Random: 2024 Mid-Point, not to be confused with Midway

 

Dang.  Would you look at the time.  Like sands through the hourglass, these are the days of our lives.

Long time readers will recall that I put together some guideline goals at the beginning of the year to help shape what I am working on.  This year was no exception.  Since July is over, it seems like now is a good time to pause and take stock of the situation.  How am I doing with those goals?  Have I fallen off the track or am I on target.... to mix my metaphors!      

Normally, I break my goals down into the following areas:

• Purchases
• Painting/Modelling
• Gaming
• Writing
• Miscellaneous Hobby Stuff

So, let's get this train in the air!  

Purchases

None of this section would be possible without the generous financial support of readers like you! 

Every time you purchase one of my books from Osprey, my Wargame Vault page, my Drive-Thru RPG page, and follow my Patreon you are helping to fund the continued existence of Blood and Spectacles Publishing.  The money I earn from these areas I put back into content on the blog, content on Social Media, and new products for you!  Any money I earn goes back into the business of wargaming and role-playing.  Thank you!  I could not do it without you!

With that said, it is always hard to decide how I intend to use these investments into purchases for the year.  Going into this year, I had a few goals lined out for what I should purchase to help generate content.  Looking at my goals, I have been following my intentions pretty closely.  

• I have stayed caught up with the Osprey Wargaming Series and posted reviews.  Those titles were With Hot Lead and Cold Steel and When Nightmares Come.  There was some delay due to local availability, but I think that is sorted for now.  
• I have purchased at least one new set of rules that were not Osprey and posted a review.  In this case, I picked up Modiphius' 5 Parsecs from Home which is a Sci-fi, model-vs-model, solo-game 
• I picked up a couple of Kill Teams.  They were the Hand of the Archon, Sisters of Battle, and a Blooded Chaos Guard team.  Two of them were from my local FLGS.  
• I also picked up a force of Anglo-Saxons from Victrix for use with my Fury of the Northman rules.  I wanted to expand my forces for some of my own games for Batreps and demo games. When Victrix sent me a 20% code, I couldn't resist. Expect to see my journey with these little soldiers on the blog. 
• I also picked up the Kill Team starter set. 
• I also picked up a single Heroquest expansion and provided a review for it; Against the Ogre Hordes  

Not a bad start, the only thing I still have to deliver on is to pick-up a new set of RPG rules.  I have been really torn on what to purchase.  I have waivered between Vampire: The Masquerade, Traveller, Tomorrow City, Cyberpunk: Red, Candela Obscura and Masks: The New Generation.  I am also looking at what my RPG group might want to play, and that is not helping me decide since they seem pretty set on D20 5E-alikes and I DO NOT WANT THAT! I want to be exposed to something new.  

My wife did express some interest in the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic RPG but I am all ready familiar with the Essence 20 system, so I have been reluctant to act.  She claimed she would be willing to GM the game too, which would be a big change for her!  Familiarity with the system has also made me reluctant to get some other RPGs if they are just derivatives of games I have all ready played or own.   

I am open to some RPG suggestions in the comments. 

Painting/Modelling

Wow, I have been pretty productive on this front for the year.  I finished off a lot of projects in that time period!  I have ~175 minis painted so far!  Most of that was in the late winter and early spring.  Summer slowed me down a bit due to other activities and hot weather that wasn't great for painting.  My house does not have A/C, because back when my homestead was built that was not needed in this region.   

• Painted my 6mm Hittite forces and the city of Kadesh for In Strife and Conflict
• The Kill Team starter set and three other Kill Teams all painted up!     
• Finished the Heroquest core set which includes models, furniture, and doorways
• Painted some assorted miniatures as palette cleansers for various side projects

The Hittites March to War! 

Fully painted Heroquest Core Set in Action!

  

Kill Team Starter Set on the tabletop! 

Kind of impressed with my output so far! 

