What do you mean by "bombs out" exactly? A computer does not just stop working simply because its no longer supported by its manufacturer.
Also support can be in 2 forms, Hardware through service, and software through OS updates.
Currently 2012 MacBook Pros will support the upcoming macOS Catalina, but that will likely be the last major macOS update for them.
That does not mean they will instantly stop working the moment a new macOS update is released. Apple will continue to issue security updates and fixes for previous macOS versions for at least 2 years after they have been superseded.
So for a 2012 MacBook Pro that means you'll get Catalina this year, and then software fixes at least until 2021.
After that the computer will continue to work as it has but no longer receive any software updates, and App support from 3rd party developers may start dwindling.
Whether it still does what you need at that point, is entirely up to you to decide. But at around 10 years old by then, it seems like a decent life span for a computer.