(Not) Planning 2021

I've been having a bit of a look forward (and a look back) for hobby activities for the coming year and seeing if anything is looking probable given the current climate under which we are all living in at the moment.

I know many in the wargaming fraternity have had more oppurtunity to get a dent into their lead mountains, with the enforced lockdown meaning many have had more free time forced on them to get painting and modelling done. I unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view) haven't and for the second half of last year particularly, work was even more hectic than normal which meant the few rumblings of intentions I had had didn't even get a thought hobbywise, not even having time to pick up a brush since August. (I think I've glued one figure togerther in the last four months or so).

So although I have stopped 'planning' my hobby year ahead sometime ago, as the best laid plans never really materialised anyway, I had turned this activity into more of making up a mental wish list of stuff I'd like to do. This tending to be an amorphous and malleable thing at the best of times. But last year was even more unexpected than previously, with the total suspension of any gaming firstly, and then the expectation of getting more painting and modelling done never really materialising as my work activity (working from home) didn't really slow at all, to be superceded with a total lack of any free time at all as things picked up (as well as 'her-in-doors' having more time to plan extra diy projects since I had 'all this time on my hands').

So, although I'm not going to 'plan' the year ahead, I am going to have a bit of a wishlist of some stuff I would like to do or see done during the coming year. If it happens, good. If not, it'll move into the following year's probabilities.

In no particular order;

* First off is the hope to get some real gaming done. This could be anything really, but I would like to get the next Mordheim Campaign underway as I was looking forward to this.The first game of the campaign co-incided with the March Lockdown last year so nipped in the bud as it were. Otherwise a game or two of anything would be a welcome entertainment. This one I think is on everyone's list.

* Next up is continuing my build for my Oathmark Army I started putting together last year. This hasn't changed much since I managed to post a July WIP - Oathmark last year but all the bits for the army are sitting ready to be painted, assembled or completed, so would be nice to progress this to see how it turns out.

* The next one on my wishlist is to do a few extra's for my Future Wars project. Though I didn't get much modelled or painted last year, I did find the time to buy a few bits and bobs over the period (adding something like a hundred models to my lead and plastic mountain mainly in the form of Kickstarter projects coming to fruition, but not entirely of course) including some nice resin models of APC's and a buggy from Mortiontanks. I'll hopefully finish off the Future Wars WIP I posted last year too. I'd like to get around to playing the next planned game of my Future Wars campaign too.

* A piece of solo gaming is in my mind still as I would like to play my planned lockdown sanity-clause game ' Bad Day at Ganish-Aer'. I had completed most of the preparation work for this and I only have to complete one of the Warbands to play this (and base one other) so should be relatively do-able. This is just a 'because' kind of thing but has stuck in my mind, so would like to see it through.

* Next item on the wishlist is to post more on this blog. Last year saw the lowest activity (from me) for all the reasons above but I am keen to keep this going as it is a rewarding thing all in all but is obviously depandant on my gaming and modelling activities, so here's to more of that and the blog will follow on.

As a small aside to the last wishlist item; is it me or everybody else too, but does the blogging universe seem to be getting quieter recently? There are still a good number of stalwarts that keep posting regularly but an awful lot seemed to have dropped off and those still posting seem to be getting fewer comments. There was always a high drop off rate for this but new blogs took their place but this doesn't seem to be happening as much. Not sure if this is the case or just my perception as I've had less time to browse recently but I do get the impression that blogging seems to be 'moving-on' possibly to other platforms and people keeping to FB posts possibly.

* Trying out some of the new rule sets purchased over the last months. There are a few sets of rules that I picked up over the last year or more that I've still to try out in anger. Oathmark and Realities Edge being at the top of this list, but there are a couple of others that were planned for the beginning of last year that didn't happen including Grimdark Freebie rules and I had thought about giving Age of Sigmar another try. I haven't been tempted by any of the newer historical rule sets recently out but may give one or more an airing to see if they add anything to the mix or are just the next iteration of the ongoing search for the ultimate quick play.

Although not 'new', I have a hankering to get more LotR gaming done with the latest version of the rules having only had one game right at the end of 2019 with the latest version of the rules and either in person PvP (when this is allowed to happen again), online PvP (if anyone will have me) or even a wee bit of solo gaming would be most welcome. Always enjoyed all the games we've had and still a favourite rule set. 

* Trying out some old rules. I have had a few thoughts to play a couple of games using favourite rule sets from the dim and distant past. Just for a bit of nostalgia really but I would like to compare some of the old rules with their current counterparts and see if they were actually better or just different or indeed not as good as you remember. Maybe a bit of WAB, WRG or Middle Earth old skool gaming on the cards. This one I'd really like to get into this year.

* Reducing the Mountain. Too many figures and ranges to mention individually and other those than posted above, but just generally make a bit more of chip off the block than I managed last year. I'd like to try and get a nett gain on completed to purchased this year but there's always more shiny's in this hobby.

* Modelling, this is always terrain, terrain and more terrain. I enjoy the making process immensely and have a few pieces I would like to progress. I have also had a hankering to do some display pieces for their own sake. I used to do a lot of this back in the day and produced some decent 54mm and 75mm models plus a couple of vignettes and such.

I think this type of activity is very indulgant and just the kind of thing to lift yourself up with finishing a display piece your proud of, keeps you sane and improves the spirits. I have a couple of larger models secreted away somewehere which I hope to look out and put together and see if this list item is a goer.

The foregoing wish list is not exhaustive nor entirely fixed, and I have no expectation of managing it all but being a wishlist it has a lot of flexibility and no compulsion, just the wish and the hope of some quality time with friends in gaming and some hobby activities to come.

Things are still busy but not as manic as they were before the festives and hopefully will level out a bit allowing me to get a bit of TLC applied to my hobby. Here's hoping for future posts.