"Do you know how hard it is to quit the hobby ?" Topic

I was going to give Wargaming a rest for a while and do other things.

I haven't done any gaming or painting but I have bought a few things, assembled some plastic kits and I'm still at the receiving end of hundreds of Wargaming feeds I'm loathe to remove because it would be tough to get them back together etc …

I'm still not really up for jumping back in with both feet, but it's all a very interesting experience so far.

Its not hard at all. I've done it many times.

My best friend and wargaming buddy died last November. I have spent all of my hobby time since collecting, sorting, painting and selling his considerable collection (think 14 car loads). I may be halfway finished.

The money I have raised will form a charitable donation in my friends name and will go to a deserving charity (possibly more than one).

In that time I have had no space to play a wargame at home, no time to play at my club and little time to address my own lead, plastic and resin mountain.

I am seriously considering downsizing my own collections (have already started) but would hope to able to play at least a few games later this year.

I don't think I quite have the inspiration to start playing at the moment and therefore it would be very easy for me to stop playing altogether. I hope that won't be the case.

How are other guys dealing with situations like this?

NO …and I do not want to know

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in".

How are other guys dealing with situations like this?

Hi Jim

I think your loyalty to your friend is to be applauded but you should ask yourself whether he would really want you to stop enjoying yourself the way you have in order to sort out his stuff. Perhaps it is time to dump some of it unpainted on ebay and move on. I wish you all the best either way.

It is far easier to cut back than to quit. Last year, I spent about $75 USD on the hobby, and finished everything I bought. I think I played two miniatures games, neither of which involved anything purchased. This year so far I have spent $20 USD, and have not played a minis game yet. I have futzed around wirh reorganizing the lead pile, but have made no headway against it.

Once I finish my Imagi-Nation skirmish forces, I hope to have many games, even if they are only playing with myself.

I'll quit when I quit breathing. That might be sooner rather than later, at my age.

@Teppsta

Noted!

I have been trying to focus on playing more and I have a good group to game with. Still, not as much gaming these past two months as I would like to do.

I have started to paint more as well. As with most in the hobby I tend to have an interest in everything.

Matthew

I recently went through a period where I found that it was more like work than a hobby. So, I took a break.
I watched every Stanley Cup playoff game(at last count,317 games), read a lot of books, and just relaxed.

After a bit, I found myself working on sorting out figures and terrain. That lead to organizing, which lead to my slowly getting into again. For all the reasons that I got into it in the first place…..it was fun! And I missed it.

Reminds me of the song "How Can I Miss You, If You Won't Go Away?"

I am doing a massive upgrade of my storage facilities that has been going on for 7 years now. I am making the final push to replace all cardboard boxes with plastic, line the plastic boxes with shelf liner and fabric to avoid models sliding around, and labeling everything. I am also cleaning out two storage sheds, a ratty wooden one and a rusty metal one, to be replaced by one large plastic shed. It's very satisfying to inventory everything, dispose of broken or surplus items and make it all more accessible and usable. Some of my boxes were as much as 50 pounds and as I get older I know that would have been a problem, so the new boxes have a weight maximum of 20 pounds.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

You can't quit this hobby. Nope.

JimDuncan, you have my deepest sympathies. Five years ago now I had a friend pass and I offered to assist his family in selling his collection thinking it would take a year. It took a full two and a half years and in the end I just had to be done with it. The process consumed my life. However, I did raise a substantial amount of money for his family that will probably be used to assist his grandkids education. And he, too, had a massive collection – think 100 standard banker's file boxes. We filled a 5' wide by 10' deep, by 8'+ high storage unit full, top to bottom, side to side.

How'd the selling go? First, I made sure to allow his friends and gaming buddies first crack at it. They were very generous. Had memorial games at local swap meets (kind of like a bring and buy at UK shows). Traveled to various regional game conventions. Even rented tables for one convention for whole weekend. Enlisted aide from some of his good friends that were also my friends. Things that didn't sell – almost all of the plastics – were donated to worthy causes (local abused children handling facility got a lot of stuff). Took full loads of my SUV to gaming meetings of different clubs where he gamed.

And, while I bought some of his stuff – too much, really – and tried to make sure I paid fair price for it all (but did give myself a good discount on one army that just hadn't been selling after his family offered to do something nice for me – though it is one the possible departure block now), I am like you in wanting to downsize my own prodigious collection after that experience – which was really a self-rewarding experience. Almost all of it went well.

The only bad thing? Here it is: Mark Darr of Reno, Nevada – I haven't forgotten who you are you thieving liar! You have to be a pretty low down b*stard to steal from a dead man's family.

Otherwise, I'm glad I did it. And I'm glad it is over. Do still miss my departed friend.

@Early morning writer

Your story sounds quite familiar except for your bad experience with the guy from Nevada.

I'm hoping to have another good sale at my club show in August and certainly hope to clear enough of my tabletop to start gaming again.

To go back to the original post I am not rushing to get back into gaming but I do have some great hobby friends and their support and enthusiasm will see me though no doubt.

Not a quitter so I can't help you.

It is surprising how we can sometimes forget that thieving liars can also enjoy miniature tabletop gaming just as much as the rest of us.

Quit the hobby?????

Are you mad????

I don't know if I've ever really quit a hobby. Things go on the back burner for a while but they always resurface.