Looking back and forward ?

As the children have now returned to their normal lives and our Christmas gradually comes to a close a time for reflection (They have left both me and my wife with nasty colds which doesn’t help).

Regular followers will know I don’t keep any specific data, games played or figures painted as I prefer not to be target driving. So first up just a selection of photos of some of the games played in the dungeon in 2022 it’s only a short video 😀

My thoughts on 2022…….

I think I have played about an average number of battles , one a week being about right for me these have been across a pretty good range of my collections. The development of the Norway 1944 project has been new and we have had a welcome return to 15mm Normandy. We have seen the first ‘hex’ based games played all of which have been really enjoyable and are ideal for remote gaming. We have started the Smolensk campaign which I am really looking forward to in 2023 is inevitably leading me down lots of different rabbit holes. Looking across the battles my gaming has gradually leaned more to historical settings and battles. What is missing ?  Perhaps the only significant collections which hasn’t seen any action is the 6mm Eastern Front, this is a shame but as we all know there is only so much time, and although the RCW merges into the Back of Beyond battles we haven’t gamed that much this year if at all. Hopefully we will see some of these in 2023.

Next up a couple of Christmas gifts

Well this can only lead to more fun 👍

My wife bought me this from a charity shop, a rather splendid bronze of Lord Kitchener, of course a slightly controversial character, but then I also have a General Lee and Stonewall Jackson. This led to an interesting discussion with my son about which military figures are acceptable or not ? I did purchase another thing but decided I just had too much, so I didn’t open it, it can wait a while.

Looking forward to 2023….

I’m sorry if my quiz caused any headaches it was only a bit of fun. Anyway ‘one’ of the new projects for 2023 developed out of one of our 15mm post-game conversations was the North African Campaigns in WW2. After a relatively short period of time considering scales etc we set on 15mm and jointly bought the Flames of War Tobruk starter set.

Steve will be playing Italians, myself the British. I have been relentlessly listening and watching videos of the campaigns some of which has thrown up a few issues with the starter set, for example why they have included Sherman’s ! However, I have been seeking out bargains and purchasing stuff to build what will initially be a tank based British army. Focussing initially on the earliest parts of the campaigns.

Not part of the set but these arrived before Christmas so got done first

Three Grants from the starter set

The six Crusaders from the set, all armed with the earlier 2lbr guns, we are giving the Italians a chance.

I also came across some barbed wire so sorted a bit of terrain.

Next up I have more tanks to build and paint although at this scale they don’t take too long. I also have some anti-tank guns. No infantry at this stage but I am sure it will arrive at some point. The hardest thing is stopping myself from thinking about a German force ! Although this may happen if I see the starter army really cheap 🙁

What else for 2023….

So many thoughts and ideas, here is a random selection from my head this morning

Smolensk Campaign

I have also started building an American Infantry force in 28mm with an idea to play battles in Sicily and Italy.

Some larger battles I would like to game Plataea and Marathon

The Eastern Front in 6mm

Progressing our AWI campaign

Gettysburg

Seven Years War French

I have some Poles for Norway 1944 and do NEED to get some French Alpine troops.

……the list goes on and the next finished unit is actually going to be British Napoleonics 😅

I would like to attend more shows and perhaps get back to more demonstration games, but I need to start buying a little less is some genres, for example the Dark Ages where I have quite a lead mountain needing attention and dare I say have enough figures.

Thanks to all of you who regularly visited my blog in 2022 your encouragement is most welcome. Happy gaming in 2023

Matt