Reviewing, Reflecting, and Plans for the Year

Firstly, Happy New Year! 

I trust you had a peaceful and enjoyable festive season, and that 2024 is stretching out before you like an inviting new chapter, in hobby terms, to enjoy it with renewed vigour and joy!

In the twilight, numberless, nameless days between Christmas and New Year (liberally peppered with hosting several social and family gatherings), I was curating a number of old hobby photographs. Amongst these were some of my hobby room when I lived up in Scotland.

Made me all nostalgic for a moment!

Over the past few days, I have been enjoying the email correspondence with members of the Virtual Wargames Club who have been setting out their plans for the year.

Similarly, my little gaming group, The Old Berks, have also been putting together their individual views on what the year will hold for them, hobby-wise.

In time-honoured fashion, this afternoon, I had a couple of hours with my own hobby journal just taking stock and making plans, so I thought I would take this opportunity to do likewise on the blog, beginning with a frank review of the year just gone.

Review of 2023.

In short, if ever a school report could have said, "Could do better", 2023 was that year! Notwithstanding certain mitigating factors, reflections on the last year are:

Gaming - not enough. In fact, very little. Now, whilst the gaming part of the hobby is not necessarily always my number one priority, I do want to have more games in the coming year.

Painting - not enough done. I started the year well with some Condottiere for playing Never Mind The Billhooks, and raced away for the first calendar quarter. Similarly, the last couple of months have been productive with the eastern renaissance project taking centre stage and getting some 'umph!' behind it. In total, in 2023, I achieved only 237 painting points (where an infantryman is one point, a cavalryman two points- one for rider, one for horse - and so on).

Display games at shows - none done in 2023. Will be back 'on the circuit' in 2024.

Virtual Wargames Club - this was a real boost; a Saturday afternoon tonic. Having set it up during lockdown back in 2020, I had dropped out for a while, but I'm delighted that it has been taken on by Stephen Caddy, and others, and adapted and improved along the way. I now attend when I can and certainly enjoy the company of the assembled throng.

Correspondence and Sharing - whilst I'm not a great one for posting on social media about the hobby, I do value regular correspondence with several people, chiefly via email. Again, that has been a highpoint of the year in being able to just chat about plans and ideas for projects.

Talking of which...

Plans for 2024.

Games - already have some in the diary, and hope this will be a much better year. Billhooks, some Eastern Renaissance using the fledgling collection, the old 1704 Wars of the Vaubarian Succession, will all get some attention.

Painting - I have set myself a modest target of 350 painting points for the year, primarily for the Eastern Renaissance project. There are also plans to add to the Billhooks Condottiere armies, and to possibly add more to the 1704 WVS project. In addition, I may paint 'something different and surprising' later on in 2024, if the mood still takes me towards the end of the year. I'm not letting this get in the way of the primary projects however.

Shows and Display Games - I probably won't go to York this year, but will visit Hammerhead and WMMS at Alumwell. I plan to do Display Games at both Partizans in 2024.

Writing - I will blog a  little more (maybe a lot more) and I also have some articles in draft for whichever magazine fancies them!

That just about covers it.

Finally, I was sad to hear the news of Bryan Ansell's passing the other day. I didn't know him well, but back in the 1990s we did correspond for a while, and had a number of lengthy phone calls, chewing the hobby fat. I only met him a couple of times I think. He also sent a rather nice Christmas card on one occasion, which I kept.

He certainly had an impact on the hobby and made a remarkable contribution. My condolences to his family and friends.