Despite the pandemic subsiding, 2023 proved no less challenging with the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Palestine, and elsewhere. May our hobby continue to be a pleasant distraction from all that, despite its relationship to conflicts past!
Expenses:
October 2023
Piano Wargames: The Danube Campaign Kickstarter $552.00
November 2023
Nil
December 2023
Cigar Box Mats (6) $547.64
4th Quarter Total: $1,099.64
22023 Total: Q1 = $353.70 Q2 = $238.12 Q3 = $1,116;
Grand Total $2,807.54
Painting:
October 2023
Carabiniers a Cheval in Bearskins (80 points), Austrian high Command (65 points)
Wurttemberg IR #1 (90 points)
Revolting Peasants x 3 (180 points), Wurttemberg IR #5 (90 points), Wurttemberg Leibjager Garde (80 points), Wurttemberg Gardes du Corps (80 points).
4th Quarter Total: 665 points
2023 Total: Q1 = 1,155 points Q2 = 935 points Q3 = 747 points; Grand Total 3,507 points
Breakdown of the past 3 years:
2023 - 3,507 points
Napoleonic dominated, as expected, Almost half Confederation of the Rhine troops (and thus almost half Piano Wargames figures!). Strong showing by ECW Scots and Wars of the Roses, too.
2022 - 3,542.5 points
2021 - 3890 points
Games:
October 2023
Snappy Nappy 1809 "Crisis on the Danube" Campaign
November 2023
Battle of St Armand 1815 with To the Strongest: Napoleon.
December 2023
Eagles Cheaper than Brain Cells solo playtest, The Battle of Cookham Moor 1643 with For King and Parliament
4th Quarter Totals: 4
2023 Total: Q1 = 3 Q2 = 7 Q3 = 6; Grand Total = 20 games
Blogging
103 posts
Rules
New rules tried - Valor and Fortitude, Battle Command, Bloody Big Battles, Eagles Cheaper than Brain Cells.
Terrain
Added 9 scratch built Russian buildings
So, how was the 2023 performance compared with the goals set forth in January 2023?
Expenses:
Projection: Let's aim for $3,000 or less. I have 5 major board games, each from different genres slated for delivery in 2023 from Kickstarters (Coalitions, VoidFall, Castles of Burgundy Deluxe edition, Kingmaker Remastered, and HOMM - the Boardgame) so really, why would I need any more? I have a relatively few figures I want to add, but Lucas may well do TWO Kickstarters in 2023, and I will surely support those!
Result: $2,807, a bit under the (very generous) budget.
Goal: Stay at $3,000 or less for 2024. Lucas will surely have at least 2 more Kickstarters in 2024! Other than those, major lead purchases seem unlikely, bar a new project arising...
Painting:
Projection: Aim for at least 3,000 points again. Start the Wurttembergers, finish the Hessian Cavalry, Artillery, and Command, add more ECW Scotts, and may be a few more WotR Old Glory figures. Only the later requires any new lead purchases! Napoleonics seem likely to rule the painting table in 2023 once again!
Results: Pretty much right on target, and a bit above goal at 3,507 points, 1,100 points of Wurttembergers; the last of them should be completedin Q1 of 2024 ; Hessians completed, Bavarinas about half done, major adds to ECW Scots and WotR forces.
Goal: Aim for 3,000 points again; finish Wurttembergers and Bavarians, Make a dent in the remaining Austrian Napoleonics, add to ECW Scotts, refurb the remainder of the 25 mm Late Medieval figures. Maybe start of the expansion of my Napoleonic Portuguese forces (most lead already on hand). Possible reorganization and some updates to my Assyrian army, possible additions to Macedonians/Thracians. Maybe add to the Tyrolians (Lead on hand already).
Games:
Projection: Aim for 18 games
Results: 20 games, more or less on target.
Goal: Aim for 18 games again
Blogging:
Projection: At least 100 posts for 2023.
Results: 103 posts, on target
Goal: stay at 100 or more posts for the year
Rules:
Projection: I'll likely do as poorly as in the past, but playing "Eagles" and "123!" remain a goal, and add in Absolute Emperor (Osprey) and the new Perry Napoleonic rules "Valor and Fortitude". I would still like to try Form Line of Battle, and Grand Fleet Actions, and now add in Black Seas (the set designated for Naval affairs on our very languid Napoleonic Imaginations Warplan 5/5 campaign. For Sci-Fi Naval, Starmada, Stars and Lasers, and Ascension of the Galaxy remain goals. I probably will need to retire (planned for October 1, 2025) to accomplish much here!
Results: New rules played - Bloody Big Battles, Command Patrol, "Eagles", and Valor & Fortitude.
Goal: I'm pretty content with the rules I play - I will likely use V&F 2nd edition at HAVOC in April, getting some Naval and Sci-Fi games on the table remains a goal, odds only fair. Hopefully get around to trying 123 Napoleonics.