Gaming

I think I am about on track with two games a month.  I started really strong in late Winter, but have fallen off the wagon a bit.  Not sure why, but gaming has not been high on my priority list lately.  Here are some highlights: 

• Wrapped up the Siege Perilous campaign with the True Crit Gaming Guild.  I played for both Imperial and Chaos depending on who else was there.  A resounding victory for Chaos in the campaign.  
• Managed to play a test game for In Strife and Conflict
• Played a few games of Hostile Space with my kitbashed/converted Mecha toys
• Unexpectedly got to play a few games of Shadows of Brimstone
• A weekly RPG session that is mostly D&D 5E so far this year. 

In Strife and Conflict 

Fury of the Northman

Engagement in Hostile Space

Shadows of Brimstone

D&D 5E from my weekly RPG session

Rules Writing

When 2024 started, I didn't think I would have much to finish for the year.  Mostly, I was focusing on getting In Strife and Conflict over the finish line and into circulation.  I managed that, but I also had a few other wins for the first half of the year!  

• Hostile Space is on the Wargame Vault.  This is a game of anime inspired, space mecha combat.  I am also working on an RPG version of this game for release sometime later. 
• Into the Snake Pit is on Drive Thru RPG.  This is a free module for the G.I. Joe: Role-playing Game that I wrote.  I want to play the game, so I wrote a module for my group and made it available to everyone. 
• No Dice is on Drive Thru RPG.  This is a diceless role-playing game that uses keyword chains to overcome challenges.  Perfect for Forum or text-based games but also works just fine in-person too.  
• Insanity at Snowden Manor is a module for Flashlight: Tales of Terror and both are on Drive Thru RPG.  This is a module I have played a couple of times and with good results overall. 
• In Strife and Conflict  is freshly available on our Wargame Vault page.  This was a chariot wars game based on Assyrian history.  It covers a broad period of time from early Bronze Age to early Iron Age.  This one was 5+ years in the making. 

Miscellaneous Stuff

This stuff has also been moving forward.  However, there is one thing that has kind of stalled out.  I wanted to run a Battle of Kadesh demo game at my FLGS and local libraries, but I have not really followed through on this one.  My schedule has been crazy, and I am not 100% sure how to go about running a "Learning Experience" style game where the goal is educational as well as fun!  

I have also finally been able to get my Website up-to-date with all my release activity.  I have improved my Social Media game with different and better content.  I have also been able to add more "Value-add" content on my Patreon.  All good steps. 

Other News

So, that was a lot of stuff done.  However, it has not been all roses and good news here at the Farrington Homestead.  This has been a tough spring.  Some of you may know, that I have a small Friends Not Food Homestead that I operate.  This has a wide variety of animals from goats, pigs, chickens, cats, dogs, and more.  This spring was a bit of a tough one for us here at the Homestead.  

Our long time companion and wargaming friend Tia the black cat left us.  She was about 14 years old, and is sorely missed.  She was my lap cat and long time friend.  We had moved around together a few times and she had often helped me write, play and paint a lot of the projects you see on the blog.  She is survived by her sister Oreo who is also a sometimes contributor on the blog and social media page.  

In addition, we lost three of our six chickens.  Two had suffered a tough winter and never fully recovered.  The third sickened and died over the hot, hot summer.  They were all about 4 years old as we got them all at the same time..  We lost Kruschev, a Red Star Pullet, Vin Diesel a Buff Orpington, and Red, a Rhode Island Red.  They were all friendly and talkative chickens that were very curious.  I miss them very much as they were my yardwork companions.

Kruschev

Red

Vin Diesel

Lastly, we lost two little buddies in the form of Salt and Pepper.  These were a couple of rescue rats that were sisters and both about 4 years old.  They were playful little ladies who loved to go inverted in their cages.  They were not much for leaving their home, not even for cuddles; but were always eager to see you stop by and visit.  

Salt and Pepper respectively

 Of course, some good stuff happened too!  My wife graduated college with an AA degree, and is continuing with her Bachelors.  My kid started college as well.  Our family managed to continue our charitable work of giving free clothes away and helping folks with Mental Health in our community too.  I am also a member of the Beneficent and Protective Order of the Elks.  We continue to meet lots of people in the gaming hobby and the local community, and look to make the rest of this year just as productive about trying to make our rural community a better place for all.  

Until next time!

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