From a gaming perspective, this year was a smashing success. Referencing the ever-handy BoardGameGeek tracker, I apparently played 117 games of various types over the course of 2012. This is more than double the 51 games played in 2011, which itself was a big improvement over the prior year. I believe that much of this can be contributed to the general increase in popularity of boardgames amongst a mass market audience over the last few years, as boardgames once again dominated the top of my play list. These games have allowed my gaming circles to grow to include many beyond the hardcore hobbyists, such as fellow geeks not interested in taking the plunge into more time-intensive RPGs and miniatures games and friends and family members willing to give something other than party games a shot.
This would explain my two most frequently played games of the year, 7 Wonders and Flash Point, with 28 and 11 plays respectively. Both of these games are relatively non-intimidating to learn and can be played quickly, both of which appear to be important considerations when trying to rope in non-gamer types. Fortunately my geek roots held strong enough that my top five most played games were rounded out by three miniatures games, Mordheim, Blood Bowl, and Malifaux with 10, 7, and 6 plays respectively. This is much less than I would have liked, especially in the case of Malifaux, but nearly twice a month is a pretty respectable average.
On the painting front, 2012 was one of my most prolific years ever, even if the output was relatively anemic. In terms of the goals that I set out for myself at the beginning of the year, painting a Mordheim Shadow Elf warband, an Infinity Haqqislam force, two Malifaux crews, and my WWII Germans, I was nearly completely unsuccessful, completing only the elves and most of a single Malifaux crew. Many of these same goals will hopefully get addressed this year, as you'll see below.
Nevertheless, I did still manage16 painted figures this year, which is a massive increase over the two that I painted in all of 2011. I began the year in a strong note, knocking out my six man Shadow Elf warband for Mordheim while experimenting with some speed- painting techniques:
High Elves
I then dove into Ramos' crew for Malifaux, for which the friend who commissioned them has been patiently waiting for some time now. While I'm only about halfway through the full group of figures, I've completed enough that he has a playable force and I've got a color scheme with which I'm comfortable and should be able to replicate across the rest of the figures this year.
Brass Arachnid
Soulstone Miner
Electrical Creation
Ramos
Johan
Steamborg Executioner
I interrupted some of my Malifaux painting to participate, for the first time, in Wyrd's Iron Painter competition. Though I only made it through the first round, this was a great experience for me, providing the opportunity to work on figures with no intended gaming purpose and to learn a bit about designing and creating dioramas.
Round 1 Entry
Round 2 Entry
Finally I wrapped up my 2012 painting with my entry for GenCon. Though Misaki didn't take home any hardware for me, and I had numerous painting plans for the Fall, I'm very pleased with how she came out and content she was how I capped off the year.
Misaki
Given that I met so few of my initial 2012 goals, much less any of the other more grandiose plans I had in mind, making a list of such goals for 2013 is probably an exercise in futility. But, like most gamers I'd wager, I have varied enough interests that without at least a cursory plan I'm liable to meander from project to project, completing none of them. This is especially true as 2012 could also be called the Year of Kickstarter for me and I will soon be awash in figures from Sedition Wars, Reaper, Dreamforge and others, on top of the Zombicide and Stonehaven figures I've already received. So, my initial painting plans for 2013, are to knock out the following:
- Commission work: I have a number of now-overdue commissions that I owe to some very understanding clients - I suppose that's the perk of only painting for friends. To not keep them waiting anymore, I intend to tackle these few figures first:
- 2 x Malifaux Rotten Belles
- 5 x Grey Knight Paladins
- Blood Bowl: Into the second season of a league I joined last fall, which meets every other week, Blood Bowl is likely to be the miniatures game that will have accumulate the most plays by the end of 2013. So it's definitely the game that warrants my painting attention most. Thus my Norse team, comprised of Impact Miniatures' Valkyries, should hit my painting desk next.
- WWII Late War Panzergrenadiers: Though on my list for 2012, I didn't accomplish more than assembling a few models and basecoating half of a rifle squad. This is still the miniatures gaming project I'm most excited about though, so look for this to make an appearance sometime early in the year. I've also got a handful of really great looking models for this period that I'm looking forward to knocking out as well.
- Malifaux: Though this was technically a commission as well, I've completed enough of my friend's Ramos crew to not feel rushed to complete it. Nevertheless, I'll be working my way through the balance of these figures. Additionally, I intend to finally get some paint on my own crew. At this point I'm thinking the "Dark Debts" group will be my focus as I'm eager to mess around with Wyrd's new plastic.
- Infinity: This game has recently picked up steam locally, with our little group of two doubling in size lately. With the other three steaming along in the construction and painting of their forces I don't want to be the odd man out fielding silver soldiers. To that end, a small 250 point Haqqislam force is intended.
- Uncharted Seas: While this game sees infrequent play right now, I really like my little Iron Dwarves fleet, the models will be quick to paint, and will provide me with some quick "wins" in the painting column. If I can identify a free weekend sometime this Spring, the boats will probably make their way out of drydock.
- Painting competition entries: Though I've experienced some success with my typical approach of rushing to complete a competition entry at the last minute, this has meant that I've had to put on the back burner some slightly more complex entry ideas. This year I hope to change that, so intend to have my GenCon entries planned out, and started, by the onset of Summer. I also plan on having at least one entry for the competition hosted by Privateer Press as well. Though I originally disliked PP going independent, and thus pulling some participation from the larger GenCon competition, their event currently seems to be far better organized and run. Additionally, their system, which awards trophies based upon the quality of the entry as opposed to how it compares to the competition, seems far more rewarding. Whereas the PP competition will likely still be swept by the field of professional painters, just as with the regular GenCon competition, at least I'll have some rough idea of where I stack up in the eyes of the judges.
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