Games and painting 2015/2016

In 2015 I played 23 games which is sadly somewhat less than the year before. These were three games of Galleys & Galleons, two each of Maurice, Hammerin' Iron 2, Sword & Spear and Impetus, and one each of Command & Colours Napoleonics, Crossfire, Popular Front (SCW boardgame), Red Actions, Lasalle, The Crescent and the Cross, Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Bloody Big Battles! and Micro-Armour. I also played three games using rules homespun by fellow club members.

I additionally 'facilitated' quite a few games, but I've given that up because it's taxing and I miss the chance to play myself. Quite a bit of the facilitation centred on the preparation of the 'Crossfiregrad' public participation game.

My main painting project in 2015 was the 1/450 pirate ships for Galleys & Galleons which I completed (apart from some new purchases). I also managed a little work on my 15 mm Portuguese and Dutch colonial armies for Irregular Wars and these are now nearing completion.

In recent years I feel I've spread my interest over too many different games.  This has made them harder to play and less satisfying. I'm talking here about games I initiate. Wargaming is a social activity and in a small club with diverse interests you have to play other people's games as well as your own. My aim for 2016 is not to flit from one thing to another but to concentrate on regularly playing (and mastering) fewer games. The ones I'm particularly interested in focusing on in 2016 are:

• Bloody Big Battles!
• Impetus
• Irregular Wars, and 
• Maurice. 

Games I will dabble with as time permits include:

• Dux Bellorum
• Hammerin' Iron 2, and
• Red Actions.

My main modelling project for 2016 is basing and gradually painting my 10mm SYW armies for Maurice. However,  my interest in Bloody Big Battles! may spawn some Franco-Prussian War armies, probably in 6 mm.