Painting and Cheating and Choices

Let's wrap up ACWruary with some painted ACW troops why not.

Painting

As seen previously, to celebrate ACWruary I was painting up some ACW bases.  And now with dedication, devotion, and discipline they are complete.  It's like a life lesson in miniatures.

First off, here is 20 bases (60 18mm figs) for the Union side!

And while I was doing those I also rebased the wonderful zouave miniatures that Mr Freitag sent me.  They needed rebasing not because the original basing was bad, I just wanted the basing to be consistent with the rest of the armies.

So that's a total of 29 more bases to the union side, making the union army a grand total of 168 bases strong, huzzah!
That's decent number and the CSA army is around the same size.  Though the goal is to reach around 200 bases a side, as that will allow me to host almost any scenario I can think of, or any scenario in one of my many precious ACW scenario books.  (My Pretty scenario books, all filled with interesting ACW gaming opportunities, how I love all of you so much except for THAT ONE, and it knows why).

But for the armies to reach that size it's gonna take a lot more time, effort, and discipline.  Not to mention patience and skill.  And I have NONE of those things.  What do I have?  Chiseled good looks, and I can do a mediocre John Wayne impression, and some extra cash. 
Therefore, it's time to Cheat.

Cheating

Regular readers will know that I've been debating doing some spending of my inheritance for this fun little hobby (can you believe that a blog as lame as this has a small following of regular reading?  Maniacs!).   Of course 95% of that un-looked for money is going toward responsible ends because when you have children, it means you have to be the adult (I guess).  Things like paying off debts and starting college funds for the kids so that if they want, they can have a string of letters after their names like their father.  That's called 'a humble brag' by the way.

But a small amount was set aside for frivolous expenses like miniature wargaming and strip clubs (around an 80-20 split).  For awhile I was thinking of starting a new genre but instead of adding to the lead pile, I thought a better use would be shrinking the lead pile of my ACW miniatures.  I contacted a guy that has done some painting for me in the past and inquired, and then this happened.

I got ALL these done!  

I got 90 Union and 90 CSA infantry painted up.  That's enough for 30 bases of each.  Instant success!  Well almost instant because I still have to base them.   Some people might balk at having miniatures painted for them, but I'm not one of those people.  I like it.  I do it.  I'd do it all the time if I could afford it.  I just did it and I want to do it again.

Plus, as I've stated before; I don't enjoy painting for it's own sake.  I paint because I want the results of having fully painted armies for awesome miniature wargames.  It's not that I mind painting, and in fact I like the down time and the time spent alone with no one bothering me.  It's because I'm strictly paint to play.  Painting a miniature that will not be used in a game is a waste of time.  It's the same reason why people exercise.  No one enjoys doing sit ups, but we all like shredded abs.  At least that's what people who can do sit ups tell me.

When I'll get around to basing these will depend on some choices I need to make.

Choices

The Conquest Sac convention is March is a maybe depending on my schedule, but one convention that I know I'm going to this year is Kublacon, a huge convention in the bay area, over Memorial Day weekend in May.   The hotel room for 3 nights and registration were a Christmas/Birthday present from the Wife and In-Laws.  yay!

I haven't gone to this convention in a few years so I'm very excited to go.  It's HUGE, probably the biggest convention on the west coast.  It's Friday through Monday morning.  I'll be there for the whole weekend.  The format has changed some so I'll have to figure that out.
But the big choice is: Will I run a game there?