The Scoring
(From the Analogue Painting Challenge)
6mm foot figure = 0.5 point
6mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 1 point
6mm vehicle = 2 points
6mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 1 point
6mm vehicle = 2 points
10mm foot figure = 1 point
10mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 2 points
10mm vehicle = 3 points
10mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 2 points
10mm vehicle = 3 points
15mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 4 points
15mm vehicle = 6 points
20mm foot figure = 4 points
20mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 8 points
20mm vehicle = 12 points
28mm foot figure = 5 points
28mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 10 points
28mm vehicle = 15 points
28mm chariots w/ crew 15, + 5 for each crew figure and/or horse
40mm foot figure = 7 points
40mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 15 points
40mm vehicle = 20 points
40mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 15 points
40mm vehicle = 20 points
54mm foot figure = 10 points
54mm mounted figures, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 20 points
54mm vehicle, limber, etc. = 30 points
54mm mounted figures, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 20 points
54mm vehicle, limber, etc. = 30 points
Peter, you are a model of planning and execution. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI don't know about that, Jon, but overall expectations were met, and it was a good year!
DeleteVery impressive roll up of the recent months worth of hobby activities. I must admit I try not to tally up expenditures. Lol 😆
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dean. If you don't know what you spend, it's harder to control it
DeleteA pretty solid year in terms of aims v's achievements, Peter - well done. I do agree US$3000 is a pretty generous budget to keep within - that would be around NZ$5000!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Keith. One advantage of working 50 - 60 hours a week at age 68+ is that I can well afford it. Still, it's higher than I would like. Blame Lucas and his amazing sculpts... the past few years at least!
DeleteYes , blame poor Lucas, he keeps making more stuff you need!
DeleteI totally blame him... but in a good way, LOL!
DeleteYou seem to maintain a fairly consistent output over the years. That is quite impressive and firmly places me in the category of "must try harder".
ReplyDeleteI have been pretty consistent over quite a few years; an hour of painting a day can make a huge difference! Motivation makes a big difference as well - a planned big game etc really drives painting production, as opposed to just a general, vague idea.
DeleteYes, when I get in a bit of hobbying each day, then things start to add up. A good ways back I did 100 days in a row of painting, although that wasn't an easy accomplishment. I've also done two 100 days in a row of hobbying, and that makes the task a bit easier. Hope to give such another go at some point. Congrats on your efforts!
DeleteThanks, mark. You certainly shared in a large amount of my hobby activities in 2023!!!
DeleteA very productive year Peter, especially with the usual Snappy Nappy campaign and all the organising that goes into it. Do you have any advance notice of what Lucas's kickstarters will be this year?
ReplyDeleteYour own productivity is utterly awe inspiring, Lawrence! :-)
DeleteThe next Kickstarter will presumably include French Heavy cavalry, maybe the Hussars, French Imperial Guard, Grenzer, and maybe some Austrians in French in Campaign dress. Not sure he'll be able to finish all of the (1809) Guard in one KS. After that, presumably a return to the Rheinbund - perhaps Baden, Berg, and the smaller states like Nassau, Frankfurt, the Saxon Duchies, etc. I am, sure we will be seeing more previews on Facebook once the current KS is shipped, which may be by the end of this month!
Like yourself I have a lot of covered, but am sure there will be something irresistible among that lot.
DeleteBeyond doubt! :-)
DeleteI'm waiting for the Bavarian Chevauxlegers myself.
A good year indeed Peter
ReplyDeleteThanks, David. Was your games played total over 400?! :-)
Delete201. A new record for me. 202 is the target for 2024! Historicon will help and I might get over for another US convention
DeleteRecovering from my vertigo brought on by your rainbow spiral... :)
ReplyDeleteWe are fortunate indeed to be able to engage in a peaceful and painless hobby with so much trauma in the real world. Here's to the latter ending soon.
Regards, James
Amen to that, James! Sorry about the vertigo! :-)
DeleteLooks like your projection and reality are pretty close to me, your recent Rhinebund troops are lovely so I can see why you are drawn to any additional units!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
The various Rheinbund states and their armies are one of the big attractions of the Napoleonic era for me, and that is especially true in 1809!
DeleteThe production line of nicely painted chaps seemed relentless :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't know about that, Gary, but it was certainly a good year from that standpoint!
DeleteHappy New Year Peter! Sounds like you have done pretty well with your goals to me. Your blog posts are far more impressive than mine for sure, I start with good intentions then just get around to even looking at blogger for weeks and weeks! I wish you a fruitful year with your projects. Best wishes, Jason
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jason. I try to keep a balance of new unit picture posts, game reports, scenarios, rules posts, etc. I enjoy blogging, but it does consume time!
Delete