients (in 6mm and 15mm).

A big help with stopping the expansion was becoming disillusioned with GW. I gave 40k a last chance with 8th edition and tried an AoS tournament. Let's just say that it didn't bring me joy. I sold all my warhammer stuff and never looked back, too busy playing games that I enjoy (no, not ranting).
The spinoff/skirmish/kinda board games from GW keep coming and seem to get replaced by the next one all the time, so don't see them as a good investment.

I also had to trim back because of immigration, I had to think about why I wanted to keep things.
Imaging never playing this again, does it really bother you?
Can you actually find opponents?
How often do you actually play this?

The weird thing is that there's so many games out there I've kind of lost interest. Sometimes they're just not my genre or thing (AoS, Infinity, Malifaux), and sometimes I'm a little gunshy from demos (SW Armada, SW X-Wing, Warmachine, etc), and some I'll simply never play again (AT, BT, Crossfire, Flames of War). Maybe it's burn-out, maybe it's the way the experience is like chasing the dragon, and maybe these games just aren't my thing. It's been at the top of my mind these past few weeks.

I emigrated a few years back, it was a very good chance to downsize.

Since then I have tried to enjoy 8th edition 40k and just can't. So now I find myself ready to sell off the collection I did bring with me. As I get older I find that I am no longer the target demographic for GW, I don't want over the top American high fantasy, I want European mediaeval low fantasy, which has an air of realism to it. For me Fantasy is my preferred genre for miniature gaming. This is I think one of the best pieces of advice I can give: Know which genre you favour, then stick with that.

These days I mainly play Boardgames, the few miniatures games I play I can use the same models (Fireforge Mongolians, and Northstar Gnolls) for many systems, Kings of War, Dragon Rampant, Lion Rampant, Warlords of Erehwon, and Frostgrave.

Having said that I have recently got into A Song of Ice and Fire by CMON, as I really like the setting, the mechanics are good, and the models are nice. However, I can easily use the models in a number of the previously mentioned systems. This is more doable with fantasy and historical miniatures, with sci-fi, it becomes a bit more difficult.

Managing the hype: ignore kickstarter; ignore wargames "news" sources; ignore the rumours thread here.

Play semi regularly, focussing on GW but going off piste once a month or so.

Just finished a year long space hulk campaign, and reusing GW figures for skirmish games next...

While my gaming group plays a lot of different games, most of us stuck with 40K and will play that over other games when given the choice. The group might dabble in a new game set, but we seem to come back to 40K regularly. I have controlled my purchases by only getting into something I am really interested in and now avoid every new game that comes along.

My two cents,

CB

For a while there I was only playing Kill Team. I am still getting in 2-3 games a week but that is mostly because in the time it takes for a full 40k game, it is easy enough to play 3 games of Kill Team.

Kill Team did lead me to get another full 40k army of Primaris. That was mostly due to me really enjoying painting them up more than the game itself. That, and the fact that Orks would be just too expensive. Plus, sometimes I want to have that full army type game.

I did pick up the Warcry starter but don't plan on getting anything more for that game. I honestly don't know how popular it is going to be in my neck of the woods. I do want to get the terrain and Iron Golems up to tabletop standard painting just in case there are people who want to play. I will probably take a bit longer getting the rest of it painted up unless the game does turn out to be fairly popular. Ultimately, I bought the starter to create another Kill Team board and just paint up the rest of the models for fun. I only see an issue if Warcry does turn out to be popular as it will be directly competing with the time I play Kill Team. I suppose in that case, I will just have split of Warcry and Kill Team on those days.

So for me, I don't play all that many games at any given time. I do enjoying painting miniatures just for the fun of painting miniatures though. Getting in actual games is mostly just an extra perk. I also have absolutely no care about high level of play anymore so if I go a while without gaming and forget things like how to make the best moves or make mistakes, it just doesn't bother me.

I've simply lost interest in them. The standalone boxed games that required no additional purchases were great but they seem to have been mostly phased out. My problem with many of these systems, particularly Kill Team, Apocalypse and Warcry is that they're too similar to the core games' mechanics, I have no interest in buying into something that is functionally very similar to a system I already play. The only spin-off games that GW currently make that I'm interested in are Bloodbowl and Adeptus Titanicus because they offer something very different to 40k, AoS and 30k. I have an issue in particular with Warcry because it came out of nowhere and was, frankly, over-hyped from the get go. The actual system seems to be incredibly over simplified, even by GW's current standards, that combined with the aforementioned over-hyping and the over saturation of spin-off games pretty much killed the minuscule interest I had in it.

