Hey Hey Hey Hey all, Danny here with his own set of gaming resolutions (the only ones that really matter) for 2017. 2016 was a bad year for me gaming wise as while I started strong in February and March, my little termagant has essentially sucked all hopes of solid gaming time. Hopefully this year, I’ll have a bit more time and freedom, so with that in mind, let’s see what I will inevitably fail at doing!
1. Own every current, non Forge World model in the Tyranids Faction.
Ok, so this one is the easiest as it just requires me to buy stuff, but with an infant, my hobby funds are pretty tight. I will definitely need to prioritize and maybe unload some other models to help fund this (if you want a good deal on some harlequins, hit me up). As I’ve been playing Tyranids since their debut, I should have this done already, but as I am an idiot, I’ve sold my bugs off and on over the long years, and I am finally getting back to a solid collection.
Right now, I am only missing: A Hive Crone, Exocrine, Maleceptor, Toxicrene, Haruspex, Trygon, and Pyrovore Brood.
That’s not a small amount of cash as those are some big ticket kits, but seeing as I have everything else, in multiples, I can make it work. I have already sworn the oath to the Great Devourer that I will not ever sell my Tyranids again unless I am officially out of the hobby, and that isn’t going to happen any time soon, if ever, so I don’t feel too bad just packing more and more bugs into my limited space. Obviously, I’d also love all the Forgeworld goodies, and really, for the big kits, I just need a Harridan (I have a custom one, but why not two?) and a Scythed Hierodule, but then there are still the Stone-Crusher Carnifexes, custom rippers, and all that jazz. I’d like my son to eat and have clothes, so maybe for 2018.
2. Paint every Tyranid model that I own.
Ok, this one is definitely much harder. While my bugs are a good 70% painted, and I can field multiple lists that are 100% done, I still have a lot left to do. My Harpies are unpainted as are about 30 gargoyles and 50ish (oof) Hormagants, and I do have a few other models that need to be finished or repainted as I picked them up second-hand, and they don’t match my scheme at all.
I am not a stellar painter, but I know how to paint bugs, so hopefully I can carve out hobby time each week and just start cranking. Truly, Red Primer is the greatest thing to ever happen to me. Hopefully, I can get a few good bursts in that let me crank out the Hormagant factory. It would be pretty baller to say by the end of 2017 that I have 10,000 points of Tyranids that are 100% painted. 
3. Be in the top 10 of Tyranid players in the ITC.
Ok, here is another one that I will likely fail as it requires that I actually get to play in tournaments, and I’ve managed one since my son was born in July, but I am hoping that after LVO, I can start fresh and make at least 4 or 5 RTTs and maybe 1 GT, and obviously, only bring my Bugs when doing so. For one shining moment in early 2016, I was the top Tyranid player, and I’ve slid out of the top 10 this year as I have only 3 placings with them at all, and I doubt I’ll get a chance to play this month, but maybe (hopefully). It doesn’t help that the few times I’ve been able to go to an RTT, I’ve had to help run them rather than play, and as I’ll be judging again at LVO, there goes my last chance for big points.
Really, this resolution is not about the pride of being a top Hive-Tyrant, but rather trying to break me of my habit of playing a different army every month. I am building my World Eaters, but that will be mostly for leagues and friendly games, but I need to make Tyranids my only “competitive” faction, and yes, that is 40k on Hard-mode, but I love those little guys so much, and really, after two decades of playing them, they are the army that I have mad reps with.
The hardest part about this is that to do so, I don’t just need to show up, but I need at least two 3-0 RTT showings and then a positive record at a larger event. Hopefully I will be able to do Broadside Bash this year as it is so close to my birthday, I can hopefully have the points necessary to be gone for the weekend.
So there you go, 2017 will be the year I renew my love and vows to the Great Devourer, and I have hope that 8th edition might help them just a bit, but either way, I am planning to collect, paint, and play my bugs as much as possible.
And you know, the obligatory Patreon shill.
