2013 Round Up

Four colour super agents

2013 has been a very 'productive' year for me for a figure painting point of view. I have managed to finish 280 figures in the year, which is insane! I have completed two SAGA warbands, a Chindit army, a WW2 Japanese army, a Finland based zombie apocalypse game with scenery and over 30 zombies, 50+ urban zombies and survivors (with my son Charlie's help), an angry mob of modern civilians and African Union Peace Keepers. I have started a blog, Hotel Zugando, dedicated to my modern warfare setting in my imagi-nation of Zugando, complete with background.  
  
Phew! It's a wonder I found any time to go to work!

A converted Panhard VBL for my Nigerian Army

The downside for me for all this frenzy of painting is that I can't help but feel that the standards of the painting has slipped, as it has become a case of trying to get 'boots on the ground' at the expense of painting quality. That is something I want to address in 2014- paint a few less figures- but make them better.  

A couple of my modern Angry Mob

The highlight of the year was probably Zombtober- which began last year as a silly idea to get Pulp Citizen to actually finish some of the massive pile of lead zombies he has accumulated, but which this year, thanks to the help and support of Pulp Citizen and Simon (the Brummie lad) had blossomed into a mini-phenomenon, with dozens of zombie enthusiast from all over the world joining in, adding zeds and survivors to their groaning, moaning piles of living lead. 

A close up of my Finland Supermarket's fire escape

I haven't got as much gaming done as I would have liked- I am desperate to get some more VBCW, Saga and Force on Force games in, but want to get some Bolt Action and Muskets and Tomahawks next year too.

My ASBO zombie apocalypse survivors

I also had cause, during the year, to reflect on the mess of games and periods I have been working on, and I realised that I have spent 2012 and 2013 flitting from one project to the next. Like many games I am attracted to new shiny things, and in the past I have, given into the urges, which is why when I made a list of current projects I was working on there were at least fourteen of them! This is unacceptable as it means I often never finish projects, and it is also very expensive as it adds to the lead mountain- and right now I just can' afford expensive!
The solution, it would seem, it to set realistic objectives at the start of as project, and to not begin another one without first completing the last one. Business types out there will no doubt have headr of SMART objectives- this is when the goal of a project is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. I will be applying these objectives to all current, and any new projects. In other words I will set out at the beginning of the projects exactly what I am doing, so I will no longer say 'I am going to paint some French and Indian Wars figures'; instead I will say 'I am going to paint a 200pt French irregulars force for Muskets and Tomahawks, by the end of February.' I don't know if that is how everybody else does it, but that is what I am going to try, and that way I hope I will be able to finish some projects before I start more.

My VBCW armoured car (just before it got blew up) in another Herefordshire game

And so, with that in mind, what is for 2014? Well current ongoing projects will be

• 200pt French Irregulars and British Regulars for M+T, 
• 5pt Norman Warband for SAGA, 
• A platoon of USMC for my Zugando campaign (when the KS figures arrive from Empress games). 
• Finish a Platoon of African Union peace keepers for Zugando

Future projects will include 

• A company for In Her Majesties Name (someting to do with cowboys and zombies)
• Another WW2 force (Dads army, Winter War or more forces for Burma Campaign)
• Some more supervillians and henchmen

The start of my Norman SAGA warband- just need the rest of them

Other possible projects that have caught my eye, based on the availability of time and money might include

• Modern Winter War (Russians vs Finns- using Force on Force)
• Mexican Revolution (skirmish- probably using Triumph and tragedy) 
• Sharp Practice (Napoleonic skirmish)
• Ronin
• Lord of the Rings Breeland army
• Elizabethan pirates (using Mordhiem)
• More survivors and terrain for my zombie apoc games. 

Rangers for my Breeland army

So, there you go- 2013 is all but done, and 2014 is about to begin. I hope the year has been goon to you, and I hope the next is even better. Happy New Year.