Some thoughts and indulgent self analysis:
1) if you run 6 hours of games you get in for free.  6 hours is not that much.  But this time the registration is paid for.  Technically I was given the $ for the registration but that equates to the same thing.
2) While the financial incentive is nice, usually I run games at conventions because I like to.  I enjoy it.  I like to show people a good time and feel like I gave back.  I'm a giver by nature.  The free entrance is just a bonus.  But I'm tempted to just show up with nothing and be strictly a participant.  It's 3 hours away and it's always something of a hassle to set up and tear down.
3) And what game(s) would I run?  It would be an opportunity to run a large ACW game with like 8 or 10 players, for 8 hours, because I'm not making all these ACW infantry bases for nothing.
4) But that all sounds like a lot work.  LOL  And there is a limit on how big a game I can comfortably run.  Being a one man band when I do these things I tend to top out at around 6 players usually.  Because when one runs games at conventions you have to assume that you're going to get players who've never played the rules before, and things tend to slow down too much when you have to walk many players through the charge phase.
5) So I could run something more my usual, with around 5-6 players, in one of my many ACW scenarios.
6) Or maybe something else?  I have other genres you know, other lead piles to decrease.  Perhaps committing to running an Age of Sail game will get me back to making ships. Because nothing spurs production like a deadline.
7) Plus, transporting 10 or 12 little ships and a sea mat would be easy...
8) Hasn't this list gone on long enough?

I'll need to make my choice soon ish.  The deadline to submit games is Feb 23rd.

First World Problems.  Which is to say, not problems.  Deciding on how to have fun.  Life is so hard.

Talk to you again soon.

The Gauntlet Convention AAR

A little while back I attended a small local convention in the Sacramento area called "The Gauntlet."  Here is my convention AAR.  I love blog posts about conventions.  Everyone loves blog posts about wargame conventions. 


I've had a delay in blogging and being online in general due to stuff, so to make up for it I've written and extra long post but DON'T WORRY: the spelling and editing is still atrocious. 

Historicals Only Please

The Gauntlet is billed as a historical only wargame convention and had a slightly different format than the other conventions I'm used to; in that there were themes for given time periods throughout the day, and the wargames played should be devoted to that theme.  In the beginning of each section there was a seminar on the historical theme presented by.. someone.  I forget who.  So the format for the weekend looked like this:

Saturday morning theme: WWII
hour long seminar on something WWIIish
WWII games.

Saturday afternoon till late evening theme: AWI
Hour long seminar on Washington's crossing of the Delaware River.
Games featuring the AWI

Sunday late morning theme: ACW eastern front.
hour long talk on Secret Turning Points of the ACW.
Games featuring ACW. 

In actuality there were games that didn't fit the themes scheduled as well, so it's not like one couldn't play something else.  On Sunday there was a DBA tournament and stuff like that. 

Side Discussion: Why Only Historicals

Given how sparsely these local Sacramento conventions are attended, I really don't see the need to have a historical only convention. I'm primarily a historical gamer who only dabbles in Scfi in the big three (Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, and Star Wars), but my enjoyment of playing a historical wargame and making machine gun and tank noises has never been diminished if the next table over is playing spaceships and all making laser and rocket noises.  Why cut out a section of the war gamer population?

Did I Come Here to be Lectured To?

Opinions about the format?  On the whole I liked it, thought it added a little something extra, though still a work in progress. I wasn't particularly interested in the seminars initially, but thought it was a cool option for anyone who was.  The only time I was super ANNOYED about it was Saturday morning.  I showed up on purpose after the lecture but before the gaming started because I wasn't interested in hearing about WWII.  Trust me, I learned enough about WWII from my years spent playing Flames of War and watching Ken Burns' films.  I've also seen Band of Brothers several times.  (and I've read a few books).  The lecture I think started at 9 and the gaming at 10, so I showed up at 9:45.  Now I don't know if NO ONE showed up to the lecture or if the guy was super late, but just as the WWII gaming was getting started they stopped it all in order for the guy to give his talk.  Now I felt like the seminar was being forced on me, and I was annoyed because I was just warming up my throat to make some cool tank noises, plus I make an awesome machine gun sound.   I had quotes from the movie Fury all ready in my head.  Now only to be delayed. 
So after a little bit I ditched out to go find myself some fresh coffee.  By all accounts the man was nice and informative, I just wasn't interested.

I did attend the lecture for the AWI, mainly because it was timed pretty well with me having dinner and a break in the games.  It was a talk about how the historical events of Washington's crossing the Delaware and initiating the battle of Trenton influenced the design of a board game that he made about those events.   It was pretty good and I thanked the guy afterward.

The Best was the ACW lecture, which was the only lecture I was planning on going to in the first place so it shows that I have good taste.  Also not surprising because I love the ACW.  This lecture was about how small things had big impacts in the ACW but since they are small and unexciting, go unnoticed.  Unlike me, because I am large and always exciting. 

