New Year's Revolution!

[Harry Faversham]

Spend more time playing with the toys, than painting 'em!!!

 

[FifteensAway]

Now that would be a 'revolutionary' resolution, sirrah.  And the ultimate goal.  Though personally, I hope to spend more time painting than playing for the next few years in order to arrive at that 'revolution'.  But making great progress - more than 1,000 figures painted in 2024 and hopefully as many, if not more, in 2025 (already started prepping more for painting this morning, even).  Hopefully fit a bit of playing here and there in and around all that painting.

May all have a safe, healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year!  And play as many games with your toys as your life allows.

[has.been]

I went to the Citizens Advice...
They said, 'Storm the Bastille!'   

[Easy E]

I have some 2025 Goals.  Goal is way to strong of a word for it.  I tend to think of them as guard rails to keep me from chasing after the new shiny all the time and to keep me on the straight and narrow.  They keep me grounded for any given year, and give me something to measure my progress with.  Since I don't really have a pile of shame, it works out pretty well for me. 

I tend to break my goals down into 5 categories:

1. Purchases
2. Painting/Modelling
3. Gaming
4. Rules writing
5. Other Gaming Stuff

You can read full details on my blog here:
https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2025/01/random-blood-and-spectacles-2025.html

But here is a synopsis :

Purchases:
1. Stay caught up on the Osprey Wargaming Series
2. Purchase some sort of Naval wargame
3. A Heroquest Expansion
4. Cowboys, terrain, mat, and a ruleset
5. A new Project army
6. 3 Fantasy Ice Hockey Teams

Painting:
1. Finish my Anglo-Saxon army
2. Paint Mage in the Mirror
3. Paint what I buy

Gaming:
1. Host my Battle of Kadesh Demo Game for non-wargamers
2. Finish my Under the Martian Yoke Solo-campaign
3. Play Heroquest
4. Get my local game group to try something different

Rules Writing:
1. PHUCK!: Fantasy Ice Hockey
2. Glittering Void: Space Mecha Theatre RPG
3. Wars of the Republic/Men of Bronze supplement
4. Move some other projects to Post-Production

Other Stuff
1. Keep my weekly RPG session going
2. Keep up-to-date on my painting/.gaming tracker

I am still on the fence about Social Media for next year.  My local community also has a few other ideas floating around, but I am mostly going to ignore those for now.  I will believe some of it, when it happens. 

At the end of the year I always like to look back at what my goals were and laugh at how far off they were from reality!  Won't you join me for a laugh?

[Inkpaduta]

Just one, to not spend money this year on buying new figures ect.
I want to focus on playing with all the figures and eras I have.

[JollyBob]

Paint whatever I feel like, as and when I feel like it. If I happen to actually finish something it's a bonus, not a goal.

[AndrewBeasley]

I decided to record resolutions I know I will fail at so I can be more positive and not worry over them  :

• I will not get superglue all over my fingers / thumbs
• I will remember to wash my brushes in water and not tea / coffee
• Faces will have eyes (preferably two as a minimum)*
• I will not buy figures / rules, put them away ‘safe’ and rebuy them
• I will not buy rules to read and not play

* As I paint fantasy / sci-fi figures a lot, it may be hard to work out if I have failed this or not TBH - the 'two' part of the resolution may have to be ignored!

[HerbertTarkel]

I decided to record resolutions I know I will fail at so I can be more positive and not worry over them  :

• I will not get superglue all over my fingers / thumbs
• I will remember to wash my brushes in water and not tea / coffee
• Faces will have eyes (preferably two as a minimum)*
• I will not buy figures / rules, put them away ‘safe’ and rebuy them
• I will not buy rules to read and not play

* As I paint fantasy / sci-fi figures a lot, it may be hard to work out if I have failed this or not TBH - the 'two' part of the resolution may have to be ignored!

Re: the eyes, if you’re doing fantasy/sci-fi, work on an averaging system, and get some massive eye-count figures to round out the goal 

I haven’t really made any resolutions this year other than “paint more”

[has.been]

Paint whatever I feel like, as and when I feel like it. If I happen to actually finish something it's a bonus, not a goal.

Jolly well said Jolly Bob.

