Since it is December 31st today it's about time for my Year's Review. Posts like this are popping up all around the blogosphere and it's good to see what and how our fellow Bloggers got busy during this year, my review will concern itself mainly to the figures I have managed to paint and provide some numbers on this. While I will not delve into my personal life during 2016 I would like to mention a few things: first off is the birth of our youngest son Hugo which delighted me beyond measure. Being a dad is great and having two brilliant sons is even better (can't say anything about having daughters but I hear it's OK too :-P ). Apart from that it has been a rollercoaster ride this year and I hope 2017 will prove to be better, but I am a bit anxious what with our Cousins in the UK Brexiting and the election of Mr Trump in the States. This blog has never been about politics, but I do think both occurrences will have profound effects on the course of History...
On to the Figure Front! Just like last year I will state some categories of figures I collect and paint and the amount of miniatures of each I actually finished. For this end I use a cahier, obtained at the Musée de l'Armée in Paris featuring Good Old Boney on the cover, in which I keep track. No fancy excel spreadsheets or apps or the like. Now there would be a nice in the market: an app that keeps track of the (un)painted lead pile!
Seven Years War (1:72)
- I managed to paint all about one regiment of 24 figures for this in 2016. A bit meagre but not a biggie, other projects took prime position.
AWI
- All of 11 figures were done up for the AWI mainly to fill out a started unit to full strength. I have a few miniatures left which are mostly white metal Highlanders and I am still un-decided as to what regiment I want to depict. They are in trews by the way.
Napoleonic Wars (1:72)
- Precisely 203 figures for this period were provided with some paint this year which explains the lack of progress on the 7YW figures I guess. I am fast approaching the point where I am finishing the armies I want to realise in 1:72 scale plastics.
- The problem is that new sets and ones in white metal as well, keep turning up and setting me back.
Colonial Wars (1:72)
- 0 figures were finished for this project this year... a bit disappointing but to be expected since the project was really kicked into the backburner.
The Great War (1:72)
- 82 WW1 figures were painted, these included such far flung conflicts like the German and British troops in Africa as well as some early Belgian and French troops.
- 3 vehicles were done (two more are currently put together and base-coated but not finished in time for Year's End).
WW2 (1:72)
- 21 WW2 troops entered my "painted-cabinets" this year, concluding my 1:72 figures list.
Victoriana (28mm)
- I just about managed to paint one piece for this collection which is a Handsome Cab, these figures are now listed as my project for the 8th Painting Challenge. Yeah I am planning well ahead ;-)
Scatter Terrain (all scales but mostly 28mm)
- This is a category I have been quite active in this year and have forgotten to list well enough. A rough estimate places the amount of scatter stuff I painted this year at about 25 large pieces (excluding buildings) and about double the amount of small stuff.
28mm Historical or Diverse figures
- 9 figures
- 3 vehicles
Sci-fi and Fantasy (28mm)
- 0 I have had no interest in this subject through the year. I have sold off quite a lot of my GW stuff and will not buy any new anytime soon!
West End games Star Wars figures (25mm)
- the figure counter for these is sticking on a measly 2 figures I will need to rectify that in 2017.
- I did manage to paint up 12 vehicles but these were not all West Wind mini's
- 48 figures (mostly Norsemen and civilians) made it into the painted cabinets in 2016. As I intend to paint a lot of these during the present Challenge, I am certain 2017 is going to top that number.
80's Pulp Figures (28mm)
- 42 figures have been painted for this project, another part of the Challenge and it will see a growth for the new year. The unpainted pile for this project is still very large and with figures added from currently available commercial lines and repurposed, it will be an ongoing work of love for some time yet.
- 3 vehicles were done for the above and with a lot of them available as 3d print files more are sure to follow.
Crimean War (15mm)
- finally we come to the end of the list with this little side show of 15mm figures. Last year I managed to finish most of the Russians for this conflict and this year I concluded the remaining 48 of them. The British are up next and will be done up (hopefully) as part of this year's Challenge. Now on to the Grand total!
If I have counted correctly I have put paint to 461 miniatures over the course of 2016, a venerable amount if ever there was one...
New plans for 2017 are in the making. First and foremost is completing the Challenge and the two projects I have planned for this. Another big target will be to get going on my Salamanca Project. To be honest, I do not wish or dare to state more goals for 2017 since we all know how the "Ooooh-shiny" syndrome works and I am as susceptible to this as the next wargamer.
We'll see what 2017 brings, a good Old Year's Eve to all of you!
Cheers Sander
