Tuesday 4 August 2020

Planning?

Last week I had some time off, so Steve and I agreed to meet up for a socially distanced lunch at our favourite venue/Fencible HQ in Moreton-in-Marsh in the Cotswolds.

One of the things that cropped up during our chat was my planning folder which I use to keep track of my hobby activities and plans. Each project has a separate section in which I have an overview (rationale, criteria, objectives, etc) and then things like scenarios, orders of battle, painting schedules, handy references, notes and ideas, and so on.



Coincidentally, at this week's Virtual Wargames Club, one of the members who was giving a short presentation on what he had been up to this week showed us some of the planning he does for his projects. This sparked a discussion which we took into the breakout session. It seems that the wargaming world is fairly polarised... some people like to have a comprehensive plan of what they are doing, while others are happy to simply do what takes their fancy. Neither is right or wrong, of course. It's just interesting to see how others go about things.

After over three months, it does look like the VWC is here to stay, and I'm indebted to the members who turn up week in, week out, to chat in a convivial atmosphere about the hobby. Many have messaged me privately to say how much they value and enjoy the weekly gathering and how much it has helped them in the current circumstances. For that, I'm very grateful.

At the moment we are collating a list of rules for all periods as a resource for members who may want to venture into new periods... 
… a sort of "Rules-Advisor!"
We also have a recommended reading list compiled by the members, and I've been stocking up on parts of my library as a result!

Last week we also got onto the subject of 'inspirational photos that got you hooked'. This has led to lots of old favourites coming out... magazine covers, books, and so on. All good fun, and the sorts of things you'd chat about at any normal wargames club. Add to that, inspiring presentations on painting, games, and other hobby activities, in all periods, and it feels like a great way to spend 90 minutes each week.

Meanwhile, I've been painting, and will soon have something new to show.
Until then, all the best...



 

6 comments:

  1. Thanks for all you do to keep it running Phil, much appreciated. Chris
    http://notjustoldschool.blogspot.com/

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  2. Glad to see the VWC going from strength to strength. Wish I was a couple of time zones closer! Your planning folder jogged an old adage from the distant past. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Cheers Greg

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  3. Yes, thank you for planning, organizing, and running everything so smoothly, Phil. Not able to make it every week, but it's great fun following the discussions that result via email after the fact.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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  4. I try not to plot and plan my hobby too much as my work life is dominated by time schedules and a horrible diary/calendar. Regretfully missed the VWC on Saturday - I was somewhere in N Birmingham looking for the council waste dump. Oh what an exotic life I lead.

    Guy

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  5. I love seeing other peoples plans and projects and is always gives me ideas and hints on what I should do on my own exisiting goals. Great work Phil.

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  6. Enjoying the blog as always. I have been wargaming for years but very much a just buy what is pretty rather than a planning individual. Perhaps you could show us how you go about this and and how you put you binder together. I am sure some of us would find this interesting and probably save us a lot on money on stuff we didn’t need.

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