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I've been wondering how to tame the MAS beast a lot lately. I know I'm happier, hobby-wise, when I only have one or two armies for a system and I can really spend time on them. Trying to keep 8 40k armies (or however many I really have, plus stuff for other systems... although 40k is really the only one that's really bad.) really just leaves me with no time to really enjoy myself and, really, I don't play enough to really play that many anyways. Yet, when I try to cull the horde I routinely put up blocks to doing so.

I know I can't be the only person in the hobby that has or had this problem, and I'm wondering if anyone has come up with some good solutions. Keeping myself up for an hour in bed because I'm anxious about how to fit a new Dark Angel list is definitely something I do not enjoy, but dang if I can figure out how to settle on just a few shinies and not go crazy on MUST POSSESS THEM ALL.

What I do is that when I see a bunch of new shiny toys (Dark Eldar most recently) is I wait on it for a week. If there's something that I really want after that, I'll get it (if I have the money, of course). Often by then the urge has died down, and I'm happy with my Chaos Space Marines. My Necron army is something that I really regret buying since that really was an impulse purchase.

I'd start small and pick maybe 2/3 armies you want to focus on, and box the rest up out of the way. If it's out of the way you may start to feel that you don't miss it or even need it.

Then the next time you want something for one of your remaining armies, see if there is anything boxed up you can sell off to cover the cost.

I've manged to rationalise a lot of my stuff to an army a system by taking all the other stuff, and stuff I'll never use to bring & buy sales at conventions, with the goal to not spend any more than I make (or no more than double what I make). So if I want to buy a new unit, I probably need to have sold an old unit or two.

The net result is that I have less clutter, more of the stuff that I want and my hobby spend has gone down somewhat.

If you can't show restraint yourself, how do you think any words on here are going to help?

For each game system pick two armies. Get rid of the rest. Now you have the ability to play a game with anyone with some variation for yourself and the ability to show a new player what the game is like.

If you have 8 40K armies and a bug to "have it all" you are most likely spending enough to buy a new game systems worth of armies just in keeping up with new releases.

I find it best to just use a MAXIMUM of 2 armies per game system.

40k and WHFB are different to most game systems because of the heavy tactical focus.Eg to allow a different play style , you HAVE to buy more minatures.

Having a wider range of games to play ,means you have a similar amount of armies, but fewer for each system.

I only have one army (Space Marines)

I find the best way to keep to one, is to write down on paper how much the new things you want to buy cost.

Then write down how many hours it would take to assemble and paint them.

Then, use the monetary figure, to work out how many different bottles of fine imported beer you could buy with the cash instead.

I then visualize all the cool things I will do with the time saved whilst intoxicated, such as 20 hours dancing with girls in clubs whilst wearing suspenders, 10 hours stripped naked and riding a mechanical bull in a seedy bar, or perhaps 15 hours downing big lines of shots whilst people cheer and brazen wenches throw their knickers at me.

Then I don't buy any more models.

(Experiences may vary if you happen to live in a civilised part of the world that isn't Middlesbrough)

If current GW prices aren't a cure for Multiple Army Syndrome, I don't know what is.

I just alternately shelf and pull out armies every year, and try not to start more than one army per year. For instance, I shelved my old Imperial Guard to bring out my Valhallan Imperial Guard, which have a different build and aesthetic. Right now my Crimson Fists are sitting in their cases while I start Dark Angels and work on my Chaos backlog.

What I'm saying is to limit yourself to one or two projects at a time. I'm part of the problem though, so what can I say.

What makes you want to start a new army?

 Lansirill wrote:
I've been wondering how to tame the MAS beast a lot lately.

My resolve to remain financially sound and have money for dating has kept me from going hog wild with MAS.

 Flashman wrote:
If current GW prices aren't a cure for Multiple Army Syndrome, I don't know what is.

Cured me years ago!

I think the best advice you have had so far is to sit on it for a week, if you still feel the same after a week then go for it.
Maybe by taking on a project that involes lots of time converting and modelling something unusual may slow down your spending rate and give you something truely unique

 mattyrm wrote:

I then visualize all the cool things I will do with the time saved whilst intoxicated, such as 20 hours dancing with girls in clubs whilst wearing suspenders, 10 hours stripped naked and riding a mechanical bull in a seedy bar)

... not recommended unless of course you are a bootneck with plenty of time on your hands

Honestly it's not really the money that's the issue so much as time. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not like I walk into a store and start throwing money around like Scrooge after some bad dreams, but for the most part it's time that's the constraining/frustrating factor rather than money.

Why do I keep wanting more? Eh, I get an idea and I want to execute it. The dangers of 'Wouldn't it be cool if...?'. Beyond that... hell, I've talked to trained professionals about this crap and gotten nowhere.

Thanks for the ideas. I think I might put a little more effort into trying to find some places to do some swaps at, and while I think my wife might get upset if I spent 20 hours dancing with girls in clubs thinking in terms of a time budget (since a money budget isn't going to work for me) might not be a bad way to go. I could think of all the quality time I can spend doing yard work! And fixing up the house!

The main thing though, really, is trying to figure out how to convince myself that I don't really want all these armies. Intellectually, yeah, I see it. Bellyfeel? ++no on that.

I just can't understand how you have time to game with all 8 armies, unless you game every day.