Saturday, January 4, 2020

2019: Year in Review

It's time for the customary annual review if Gaming activities!




Expenses:

October 2019
Adolfo Ramos flags 20.12, Sergeants $28 (preorder TSAF newest edition)

November 2019
Acheson Creations 81.60 (assorted scenics, esp gabions)
Foundry 255.75 (French Line infantry, Austrian Cuirassiers, Austrian Generals and Limbers, some Colonial items)

December 2019
Brigade Games 176.91 (French Generals and other French Napoleonic odds and ends, Fortress cannon, Colonial items, General d' Armee)

4th Quarter Total:  $562.47  (I just couldn't resist those year end sales, could I?)

3rd Quarter Total: $748.66

2nd Quarter Total:   $782.27


1st Quarter Totals: $590.89



TOTAL 2019:   $2,684.49

Previous years:  $2,671 in 2018, $2.906 in 2017, $1,679 in 2016, $2,235 in 2015

GOAL: was $1800 for the year, so I went over by 50%. The biggest reason for that was the unplanned acquisition of Bill McHugh's painted Chariot Wars armies. Aside from those figures, a relatively low percentage of the budget was spent on figures until the year end sales!




I generally use Delta Ceramcoat craft paints, but you get the idea...

Painting:

October 2019
54 Austrian Line Infantry, 120 points

November 2019

36 Austrian Line, 18 Early French Ligne, 120 points

December 2019

18 French Early Legere, 24 Macedonian Phalangites, 6 Siege Cannon, 150 pts


4th Quarter Total: 390 pts (plus a LOT of terrain!) 


3rd Quarter Total:  195 points

2nd Quarter Total:  561 points


1st Quarter Total:  795 pts



TOTAL 2019:  1,941 - lowest in the past 5 years, BUT I did a LOT of terrain in 2019!

Previous years:  2,857 in 2017, 3,717 in 2017, 3,320 in 2016, 2,235 in 2015


2019 Painting breakdown:
Army
Infantry
Cavalry
Artillery
Command
Points
Napoleonic  French
78



390
Napoleonic Badener
8
13
1
4
220
Napoleonic Bavarian



3
30
Napoleonic Austrian
90



450
Napoleonic Tirolese
4

1
7
65
Tony’s 20mm French Batt’n




96






ECW (roughly 50/50 K or P)
105
24

16
925






Ancient Macedonia
48



90






Siege Guns


6

60
Wagons


2

40

Thus ECW figures made up almost 50% of the painting output, driven by my plans to run Soggy Bottom multiple times, which I did Even with that, Napoleonic output still was the largest slice, with some of that driven by the planned Tyrolean Revolt games. 


GOALS: from p[lanning post a year ago, were:

1)  Once again, the lead for a large Macedonian Army I picked up several years ago is high on the list. Perhaps I should plan to run a game with them; A game with TTS at HAVOC in April or at Historicon might be a viable target.  The slightest of progress!

2) Add the elite companies and an early Legere unit to flesh out an early Imperial  French "Division" of 5 units in Biciorne/side plumed shakos for the Legere. I have more than enough lead on hand for a second such "Division" as well. done; need some more lead from Old Glory to do the rest of the second Division in Bicorne 

3) Paint some of the backlog of Great Italian Wars troops. Play testing daft versions of TTS, 2nd edition, if Simon proceeds with same, could provide some needed incentive there! Epic fail!

4) Start work on the ECW reinforcements I bought a year ago, with an eye towards running Soggy Bottom with FK&P.  Done!

5) Avoid starting any new projects! Fair; the McHugh figures are an expansion of existing forces, and I am slowly adding unpainted lead for a small Colonial Afrika project. 








Games:

4th Quarter: 2 Play test games for Vauban's Wars


3rd Quarter 8


2nd Quarter: 4


1st Quarter: Nil



TOTAL 2019: 14 games


Previous years:  11 in 2018, 10 in 2017, 12 in 2016, 9 in 2015


GOAL: was 12 games, so that target was exceeded for the first time. 






Blogging:
There were 84 posts in 2019, down a little again, but still about a post every  3 - 4 days, which is goal. Probably lower in part due to lower painting production!




Rules: 

worked with Simon to develop a long overdue Hussite army list for To the Strongest. Some assistance with play testing Eric's Vauban's Wars, and proof reading various editions of Brent's Field of Battle, 3rd edition.  Tried none of the intended new rules sets, however!

32 comments:

  1. Another very respectable year on the hobby front, Peter. You seem to have established a rhythm on all facets of the hobby that lend consistency and reproducibility to your efforts.

    Well done for 2019!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jon. I seem to specialize in consistently going over budget, LOL! This year was subpar for painting production, but I really did a lot of terrain work, so I have no regrets there.

