End of year roundup!

A relatively boring seasonal greetings post from me today. I've been looking back over my progress so far this year, and I'm feeling pretty good about the amount I've done - although at the same time I know I could have done more.

One of the things this year has been good for has been not just me learning new techniques and generally just improving my ability through practice, but also learning what I don't know. That's a good thing for me as it's only through knowing I'm doing something wrong or missing something that I can improve.

Things I know need practise or corrected:

-  painting faces (improved a bit, aided by paints I got from Paul)
-  pigments/weathering of vehicles
-  thick paint. I think I need to start making more of an effort with layering. Vallejo paints are pretty thin, but I don't think I really use it the way it should be used (multiple thin layers).

I've managed to keep the blog posts going for nearly nine months, which I think is pretty positive. The feedback from the community has really been great and I appreciate it  massively, so thanks guys!

In addition to the painting stuff I need to learn, there are a few things I need to improve on for my painting and pictures. Lighting is a big one, I hope to pick up a decent fluorescent light this year. I also need to sort out army transport. Magnetic bases seem to be the way to go, and I had ordered some through Knightly Gaming, but apparently Battlefront and Gale Force 9 are having supply issues.

So, up to this point what have I done?

-  one full infantry company (three platoons)
-  MG platoon with transport
-  3" Mortar platoon with transport
-  4 gun 25pdr battery with transport and command teams (including a couple of mini dioramas)
-  4 defrocked priests
-  4 gun 6pdr platoon with transport
-  3 Sherman I's and 1 Sherman Firefly
-  4 gun 17pdr battery
-  pioneer platoon with transport
-  Hawker Typhoon air support
-  2 Sherman Crab Flail tanks

In the painting pile, base coated and ready to go:

-  4 Sherman I's and 1 Sherman Firefly
-  3 Daimler armoured cars
-  2 Humber LRC's
-  5 M5 half tracks
-  2 6pdr anti tank guns
-  2 Loyds carriers
-  4 Bofors 40mm anti aircraft guns
-  2 AVRE Churchills
-  2 defrocked priests

In the 'bloody hell, I've bought more stuff' pile:

-  2 Sherman V
-  1 Sherman I
-  1 Sherman ARV
-  3 Jeeps (still to be paid for and collected)
-  3 Humber armoured cars (still to be paid for and collected)
-  1 Sherman Firefly
-  4.2" Heavy Mortar platoon
-  3 Daimler dingos (on order)
-  12 (!!!) universal carriers
-  Sherman II's (currently under conversion to Sherman I Hybrids)

All these should allow me to field a armoured list as well as my infantry and mech infantry. I also aim to have the the base units avail to make a recce company list.

So a lot of work done, a lot of work still to do. Thanks everyone for their support and helpful comments over the year. I hope you all have a great festive season, and a happy and productive 2014 to us all!