Fun example!: During the Army of the Potomac's reorganization under Hooker before the Chancellorsville campaign,  Dan Butterfield (whom nobody liked) actually got into place a decent intelligence organization for spying on the CSA.  And during the campaign did a lot of work identifying the strengths and commanders of the Confederate Corps, Divisions, and Brigades.  So the Union army got to know the Confederate army really well, almost intimately. (read that last bit in a sexy voice in your head, it's fun). 

This mattered because when Gettysburg rolled around, General Meade of the AOP was able to identify all of Lee's divisions that were deployed and knew that the only missing division belonged to Pickett. Plus had a good idea of how strong the units were.  And since he had a reasonable idea of the strength and locations of his own Corps (having been in command of the AOP for a whole 3 days), he therefore was able to make better decisions and win the 3 day battle.  HISTORY BLOWS YOUR MIND!

Last Bit About the Themes (I Promise)

The most successful theme of the convention was WWII on Saturday morning.  There were multiple WWII miniature wargames going on at once.  I don't know if that's because WWII is that popular or just Saturday mornings.  Or maybe the combination.  The other themes were barely represented.  But perhaps that worked out in the end, because the con was so sparsely attended that not every GM who hosted a game had players to play in it.  There is nothing so lonely than a GM who sets up his game (and all the hours of prep going into it) but have no one come to play, only to watch all the other games get played.  It's even happened to me a couple of times...it hurts even to type about it.  I'm gonna got pet my therapy pony. 

Also if I were being picky, the WWII theme went on for about 2 hours too long and the AWI theme started about 2 hours too late.  There's probably an easy solution in there but I can't seem to place my finger on it...

Let's Get on to the Games Shall We?

Yes, let's.  Saturday morning was What a Tanker!  Hosted by the Mr. R, whom I always enjoy playing in his games.  I thought the set up was particularly nice.

We played this game for HOURS!  It had a really fun system where players could purchase tanks from a pool of victory points whenever their current tank got destroyed or moved off the table.  you also got victory points for killing the enemy and achieving objectives.  The side at the end of the game that had more points won. 

Here you see my Sherman trying to hide from a Tiger...It didn't work out.

Some other WWII games...

This was a pretty awesome Bolt Action game

After a short dinner break and listening to the AWI seminar, I played in the BEST AWI miniature game of the con!  Because it was the only one.  It's kinda like when I tell my only daughter that she's my favorite one.

5 of us gathered to play out a scenario based loosely on Freeman's Farm (I think).  This was hosted by Mr. O and Mr. F.  10 x 6 table using 28mm miniatures and used the rules Rank and File.

The situation: the Brits are marching down the road, 2 thirds on the table with the last third off table.  Just marching along when suddenly..."what is this?  My word... REBELS!"  "Rebels across the river, up to their rebellious shenanigans!  Let's give them what for!"

Brave British on the left, Racey Rebels on the right.

I was on the British side, playing the leading British section and also the overall CiC, because I told everyone I knew what I was doing.  Some suckers will believe anything. 

My Glorious Troops marching in during the beginning of the game.

The game was great fun.  Scenario was something like a meeting engagement with a river running down the middle of the battlefield.  Rank and File gives a pretty good game, and it's a great convention rule set because it's easy to learn and plays fast.  Though I'm always left a little unsatisfied due to it's lack of command and control.

Line up to defend and then assault over the river

This game went late into the evening.  Like close the place down late.  Like the staff of the McCellan Center came in and said "we just wanted you to know that you guys are the last people in the building, so when you leave make sure the door is shut behind you."



Sunday Morning during the ACW theme time I hosted my ACW game.  As seen in my previous post HERE.  I can honestly say that my game was THE best miniature ACW game at the con.  Because it was the only one.  Kinda like when I tell my wife that she's the best wife I've ever had. 
There might of been some ACW board games going on but I didn't see them, maybe off in another room. 

