Taking stock of 2024 and plans for 2025

 My dear fellows

I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

The end of another year comes around and it is time to take stoke of the year and what comes next.

2024 saw a good amount of gaming at Elko, Nevada, and at Atlanta, GA, despite the moves, and other life issues.  Between January 2024 and August 2024 I got 22 game sessions in. Most of the gaming at Elko was Games Workshop products. A lot of Combat Patrol, some Underworlds, some Legio Imperialis. I did get some other games in, two sessions of Bloody Big Battles in my Le Journal De Petite Battailes format (both Gribomvo 1897), Darren’s excellent Mario Cart game, and Xenos Rampant.

In Atlanta, for many reasons, I had to focus my gaming efforts to twice a month, more than enough. Essentially once a month I play Warhammer 40k, and once a month I play in an ongoing BattleTech Campaign. Between August 2024 and December 2024 I have played eight games. 40k moved to incursion level games rather than combat patrol, and I am determined to use for 2025 the multiplayer rules so I can see more armies and meet more people. In BattleTech I am just running one pilot and one mech in multiplayer narrated scenario sessions. A good way to meet people and learn the system (Classical BattleTech). And I was able to run the Gribomvo 1897 Scenario here.

Project wise in 2024 I did the following:

1)      i.Warhammer 40k. Added a couple of things to my Death Guard. I just need one unit of nurglings and I am done. I have enough for two alternative1000 point lists (and 500-point Boarding Action lists). Not competitive in any way, but narratively logical, and able to fit in one army container.

2)      ii.28mm Medieval 15^th Century Western European Army in heraldry and colors inspired by Mark Smylie’s Know World Setting (were Artesia, The Barrow, and Blackheart are set) is done.

3)      iii.Rebased my 10mm Greeks and Ottomans for 1897. I have enough Greeks and Ottomans for the Battle of Gribomvo 1897 Scenario (LJdPB), Battle of 2^nd Velestino 1897 Scenario (LJdPB) and Battle of Velestino 1897 Scenario (BBB).

4)      iv.Rebased 10mm 1864 Danes for my Battle of Oeversee/Sanklemark 1864 Scenario (LJdPB)

5)      v.Painted the 8 mechs (two Inner Sphere Lances) in the BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat box

6)      vi.Bulit a dedicated setup for Gribomvo 1897

7)      vii.Bought the War and Conquest rules for Ancients and Medieval

8)      viii.Bought printed STL Ottoman and Greek fleets for 1912

9)      ix. Bought printed STL Chaos and Imperial Navy fleets for Battlefleet Gothic

Plans for 2025

I am dividing these into two sets. Intermediate (including things I started already) and Long Term (things I might start in 2025, but expect to finish in 2026).

Intermediate-Collecting Modelling

1)      1.Rebase 10mm 1864 Austrians

2)      2.Create a dedicated setup for Oversee 1864 (LJdPB) scenario (50 USD)

3)      3.Paint the contents of the BattleTech Clan Invasion box

4)      4.Rebase 10mm 1877 Russians

5)      5.Buy and paint three bases of Nurglings for my 40k Death Guard Force (40 USD)

6)      6.Paint 28mm Female Inquisitor in Terminator Armor for Imperial Agents Boarding Patrol Force

7)      7.Buy and paint a unit of Naval Breachers for 40k (65 USD to support my local store)

8)      8.Paint the Ottoman and Greek navy for 1912

9)      9.Paint the Imperial and Chaos navy for Battle-fleet Gothic

         10. Update and upgrade Hobby Supplies (50 USD)

Long Term (depending on Finances, which I will be frank are not that good. Still good to have a goal)

1)      A.Buy and paint the Boarding Action Terrain (150-200 USD)

2)      B.Buy the Boarding Actions Compendium (65 USD, the GW full price to support my usual gaming dive)

3)      C.Create a dedicated setup for Katseljevo-Ablava 1877 (50 USD)

4)      D.Buy and paint the remaining Imperial Agents Boarding Patrol (a mix of Alternative Armies, GW, and 3d printed stuff. I expect it to cost between 200-300 USD))

5)      F.Buy and paint the BattleTech Mercenaries Box (85 USD)

6)      G.Buy and paint a Rogue Trader Cruiser and Plague Fleet Cruiser (20-30 USD)

Projects Gaming wise (in exception to my regular games)

1)      I.Host at least one Classic BattleTech game on my own

2)      II.Host at least one Alpha Strike BattleTech Game on my won

3)      III.Play at least once each of the following rules: War and Conquest, To the Strongest!, Basic Impetus, and DBA

4)      IV.Host at least once a game of Battlefleet Gothic

5)      V.Host at least once a game of Broadside and Slavo 1912 Balkan Wars Naval

6)      VI.Host at least one Bloody Big Battles Game (LJdPB or classic BBB).

Commentary: As you can see, I am aiming to be able to host more multiplayer games at the game store, then focus on collections were I can contribute a force but not fully host. As my gaming is now twice a month, I prefer multiplayers, even for things like Warhammer 40k, where I get to meet more people and see their collections in action, than one on ones. My interest in investing in Boarding Actions is partly fueled by that, as it has multiplayer scenarios.