[Mr. White]

Sadly, I didn't hit my 2024 goal. My Lion/Dragon Rampant project continues to linger 3-4 years on my mind. Fortunately, I did wrap up all my Blood Bowl and the majority of my other titles. So, it looks like my brushes aren't going into semi-retirement this year as I had hoped. My plan all along was that from this point (just turned 50) I would only be adding the occasional character/unit/terrain piece to mature projects. My hobby output would slow down with little pressure to get a large project off the ground. Well, it looks like I've got one more year of heavy lifting...

I don't need to buy any models this year, I've already bought and assembled everything. This is all "to paint" only:
Ronin Buildings
Ronin Bushi Buntai
Lion Rampant Terrain
Lion Rampant – Merry Men Warband
Lion Rampant – The Sheriff’s Men Warband
Dragon Rampant – Dwarf Unit
Dragon Rampant – Halfling Scout Unit
Dragon Rampant – Orc Unit
Dragon Rampant – Lesser Creatures Unit
Torch and Shield – Dwarf Warband
Gaslands Train
Gaslands Ramp

It also looks like the family might have a move across the country this summer. If that happens, hobby output is going to be thin while I prep for that major event. Additionally, my parents, in another part of the country, aren't doing great, so I might have to dip over there from time to time to help. With these scenarios likely, I'm going to be doing a big purge. I've painted and bought a lot over the years that don't get used nor do they particularly excite me to play. So, with a hobby push, a move, and an attempt to game with locals more before I leave, I need to only have the hobby projects that help me "spark joy". ha!

Outside of that, I'm going to try to be a little more involved in LAF. I don't do social media and this site is the only place that really resonates with my DIY energy. I don't really care for licensed games nor too many titles that come with their own model line. I appreciate this being a healthy forum that the majority of activity seems to be more along personal pet projects and less on the latest, shiny KS project or IP tie-in. I need to contribute more than I do.

[Easy E]

A lot going on.  I am of the age where I can empathize with it.  Good luck.   

I thoroughly second two points:

1. Social Media should not be dabbled in.  I am thinking of pulling back entirely to forums only again. 

2. I also agree that the LAF is great because of all the personal projects not tied to any particular product lines, we can see a variety of stuff here!

[mikedemana]

I don't need to buy any models this year, I've already bought and assembled everything. This is all "to paint" only:

That is, until you get inspired to do a new period...ha, ha!  Like...er, um...me 

It also looks like the family might have a move across the country this summer.

What new part of the country will you be gracing? Whichever one it is will be lucky to have you around...! 
Good luck! I have luckily been able to help my parents who live in town only about 20 minutes away. I feel fortunate that I can be there for them (just my mom, now). So, I can sympathize...

Mike Demana

[zemjw]

Last year I planned to focus on fantasy, bulking up my forces to at least warband size. However, I got distracted by modern horror stuff and didn't get back to fantasy until the end of the year.

I have the same plans for this year (what's that definition of insanity ). However, at the moment I'm trying to talk myself out of/in to entering the BSC2025 competition, which would soak up most of my time for the next couple of months.

Oh, and try to play with the toy soldiers at some point, I keep on forgetting about that one

[Mr. White]

@Easy E - I left social media in 2019. There's definitely been some downsides. I like to imagine a world where I was in the Xenos Rampant FB Group and submitted some photos when the call went out prior to publication. Oh well. For me, there's too many downsides to social media that I didn't wanna contribute to their continued existence nor be a reason someone else would want to stay on and engaged. But I'm but one small butterfly flapping where I can.

@mikedemana - Thanks for the kind words. ha. There's a chance we move from Central Texas, to Rhode Island. My daughter is applying for a school up there. I go back and forth on how excited I am about it. Some days, I feel like it'll be a great adventure for us. Other days, I feel like staying where it's warmer and cheaper would work out better long term. However, it does get _too_ warm here quite often now... Anyway, I have no idea what the tabletop scene is like in New England, but I figure I'll either find a place to plug in, or more likely than not, create a group.

[Easy E]

Anyway, I have no idea what the tabletop scene is like in New England, but I figure I'll either find a place to plug in, or more likely than not, create a group.

I would wager it is pretty good. From what I can see online, the East Coast (and PA) seems like a hub for a lot of cool stuff.   It will be great for your hobby!