I used to think I was big into games. However, the last year or so (as I cleaned out my game room for some refurbishment), I realized I was just buying games for the minis.

I can’t say I have been cutting back, as it seems as soon as I stop collecting for one system, I start on something else. However, it’s past the point of running out of room for my collections, and I’m trying to slow down or stop.

Unfortunately, it isn’t working - Apocalypse turned into the next big batch of purchases and I find myself surrounded in piles of tanks. At least, they’re getting assembled and painted - unlike some minis I have that have been unpainted for upwards of 20+ years...

the advantage of being an enthusiast of several OOP games, the lack of readily available supply makes keeping it in check easier.

 thekingofkings wrote:
the advantage of being an enthusiast of several OOP games, the lack of readily available supply makes keeping it in check easier.

If you're talking about Epic or Warmaster, do not go looking. There's so much available right now. My wallet is crying.

I’m pretty good about not overreaching in the hobby. I only play 40K at the moment and will probably start an AOS army in the future. I like the big set pieces of 40K and AOS, skirmish games like Kill Team and Warcry don’t do it for me. I also don’t allow myself to purchase any new minis until my current project is done, so I don’t impulse buy any new shiny things that GW throws at us every week

Its hurt my area and our events pretty badly to be honest. The flaming squirrel syndrome is so real... that its pushing a lot of people out of wanting to do anything now.

Too much choice is as bad as not enough choice IMO.

Sorry, but "Flaming Squirrel Syndrome"?

I imagine it is the same as new shiny syndrome, with the idea that you dart from one thing to another like a darting squirrel, but further sped up because the poor bastard is also on fire.

Nurglitch wrote:
Sorry, but "Flaming Squirrel Syndrome"?

Yeah. Look - squirrel! Its a movie reference.

Meaning every so often a squirrel jumps out and your dog goes and chases it. Then another squirrel darts out and your dog decides to chase that instead. Then another squiirrel darts out and your dog decides to chase that instead.

The flaming part indicates that the squirrel phenomenon has been jacked to 11 (another reference to how amps max volume is 10, and jacking it to 11 means going past maximum).

What this has done in my part of the world is create about 20 different fractured groups and has caused extreme fatigue.

 Stormonu wrote:
I imagine it is the same as new shiny syndrome, with the idea that you dart from one thing to another like a darting squirrel, but further sped up because the poor bastard is also on fire.

Makes sense.

I deal with this by not playing any other game but 40K (not even video games) for the last decade.

-

I've sold all games and minis except my 200+ D&D minis and my Warhammer 40k.

If I play once or twice a month, I'll keep the minis.

Firestorm Armada/Dropzone/Frostgrave? I'd have to ivnite people over maybe every other month and provide both armies/the terrain/and everything to get some games in. Not worth it at the end there.

Just my 2c. A lot of us people who have been in the hobby for a while are not used to new games and awesome models being released almost daily. 10 years ago, any cool model or game was a gamechanger insta buy and then wait another year before you see something else you like.

Nowdays, the cool games and models are a daily thing. IMO, a game having great models isn't enough for me to buy it anymore. I can get awesome models from anywhere now. My strategy is to now wait 6-12mo to see if the game actually has legs or not.

Finally, I admit I need to be honest about which games I actually really enjoy playing vs games I just enjoy the models/lore/fluff/community. After coming to that realization, I try to focus on 1 main game where I'm down to paint a whole army for it and play it weekly. I can support a couple side games, but this needs to be pre-assembled pre-painted or at least be easy to assemble plastic with small model counts. I'm going to focus my painting time on my main game first, and side stuff only happens after.

It's called "buy something new and completely pretend all the old stuff in your closet doesn't exist."

 frozenwastes wrote:

 thekingofkings wrote:
the advantage of being an enthusiast of several OOP games, the lack of readily available supply makes keeping it in check easier.

If you're talking about Epic or Warmaster, do not go looking. There's so much available right now. My wallet is crying.

AT-43 and Confrontation, I see obscene to ludicrous prices on amazon and ebay, when i even see units at all (though amazon is notorious for mislabeling at-43 miniatures)

Moving houses helps a lot to rationalize your stuff and come to the gruesome reality of hoarding. I have reduced my collection a lot because of that, especially since I have smaller rooms than before and simply couldn't stock as much as I needed.

