Worlds In Miniature

I’m sure that, like many hobbyists of a certain age and level of disposable income, my backlog¹ of “models to paint” goes up faster than my ability to work through it. It’s been this way for a few years now, and it’s honestly becoming a bit of a mental burden to have so many unfinished projects lying around.

My estimably better half is doing a thing this year where, for every book she finishes, she adds £1 to a savings pot and that’s her budget for buying future books. I’m thinking I might do something similar for a “Warhammer fund” that will encourage me to bring my backlog size down first and foremost. For every miniature I complete, I will save an amount relative to the size of the miniature (see the table below), and seeing the number go up will turn the process into a form of reward. On the flipside, there will be a simple rule in place: future purchases can only come from this savings pot, which means I’ll have to work to grow the pot to buy the models I want

The exact figures are still to be fully worked out, but this feels about the right level to start at. As an example, if I finished the Aeldari Combat Patrol on my painting desk then I would put in:

• £11 for the Guardians,
• £12 for the Skyrunner jetbikes,
• £5 for the Wraithlord,
• £3 for the Farseer (regular character models might need an adjustment…)
• £15 for finishing the project

For a total of £46 into the savings pot. Any further purchases can only come from the pot, making it important the pot goes up at a rate that ensures I can’t refill the backlog faster than I’m completing things - which is why it’s not a 1:1 mapping between how much a miniature cost and how much goes in.

If I were to start this today, backdating to the beginning of the year, how much would be in the pot? £26. So if I want to add those lovely looking new Dark Angels Inner Circle Companions that are upcoming then I better get painting!