Least that means I got all 5 players for the game that I wanted.  We started playing at 11, took a break for lunch, and ceased playing at 400.  Another hour might of seen a more decisive result of the game.

I know promised a full ARR of the game but who can remember....

So Overall

I enjoyed the con and it was worth blowing a few hubby points in order to attend.  While the turn out was somewhat small, everyone's attitude was large and friendly.  Which is something like a theme of it's own for these local conventions.  But a good way to start out my wargaming year.  The next convention coming up is Conquest Sac, which is in March.  I haven't attended Conquest in a couple years but I remember it being better attended.  I'll have to see if it's possible to attend this year.  

ACWary Continues

And yes, it seems that ACWary will bleed on through February for there is at least one more post featuring ACW content.  Join me for ACWruary!  

I think that actually works better.

Talk to you next time.

A Clearing in the Wilderness; a RFF scenario

Continuing on with ACWary, I present to you a RFF scenario.  It's called:

A Clearing in the Wilderness

This is the ACW scenario I ran at The Gauntlet.  It's a fictional one set during the time spent in the wilderness campaign, when Grant's and Lee's armies were fighting in the deep woods. I'm posting it by it's lonesome / separately so this terrible blog can act like my cloud storage.

RFF does a great job at taking a section of a large battlefield and bringing it to life.  In this scenario, the Union is gathering a bunch of artillery on a ridge that juts out over the thick trees.  The CSA don't like this and advance into some clearing to set up some counter battery fire.  The USA then counter attacks to secure this part of the line... but that's all useless backstory that only serves to increase the historic ambiance.

Lets get into the nuts and bolts of the scenario

While fighting in the thick woods where visibility was limited, men naturally gravitated towards clearings where they could see around them.  These areas became magnets for conflict.

The green areas represent the heavy woods of the wilderness, which dominates the board.  The yellow ish areas are clearings. There is a small hill on the right and the top left is the beginning of a larger ridge where the federal artillery is massing.

The woods are Dense and count as Rough terrain and limit LOS and command radius to 4”.  Units in the woods gain light cover during fire combat, or full cover if in extended line, and have favorable ground if charged through the woods.

Fences are Broken terrain to cross.  Units only in extended line gain cover while aligned behind a fence.  Otherwise fences do not affect fire or charge combat.  Units aligned behind a fence in any formation receive a +1 to maneuver checks.

Union artillery batteries on the ridge cannot join up and mass fire at CSA units, but each must select a separate target.  Union artillery batteries on the ridge may conduct Plunging Fire into CSA units in the woods that are out of LOS with the usual -2 for full cover.

Victory conditions:
2 Objectives:  The Union have to clear the...clearings of CSA troops.  Both of the bottom two fields count as an objective held by the CSA.  If at any point there are no CSA troops in one of the clearing then it's lost and gives the CS a -1 to further maneuver checks.  If the CSA take back the clearing then the -1 switches to the USA.  It is possible that each side may have a -1 applied.

Heavy Losses: Each side has heavy losses threshold.  The CSA gain one victory condition if the USA lose 35 stands. The USA gains one victory condition if the CSA lose 27 stands.  When a side reaches it's heavy losses it suffers a -1 to maneuver checks for the rest of the game.

Greater losses: When Heavy losses is reached for both sides, assess which side has lost the greater total number of stands, this side has Greater Losses and suffers a -2 to maneuver checks. Only one side can have Greater Losses.

Order of Battle!

Everyone has Rifled Muskets, it's 1864 for Pete's sake

Union:
I DIV - Arthur (Able)

I DIV Artillery (under Arthur's Command)
RI Battery C, 3 bases, each Vet Light rifle (LR)
9th CT battery, 3 bases, each Vet Light rifle (LR)

I DIV / I BDE - Bless (Gallant)
101 PA Green, Reliable 14/11/7
101 PA Brave Colonel Terry
87 PA Green,  Reliable  15/12/8
71 PA Trained, Reliable  12/9/6
61 PA Veteran, Reliable, 10/8/5

I DIV / II BDE - Crukis (Able)
54 NY Veteran, reliable, 10/8/5
103 NY Veteran, reliable 9/7/5
95 NY Veteran, reliable 9/7/5
83 NY Veteran, Reliable, 8/6/4

