Friday 30 December 2022

Reflections on my hobby year

Well, I hope everyone had a peaceful Christmas and the festivities were festooned with hobby-related gifts and some time to maybe even get a game in or pick up a paintbrush, or even just to read hobby 'stuff' with a glass of something appropriate whilst sitting in your favourite armchair.

It's at this time of year that I reflect on the year gone by and the lessons drawn whilst gazing into the distance and formulating a plan for what's next in hobby terms.

At the start of this year I stated that the 1704 Wars of Vaubarian Succession would be my point of focus for 2022.

I had hoped, perhaps ambitiously (and what's life without ambition?), that I might "finish" the project. Well, I am glad to say that I didn't! Glad, because it has been a labour of love and continues to be. I'm pleased with my progress and output for the year; there are still a couple more cavalry regiments to do, and that I have also expanded the project beyond the initial boundaries by adding more to the Pils Holstein contingent, and creating more vignettes.

The resulting game at Partizan was very pleasing, personally, and that has to be the highlight of the year.



In terms of painting output, as I said I am pleased with the year. In addition to the WVS project, I have allowed myself to go "off piste" and done some other things which may feature in my plans for 2023... we'll see.

Other highlights have been the games I have played, both with the fledgling Old Berks group (thanks John, Andy, and Steve) and the games and meet ups with John Boadle & Garry Broom chez John.

Correspondence with friends old and new has been, and always will be, a major factor in the hobby. It has been particularly important to rekindle some old lapsed friendships this year too. For that, I am eternally grateful.

I notice that this is my 29th post this year, and that coincidentally I posted the same number of times in 2021 aswell. I am in awe of those who post on their blogs more often, some several times per week. Thank you for continuing the entertainment and inspiration in equal measure. I plead forgiveness that I do not post more often.

And so, it just remains for me to thank you, dear reader(s), for your engagement with the blog this past 12 months, and your comments.

Wishing you a happy end to the year and a prosperous 2023.


24 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Phil! Perhaps you can set stretch goal of cracking 30 posts in 2023?

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    1. Happy New Year Jonathan. 30 posts sounds like a good target to aim at.... We'll see! Best regards. Phil

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  2. Coincidentally, Phil, I found myself reading through some of your earliest posts (from 2013) here yesterday afternoon before I dug out those two early issues of Battlegames to revisit your articles on project management, painting points, and so forth. There cannot be many hobbies where it is as much fun to gaze into the rearview mirror as we move simultaneously "forward into the past" as someone once wrote. We have not spoken in a couple of years, but thank you for your continued inspiring work in the hobby and Happy New Year!

    Kind Regards,

    Stokes

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    1. Thanks Stokes. And Happy New Year. I noticed in one of your posts that you managed to doze off in the armchair whilst reading the articles I had written! At least my offerings are a proven cure for insomnia! Best regards. Phil

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  3. Hi Phil, I have enjoyed your posts throughout the year and the sharing of what is on your table. Don’t worry about the number of posts, the quality is better than the quantity. Happy New Year.

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    1. Many thanks Norm. Happy New Year. And thank you for continuing to pop by and comment. Much appreciated. Phil

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  4. Phil your work has inspired me from when I was much younger.

    I really loved seeing the pictures of the Vaubanian Succession game played earlier in the year. Looking forward to seeing more of this as you continue with its development.
    Richard

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    1. Thank you Richard. Best regards for a prosperous 2023. Phil

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    1. Thank you John... and HNY to you too. See you sometime soon. Best regards. Phil

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  6. I always enjoying it when you have anew post up as I find your work and posts most inspiring, here's too many more in the new year!!

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    1. Thank you for your unstinting support Donnie. Happy New Year to you. Best regards. Phil

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  7. Seems like you had a good hobby year Phil, creating a new collection and getting in some great games, I would not worry about the number of times you post ( he says, having artificially manufactured the last few just to achieve an all time high this year!) it's the quality, not the quantity that matters.

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    1. Congratulations on your all time best number of posts!! Here's to a productive 2023. Best regards. Phil

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  8. Happy New Year Phil and I've enjoyed your posts as and when you have been able to do them. The WotVS I've loved and hope to see more of in 2023.

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    1. Thanks Steve. Happy New Year to you too. Here's to a great 2023. Best regards. Phil

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  9. Happy New Year Phil…
    I look forward to seeing your hobby adventures over the next twelve months… the quality definitely outweighs the quantity.

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Thanks Aly. Here's to a prolific and productive 2023. Have a great New Year. See you at Partizan no doubt. Best regards. Phil

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  10. Happy New Year!
    All the best,
    Karl

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    1. Thank you Karl. HNY to you too. Best regards. Phil

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  11. Happy New Year, Phil! Thankyou for your inspiring posts over the last year. I admire the way you plan your modelling & gaming goals, and this gives me an occasional "kick in the proverbial" to do some myself. In fact the sad fact is that I spent very little time doing anything with the hobby oil the last year apart from some acquisitions and some online interaction.

    So, My NY resolution is to actually DO some gaming & modelling/painting - you are the inspiration here (along with CSG & his Wargamers' Annual from Santa) and this resolution has been verbalised to SWAMBO...and I still survive! :-D

    So many thanks, and all the best for a great year and I look forward to your posts, especially the WVS ones, though the Ancients has stirred me too!

    All the best for 2023, Rohan.

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    1. Thank you Rohan. And thank you for continuing to visit and supporting the blog. Best regards. Phil

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  12. Sorry I missed Partizan. Your game looked excellent. And 29 posts in a year is pretty good. I only managed a couple. Something I must remedy in 2023. It's easy to just post on social media but you don't get the depth of a blog post. Twitter is still good for quick updates, Facebook I gave up altogether a few months ago, but yes, blogs need more love!

    I need to take a leaf out of your (note)book and have a final plan for my C18th ImagiNation stuff as at the moment it seems never ending... Look forward to seeing your progress in 2023. All the best. Andy.

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    1. Thanks Andy. Good to see you at the VWC yesterday. Hope to catch up again very soon. Best regards. Phil

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