Adventures in Wargaming and History: Wrapping up 2022 And a Look At 2023

Well, we have been in the new year for a couple of weeks now, and I have had some time to take account of the last year. I took some time off from everything the last week of 2022, just to get away from stuff. Though I did not go anywhere it was nice to relax, with no real goals set, or things to be accomplished. Hobby-wise, 2022 was fairly satisfying, and I would expect that the coming year would be even better. I was able to attend 2 local conventions and meet some new people. Since I am relatively new to the area it was helpful to be able to get in some gaming outside of the convention scene. I plan on getting in more in 2023.

This seems like a great spot to go over my hobby accomplishments for the past year. At the beginning of the year I had outlined a number of goals, so here they are.

Continue the Mexican War project, possibly finish it

Continue the early WW2 then transition to SCW

Complete my ECW project (I have the rest in hand, probably get it painted this summer)

Continue the WSS project (next on board for late winter are Bavarians, Danes, and Wurttemburg)

Paint the 3rd corps for my 100 days project then transition to doing my Albeura project

Continue my ancient armies (should have the Yorkists and Ptolemaics done by mid February and my Tibetans started)

Paint 2 Middle Earth SBG armies. I have enough to do Mordor, Rohan, Minas Tirith and the Army of the Dead. I am thinking Minas Tirith and Mordor will be the first two.

I also plan to game at least a couple times a month

Looking over my goals for the year, it seems that I did quite well.

I completed all my regular troops for both the US and Mexico for my Mexican American War project. Finishing it wasn't really in the cards as I have quite a few militia to put together, and I will have to make some purchases.

I completed a ton of 20mm WW2 last year. I was not able to transition into the SCW though. I had picked up almost 300 German and Soviet figures and put those in the painting queue instead. They were painted, but, the SCW did not make it this last year.

I did complete my ECW project in 15mm for Baroque. At this point it was mostly Scots, and I got tired of them, but it is complete. I set up my stuff for Marston Moor, figuring that I would have enough figures for most battles if I did that. I also ended up with a few extra units, so, I should be good.

I did continue my WSS project completing the Bavarian, Danish, and Wurttemburg contingents.

I am still working on my 3rd Prussian Corps for the 100 Days. It will be complete next week.

I did complete my Yorkist force, and my Ptolemaic army. I finished what Tibetans I had on hand, I need quite a few more to complete the army.

I painted one army of Middle Earth, the Dead of Dunharrow. Namely because it was the simplest to get done.

I did not game twice a month, but I did game a decent amount. I was pleased with it.

Overall, I was very happy that I was able to hit so many of my goals last year. In thinking about the coming year, I wanted to take into account the fact that I will be busier. Things are back to normal around here and everything is in full swing. In fact goals were the main reason I am so late in getting this together. I have so many things I would like to do, but, time is always a factor. So I am having to settle for less than I wanted to. Then again, it's better to exceed my goals, than to fall short.

So here we are, my goals for 2023!

Complete my Mexican American War project.

Finish all my 20mm WW2 and SCW that I have on hand. This will allow me to evaluate what I may need, to complete the SCW anyway.

Start my Italian wars 15mm stuff. I have a Spanish/Imperialist army based for Gush. This project will see me rebasing those for Impetvs, and getting started on the large bag of figs I have for the period.

Continue the WSS project, probably completing the French.

Paint 1/2 of my troops for Albuera. I have had these for a few years now, I want to get them going.

Complete my Sea Peoples army in 15mm and possibly my Persian army as well.

Paint my Last Alliance army for MESBG

Paint two forces for Pikeman's Lament

Start my Mythic Greeks. I have the Bones 5 pack, plus a nice group of Amazons (Wargames Factory, RGD, and a few Lucid Eye) I'm also anxious to paint my Charon I just got from Reaper.

Finish all my 4Ground Terrain (I had some, and bought a bunch during their closing sale.) In fact I have already started and I am almost done with my Norse buildings. Working on the last one now. That will leave the Japanese and the Pirate buildings to finish.

Rework my AWI project to Fire & Fury, rebase and evaluate what may be needed to get me where I want to be.

Start playing some ASLSK

Game 1-2 times a month and, attend at least 2 conventions.

I am certain some other odds and ends painting/terrain will work its way in (Flintloque, Blood & Plunder, Border Reivers), but I don't have any formal plans for anything not noted above. I was thinking of running some convention games this year. I think I am going to pass till I get the game room finished in the basement and I can set up and toy with the games prior to running them.

Ok, so maybe I'm not settling.....

Painting

Painting went quite well this year. Not as good as the plague years but decent enough. I did take a break for about month starting the last two weeks of the year and extending into this year. I feel refreshed and ready to get at it again. Here is what I finished last year.

430 - 15mm ECW

205 - 28mm Skirmish of various periods

418 - 15mm Mexican American War

45 - 28mm MESBG

375 - 20mm WW2

285 - 15mm WSS

251 - 15mm SYW

283 15mm Ancients

A Total of 2,292

That was quite a load. Not sure I'll hit those numbers this year but I should do ok.

To wrap up this post, here are the latest Mexican War figures I have done.