Looking back on the year

Another year whooshes past! Where do they go and why do they seem to be passing faster? It's probably my age ;o)

At the start of the year I set out my grand plans and yet again I've managed to largely ignore them. So what are my thoughts for the last year or so in terms of gaming?

First the good bits...

Shows
I've managed two this year. Penarth way back in January and then my first ever Salute in April. Thoroughly enjoyed them both and got a real gaming boost from each show. I would definitely recommend trying to get to some shows each year. Try make a list of purchases, or pre-order, to save you impulse buying all sorts of stuff.

Events
In March, Scarab Miniatures ran a one day Great War event near Nottingham. We made it in to a family weekend away and a splendid time was had by all. The event itself was superb fun both in terms of the games, and being able to meet some fellow WW1 gaming enthusiasts. With Scarab now re-located rather closer to the South West I hope to attend more this year and perhaps even help organise something.

Rules
I was privileged to be invited to help out with the soon-to-be-published Scarab Ancients ruleset War & Conquest. Whilst I couldn't give it quite as much attention as I'd hoped, I've still been delighted to be able to playtest, suggest ideas, give comments, etc. I look forward to seeing the finished article very soon!

Scenery
Good wargames need good scenery, that's my view. To that end I've managed to get most of my Dark Ages village painted, plus I've made a good start on some items for making Great War tables more interesting. Both projects require quite a lot more work, but scenery for me is one of those ongoing projects. Plus, it makes a nice change from painting miniatures.

Blogs
Writing this blog and reading comments from you gives me both satisfaction and inspiration, and I'm pleased that I've managed to keep the blog rolling along even if I haven't completed quite as much stuff as I'd hoped. A big THANK YOU to all of you who keep visiting, following and commenting! I've also been delighted at reading the blogs of others, some of which I've linked on the RHS. These are another great source of inspiration and ideas.

Now the 'not-so-good' points...

Butterfly
When it comes to gaming projects it seems that I all too easily flit from one thing to another, often without really achieving very much on the previous project. I read plenty of books and fool myself that I'm doing "research". I really need to figure out how to fix this!?

Painting
Despite my grand plans I've made no real progress with my EIR, Celt or Napoleonic armies. To be honest this has been one of the least productive years for a long time in terms of painted miniatures. Which, considering I quite enjoy painting, is rather odd. I could come up with a list of excuses but what I really need to do is find a little more self-discipline, be a bit more organised/motivated and get stuff painted! Perhaps I should sign up for an event that requires me to finish an existing project?

Games
This year I've played a handful of W&C games, four or five games of TGW, plus a few other bits and pieces. Barely one game a month. By George, this isn't good enough!! Maybe more gaming will inspire more painting? Bristol Big'uns meet at Iron Acton (near Bristol) which is just more than an hour away. Whilst this means that the Sunday evening sessions finish a bit too late for me, they do seem to have fairly regular all day events.

Summary
Rather than make plans for painting 'this' or playing 'that', etc, the only plan I shall make is simply to try to do more of everything (time and money permitting). In fact, apart from a few bits and pieces (like shield transfers, bases, etc) I could probably finish some projects without really needing to buy very much! What you get out of a hobby in terms of fun and satisfaction is in direct proportion to the amount of effort you put in. I need to do more painting, playing and going to events/shows.