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Hey guys and girls,

Many years ago when I got back into the hobby I chose Death Guard CSM. My love of zombies , Chaos and the colour green ticked all boxes.

However, for some time now I find myself revisiting the army ( Which is about just over 1/2 complete with 5ish K points in total ) because Im still a heretic at heart, but find myself unable to continue with the army as the painting scheme I've done while looks cool, doesn't reflect my skill ive developed since, and I seem to have a bit of a perfectionist streak, and so it sorta bugs me .

What I've done is touch up some models, like make their eyes glow and such, but am still not entirely happy.

With this, ive been considering selling it all up and restarting a new CSM army, however taking the opportunity to try a different legion ( Because why not Alpha, Word Bearers and Night Lords are shiny ) .

I have considered stripping, but after having stripped many models before, wow does the idea just make me cringe ( such a massive job in this case...would take a few months to do properly).

My only issue is, I find myself having somewhat of an attachment to this army due to how long I've had it and it still to this day is the most painted i've ever gotten any army .

SO ! With this, I thought I'd see what you all have ( or would , if you were in the situation ) do ?

What would you do with an older army you've largely painted up, had a soft spot for, but cant shake that niggling feeling that it grossly under represents your potential ?

Ive tried to include as many options as possible to keep it diverse

Why do you need to do anything with it? If you've still got an ever-growing collection of unpainted and/or unbuilt stuff like the rest of us, just keep painting models with your improved skills. I'd much rather increase the percentage of painted models rather than strip and repaint my old stuff. If you ever manage the holy grail of painting all the stuff that you own, then, and only then, would I suggest stripping your old stuff to repaint.

Or just do what the rest of us do, put it to one side and start a new army, but I'd wager that you're still going to run into the same "problem" with your new army that the stuff you paint a couple of years from now will blow away what you do tomorrow.

Personally, I like having a couple of units that are from when I first started hit the table every now and then, reminds me how far I've come (and looking at other peoples stuff, how far I still have to go!).

 Drasius wrote:
Why do you need to do anything with it? If you've still got an ever-growing collection of unpainted and/or unbuilt stuff like the rest of us, just keep painting models with your improved skills. I'd much rather increase the percentage of painted models rather than strip and repaint my old stuff. If you ever manage the holy grail of painting all the stuff that you own, then, and only then, would I suggest stripping your old stuff to repaint.

Or just do what the rest of us do, put it to one side and start a new army, but I'd wager that you're still going to run into the same "problem" with your new army that the stuff you paint a couple of years from now will blow away what you do tomorrow.

Personally, I like having a couple of units that are from when I first started hit the table every now and then, reminds me how far I've come (and looking at other peoples stuff, how far I still have to go!).

Pretty much just because I haven't played a game with them in about 3 years, and haven't painted a model for them in about the same amount of time. I just look at the army and it just doesn't pop like it used to, I can't help but just see flat colours in them.
However, it is a good point you raise in the sense of just continuing on anyway and ending with a fully painted army.

I have 2 other ongoing armies other than that one which I have been working on

I can definitely see the appeal in keeping some older stuff around to see how far you've come, but for me on a personal level it just annoys me having a 1 tone space wolf from when I was 17 standing next to a 3 shade grey hunter I did a year ago Just a personal preference really.

If it's not overly sentimental, sell it off.

If you really do like it, strip it and re-paint it...slowly. Or, simply keep it on the side in case you need a painted force to play against (ie. having a friend over who doesn't have an army etc.).

 Elbows wrote:
If it's not overly sentimental, sell it off.

If you really do like it, strip it and re-paint it...slowly. Or, simply keep it on the side in case you need a painted force to play against (ie. having a friend over who doesn't have an army etc.).

Yeah its right on the fringe of being sentimental and hard to sell Literally I decide im going to sell until I get them out of the cupboard and open the case , and repeat.

Unfortunately very few of my mates play Warhammer and the ones that do are local enough to bring armies should we play Good points though.

Everything is sentimental until you make some serious money off of it...

Sits on a shelf or in a drawer waiting for whatever pushed me over the edge to give up on it is fixed. It'll get some use sometimes still in games, but mostly a new project would have replaced it.

Transcend the situation. If someone looks askance at my first work, I'd shrug and tell them it's from my abstract period.

I've been collecting chaos for 15 years now, there was a period where from the end of 4th I had packed them away while I was focusing on life.

When I went back and looked at my models and started up the corruption engine again I had the same sentiment.

I did strip many models, rebase them to 32mm bases for marine type units, reprimed etc etc. Getting an air brush was a huge boon for speeding things up, and in all honesty I'm very happy I kept my collection.

I have a kdk army, alpha legion, and thousand sons options, which for games keeps things fresh all the time and interesting.

I suggest expanding your collection in a different direction, and try to clean up your older stuff. One thing could be using some washes on them to help bring out some of the model details and give them a bigger range of shading in one easy step.

I never really sell off anything, I keep hold of it for when I get the urge to start that army again.

show us pictures of old and recently painted for comparison.

Jimsolo wrote:Transcend the situation. If someone looks askance at my first work, I'd shrug and tell them it's from my abstract period.

That, is one of the best things I have ever read

n0t_u wrote:Sits on a shelf or in a drawer waiting for whatever pushed me over the edge to give up on it is fixed. It'll get some use sometimes still in games, but mostly a new project would have replaced it.

Yeah this is my problem as well, its been shelved for quite a few years now and only seen some touch ups a few months ago in an attempt to reignite the fire

Konrax wrote:

I did strip many models, rebase them to 32mm bases for marine type units, reprimed etc etc. Getting an air brush was a huge boon for speeding things up, and in all honesty I'm very happy I kept my collection.

