I love Kings of War and being able to write about my experience on Dash 28 is a privilege I hold dear. Unfortunately this is the first time I’ve sat behind the keyboard and done so in three months. What happened? How could I have let things slip? Read on as I open up about a commonly experienced but rarely discussed part of the hobby; Burn out.
What is Burn out?
When you operate under stress for a prolonged period you can become physically and/or mentally exhausted. Often accompanied by a feeling of listlessness, reduced sense of achievement and inability to properly function in a role. If you find yourself experiencing this in your day to day life or work environment then I urge you to seek support as soon as possible. For the wargamer; stress of chasing a meta, obsession with improving your skills and trying to assemble then paint hundreds of models can weigh you down and burn you out.
Biting off more than I can chew
First it was a Northern Alliance army for Kings of War, then a Basilean Fleet for Armada, then a Halfling Army and then a Vanguard force. I’d barely finished painting the Northern Alliance when I got halfway through painting the fleet. Right now I’ve painted a War Piggy, two characters and a single Regiment of Halflings. Oh gosh I need to finish modelling the Vanguard models. Wait, I just got these new units to change up my Northern Alliance army in line with experience at tournaments. Oh gods when will I ever get this huge pile of Halflings painted?
The lessons of King Midas are relevant here. There is such a thing as too much. When you find yourself surrounded by what you desire and neglect what you love. Time to do some soul searching and focus on getting my Northern Alliance army where I want it before getting into other projects. I’ll potentially spend time ‘Slaying the Hoard’ and sell off some models on Ebay. Essentially working to focus on attainable goals and regain a sense of achievement.
Unreasonable Expectation
Why would writing about something require me to excel at it? That question has been on my mind these last few months. My first tournament I took the coveted wooden spoon, my second was a respectable bottom quarter. My words reflect my journey in the hope that others take heart as they walk alongside, there are already folks writing from authority and experience. Embracing my mediocrity sees the weight lift and the drive to share my love of the hobby returns. Expect more articles on the tea drinking habits of famous Pannithorians, Pannithorans, Pannithors, Pannithornians?
The old adage that you should walk before you can run comes to mind. Walking allows you to soak up your surroundings or stop for a chat on the way. Even the top tournament players don’t run everywhere, they play to relax and socialise as much as win. If you’re expecting more of yourself than is reasonable take a deep breath. Look at all the wonderful folks and stunning armies you get to surround yourself with and enjoy the walk.
The way forward
Three months of reflection and introspection has been cathartic. Digging down through the layers of expectation and unrealistic goals to the core of why I started playing Kings of War in the first place.
- Unit based combat so I’m not fiddling about with individual models to track wounds
- Well organised and friendly tournament scene
- Gameplay that is straightforward yet offers variety and nuance
- An interesting lore that is still open for influencing in new ways
- War Piggies!
- A welcoming community that has held itself accountable for poor conduct
- Ever improving model quality
- That moment you get a fine flank charge and break a more powerful opponent
Time to get back to the table and War some Kings!
It’s refreshing to hear about others struggling from hobby burnout, especially model painting and wargaming. Thank you for your perspective.
Great post Jess! I have walked that same road too.