Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Hobby Plans for 2016

Now that I have sliced and diced the numbers from 2015 in too many ways, it's time to think about the new year. Usually, my gaming plans are a prime driver of painting and/or purchasing, so I will start there.


"Napoleon planning his Campaigns" from the St Petersburg Collection

Convention Games:

Portal Con (at The Time Machine in Manchester, CT) A one day event this year, Saturday February 6th. It looks like I am free that day so I just confirmed plans to run two small game there with To The Strongest!  Egypt vs Assyria and Hussites vs Catholic "Crusaders".

HAVOC (Shrewsbury, MA) April 1- 3. I plan to run a game there, which pretty much has to be Saturday afternoon for me. . This will either be using Snappy Nappy or To the Strongest. GM registration is already open, and closes Feb 21st, so I have to decide about this one soon as well. I am leaning towards Snappy Nappy given our plans for April. Probably another 1813 action.

Snappy Nappy Winter 1807 Campaign in a Day (Manchester, CT)  Date TBD, but probably April 23 or 24. James is the lead man for this. We have been tossing around some interesting ideas for simple supply rules using some miniature supply wagon models (and/or surplus limber stands). 

Historicon (Fredericksburg, VA)  July 14 - 17. I plan to run a game with my 15mm Renaissance Galleys, at least one game with To the Strongest, and and at least one game with FoB2. I was leaning towards Raab, 1809. This years theme is Cavalry Through the Ages (just recently posted, I  believe). Hmm, that really calls for.. THE GREAT CAVALRY BATTLE OF LIEBERTWOLKWITZ (14th October, 1813)  (link is to an  online multi-part article by Peter Hofschröer from Miniature Wargames #38). I think I just talked myself into this one. I knew there had to be a reason I ordered those 2 new regiments of Muraski Polish Uhlans!

Ellis Con (Danielson, CT)  November 
I have no idea, too soon to plan for this one. 


Other Games

I now have a game scheduled with Barry for January 17th, probably To the Strongest, combatants TBD. Good practice for further games. He has some Imperial Romans which could fight my Palmyrans or a Barbarian Conspiracy type force. 

Klagenfurt, 1809: I am finishing (at last) the wagons needed for this one, and hope to put it on the table somewhere this year.

Game with Jared and company in Tarrytown, NY - ? maybe sometime this spring.

Simple Napoleonic Campaign with Barry - Brent is working on an FoB2 adaptation of his "Theater of War" campaign rules for Piquet, tentative titled "Seasons of Battle". If he pushes forward with that, we might either use or playtest it. Other wise we'll probably adapt ToW for FoB2 ourselves which shouldn't be  that difficult.
Suggested Musical Accompaniment: "The Four Seasonings" by PDQ Bach.

Get in at least one game with Joe this year - maybe classic Piquet, or Galactic Knights?

Try to get a Napoleonic Naval game on the table by the end of the year.

Try to get to at least 12 games played and/or run for the year.

Painting

British Napoleonic Cavalry and Foot Artillery - finish by the end of the year. Maybe a few more infantry units, then this army is DONE. 

Muraski Baden Infantry and GDW Uhlans - finish by July.

"Mass of Macedonians" - Paint up at least enough for "To the Strongest" games by Historicon

Other projects as time allows - Napoleonic odds and ends, Great Italian Wars troops, Eureka Concerto vignette. 

Spending

Continue to monitor and record. I am determined to cut way down this year. My goal is not to exceed $100/month/$1200 per year including Historicon related non gaming expenses. We'll see!

The Lead Pile

Initiate a spreadsheet to catalog and track.

Books, etc

Read more, don't buy too much!  Would like to get Vol 2 of James Arnold's books on the 1809 and 1807 campaigns. Board games aren't usually something I buy much of. Likewise, for computer games, mostly updates of old favorite games to modern operating systems, which are usually very inexpensive (Gog.com). 

Publications

Nothing really planned at this time, but need to develop a new. more streamlined version of rules for my 15mm Renaissance galleys. 

12 comments:

  1. Looks like reasonable goals and attainable for 2016. I look forward to seeing more progress on your 28mm Napoleonics and would enjoy seeing more work on your Great Italian Wars project.

    Like you, setting a goal of one game per month, on average, seems about right to me.

    Counting The Lead Pile? I don't believe I have the energy to duplicate your effort, there.

    Reading more is high on my list too. I collect books at a much faster rate than I read. One day, I may even catch up!

    I will be watching progress on all of these goals in 2016.
    Good luck, Peter!

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  2. I need to finish the British so that I can start on my last great Napoleonic project - the Spanish!

    I know the Lead Pile isn't TOO large... or at least I THINK I know that, large of course being a relative term, eh? I think a spread sheet is the way to track this over time, along with date acquired and date completed. Requires time and energy to start and maintain, of course!

    Speaking of the Lead Pile and the Great Italian Wars, I have figures to add another Pike block, some more 2 handed swordsmen, and especially a 12 figure unit of gorgeous Eureka Gendarmes that really is ong due to emerge from the the dust they have been gathering for at least the past 7 years.

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  3. I suspect you will be able to get most of these things done. Good luck.

    John

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  4. Looking forward to seeing more of your Napoleonic troops from the tabletop!

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    1. If all goes according to plan, there should be lots more British cavalry, British Foot Artillery and Highlanders, Baden infantry, and Polish Uhlans in 2016.

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  5. Great looking plans for the year Peter - $100 a month hey...good luck mate as there are just so many wonderful items being released these days. Look forward to following your adventures this year.

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    1. Yes, there is a lot of great stuff out there. We'll see how well I do. It helps that I have no major project on tap for this year, and quite a lot of lead that is already on hand and needs paint!

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  6. That looks like a fulfilling yet disciplined agenda for 2016 Peter. I just hope I will be able to exercise the same restraint.

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    1. One of our friends joked that he planned to open a new Gym called "Resolutions"; After January 21st it changes into a Bar for the rest of the year! Hopefully I can do better than that! :-)

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  7. Them's some serious plans Peter. We shall enjoy seeing them come to pass as you report on your blog.
    I am excited to see your game of Liebertwolkwitz already!!

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    1. We have talked about doing Liebertkolwitz for quite a few years, and it would have been on the agenda for Historicon 2013 if Joe had been able to make it to the show. I need to firm up the OOB, map, and test a scenario for the game. I shouldn't need any new troops, except perhaps a few more Polish Uhlans, and I have two regts worth of fresh new Murawski lead for those if needed!

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