II BDE Artillery (Under Crukis' Command)
US Battery 10, 3 bases, each Vet Light Smoothbore (LS)

I DIV / III BDE - Daring (Able)
5 OH Veteran, reliable, 7/6/4
7 OH veteran, reliable, 8/6/4
29 OH Veteran, Reliable, 8/6/4
64 OH Veteran, Reliable, 10/8/5


Confederate:

1 BDE - Ellert (Gallant)
42 VA Veteran, Spirited, 11/8/5
45 VA Crack, Spirited, 8/5/3
48 VA Veteran, Reliable, 7/6/4
52 VA Veteran, Reliable, 10/8/5
58 VA Crack, Spirited, 9/6/4

I BDE Artillery (under Ellert's command)
Graham's Virginia Battery, 3 bases, Vet Light rifle (LS)

II BDE - Hotchkiss (Able)
26 LA Veteran, Reliable, 10/8/5
47 LA Veteran, Reliable, 9/7/5
53 LA Veteran, Reliable, 8/6/4
55 LA Veteran, Reliable, 10/8/5
61 LA Veteran, Reliable, 8/6/4

II BDE Artillery (under Hotchkiss' command)
John's Virginia Battery, 2 bases, Vet Light Rifle (LS)

Side Discussion: Battles by Graph Paper

Way back when in played BFF for the first time, the GM (the unconquered Mr. AS) handed me a map of the battlefield drawn on graph paper, with each square representing 2 inches or something like that.  I looked at it and instantly thought, "This is so simple it's Genius, and I'm an idiot for not  thinking of doing this before, because here I was drawing my battlefields on regular paper like a SUCKER." 

Using graph paper made it so much easier...  

ACW Scenario Thoughts

So since this is a fictional scenario that I just made up that I think gives a pretty good game (having played it once so far).  Here are some of my thoughts behind it.  It represents the classic ACW trade off; where the Union has more of everything, but is constrained by terrain, some green or inexperienced units, etc..while the CSA has less but battle hardened.  Which I like in a game but more importantly is matches what people expect out of the ACW, so the game feels more historical.  
I've also made the attacking Union powerful enough to attack with a good chance of success but not steamroll the CSA.  In the ACW, the attacking side needs to be stronger because the tactics and technology of the time really favored the defense.
Plus, the scenario provides a little bit of maneuver for the players i the beginning, and then fight to the death!  Then of course I would say that.  Lastly, I think that all units starting on the board is a good set up for convention games.

You Said You Played This Once So Far... I Say Pics or it Didn't Happen

Very well.  Here are some pics from the game I ran at the Gauntlet convention last weekend.  Full ARR is in the works.  

Set up pics

The road through the Wilderness is empty for now

Union artillery on the ridge.

Union begins the advance.
CSA forms a defense

The road is full of Union soldiers now!

Union trying to take the clearings

Thanks for reading.  See you next time.

This ACWary might bleed into February, but that'd be alright.  The word mash still works. 

I Declare this Month to be: ACWary

That's supposed to sound like January, but the 'Janu' part is replaced with ACW.

I meant to get this posted awhile ago, but I was plagued with computer and other problems.
But you know what they say;
Mo Money,
Mo Problems.

And I got that half right....

ACWary! 

Alternative heading: Suck it Zombies


Every October, a lot of bloggers participate in Zombietober, where every week they post about zombies and all things undeady.  It looks like a lot of fun but I don't participate because I don't have any miniatures zombies nor do I do a lot of zombie wargaming.  And let's face it; zombies are kinda lame.*

But why should they have all the fun when there are plenty of other more worthy genres that deserve their own month of blogging coverage.  Therefore; with the power invested in me by having an internet connection and a blog, I declare this month to be ACWary!  dedicated to all things ACW.
Join in with me if so inclined and convenient, and flood the internet with ACW posts. 

Let's begin the ACW goodness.

(* Zombies are not actually lame, and I have enjoyed my occasional Zombie themed games).

First You get the Men

To start the month off right I've started 20 bases of union infantry.  The plan is by then end of the month have these done.