So now, I try not to get caught by Hype and ask myself these questions :

- Do I have people wanting to play that game ?
- Can I find a place to stock all that I need to play ?
- Do I have enough space to play at home / Is it easy to carry all the stuff needed to play to my friend's place ?
- Will I really have time to play this game ?
- (optional) Do I have time to build/paint everything needed to play ?

To be honest, the answer is most likely "no" to at least one of them any time I see a new game now, but I still want to take some. Last was Warcry, and the fact that's it's a fast paced game, skirmish level that can be quite easily stocked in a reasonnable sized box makes it win. Conquest was raising a red flag because of the scale, and I knew I wouldn't be able to stock it/play it/carry it easily from the start even though the game system looks appealing.

I totally get the Flaming Squirrel Syndrom, though. A lot of my friends are also reluctant to try new games - they already have troubles to find time to play those they have.

It has caused me to drop out of the hobby for the most part.

I seem to have a type of ADD or something that means I hyper focus on one things at a time. Multi tasking is almost impossible to me, and I have frequently immersed deeply in to something i was interested in.

An example is Warhammer Fantasy Battle. Been a fan since 2nd edition and have multiple huge painted armies. But also built an army builder file for 3rd edition and a computer moderated campaign system with the entire Old World as a battleground.

I consider myself a "binge" watcher rather than a channel surfer.

At this point I have decided to only play games solo in my basement. The main reason being that every person I know who games has a different group of new games/ kickstarters they are excited about. And part of the social contract of gaming is that I should agree to play/ try out their game if they are playing something I like.

Well I can not seem to process multiple rules sets. It is extremely distracting when 40% of the conversation while trying to play Game "A" is centered around all of the "great new things" that must be seen!

If something new comes along it may attract my attention but I am mostly immune to "shiny new" syndrome. I went in for Massive Darkness and Green Horde kick starters but mostly for the minis for WFB.

I also purchased everything for Heroes Tactical system from Devil Pig and am 3D printing mins in 15mm for this.

I can not afford the time and money to go all in for any more systems.

And I am an all in type of collector.

It is impossible for me to understand how someone can keep 10 rules systems with rules for multiple factions all sorted out in their head at the same time.

And that seems to be the standard requirement to be an active gamer.

I discovered solo gaming on youtube and found out it is not as odd as I thought it would be.

Solo is pretty much a direction I think I'm moving in as well. The games that I enjoy are not really supported anymore, nor is that direction of game development really being done anymore. I have to extensively houserule and I am feeling the fatigue from that.

I have found a couple games that I really enjoy so have decided to put some energy into those endeavors and if I have to play alone so be it. I think enjoying something solo beats dragging models up to a store to play a game I only at most half-enjoy.

I also find myself mostly solo gaming these days. So far with cooperative games like the old warhammer quest or some tactical board games like Kingdom Death or Nova Aetas.

I guess early on I saw the dangers of overcommitting, so I stick with a few hobbies in general and limit what I get for each.

I put off Star Trek: Attack Wing, and it looks like that was a good call as it seems to be dying off.

I play WFB and 40K, but play older editions. I haven't jumped on any of the board games that GW has, nor any of the side games. BFG might change that, but it will be dictated by cost and miniature range.

A lot of it for me was more of an overall lifestyle change. As I have grown older and have more responsibilities (wife and pets, important job,owning a home) I find I have a lot less free time in general. Because of this I realized I had to really enjoy what I bought and know I would actually get around to using it. From the miniature side of things, it helps only a few of the people I want to spend time with play miniatures.

In addition to just getting rid of a ton of stuff I don't use I also very noticeably downsized my gaming (particularly miniatures):

I'm now down to:

Warcry (this is a great game for busy miniature gamers and has also drawn interest from some of my buddies who aren't into minatures.....it helps I like the fluff and minis a lot)
Blood Bowl (because I love it, and I love Blood Bowl sevens even more.)
Relicblade (Another one with a small footprint and easy to remember rules...so if you don't play every week it's no big deal, there are tons of cool scenarios and campaign features too)

Other than that it's:
Board Games (all my buddies play these)
MTG (most of my buddies play this, we normally play cube or other inexpensive formats with older cards we have)
RPGs (really just Call of Cthulhu and D&D of various editions)

The nice thing is none of these games take up a lot of space, especially as well play RPGs theatre of the mind style rather than use minis.