If I had been asked what I spent most of my time doing last year with regard to wargaming, I would have answered work on my Napoleonic project and my PORTABLE WARGAME book ... but even a cursory look at the record shows that my memory of the year is more than a little out!
January and February seem to have been dominated by my WINTER-ISH WAR mini-campaign, whilst March saw the beginning of my model pre-dreadnought shipbuilding programme and the acquisition of Stuart Asquith's collection of Del Prado painted 25/28mm Napoleonic figures. In April I seemed to be a bit all over the place until the very end of the month, when AIRFIX BATTLES: THE INTRODUCTORY WARGAME was published. The latter got a bit of play during the following month and I spent quite some time reading through ZONES OF CONTROL: PERSPECTIVES ON WARGAMING. June saw the end of my massive shipbuilding programme as well as extensive reports on the models that I saw in the Monaco Naval Museum.
July is always a busy month, and began with COW2016. It also saw the first glimmerings of my renewed interest in my ongoing Napoleonic project, and by the end of August my Dutch-Belgians, Brunswickers, and Hannoverians were all renovated and based. Connections UK 2016 took place in September, and work on my Napoleonic project continued apace, with the result that my British Napoleonic Army was finished by the middle of October. I then began work on my un-renovated French figures, and by the time Sue and I went on our latest cruise (which took up the last week of November and the first three weeks of December), the bulk of the French Infantry were well on the way to completion.
So where did my PORTABLE WARGAME book fit into all this? Well it has been gradually coming together over the months, and as I write this, it is approaching the stage where it is almost ready to be proof-read before publication. With luck it will be published early in 2017, and then I can begin work on my next book ... which will be the centenary history of an important Masonic Lodge.
January and February seem to have been dominated by my WINTER-ISH WAR mini-campaign, whilst March saw the beginning of my model pre-dreadnought shipbuilding programme and the acquisition of Stuart Asquith's collection of Del Prado painted 25/28mm Napoleonic figures. In April I seemed to be a bit all over the place until the very end of the month, when AIRFIX BATTLES: THE INTRODUCTORY WARGAME was published. The latter got a bit of play during the following month and I spent quite some time reading through ZONES OF CONTROL: PERSPECTIVES ON WARGAMING. June saw the end of my massive shipbuilding programme as well as extensive reports on the models that I saw in the Monaco Naval Museum.
July is always a busy month, and began with COW2016. It also saw the first glimmerings of my renewed interest in my ongoing Napoleonic project, and by the end of August my Dutch-Belgians, Brunswickers, and Hannoverians were all renovated and based. Connections UK 2016 took place in September, and work on my Napoleonic project continued apace, with the result that my British Napoleonic Army was finished by the middle of October. I then began work on my un-renovated French figures, and by the time Sue and I went on our latest cruise (which took up the last week of November and the first three weeks of December), the bulk of the French Infantry were well on the way to completion.
So where did my PORTABLE WARGAME book fit into all this? Well it has been gradually coming together over the months, and as I write this, it is approaching the stage where it is almost ready to be proof-read before publication. With luck it will be published early in 2017, and then I can begin work on my next book ... which will be the centenary history of an important Masonic Lodge.
Bob,
ReplyDeleteYes, it is easy to forget or gloss over a year and only partially remember the stand out points- I looked at my 2016 Diary and it is rather daunting the number of projects which involved me- however to-day ( 2nd Jan 20170 ) I only have one Project and it hasn't started...hope that this year can keep on the straight and narrow. Pleased you near the Proof Reading stage of your Book- well done indeed. Cheers. KEV.
Kev. Robertson,
DeleteI find it interesting to look back every so often to see where I have been ... and sometimes to avoid repeating myself!
I like to have several projects on the go at the same time so that I can switch back and forward between them if I get a bit jaded with one. The Napoleonic project is a good example of this. I have been collecting the figures for years, but only started renovating and basing them a couple of years ago. Last year I did quite a lot of work on the project, but don't expect to finish it until well into this year as I want to spend time on other projects.
Now that my PORTABLE WARGAME project is coming to fruition I want to get the research for the Masonic history book I am writing well under way, although the deadline for finishing it is 2020!
Good luck with your project, which looks and sounds very interesting.
All the best,
Bob
To quote the unflappable Satchel Paige:
ReplyDelete"Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you."
Thanks for all your hard work and I look forward to your entries for 2017!
William Stewart,
DeleteAt my advanced age I don't need to look back ... I KNOW that they are gaining on me!
All the best (and keep reading regularly!),
Bob
Quite a catalogue Bob. You seem to cover quite a bit of ground.
ReplyDeleteConrad Kinch,
DeleteLooking back over the year made me realise quite how much we had done! When you take into account the cruises Sue and I have done, plus the other 'normal' stuff we managed to cram in (shopping trips, days out, Masonic meetings etc.), I'm not surprised that someone else I know said that we were really working at being retired!
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob
ReplyDeleteThat is one of the advantages of a regular blog, it makes it easy to review the year!
I have followed your progress with your Napoleonic project with interest, and am looking forward to the start of your campaign.
I am sure you have sufficient figures available to make a start, although not perhaps the full proposed campaign. Why not start a small project to test the water and encourage yourself to keep going?
best regards
Paul
Thistlebarrow (Paul),
DeleteThanks for you comments. I always enjoy reading them.
I am probably being a bit too strict with myself about completing my Napoleonic project before I fight a campaign, but I may well give in a fight a short campaign if only to play-test my rules.
All the best,
Bob
Sounds like you are having an "active retirement"
ReplyDeleteHope 2017 continues in the same manner
Geordie an Exiled FoG,
DeleteI've seen too many people who had inactive retirements ... and paid the price. Keeping ones mind and body active might not mean that you live longer ... but at least you have lived!
Happy New Year to you and yours,
All the best,
Bob