2022 Roundup

Hi folks,

As per tradition, I wanted to do a bit of a roundup post to cover off what I've completed hobby wise over the last year. I find this helps me maintain momentum and prove to myself I've actually achieved something with the lead mountain. 

Back in January, I was participating in the AHPC challenge, had Alexanders first birthday and was working through my SS Panzergrenadier transport project - however I'd diverted into painting a few British WW2 vehicles I'd had on the paint shelf for a while. This also included painting a battalion commander and 2ic for my British infantry, as well as a Battalion HQ. 

I also painted some retro Battlefleet Gothic models during this month:

In February I was back with the German vehicles, mainly flamethrower halftracks, Pak40 tractors and self propelled infantry guns. 

February also saw me start to accumulate 15mm Team Yankee models for another project:

I also managed to get a couple of interesting Flames of War games in with Dave in this month, playing through two attacks on the Azerville Battery (Normandy, June 1944). 

In March work on halftracks and related bits continued, with Stummels, mortar halftracks and towed Pak40 models being completed:

In April, the Panzergrenadier transport project was wrapped up with the completion of supporting artillery. Just infantry and crew figures remain on the to-do list. 

April also saw me making a start on building some of my 15mm Dutch Team Yankee models, and getting a grip on paint scheme and technique for these. 

May was a busy month for a variety of reasons, and after many repaints I completed my first Dutch unit - some YPR-765 IFVs. I also ended up accidentally officiating a funeral where I'd been asked to do a reading but a breakdown in communications led to the crematorium believing I was also doing the service... An interesting experience. Thankfully it all went well. 

Showing how far back my interest in all things military goes... a picture of myself and my sadly departed Uncle Colin (who's funeral I officiated). This would be early 1990's I think. Spot the camo trousers and the missile launcher toy on the floor:

June was another busy month, with visitors staying in our garden and unusually hot weathers. A slow one in terms of figures completed, but I finished my first Dutch infantry:

I think I had started working on my Dutch Leopard 1's at this time. 

July saw me continuing work on my Leopard 1's, but I think I had lost motivation, it was stupidly warm and I spend more time building models than painting. 

I did manage to play my first game of Altar of Freedom, a 10mm ACW game. We used the tables at Pendraken and had a good day of it. 

July also saw me attending the Pendraken open day and playing some Dragons Rampant and 7 Year War games:

As well as having a significant birthday with a suitable cake:

August included family holidays, the completion of my Leopard 1 unit and some experiments on a couple of 10mm 'For Joshua' knight units with army painter speed paints. More info on the 'For Joshua' project at the end. 

On our holidays, we had a ride on a steam train, and Alexander was suitably impressed. Briefly, at least. 

I also managed to play a game of 'Rommel' at the newly renamed 'North Riding Wargames Club'. 

September saw me work on another large batch of Dutch Team Yankee vehicles. Rather than working on a platoon of 4 or 5, I was doing 10 or so models at a time, which was taking me twice as long and resulted in less frequently finished models. I did, however, help Martin and Dave out with some 28mm Vietnam rule writing, including playtesting a game at Daves. 

In October, my large batch painting experiment came to fruition, with more YPR-765 IFVs, M106 Mortar carriers and YPR-765 AT vehicles. 

This month also saw a demand from Amy that I remove a box of my stuff from Alexander's room. I decided that after many years I should try and paint some of this, and started work on Necromunda terrain. Lots of it. 

I also attended the wargames club, and played some Pony Wars, which was fun. 

November had me still working on Necromunda terrain, and doing some Flames of War gaming with Dave.

The Flames of War game was based on the US Para's advance on Carentan and seizure of important bridges into the town. Part of Dave's ongoing narrative campaign covering fighting in the American sector of Normandy. 

I managed a further experimental setup of my Necromunda terrain:

And then attended the Stockton show, where Dave put on a 28mm Vietnam game. 

December saw the first actual gaming attempt with my Necromunda terrain and unpainted models, assembly of gangers, a massive resupply of Necromunda models at Xmas and the completion of some paint table lurkers for the AHPC:

For Team Yankee I completed a battery of M109s, an OP YPR-765 and the mortars and crew for my M106s. I also completed some alternative .50 cal turrets to mount on my YPR-765s, to represent 2nd line troops. 

Going into the new year, I'm planning to paint some Necromunda gangs and get my Team Yankee Dutch project completed. 

Goals for the rest of the year include making a concentrated start on getting painted the British/Canadian forces needed to play some Operation Totalize games. This will mainly involve painting De-Frocked Priests and other transport vehicles. And then actually play some scenarios for this. 

I also want to make progress with the 'For Joshua' project. For a variety of reasons, this project stalled. The response in the form of painted figures was greater than I was expecting through the generosity of a large number of people. Covid and pregnancy/Alexander impacted and my own mental health hasn't been great. The size of the response actually made it more difficult to do what I had planned and I've fallen into a cycle of anxious procrastination about it all. 

The donated figures are still in my possession and I have every intent to use them to raise money for charity as originally intended. I don't consider the figures to be mine or have any intention of holding onto what has been donated. I do want to start auctioning these armies off via Ebay later this year, and will be leaning on some of my friends to support me with this (and keep the pressure on for me to overcome my procrastination and get it done). I'm aware that progress needs to be made, so stick with me.