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  2. Diversified and interesting stuffs, great year!

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    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed it. The ECW were the chief diversification, especially considering that I hadn't painted more than a handful of new ECW figures since the late 1970's otherwise!

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  3. I think the Tyrol collection was my favorite from you this year. Great work as always Peter!

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    Replies
    1. Although mostly completed in 2018, they saw lots of use in 2019. I would agree with you - a very different part of the Napoleonic Wars for sure!
      At least a few Tirolese will have to appear in the 1809 Campaign in a Day!

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    2. Being one of the Inhabers, I kinda favored this project too!

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    3. Agreed, consider the money not spent on frivolities and diversions while you are hunkered down at the paint table.

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    4. Non-opportunity non-costs! :-)
      "Honey, look at all the money I am saving by painting and nopt taking you out to dinner!"

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  4. That looks like a very productive year in all aspects Peter. It is quite striking how consistent your expenditure has been across the last few years, even if you did exceed your budget.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Lawrence. I hop that my painting output goes up in 202.

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  5. If I could paint half as much as you have and if you play half as many games as I have we would both have a great 2020 !! :-)

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    Replies
    1. Very true, my friend! :-)
      With you now being retired and me still working 60+ hours a week, I think it is more likely that you might achieve that goal than I!

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  6. Wow, very impressed with the level of detail, especially of expenses, how many of us really know this stuff? Analysis of the numbers can be interesting - for example expenditure = $2684.49, number of Games = 14, therefore Cost per game = $191.75..? But of course the actual games are not the sole reward, I'm sure the painting and terrain-building etc are a large part of the motivation in themselves. Not sure how you'd put a 'value' on that! Thanks anyway, quite thought-provoking.

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  7. Thanks for stopping by, David! It was my freind Tim, who gave me the idea to track my expenditures. I include anything hobby related like paints, basing and other materials, storage items specifically for my gaming stuff (a significant item the past several years!), shelves, spray primer, etc, etc, and especially the cost of attending conventions. I find it helpful t\o know how much I am spending and where it gets spent. It does provide some motivation for restraint as well... at least at times! Cost per game isn't really that unreasonable if you compared it with attending a sporting event, theater, or even going out to eat with 4 people. Of course, more games played would be the biggest way to decrease the cost per game... right?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As David mentions, for those of us deriving pleasure from the act of painting, time spent painting ought to be an added variable if you want to compute cost on a per unit basis. For me, valuing the entire endeavor makes wargaming a frugal hobby.

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    2. I completely agree; I enjoy the time painting, planning and purchasing armies, doing terrain items, designing scenarios, writing rules, and even doing army lists!

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  8. Impressive. I never keep a record of my spending on my beautiful obsession. Its best not to,and strangely I dont keep a record of my painting which probably explains why I keep finding painted units I didnt know I had. So well done with your disciplined approach.

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    Replies
    1. I have tracked the units I paint, and all the troops I have since I started the hobby in the late 1960's, originally in spiral bound notebooks. I do need to complete a census of my Renaissance troops, though, as that is incomplete. Tracking expenses is relatively new, but I find it helpful. Posting it here on the blog ensures my wife will never see it, LOL! In fairness, she has never complained about my expenditures, which I can certainly afford.

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  9. A fine total of painting and gaming, nicely done and Happy New Year Peter! All the best for the year ahead. :)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, mark, and all the best to you for 202 as well!

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  10. Your summaries remind me of how immense are the resources we pour into the hobby for a handful of games -- but man, are they worth it. Love the blog and the inspiration (and ideas to steal for my own blog) it provides. Happy Gaming in 2020.

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    Replies
    1. Obviously, I agree! :-) It is toughest when starting out, when there is a big investment of time and resources and not enough to game with. An intro set like Neil Thomas's 1 hour wargames is a great thing at that stage (and certainly not limited to that).

      Thanks for the kind words; I feel the same about your blog, Todd!

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  11. Fabulous summary, I must have a shot at that myself.

    All the best for your 2020 projects


    Cheers
    Matt

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Matt. At least you can claim them as a business expense?! :-)

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  12. Seems like you've had another good year! You couldn't turn down the chariot wars army now could you?!
    Best Iain

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    Replies
    1. I could have, but it was the personal connection that sold me on them. I haven't posted anything on the rest of that purchase as yet...

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  13. >>I generally use Delta Ceramcoat craft paints...

    Aha, another person who uses craft acrylics! I use them as well, (although in my case, I use Decoart Americana"). I find them much better value for money than paint brands like Vallejo.

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    Replies
    1. I think a lot of us use craft paint. I use Vallejo acrylic metallics, but almost no other "miniatures" paints. I have bottles that are well over 20 years old... as evidenced by the disintegration of the plastic of some of the battle tops!

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