When I started writing this post, these miniatures were just primed black.
So looking at the state they are in now, and judging by the speed in which I paint,
you can tell this post has been delayed 5 years.

Thank You Jonathon for the Unexpected Reinforcements

It never ceases to amaze me how us bloggers really are an online community of friends. 
Jonathon Freitag of the most excellent blog  Palouse Wargaming Journal, which is a blog we all should be following if you like miniature wargames but be WARNED: His monumental and ceaseless posting of completely painted miniatures will make you feel like you never paint anything.  I secretly think that the Palouse is actually located in some third world country and he has access to very cheap labor / painting sweatshops... and that I should move there.

He sent me these!

Mr. JF knows of my love for the ACW, and offered to send me a unit of 15mm Union Zouaves for the low low price of saying "yes please."   The hardest part was learning how to spell Zouave properly. I'm still not sure that's right. 

I'll have to rebase them.  Not because they are based poorly but just because they are not based consistently with my other troops.  Then when they take the field I'll have to make sure they have a brave colonel named Freitag.

Thanks again Jonathon.  You are such a Zouave guy.   (That joke is just too obvious).

Then You get the Terrain

In the continuing effort to beautify my ACW games, I've been busy with the terrain.  These are just simple jobs that didn't take too long (which fit nicely with my limited hobby time these days).

I finally got around to painting up some houses, which is nice as I barely had any before.
These are the TimeCast 15mm ACW range. 

I haven't painted a building since.. well never before actually.  Just never had a need to.  These came out alright, but I quickly saw that I could put a lot of effort into them and make them look amazing or do a quick job and get them painted and done.  And since no one looks too hard at 15mm buildings anyway I went with the latter.  If there is an opportunity for me to be lazy, you bet that I'm going to take it, as long as it doesn't mean much work. 

Field experiment
I also found some time do to a little Field experiment.  While at the dollar store so that the kids could buy junk (the 6 year old daughter #1 is starting to learn that cheap also means crappy) I saw a white terry cloth that I thought had some good texture to it, and thought that for a dollar a might give it a try.

The original material on top,
the result of my efforts on the bottom

I cut out some squares, spray painted it brown and then dry brushed some green on top.  The result is....not terrible.  It does make pretty good rows and will probably look nice next to one my new houses, posing as vegetable garden.  maybe with a little white fence..


Get Stoned
One never seems to have enough stone walls, so I painted some up to add to the amount that I have  already painted.  (that is a poor sentence, WHERE is my editor??)  These are from Battlefield Terrain Concepts.  Easy paint jobs with grey dry brushes over black primer.  After I painted I was curious about just how much stone wall I had available for scenarios...

5 feet of stone wall or thereabouts.  Probably will need about twice that in total.  It seems that ACW battlefields either had no rock walls or had them everywhere. 

With some men for scale

Make Like a Tree and Leave
One also never seems to have enough trees.  I made some more.  It's kinda a short story. 

Not Quite an Entmoot...
(what's a LOTR joke doing in an ACW post??!!!)

These are Woodland Scenic premade trees that come in packs of like 14 or so.  It's just a matter of sticking the base on a washer, adding some ground cover (I use concrete patch because it heavy and helps make the tree stable and bottom heavy, like most wargamers), painted brown with a highlight, and stick the tree back in.

And Then You get the Games

The first ACW outing is on the calendar in the form of an upcoming weekend convention (March 18th and 19th) called The Gauntlet. 

I think their logo needs work.
It's a little on the nose.

This is an all historical only wargaming convention.  This is only the second year that this convention has existed.  It's got an odd format, but I'll discuss that more in the inevitable convention report.  But the theme for Sunday is the ACW, and holding a convention with an ACW theme is, as I take it, just begging me to come and host an ACW game.  Just asking for it really.
The game that I'll run will use Regimental Fire and Fury, be for 5 players, and is called "A Clearing in the Wilderness."  Good thing I made those trees. 

On Saturday the themes are WWII and AWI, so it looks to be a good weekend of wargaming. 
A new year, and the third weekend is scheduled for 2 days of wargaming?  Not Terrible. 

