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Well for me, it's being sat with my wife, magnetising her carnifex whilst she builds her trygon and we race to grab either the clippers or the scalpel.

She's fretting because she liked the mawloc head and the trygon arms and is worried she'd be called on it. I just told her that she should state what it is at the beginning and if someone has issues with it after that, it's because they have a tiny penis, not because it's unsporting.

It's been refreshing showing someone new the hobby and watching her interests grow.

What's your 'moment of zen' in wargaming or crafting/painting?

Working with my sons (both are 7 years old) to assemble and paint figures.

Last night, having my GF and a good buddy over sitting down all working on things.

Ifurita wrote:Working with my sons (7) to assemble and paint figures.

+1

I have been having a blast passing the torch onto my two sons and playing a campaign with them as they learn the rules, etc.

The moment where everything comes together into one incredible finished project.

Sadly, it's usually days worth of planning, setting out colors, testfitting and throwing out concept ideas before the work starts, which usually has lots of swearing leading up to that ultimate zen moment(ex: the Tarantula Dugout I did recently, or the Chimeras I'm working on).

Sitting at my work bench painting minis while, 5 feet away, my daughter (12) sits there painting hers (well, more of mine, really).

Eric

MeanGreenStompa wrote:What's your 'moment of zen' in wargaming or crafting/painting?

I'm perpetually zen when crafting and painting, which is one of the reasons I've committed so much of my free time to it. Used to be music (playing it or listening to it), making chainmaille, knitting, kung fu, kendo, and any other number of pursuits, but this one has had it's hooks in me for a long time and finally sunk in completely.

Whether it's restoring a lonely 2nd edition Rhino to "newish" condition, stripping the paint from a legion of secondhand models, painting what I hope to be a marine Chapter, kitbashing Exodites, or trying my hand a sculpting a new model, the wargaming hobby has been a godsend for my peculiar mentality, fulfilling the need to be focused on the smallest details in a project as well as being able to change tasks completely when my attention wanders.

I just love it!

Kanluwen wrote:The moment where everything comes together into one incredible finished project.

This.

Two years ago we took our huge Minas Tirith and Pelanor Fields display to Games Day. Last year it was orks vs. IG in the assult on the Emperor's Forge.

Building was fun at times, watching guys work together. But the true moment was when those big doors at Games Day open up, and 3000 people come in, and some of them are 'oohing' and 'aawing' at our display, and then flashbulbs go off for 10 minutes like fireworks. You get to just sit back with an awesome feeling of "Yeah, all the work was worth it."

The beer after Games Day also has that feeling.)

What is good?

To crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

That is good.

When you have enough money to build a Titan from fw

Showing the kids in store the basics of painting a mini and watching how much enjoyment they get out of that first model is cool.

As for my hobby fun, any time I get home from work and feel inspired to work on any of my armies is special to me!

sourclams wrote:What is good?

To crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

That is good.

I prefer the open steppe, fleet horse, falcons at your wrist, and the wind in your hair.

narked wrote:Showing the kids in store the basics of painting a mini and watching how much enjoyment they get out of that first model is cool.

As for my hobby fun, any time I get home from work and feel inspired to work on any of my armies is special to me!

Good for you! I wondered about how many GW store workers got home after a day filled with screaming kids and sales targets and finally lost their love of the games and minis.

(btw, if it does ever go that way, pick hobby over job and switch vocations!)

Being so into painting that I lose track of time completely and have spent an entire day in a hobby store.

I'm the biggest screaming kid in there MGS

Painting and listening to pandora while my GF prepares dinner

Someone coming over to my table during the lunchbreak at a tournament and enthusing over my Necrons. Not how 'broken-good' or 'win-button' they thought they were, but the look and paintscheme..

Then winning the big store credit prize in the post tourney raffle, as well as best composition, 2nd best painting and 2nd best generalship..

Not sure how they (and random-guy whoever you were (steve?) ) arrived at those decisions, given that my painting is at best meh and i only won one of my games (1 draw, 1 loss) but damn did it feel good

...Mandatory, citizen.

My moments are when I realize that whatever crazy plan that has been floating around in my head might actually work. That is usually better than actually making it work.

I'll split 'em down, if you don't mind:
Painting: Seeing a whole unit sitting based, painted, colours all the way I wanted them, ready to be used. Awesome feeling. Worth the pain in the backside to get it there!
Crafting: I'll be honest, shaky clumsy hands mean this is my least favourite part, so for me, this is perfect when it's easy and intuitive, like the boxed set dudes. Again, seeing the whole regiment standing ready is very satisfying. Also love posing large monsters if they're plastic

Gaming: The real perfect moment, and what I thought of when I read the OP- gaming in the kitchen on a board with decent terrain, two fully painted armies who have developed a narrative over several battles with one of my good wargaming buddies and a few bottles of season-appropriate beer. (Summertime wargaming is the only time I drink lager, oddly. It's gotta be stout in wintertime though.)

GazzyG wrote:

sourclams wrote:What is good?

To crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

That is good.

I prefer the open steppe, fleet horse, falcons at your wrist, and the wind in your hair.

Ha! Wrong!

Getting told "Wow man, your metal DP looks way better than the plastic one"

Ifurita wrote:Working with my sons (7) to assemble and paint figures.

Just make sure your 7th son has a 7th son...

Those rare moments when I defeat my opponent.
Or at least manage to kill Calgar for once.

For me it's not any one moment but every now and again I'll be fortunate enough to have some time to trully indulge myself in my hobby.

Last night was such an occaision, the missus (who has no love for but tollerates the hobby) was out for the evening so I grabed an old rhino I got in a trade, my bits box, poured a large glass of irn bru and stuck a Sharpe dvd on. About 2 hours into creating an Ork meks engineering vehicle I sat back and thought to myself 'well this is nice, life is good'

That moment in the middle of a game with two nicely-painted armies on a good table where my plan is coming together but the game is still very much in question.

The moment I walk into Adepticon each year and see the hall with hundreds of great-looking tables.

The hours of drinking and just talking with my tournament team mates on the evenings of a multi-day event.

sourclams wrote:What is good?

To crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

That is good.

Hell Yes!

Seriously though.... for me its when the final touches are put on what i'm working on and I can place it along side my army!
It's a thing of beauty!

MeanGreenStompa wrote:

Ifurita wrote:Working with my sons (7) to assemble and paint figures.

Just make sure your 7th son has a 7th son...

Lol that would be pure win.

For me it is sitting around chatting and gaming with all my friends, and just having a good time that seems to last forever

I have been wondering about this, and I'm not sure. I think I'm happiest when I have finished a project and get to enjoy the fruit of my labor... but then I usually start another! So perhaps it's the process I enjoy most, after all...

Sitting alone at home with MY OWN music on and being away from my other friend who just seam atm to take the piss out of me as my best friend (we have known each other since we were 3 so that is what 13years!?!?!) has a GF and has spent more time with her than me, but fair dooes for him but above all being happy about life in general (and my painting). Now reading back on this post I realise how much of a Nerd I am!

Jon Touchdown wrote:

MeanGreenStompa wrote:

Ifurita wrote:Working with my sons (7) to assemble and paint figures.

Just make sure your 7th son has a 7th son...

Lol that would be pure win.

For me it is sitting around chatting and gaming with all my friends, and just having a good time that seems to last forever

Ummm ... they are 7 years old, only have 2 of them.