A Year of Contradictions.

This is an odd first post of the year, because I wrote it right back at the beginning of January, and never published it.   Having done that, I come back to it, and let's see how I am doing against some targets I set myself a month ago.

So, this is my first post of 2017, and it is a little bit different as it is going to be based on what I have done, and plan to do, and will not do.  I am not going to have a set of gaming resolutions, but rather some targets, some of which I know I will fail.  I will also hopefully try and talk about what has led to them.

1. Play More  This is the obvious one, but it needs saying.  I normally only get to game once a week.  When that happens, I go to the FLGS, and I hopefully play Malifaux.  But I also gossip, chill, demo Malifaux, and generally hang out.  I think that if I were a bit more organised, my one evening a week could probably support at least 2 games, rather than the one I tend to get now.
    Well, this one at least I have been getting better at.  I have played more Malifaux, more consistently, since the beginning of the year than any time previously.  I've been getting games to start earlier, I've started using Vassal to play games, and there has been a definite focus on getting number of games in.  I have also signed up for my first (ever) Malifaux tournament as a player.  The number of games is definitely increased and I am enjoying it.

2. Focus Less.  This also applies.  I have, at last count, at least 10 gaming systems that I am familiar with and have a variety of forces for.  In the last year, I have played 1, count them, 1 of those with any sort of regularity.  Some of that is because I am a bit of a Malifaux nut, but I think that with work, I could get to play lots of other systems as well as Malifaux.  Especially if I stick to point 1 above.
    I've done less well a this.  I have my first ever tournament coming up, and so i have been working on getting as much Malifaux played as possible so that I don't embarrass myself.  This does have the downside of meaning that I am not even trying to play other systems at the moment.  But I do have cases put together with all of the appropriate models for other games so that I can just grab a case to play Warmachine or X-Wing.  And Vassal makes this much easier in theory as well.  We shall see how this one goes.

3. Focus More.  I have a variety of forces for lots of games.  Particularly Malifaux.  This has led to me playing lots of games with lots of forces, and not really having a grip on any of them.  That needs to change.  I need to play with a force until I am familiar with it and then change, rather than jumping about.
    Nailed this one.  I've played nothing but the dreamer since the start of the year.  I've got a much better (read any) grasp of how he plays, which models work with him, and how to use him to smash opponents.  All I need to do now is work out how to add completing schemes and strategies, and winning games to that list, and I will be sorted.

The results of Focusing on Painting Malifaux

4. Paint Wiser.  I don't play with unpainted models.  I just don't.  Good luck to you if you do, but I can't bring myself to do it.  I also tend to paint whatever takes the mood.  The combination is bad for my gaming.  I intend to let my gaming inspire, at least a little, my painting so that I paint the things that will increase my chances of actually winning games occasionally.
    This one is working out OK.  Current painting projects have been focused on getting the Dreamer crew ready for the tournament.  Models all neatened up, bases finished, and a new Teddy, and work on the Avatar Dreamer for use as an Emissary.  Add to that the Effigies all in the paint crew, and the Bunraku so I can expand out to Collodi (he and Dreamer share a lot of models), and I think that I have definitely achieved the paint wiser.

Painted because a second Teddy is Scary

5. Paint for Love.  I need to make sure that I am painting models that I love.  That move me, even if they aren't part of some grand gaming plan.  I lost the love for painting, and for Malifaux a little when I painted nothing but models for the Malifaux Project.  A complete break in style helped to fix that when I painted some Bolt Action stuff.  I need to remember that.
    Less good.  Finished a chunk of the Konflikt '47 Stuff for the love of it.  And I have a couple of models lined up to be painted just because, including a Halfling Mage from a local company I plan to review on the blog shortly.

A distraction, or a nearly complete starter force for a new game?

6. Complete my Projects.  I have lots of part finished projects.  While I need to switch things up to keep things interesting, I need to actually try and finish some of the projects.
    This seems to be getting better.  I have started a To-Do list which should help me focus on this.  So far, I have finished a terrain project I started last year, and the Dreamer painting is coming near to an end. So I am getting better so far, but the year is young.

Finally finished and put on a table

But I'm obviously not THAT good at finishing projects.

So, let's see how successful I am in keeping to these.  Please, people who know me, feel free to call me on the ones I am failing at and to suggest any more.

Seems like so far I am making reasonable progress.  Let's see how I keep it going.