I should start calling the blog 'Not a Terrible Loss...

Frivolous Purchases

I need another set of ACW rules like a need another tattoo on my face.  But I got one anyway when a gentleman was selling "Brother Against Brother."  This is an older rule set that is designed for 28mm Man to Man skirmish, so it's very useful for me ACW collection which is 18mm, many figures to a base, for mass battles.  Though like a lot of miniature wargamers I moonlight as a miniature wargame rules collector.  I've played these rules once or twice at conventions, though strangely not in set in the ACW, but in the AWI.  

How many rule sets does one need for playing the ACW?  let's see:

Regimental Fire and Fury
Brigade Fire and Fury
Picket's Charge
Longstreet
40 Dead Men
Black Powder (will pick up the ACW supplement eventually)
Sharpe Practice 2
Brink of Battle
and now Brother Against Brother

So 9.  Least I played all of them at least once....

More ACW goodness to come!  Thanks for reading, but for now we shall end this post abrupt..

2019 Year End Summary

"Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories."

-Deborah Kerr



December

December, the last year of the month, and the time one usually takes to look back at the year and see what's been done.

Overall: I've had a decent, if a little lack luster, year of miniature wargaming.  Not as active in my hobby as I would of liked to be, however I had some big stuff going on in life which took up a lot of spare time.  Mainly to do with my father; selling the house in southern CA where I grew up, then his funeral, and then everything that follows.  Not that it was all sad, I also took two long family trips that were a lot of fun and celebrated my 10 year wedding anniversary with a vacation.  Time well spent, just spent doing other things as life would have it.  Plus as kids get older they get more active, and you have to, you know, take them to go do things or they just end up destroying the house (worse then they already do).


There is a price to pay for everything, and that price is time. 

Accomplishments!

Back in January, I posted a bunch of goals for the year.  This is a silly practice in hindsight.  So instead of going over each one and giving a pass or fail, let's instead focus on the positives.

I played 13 games this year, which I track in that little box over on the right that you can see if you view the blog in the web version versus the mobile.  13 is well short of my goal of 24, but what can you do?  I know there are some people who would of loved to reach 13, so I best be grateful.  Especially because a several of those games took place over a 'wargaming weekend' where I played 2 days in a row, which is kinda like a mini vacation.  In that light I've had  a banner year for vacations!

I only attended one convention this year, while I usually attend 2 or even 3, so that lack of gaming hurt the bottom line.  It was because I was double booked on those weekends.  One convention I missed because I went with the wife to a convention of her own to keep her company.  It was for cookie decorating, as I've mentioned she's big into decorating cookies.  Another I missed due to a wedding.  Next year will be free and clear from such commitments.

Big Winners

The ACW was the biggest winner this year as I played 4 ACW games and even managed to paint up some more troop stands and some terrain.  This is hardly surprising as I've mentioned that the ACW is fav-vor-writ. 

Wargaming genres are kinda like children; you love them all but there's always one that you love a little more than the rest.

Second place big winner is The Lord of the Rings.  Two games of that were plated out of the 3 I hosted (I hosted LOTR games at a convention and for one session no one showed up to play, probably because I had been eating nachos all weekend and had the thick cheese oozing from my pores). 

However LOTR is the big production-wise winner as I painted up around 50 miniatures for it, 1 troll, and made around 6 totally-kick-ass terrain items out of the Hirst Arts blocks for Osgiliath. 

You can tell from this post..
that I like a good meme.

3rd place is the Age of Sail.  I played two game of AoS (using Post Captain rules) and constructed 2 ships.  This happened early in the year and then the genre just languished as I got distracted by LOTR.  But I love these little ships.  what I ought to do is start reading some AoS fiction again, because readingaa genre almost always triggers miniature painting. 

Biggest Winner

Two goals that I did set out for the year that was to play a variety of games and to have fun while doing it.   Accomplished that! 

 I also enjoyed reading the blogs of others; leaving comments and reading the responses, and being part of the online community of super bloggers.  Here's to another year and more to come.


So who has two thumbs and is the biggest winner because people like you take time to read this blog..