"The Rule of Three" Topic

I think that most of us have wargaming tasks that we don't enjoy – prepping figures, basing figures, painting large quantities of the same figures, and so on.

If I have something on the workbench that I am not enjoying, rather than avoiding the project, my rule is that "I can do three of that." Whatever the difficult or disagreeable task it, I discipline myself to get three of whatever it is done, then I can move on to something easier.

And if I keep doing 'three of it' whenever I am at the workbench, even a large project is eventually complete.

Good idea! Thanks. I need a way to get back to painting the unit I started.

That could be a way to clear some of those things that have stalled for me.

I try to do the disagreeable tasks while waiting for something else to dry

We've been through this before, my response is still the same. If you don't enjoy what you're doing you picked the wrong hobby.

If you don't enjoy what you're doing you picked the wrong hobby.

Does anybody love painting the same thing over and over again?

Compromise, spray the bulk colour and leave it at that. Use a base colour and hot melt glue the object on, done. If you must be fussy (see no need really if your fed up) if its close based just paint the figures on the outer surfaces in the basis if you can't get your brush in it does not matter. Impossible to tell at wargame ranges. sound daft but an artist friend did it and they actually looke better, something to do with higher contrast.

REMEMBER Any game is WAY better than no game at all. Think how much time you have saved and how much more playing you can do having dumped the tyrany of paintaing. Buy yourself a 1/35 scale model to indulge your modelling habit much more sensible.

Bill, I have used that type of method. I'll glue together a bunch of plastic figs then prime & complete 2-4 before bringing out more on the table. If I get bored I'll just switch to some others in my "assembled" drawer & repeat until done.

I prep as much as possible until my brain aches or I start wanting to kill. It's my least favourite hobby activity, but I clean, undercoat then put to one side so I can just pick something and paint when I feel like it. When I get enough done, I base them up. I've developed a quick way of painting and (finally) a quick way of basing. I don't spend much time on either because it just has to look good enough at arms length. Or in the loft…

C'mon Bill, that's the nature of the beast, the answer is yes. I just don't do them all at once, split'em up.

H'mmmm, guess maybe that's what yer getting at isn't it? I guess I'm just a little slow. Sitting here thinking about what I'm writing and it comes to me (blink) little light bulb over my head, dim yes, but still there.

Fundamentally, I want to play games.

Collecting, prepping and painting is what I have to do to accomplish the ultimate goal. Some of it I enjoy, some of it is a lot like work.

Some people can be in this hobby and be gamers only, they may not even own their own minis.

Other people are in the hobby and the collecting/painting part is their main thing; they may rarely play games.

It's such a diverse hobby.

Great idea

Hey, there's an idea for a Message Board or at least a poll. Not quite sure how to word it, but something about those of us who love the painting and all that goes with it and those of us who are not all that fond of all that.

Whad'ya say Bill, you're the wordsmith.

Rule of One for me. Paint one color on all the troops. Doesn't work well on large armies.

Totally agree Bill. I don't give a monkey's if I play or not now, I get all my fun out of the history and artistry. Wargaming is a broad church.

Which is nice.