Blood and Spectacles: Random: 2020 Half-Way Goal Update!

So far 2020 has not been like anything that I expected it to be. I expected a vast nuclear wasteland, or to be living in a giant dystopian city, I thought we would be on Tokyo-3 by now! That is what my childhood had prepared me for? It did not prepare me for the dystopia that we actually have! Pandemics, riots, political chaos..... I guess it is a good thing I have wargaming to keep me going!

Last year, I tried a different approach and focused on goals by Period. I decided not to be doing that this year. I placed my goals into a series of categories instead of by genre or period. Those categories are:

· Purchase- This is goals that require me to spend my hard earned bread, cash, grip, money, coin, etc.

· Painting and Modelling- Here is the section of stuff I will want to paint up or build up

· Playing- This section will be for what I intend to put on the table for 2020

· Rules Writing- Here are my goals for writing and creating games

· Miscellany- This is for stuff that falls into the realm of Blood and Spectacles but doesn’t neatly fit into a category

I laid most of my goals out in a different thread, so there is no need to rehash that post! If you want you can go back and read it for yourself.

So, let's find out what we have accomplished so far.....

Purchases

This year, I expected to buy a lot of stuff. Thanks to your support via the Wargame Vault, I have been able to make progress on this front. Not as much as I had hoped.... but progress. Thanks for the assist on this one guys! I have been able to get the following from my list:

1. Clash of Spears
2. Zona Alfa
3. Gangster Terrain (3 Shotgun houses and 2 store fronts)
4. Blood Bowl Lizard Men
5. Last Days: Seasons
6. Realty's Edge

There are still a lot of ancients left to buy. However, I think I cleared some space in the painting Queue for them so I can probably start buying some Romans.

That leaves to buy:

Victrix Elephant
Victrix Greek Cavalry
Victrix Republican Romans
Victrix Samnites/Carthaginians/Italians
Gangs of Rome
Mortal Gods
Oathsworn Burrows and Badgers bundles A and B
Any new Osprey Blue Books

That still looks like a long ways to go on the buying front. I have a feeling some will slide into next year!

Painting and Modelling

Last year, I painted over 150+ models. That is probably a record for me, and I doubt I will be getting anywhere near that this year. However, a man can dream can’t he? So far I have painted up 75 minis or bases. Not bad.

I finished my two Greek Men of Bronze armies- Corinthians and Spartans

Spartan Army

Corinthian Army

Paint my 6mm Baccus Successor Armies- I have enough for two armies of Heirs to Empire!

Finish up my loose Gangster Models from Copplestone casting- I only have 5 left

Complete a set of Scorpion Drones for All Quiet on the Martian Front- Not Started

Paint my Purchases for Use- Painted up my Lizzies!

Playing

This year, in half a year I have managed to play as many games as I did all of last year! Plus, i have the beginning of a variety of games. I just need to finish them off on the table.

Broken Legions- Played
Wars of the Republic!- Played a couple of times
Men of Bronze- Played it!
Operation: Hemlock- Got those in too!
Play a New Game- Watch this space for the battle report!

Broken Legions

Wars of the Republic

Men of Bronze

Aeronautica Imperialis

Wars of the Republic

Rampant Stars

Turf War

Aquanuatica Imperialis

Rules Writing

Typically, this is one of my more productive goals for the year. Last year was a pretty good year for me on this front, and I hope to keep expanding on my successes. I always have various projects on the go, and this year I have a few deadlines to hit!

1. Complete writing Wars of the Republic for Osprey Games- Sent to the Publisher!

2. Update the photos and artwork in Turf War for Wargame Vault- I have the models and terrain now. Just need to take the photos and make the updates!

3. Get 1 game from the WIP section to the Wargame Vault- I finished the rules for Glittering Void, but I really need some better pictures before that is ready for prime time.

4. Get 1 new game into the WIP section of the blog- I actually have 4 games I have been working on: Under the Martian Yoke, White Star/Red Star, Homer's Heroes, and Aquanautica Imperialis: Force of Arms. Two are up in the WIP Games section for you to review.

White Star/Red Star Playtest

Miscellany

This is stuff I want to do for the Blood and Spectacles publishing, but don’t really fall into other categories.

1. Get 1 new blog post a week- So far I am on track!

2. Take more photos for Social Media Marketing- Check my Instagram!

3. Add a games Played/Models Painted Tracker to the Blog- In web version, look at the bottom right hand side, below the WIP games!

4. Do preliminary work for organizing a local Convention for 2021- Covid absolutely killed this one! No progress.

Conclusion

There is an update. Like usual, it has been a productive year writing games but it has also been unusually productive with gaming and painting too. I have a strong start to 2020, but I expect the Apocalypse to arrive and ruin the second half from a wargaming perspective. I mean, it is an election year! I hope my progress so far is enough to carry me through the end of the year.

Good luck to all of you out there!