I suggest expanding your collection in a different direction, and try to clean up your older stuff. One thing could be using some washes on them to help bring out some of the model details and give them a bigger range of shading in one easy step.

Out of curiosity, what made you make the switch to the 32mm bases ? I much prefer the smaller ones, and since GW has released the 32mm for marines my codex marine army how is half on small half on large...its quite irritating.

Hmm that's exactly what Im thinking, with you saying how happy you were you kept them that's what I'd be afraid of if I sold up, in a few months they regrip me and its gone Its just becoming long in the tooth of how long they've sat in the cupboard that makes me wonder if it'll ever come back. I do still love them fluff wise its just the models that are killing the perfectionist in me

As for the shading, I will admit they are done up to a decent tabletop standard, I just seem to have a strange perfectionist streak. I'll post some pics at the bottom of this post

War Kitten wrote:I never really sell off anything, I keep hold of it for when I get the urge to start that army again.

I used to be much the same, however when jobs started disappearing I started to sell old hobby to fund new projects

Grief wrote:show us pictures of old and recently painted for comparison.

That spoiler tab isn't opening at all for me ? Cant see what's in there :(

 Elbows wrote:
Everything is sentimental until you make some serious money off of it...

That sounds like a Ferengi Rule of Acquisition!

I still use some of my stuff from when I first started painting. Next to my more recently painted stuff it looks pretty poor, but I think I might eventually get around to touching it up a bit and bring it toward my current standards. Of course, when I have piles and piles of unpainted minis that need some love, that day is looking a long way off.

 ZergSmasher wrote:


I still use some of my stuff from when I first started painting. Next to my more recently painted stuff it looks pretty poor, but I think I might eventually get around to touching it up a bit and bring it toward my current standards. Of course, when I have piles and piles of unpainted minis that need some love, that day is looking a long way off.

That's good ! I used to face a regular opponent who did the same, his Blood Angels army was a time warp across the field. All were decently painted, but you could see the transition from flat armour panels to shaded ones.

I will admit if I really think about it there is something to be said for it. I Suppose its unavoidable because at some stage or another the start of an army will always be different to the end.

Yeah that unpainted pile.... mine includes almost my entire Space wolves army, half of which is even unassembled ( recently acquired ). The squads that were painted were far worse than these Death Guard, and so were stripped and await new paint.

Then and now. Put a new army beside it and be proud of your improvement?

 Dakka Wolf wrote:
Then and now. Put a new army beside it and be proud of your improvement?

Im definitely proud of the improvement for sure Just don't really like having such a vast gap in quality through the same army

My family has some general packrat/hoarding issues. I found some T-shirts after my dad passed that wouldn't have fit him since the 90s (well, maybe toward the end... he lost a lot of weight).

I have models from armies I haven't cared about in years, just sitting in cases or boxes. Their paintjobs will likely go un-updated since I don't enjoy painting anymore except as a special project.

 Pouncey wrote:
My family has some general packrat/hoarding issues. I found some T-shirts after my dad passed that wouldn't have fit him since the 90s (well, maybe toward the end... he lost a lot of weight).

I have models from armies I haven't cared about in years, just sitting in cases or boxes. Their paintjobs will likely go un-updated since I don't enjoy painting anymore except as a special project.

That's fair enough. Do you consider selling them or are you going to let them be ?

I've got a fair few old armies that were started as projects before I lost interest, may have to sell them at some point to make room for more or to fund more 30k lol.

I never sell fully painted armies though, only ever half finished or barely started projects.

If your newer stuff is an improvement then it must be very good! You're older stuff is impressive. I think you should be happy to put it on the table along with your newer stuff.

My first army was Orks, way back when I was at school. I am very unlikely to play with it again as things have changed. But I am not ever going to sell it as it was my first army and I have a soft spot for it. I had always wanted to collect Chaos and they are the army I have now. I had a small SM force and a Tyranid army, but neither grabbed me the same so I sold them off. I think if you buy stuff, never use it or paint it, and it just sits there, that's the tell that you aren't in to it.

Jackal wrote:I've got a fair few old armies that were started as projects before I lost interest, may have to sell them at some point to make room for more or to fund more 30k lol.

I never sell fully painted armies though, only ever half finished or barely started projects.

Is that because you feel more proud of finishing an army or that the idea of selling all those hours of effort is horrible ?

Pilau Rice wrote:If your newer stuff is an improvement then it must be very good! You're older stuff is impressive. I think you should be happy to put it on the table along with your newer stuff.

My first army was Orks, way back when I was at school. I am very unlikely to play with it again as things have changed. But I am not ever going to sell it as it was my first army and I have a soft spot for it. I had always wanted to collect Chaos and they are the army I have now. I had a small SM force and a Tyranid army, but neither grabbed me the same so I sold them off. I think if you buy stuff, never use it or paint it, and it just sits there, that's the tell that you aren't in to it.

Thanks mate ! The Plague marines were older and the Great Unclean One is a recent model I did up. The Death Guard are clean enough, just seriously lack the finer touches I love doing on models now, some of which you cant really add onto it and must be done from a base layer working up like armour shading.

I can definitely relate to your Ork situation. My first ever army was Space Wolves, and even though I've stripped all that I painted and have not actually gone back to paint more than maybe 2 models again, i'll never sell them...and in fact have recently added many more points to them getting a good deal on ebay

I agree with that statement fully. I recently bought a 40k mechanicus Skitarii and Cult army, all unpainted or new, and it sat in the corner for the last 3 or 4 weeks with absolutely no motivation to paint any of it. Once I woke up one morning and said " Man I wouldn't mind doing an ork model or two rather than painting up those mech " I knew it was a red flag, and so half is sold the other half for sale

Thanks for your input