A Look To the Old...On With the New...hey there 2018

So, as is observed tradition in the blogging world...it is time for that obligatory look back at the gaming year that was and embrace the new year coming to identify some objectives and hopes for where our gaming activities may lead...

So, happy new year folks...I hope all was and/or will be well as we move from 2017 to the first week of this year of 2018.

For me, a look back is definitely worthwhile as it gives me a chance to pause everything and actually admit or recognize what really did happen...and not just transpire in my brainpan...as well, because I'm not without my brainfarts or memory lapses...it is a good chance to get some recall on the year that was.

To start, lets take a look at the lofty objectives I laid out for myself 365 ago...

• I hope to get more terrain work done...I am at odds for theme, 15mm Afghanistan, 15mm Vimy Ridge, 15 or 28mm sci-fi (thank you Rogue Stars), 28mm modern?
• Unfortunately this was a bit of a bust for me...while I did produce a couple of 'ice wall' terrain pieces, I did not have a coordinated plan for moving this objective forward.  I do have several pieces in progress that could work for 28mm sci-fi and 15mm but they require an extra level of attention that I did not get to last year...
• I want to increase my painting output...I have a wall of mountain that I would like to reduce...I'll share that at a later date, but I'd like to reduce it.
• at the end of 2016 I had painted about 183 x 15mm figs and vehicles and 44 x 28mm figs...while I did not approach the numbers for 15mm...Thanks to some advice from a fellow TMP poster, I discovered Sorastro and I had a significant change in my painting style which with some models does take up more time.  However, I was able to paint up 75 x 15mm figs and vehicles and 91 x 28mm figures.  I'm very happy with this output and definitely can see that for me, 2017 was the year of the 28mm figure.
• 4 CMBG for Team Yankee...more Russians as well, there are some new great looking models coming...these would work for some First Clash scenarios
• as my 15mm output was under half of what it was in the previous year, my progress on Team Yankee did suffer...however, I added some great Soviet models to the force and have some ZSU's basecoated waiting for their time.  As well, I did get back to 4CMBG, and as advertised, I did take extra time on these models...however I was able to finish 6 x Leopard C1's for my Royal Canadian Dragoon squadron...as Battlefront is going Canuck this year there maybe some plastic tanks with C1 details in the future...it'll make scratchbuilding solutions easier...but all in all, I'm happy with my TY progress
• Viking warband for SAGA...first immediate goal of the year for our clubs SAGA campaign
• this objective was completed rather quickly...I painted up 4 points of warband early in the year...
• I think that covers it...keep the objectives limited...and in that vein, my last objective is to keep a closer tally of how my painting progresses (give the Russian internet bots something more to falsely ring my view count up with...thanks Vlad...)
• keeping the objectives light meant a little more distraction than I wanted...combined with some heavy DIY reno work around the house between June and August, my painting was not as focused as I would have like...but, I definitely became better at keeping account of my +/- overall progress...so very happy with that.

For next year, the question comes up...what are my objectives?

• I would like to finish the core box for Imperial Assault and The Walking Dead...Star Wars Legion and Fallout are coming...the models are 30-32mm-ISH and they look spectacular! So, it would be good to get IA and TWD completed
• I would like to finish the TY models that are currently on my bench.  I have a box of Leopard 1's to prep for my RCD's...I have a battery of M109's basecoated for my 4CMBG...I have a ZSU-4 unit and additional BMPs and T-72s as well as a couple of Frogfoots to complete for my Sov's...AND, I need to finish the bases for my Soviet MR company...oh, and the Marines are coming...so, yeah...get my arse moving on that...
• Complete my terrain pieces that I started for Star Wars and Cold War...there are about 3-4 pieces total...it would be good to get those done so I could move on to some other terrain...potentially some scatter for Frostgrave and/or a 15mm Afghan compound/ville and/or scatter for 15mm Cold War
• I would like to put together a sequence of scenarios for Cold War gaming that could fit into a campaign...more thoughts on that later in the year...

So, with that I guess that pretty much sorts it out...my last overarching goal is to reduce the size of lead mountain and make some actual progress on my wall of shame...I did reduce the number of blisters on my peg board...BUT then like a fool, I went ahead and filled in the holes with more models...sigh, first world problems...

The wall of shame...sigh

 

Completed near end year...definitely one of my favourites...

 

and another favourite, the beginnings of the Rhino Company...not to mention the misfit collection of the Rogue Stars Dirty Half-Dozen...obviously, we need to add in that last guy...

 

And some random recaps...Happy New Year folks...