Plans, Projects and Resolutions

I've been running this blog for just over a year now, and decided that it is time I put some organisation into it, rather than let it run in the desultory way it has been doing. Looking at the posts it has been a bit of a mish-mash, and needs a tidy up, so I'm thinking, over the next few months, of re-organizing the way it works. This will take the form of setting up new pages for the various projects in hand, and possibly bringing the Grand Duchy of Humperstein blog back to the fold, rather than seperate as it is at the moment. This is because the 28mm figures used will be the same figures I shall use in the larger actions of my Heptarchy actions, though I still intend to keep the 54mm units going for that project. Also, I have a half formed idea for an 18th century 'Welsh Wars of Independence' using 30mm figures from people like Minden, Fife and Drum and Tradition. Unfortunately I succumbed to temptation and a battalion of Fife and Drum Americans in hunting shirts are sitting at the back of the Metal Mountain waiting to be transformed into a Welsh 'woodsmans battalion'when I can get round to it.

As far as I can see, apart from the 30mm stuff, I have enough figures to make up two armies, one is based on the Foundry British Crimean army, while the second is a disparate collection of troops varying from Napoleonic Brunswickers through Spanish Carlist wars, American/Mexican wars and Italian Unification forces. These will be allocated to the various countries that need them, and I'm currently working on an Order of Battle for them in order to sort out a painting roster. Perhaps by the middle of the year I can have a battle?

One resolution is to change as much of the unpainted stock into finished units this year, and while most of the smaller figures will go away to be painted I shall try to get more of my own done. The figures won't be as good, but they will be my own work! I shall have to do some reorganisation of the garden shed to allow more room, but the railway will just have to be moved over, and the garage will have to become more of a workshop (machine tools, even small modelwork ones, take up room and create dust).

Another project I hope to accomplish involves our second bedroom. Previously occupied by our daughter, who is now ensconced in her own billet, this room is going to have a sofa-bed in it, as well as our bookcases and my 'study'. If I can, I want to make a small hinged game surface that I can put over the drop-leaf table that is there at present. The table is too small to support a game itself, but will take a larger surface overlaid.I'm hoping to make something about 6foot by 4foot using 2foot by 4foot pieces of ply.

I've been looking at the blog reading list of those I follow, and find it totals 93! These are not all military, as it covers model railways and woodworking as well, but still a lot. A quick check shows that I only follow about a dozen religiously, and some have not posted for months anyway (one has a last post 3 years ago). I usually check the dashboard for updates daily in order to keep up to date, though I don't always have time to drop a comment. Many thanks for those of you who have given me inspiration and encouragement over the last few months, hopefully you'll find my scribblings more interesting in the coming year.

A happy, healthy and prosperous 2013 to you all..