Project Plans 2015

Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future - Niels Bohr

With one twelfth of 2015 in the books, less of 2015 is left to predict!  What are my hobby plans for remainder of 2015?

Based on my painting output from 2014 (see 2014 Painting Analysis), many different projects underwent the brush in the year past.  A lot of activity generated but not a lot of focus.  I suppose it looks like my 2014 plan was to paint a little of everything!  For 2015, I will try a bit more focused approach.  

The graph below is a reminder of what eras saw painting activity in 2014. 

What might be in store for 2015?  Narrowing focus is a difficult task when interests vary as much as mine.  Resisting the call and temptation of a new gaming period is, likewise, difficult.  The New Year may end up no different than 2014 but my intentions are to provide more focused painting.

After contemplation, below are my goals and objectives for 2015:

15mm 1859 Risorgimento Project:

The 15mm Second Italian War of Independence project saw the most total figures added but much of that was spent fielding artillery limbers and train.  Limbers.  A necessary evil, I suppose.  The project has yet to focus on French contributions to the campaign so plenty of expansion remaining.  With a recent influx of lead for the project from Lancashire Games and more on the way from Mirliton (the cavalry are really nice!), this project ought to see increased activity in 2015.

18mm 1799 Suvorov in Italy and Switzerland Project:

Out of all of the projects, the one that is yet to reach the critical mass for a game is the 1799 Italy and Switzerland project.  With Christmas and birthday gift cards from Eureka Miniatures, a resupply of figures for the 1799 project has arrived.  Another focused project for 2015.

28mm Napoleonic Peninsular War Project:

In the three slot, let me add 28mm Napoleonics onto the painting pile.  While enough figures have mustered out to hold good sized game in the Peninsula, two large boxes of unpainted lead suggest even larger actions could be fought.  About 100 figures were painted in 2014.  For 2015, increase the total to 200.  That will be a stretch, for sure!

28mm Great Italian Wars Project:

After having pushed Jake's Renaissance lead around on the table in a recent Impetvs game, I would enjoy beginning work to field an adversarial force of my own to command.  Foundry Renaissance lead has slowly been accumulating over the last year and a recent influx of Old Glory lead (some already expertly painted) provide a good jump on this project.

New to the period and the military history, therein, I have some reading to do.  A few starter books are on order.  Jake suggested I field either a Valois French or Milanese army since I wanted an army that could employ both Landsknecht and Swiss pike.  With Kevin already having a Tudor English army based for Age of Discovery,  Jake had a very good observation that if I built French, Kevin and I could lock horns on the battlefield.  Not knowing Kevin's basing or force size, this option requires more exploration.   

1/56 SYW Minden Prussian Project:

Not really a project of itself, as a final goal, Soren from Black Power Games has issued an informal challenge for me to get to work on my 1/56th SYW Minden Prussians.  These nice figures were picked up about a year ago during a Fife & Drum kickstarter.  While the SYW in this scale never has been a target of projectation, the figures are handsome and I thought I would enjoy painting a few handfuls.  Projectation?  Is that a word?  If not, what is the act of turning a small number of units into a full-fledged project termed?  Scope creep?  Can I fit in at least one battalion?

Of course, other projects will see work too and I have another new project wanting to see the light in addition to the Italian Wars project.  Given my attempt to focus at the break of the New Year, the variety witnessed in 2014 will likely pour over into 2015.  Variety.  It keeps the paint flowing from the brush, n'est ce pas?  

There you have it!  My 2015 painting goals will be to focus on,

1. Second Italian War of Independence in 15mm
2. 1799 Napoleonics in Italy and Switzerland in 18mm
3. Peninsular War Napoleonics in 28mm
4. Great Italian Wars in 28mm
5. Minden SYW Prussians in 1/56 

Still vague with not much focus, right?

Two new rules sets were in action in 2014 including Land of the Free (LotF) and Maurice.  With LotF, my 15mm AWI collection got out onto the gaming table twice in 2014 after languishing in boxes for several years.  Initial group impressions of LotF were mixed.  Using Maurice, the 18mm SYW collection saw its first action ever.  In the initial game, Maurice was a hit with the group and it should see more play.  I would enjoy giving each of these continued play in 2015.  More Commands & Colors and Impetvs should also be in the regular gaming rotation.

Regarding games, I am currently in the process of reconstructing a BatRep from a long ago Battle of Raab game using my set of dog-eared game notes.  Rereading these notes from past 15mm Napoleonics games prompts me to get this collection back onto the table.  It has been a long time.  With Raab fresh in mind, maybe replay that battle?  A refight of either Marengo or Rivoli from the earlier period sounds interesting too. 

Finally, on the gaming front, I cannot recall the last time my 30mm ECW collection made it out onto the table for a game.  It has probably been at least two years and likely longer.  For 2015, getting these boys into action will be a priority.

For painting counts, 2014 saw 1,100 figures with 26 pieces of equipment painted for a total of 3,900 painting points.  The last two years, I set my painting goal at 900 figures.  For 2015, the goal remains the same.  Perhaps, I will target a Painting Points total of 3,800.