2017 Year in Review

Well what a year it has been for me as I sit here waiting for some paint to dry on my latest project.  I have not blogged in a while as I have been preparing for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge.  Expect some regular updates here as I progress in the challenge.

2017 has been a massive year for me.  I will discuss what I have painted and what games and social experiences I have had plus some personal achievements.  I have submitted 53 articles this year, that is a massive effort considering I submitted 16 in 2016!

Looking at what I set out to do in 2017 certainly turned out a lot differently!

Painting

A rough guess of how many figures I  have painted would be around 250 (slightly disappointed in this number).  As for vehicles I have probably painted around 25 (again not too happy).  I have build lots of terrain and I have invested in a 3D printer.

Gaming

I have played more games this year than I had previously over my small but brief wargaming life ( I wouldn't have a clue how many games I played as a teenager so this doesn't count!).

The following Games I have played this year in no particular order:

• Bolt Action
• Battlegroup
• Age of Sigmar (not a fan)
• Dragon Rampart
• The Men Who Would Be Kings
• Kings of War
• Zombicide Black Plague
• Zombicide Season 1
• The Walking Dead All Out War
• Terminator Genisys

I am sure I have missed something here.  Again I am slightly disappointed I have not played more, I got lots of boardgames and good systems that I really need to get playing!

I started painting some 15mm Fantasy which I thoroughly enjoy and started some 20mm WW2 stuff for Battlegroup.  I am a big fan of 20mm however as the more than majority of my gaming network uses 28mm, this later scale will remain my primary scale.

My 3D printer got a workout printing some terrain and I have finally started building my own terrain, I really need to ramp this up as my terrain collection is rather lacking!

Social

I have continued to make an appearance every now and then at Company of Dice and have really warmed to Company of Dice West (a second location for the club) run by a very good friend of mine.  Its a great environment and tones of space for gaming.

During MOAB I was introduced to Odin's Nights Gaming Club run by John of War and Peace Games. I have developed a nice friendship with him as a result of this.  I attended about 5 meetings in the later half of the year and thoroughly enjoyed myself as well as being introduced to new people and gaming systems.  I really look forward to Wednesday Nights now!

Another gaming highlight was my mate Joe's birthday who runs Company of Dice.  It was a great day had by all.  

I have also hosted a few games at my place with some locals and even a visitor to Sydney.  

I have definitely become more of a casual/social gamer and I think my tournament days are over.  I assisted running the Bolt Action Tournament at MOAB 2017.

Achievements

I was completely surprised to come 3rd Overall and win best Minor Powers at CANCON 2017, Bolt Action Tournament.  There were around 55-60 players so this was a great achievement.  I made Poland Great Again!

I set out and completed two challenges.  The first being 100 Days of Hobby.  Here I did a bit of Hobby every day for 100 Days Straight!  It was exhausting towards the end however has now set a habit of doing a little bit of hobby each day!  

I had some residue left over from 100 Days of Hobby on my bench so I set out to "Clear the Bench".  I successfully got this done in around 6 weeks.  Pretty stoked with that, and adding little red crosses was very rewarding to my progress.

The following work of mine was featured on other websites/facebook groups etc:

• 28mm Offensive Miniatures DAK - Ironfist Publishing Facebook Page
• 20mm Wartime Miniatures Panzer Lehr - Wartime Miniatures Facebook Page
• 15mm Fantasy - Dice Stormers Facebook Page
• 28mm Blitzkrieg German Adler and Pak36 - Warlord Games Newsletter

Getting featured in the Warlord Games Newsletter was very rewarding

I wrote my first solo scenario for Bolt Action and I intend to write more.

I was also interviewed and featured in the LRDG II Podcast where I spoke about Poland in WW2 and my experience of Polish Forces in the Game Bolt Action.  I really enjoyed being part of a podcast.

I am sure I have left other things out but that is enough for now..

2018

I am going to think about what lies ahead for me in 2018 and will blog separately.  Two things come to mind... Play more games and Paint more minis!

Happy New Year all and I look forward to a huge 2018!

Dave.

Sd. Kfz. 13 Adler and Blitzkrieg German Pak 36

My latest offerings for my Blitzkrieg German Force is by Warlord Games.  There is a beautiful 1/56 Resin Sd. Kfz. 13 Adler Armoured Car and a Pak 36 Anti-Tank Gun.

The Adler was produced by Damler-Benz and was seen in Poland and France before being phased out.  It was a fast armoured reconnaissance car and about 187 were built.  There could reach speeds up to about 70km/h on a road however were terrible off road.  They were armed with a MG34 Machine Gun.

It is rarely seen on the table top hence why I just had to have it and it is full of swagger.

Warlord Games 1/56 Sd. Kfz. 13 Adler Armoured Car

This thing oozes swagger

Warlord Games 28mm Blitzkrieg German Pak 36

I see you

Winter is coming...

Polish Airborne - By The Shortest Way

As you know I have a rather large 1939 Polish Collection in 28mm.  Naturally I should progress to their Airborne.

Warlord Games recently released some British Airborne Plastics that can also be modelled as the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade.

I will be modelling my box set on these brave chaps.  These guys jumped into Operation Market Garden and suffered heavy casualties.  As always they fought Bravely.

These Warlord Models are simply fantastic.  I am surprised at how well they painted up.  The Berets look great and I will definitely model a lot more with their unique beret.  I have some metal support options for these guys also from Warlord Games.

These models will be used for the upcoming Bolt Action Supplement for Market Garden and the recently released Battle Group Market Garden Book.  I do plan on making a British Airborne force in 20mm.

Rather than my usual paint a test figure and go from there, I jumped right in and painted 6!

"Najkrótszą drogą" (By The Shortest Way) - Motto of the Polish Airborne



28mm Polish Airborne By Warlord Games



My favourite of the first 6 I painted.



Bren Gun



Helmets optional



With SMG

I finally have a force with Moustaches



Polish Airborne Berets look awesome and are unique



A BIG Game of Bolt Action

A very talented terrain maker and member of Company of Dice, Paul, proposed a big game of Bolt Action, and a BIG Game we had!  Paul hosted this at Company of Dice West.

The scenario was June 1944 D-Day +.  It would be Germans vs Brits.  It would be played on Paul's magnificent Normandy themed Board.  The table size was a massive 12 x 4 feet!

We did not want to game all night so we came up with the following conditions

• 750 Points Per Player
• 6 Order Dice Cap
• Key Positions D6 + 6 Objectives (a 6 was rolled!)
• Objectives must be 12 inches apart and within 12 inches of the centreline
• Officer's could snap to action allied units
• 4 Order Dice would be pulled at a time
• A limit of 2 free arty observers for the Brits (they brought one to their credit)

Paul and his son Angus were incharge of the preliminary dice rolls and then we simply drew dice and got on with it!

It was an epic game and everyone had fun.  The Germans trumped the Brits on the Day, 10 objectives to 2.  The Brits blame tiger fear however they were both Panthers so they couldn't complain too much as we paid the points for it.

The Teams:

Germany:

Paul, Dave, Bryan (The General), John

Brits:

Angus, Spyros (no free minis but plugged Uncle Les), Andrew, Ian

I very much look forward to another big Bolt Action Game!



A big Table for a big battle - Stunning Table

My Humble Kampfgruppe - Green Fallschirmjager

Brits Take a salvo from the Nebelwerfer

The Field of Shame.  Destroyed dice entered it... Full of Brits

A nebelwerfer salvo got rid of those Brits

My MVP for sure!

The end result.  The field of shame.  Brits top, German Dice Bottom