Good, Bad, Ugly 2016

It has long been a tradition to briefly review events that myself and friends have attended, to categorise them under the heading of good, bad and ugly and I thought it could a suitable way to also review my take on 2016, so, here goes, some of my more notable GBU things of 2016 :

The Good

I once more attended a couple of wargame shows and despite there being only two, from the potential four (at least), local shows, I did  enjoy them immensely. In my hey-day of attending shows I’d have also attended Durham Wargames Open day, Border Reiver and Stockton. (Shildon btw is not really that local to me and fairly new).

It was a pleasure meeting Roy Williamson at Shildon, a fellow blogger (link) and a truly gifted miniature painter, he also introduced me to Dave Docherty (another blogger).  Whilst I haven’t met that many fellow bloggers (a handful at most) those I have met have always been very friendly.

Having the wherewithal to purchase items for projects, whilst not in the same league as other gamers, my purchases have been modest, but in comparison to the almost nil purchases I’ve made over the last few years was a step forward.

One of the things I particularly like doing is tinkering with rules, whether my own or those of others and my recent correspondences with another blogger to polish up his rules where necessary, make suggestions to content and wording etc. – I know this probably sounds more like work than pleasure, but to me it beats the heck out of painting figures or modelling!

The Bad

 Not playing a single table-top game over the entire year, has to be the #1 bad thing on the list.  I find it quite depressing having a fairly good set-up imo (my own wargaming room, permanent table and so on).

The explosion of “Boutique” games, (which I call games in a box). In case you don’t know what I’m talking about think of the many games played on a 3 foot square “board” (or smaller) with just a couple of dozen figures, some shiny (expensive) rules, lots of cardboard and so on. To me this is not wargaming, but is a form of step-up from boardgame to tabletop with all the inherent advantages and disadvantages they entail. I can see all the enjoyment from these types of games though and good luck to those that play them, but they’re not wargames to me!
I’m also under the impression that many new sets of rules have been dumbed down –but that’s just a feeling.

Not having a regular opponent, despite a couple of false starts and realising that my historical interests can’t compete with Orks, Space Marines and all things plasticky. Solo gaming just isn’t for me!

The Ugly

The use of the term “28mm Scale” has always bugged be and imo it’s a way manufacturers can get away with not having figures made to an actual scale. I know that many refer 28mm as 1/56th scale which would make a figure representing a six foot tall man at about 32mm – so why 28mm ?

Seeing models of grey rocks, castles and walls still annoys me, though I’ve grown to having to accept them - I guess. (I still feel the same shudder seeing ‘eyes’ painted on miniatures less than 72mm tall too).

I find I can’t keep up with the multitude of blogs I follow. It’s so easy to miss someone’s latest blog

Post and I seem to be forever playing catch-up.

A Zombie Forum that I’m a member of has slowly been dying a death for the last year or so; it had such potential but the many interests of the members outside of the Zombie gaming genre is another nail in its coffin, sadly. I haven’t posted in over a year, which probably hasn’t helped, but then again neither did the moderators giving out offencive comments.  

Whilst my enthusiasm for this hobby is up and down  like a Bride's nightie most of the time I am looking forward to 2017 and getting my Wargaming room back !

Have a happy and pious New Year one and all and here's to 2017!