2024 in Review: The road to 2000pts, the first competitive games, and what's next

A look back at the Vilniaus 39th and plans for the future

Welcome to my first blog post of 2025! I hope you all had a fantastic holiday season and that your new year is off to a great start.

As you may have noticed, there’s been a bit of a hiatus—and my slightly delayed new year’s greeting only highlights that. My last post was way back in November! Life has been busy, and the end of the year was even busier. Between family commitments, a demanding job, and moving house nearly 2,000 miles to a new country, it’s a wonder I managed to get any Warhammer done at all.

Still, I’m rather pleased I kept this blog going. In 2024, I managed 28 posts in total—just over one every two weeks. Just a smidge down from 33 in 2023, which is not too shabby all things considering. I’ve found it a brilliant way to track my progress and stay motivated.

Looking back at 2024

For me, there were three main themes in 2024:

1. Growing the Vilniaus 39th, looking towards my first-ever 2,000-point game

2. Trying out new painting and modelling techniques

3. Taking part in my first competitive games

Growing the Vilniaus 39th

As in 2023, the Vilniaus 39th expanded quickly in 2024, with new units added nearly every month. These included:

• A third additional Leman Russ tank—this time the standard 40k version.

• An extra Sentinel, based on the Solar Auxilia version from the Solar Auxilia Battlegroup box set.

• A Basilisk, also from the Solar Auxilia range—such a cool model! Also the first self-propelled indirect fire weaponry. I seemed to have missed the meta on that one.

• A unit of 20 Death Korps of Krieg, proxied by Solar Auxilia infantry (including a Death Korps Marshal).

• A Vindicare Assassin, converted from various bits and bobs in my collection.

• Another Vindicare Assassin—the commemorative series version.

• A fourth Leman Russ, built using the fantastic Solar Auxilia 30k kit.

• A second Rogal Dorn.

• Gaunt’s Ghosts, at last!

• A second Chimera.

• A squad of six Ogryns.

• A mortar squad.

I’m really happy with this expansion—it’s given me a nice range of units and much more flexibility when building lists. In fact, 2024 was the first time I played a 2,000-point game. If I really push it, the Vilniaus 39th is now over 2,500 points in total, and heading quickly towards 3,000.

Here’s a selection of units from 2024 that I’m particularly proud of:

Some of my 20-man Death Korps of Krieg blob, proxied by the fantastic new Solar Auxilia infantry from the Horus Heresy 30k range.

My first ever heavy weapons squad.

The awesome Solar Auxilia Basilisk.

And… Hulk Hogan?

My Vindicare assassin, made from various bitz.

Hobby progress

I’ve continued refining my painting and hobby styles, aiming for a balance between speed and a battle-ready finish. Contrast paints remain a big part of my process. In 2024, I took the plunge and used transfers for the first time—mostly on vehicles, but also on the commemorative Vindicare Assassin.

It was pretty near to add platoon numbers to my tank platoon.

… Though perhaps on a couple of vehicles I forgot that sometimes ‘less is more’!

I also changed my approach to washes, using them more liberally (particularly on vehicles) to achieve a grimmer, darker overall tone.

Here’s the clearest example of this. The Chimera on the left is my newest one, including a mark grimer and darker tone. More grimdark, I guess?

First competitive games

In 2024, I entered my first competitions. I started with a friendly-yet-competitive league at the local Wargamer club in Vilnius, playing about one game every two weeks. It was a great introduction to competitive play against familiar opponents, without too much pressure.

I then took part in my first proper tournament—a teams event in Riga. Not only was it a competition, but technically an international one! Hosted by the Latvian branch of the Wargamer club, it was an amazing couple of days. It was incredibly educational, though utterly exhausting. I’ve never played Warhammer so quickly, nor faced such skilled and experienced players.

Did I win many games? Not really. Did I learn a lot? Absolutely. The games were too fast-paced for meaningful notes for a battle report, so the detailed after-action reports are lost in the warp… Here’s a few photos, though.

First game of the tournament against a very talented Astra Militarum player. I put up a good fight, but eventually was worn down. Deep striking Scions in my backfield were the killing blog.

My final game against the Death Guard! A draw and a hard-fought game. My tanks bested Mortarian essentially in a single round that nonetheless required almost all my firepower - including both Rogal Dorns.

2024 was also the year in which I’ve played the most games, without a doubt. Not that I’m counting. Being involved in the above competitive leagues, along with a Crusade (see my many battle reports for more details), has helped me get more game time in than ever before. It’s been great!

What’s next for 2025?

This year looks set to be both exciting and busy. I plan to expand the Vilniaus 39th with the Death Korps of Krieg army set, and I’m also eyeing the new Ratlings when they get a separate release.

Looking at the new codex and its detachments, I’m particularly drawn to the ‘Hammer of the Emperor’ tank-focused detachment. That might even lead me to pick up a third Rogal Dorn and perhaps invest in more mechanised assault capabilities, like Kasrkin. In the meantime, I’ve got enough troops to maintain a decent range of tactical options.

In the immediate future, I’m finishing ‘Provisionally Prepared’, which should be a quick project. And…I also have a random Tau model to paint—my first xenos in years!

On the hobby side, along the backlog I’m looking to explore one or two other techniques. namely, I’ve love to do more battle damage, in particular on my vehicles. Also, I’m very much interested in airbrushes, both for priming - especially infantry - and for painting larger things like vehicles.

And regarding gaming plans, I am not sure yet. I’m planning to continue the existing Crusade campaign. Nothing yet on tournaments - I was signed up to the Vilnius GT but had to withdraw due to work commitments. Stay tuned!

As always, thanks for reading, and I wish you all the very best for 2025.