Looking back ... looking ahead

 2020 was a difficult year in many ways, yet it brought forward a new way to interact with each other over long distances - via the web in real time.

I'm not certain so many of us would have done this without the incentive of "it's either this way or NO WAY."  Given that I would really rather have a game than none at all ... I took up the challenge.  The Alpian Wars have never seen the table as much as they did this year.

Alpian Wars battle from April 2020

With help from my videographer sons, who all took some video production in high-school, I was able to assemble the cameras and some software to make the tabletop come to some life via the internet connections.

setup from Command Zone 2020

I was able to help the Salute convention team have some presence on the otherwise cancelled weekend, then jumped in with HMGS to support them with a game.  Meanwhile I also ran some virtual games for the mental release of the local gaming community.

Pratzen from Lets Roll of HMGS

 In summertime, we were able to game outdoors under a sun cover and did a set of games that likely could not happen any other way.

April ECW game

Bussaco 1810 game

 

Playtest for Stoke Lane

Stoke Lane web view

The Stoke Lane tents setup

Stoke Lane in action

more of the Stoke Lane action

Further incentives to complete my Pirates came with the time having to just wait it all out at home.  

 

Blood & Plunder Sloops finished

(good thing I have a hobby and all the tools to make it happen on my own)

 

more Shako II action in a mini campaign

under tents in September sunshine

more under tents in the campaign in September

the third battle was large

including some unusual deployments

and an opportunity for my new Bavarian forces to reach the table

campaign rounded out indoors, with doors wide open for good ventilation
(the rain had started)

October was one more time outside in the sunshine

Victory Without Quarter
The Alpian Wars again

The year ended with another tightening of face-to-face opportunity and that spurred me to completely re-set my office space so that the 4'x6' table could be quickly set up and left that way for the duration of games (or have games left on the table overnight).

This led to the year end somewhat quieter than usual, with just a couple of online runs in November and December (less than was hoped for).

 

Pirates with Blood & Plunder did make it onto the tabletop first in 2020

The coming year has a few more posts from last year to go yet, a SHAKO II game and another Alpian wars to edit.

For the coming year, I shall be re-setting the table away and pushing into the painting projects, first up are some more 40K characters for my eldest son, then likely some sculpting of some special sci-fi characters I have been meaning to work towards for many years.  The spring rounds out with another ship for Blood & Plunder, then some Lorraine French troops for 'invaders' to the English Civil War (conjectural forces - mostly built from gift and left over ECW forces I already have). Then some molds will be made for casting of the new troops to come when the weather turns drier in late spring.  I have also been given a heads up that I will likely have some 18mm AB Crimea Russians to put paint onto in the coming months.

Ideally by April I will have the last of my planned Pirates, the completion of the ECW forces, save for perhaps some more border horse or clubmen of various description and made a start into the French and Indian Wars troops for skirmish and more.

As for the rest of 2021?  Too 'out of focus' to be able to make any real decisions about.  I am hopeful that by May/June time frame we will be able to gather in groups of 6 (or more) and that the worst of restrictions will be relaxed (so that my wife can be working well again in live theater - 50+people -  would be great).

Ultimately I will be ready to take on more virtual games if need be and shall keep a record of those actions here dear readers.