YEAR END POST 2021

Greetings, dear reader.  As we approach the turning of the year, the time has come for the usual retrospective post on the past blogging year.  Although there was a brief sense of "coming through" the pandemic in May and June of this year, the onset of Delta succeeded by Omicron makes it feel in many ways as if we are back where we were when I posted my 2020 retrospective.  Although there are vaccinations and better measures in place than this time last year, it still feels as if we are heading in the same direction that we were then, away from the "new normal" that we briefly arrived at, post-vaccine pre-Delta, and into more limitations.   So wrapping up 2021 on this note, I look forward to 2022 being a New Year, literally and figuratively, in this regard.  But for now, let's turn to the Meanderings of 2021.

PAINTING

The major accomplishment of 2021 was the completion of the Russian Army of the Russo Turkish War.  This accounts for almost all of my painting for the year.  The actual figure count for this project, compared to the sense of the task, however, was somewhat modest: 128 foot figures (including infantry, gunners, dismounted command), 48 mounted (including command and cavalry), and 6 pieces of equipment (ie, artillery).  I will say that the project probably felt larger than the figure count because it involved more than painting--the research and blogging about the research was also a big part of it.  In addition, quite a few of the cavalry were conversions.  So in the end I'm good with the figure count--at this point in my life I have come to terms with the fact that I don't paint quickly (to say the least), and therefore don't crank out lots of figures.  Late in the year I did a different kind of painting: kriegspiel blocks. In the closing weeks of 2021, I have painted four army-sets, red, gray, blue, and white, of  infantry, cavalry, artillery, wagons, and command, each of about 90 pieces (so far), totalling about 360 blocks. I'll include a separate post on my approach to painting kriegspiel blocks in 2022 (there's something for you to look forward to, dear reader...I think). 

BLOGGING 

In 2021 I managed 32 posts (including this one). Despite wishing increase the count and post more regularity in 2021, this is about the same as last year (31).  I think that the impact of COVID on energy levels and major life transitions sucked time and attention away from blogging this year.  Then again, the 2019 post count was 36, which makes three years running that the post count was in the 30s: maybe this represents that I've arrived at what is a sustainable activity level? We'll see. Much depends on how much gaming is going on, I suppose. The last few years haven't been all that great given circumstances, so fewer prompts for posting.  

READERSHIP

I began the year with 56 followers and had a modest increase to 59. Although blogging is something that has become part of my hobby experience--done for its own sake--it is nevertheless gratifying (dare I say encouraging) to see a metric indicating that my meanderings here have at least a passing relevance to others--and it is also helpful that the indicator is growing (even if by a few) as opposed to shrinking.  As far as being a reader myself, I have to apologize for not being as consistent a presence in the comments sections of the "network" of blogs that I normally visit.  I've lurked more often than I would have liked, and I hope to do better in this coming year (which should be one resolution that won't go the way of most New Years resolutions).

CONTENT PAGES/VISITS   

 The big (most discouraging) news for this blog was the crashing/hacking of several of my content pages, which have since been taken down.  These included the very content heavy Nine Years War resources page and Dubious Designs page (with my Print and Play games), as well as my Colonial Gaming Resources page (which was not that developed).  I hope to eventually get these back up in the coming year.  Despite these drawbacks, I did manage a major addition to the blog: the Pikeman's Lament/resource page.  In addition, I intend to add a Bloody Big Battles/Kriegspiel content page in the upcoming year.  As far as interest, the 19th Century Rules/Chocolate Box Wars page led the way with 568 visits this year, followed by the Miniatures on a Grid/Baroque Battles page with 465. Following up were the Smalle Warre, Pikeman's Lament, and Ramilles Large Napoleonic Game pages at 295, 243, and 213, respectively.  Given that the Pikeman's Lament page didn't go online until August, I expect that the numbers for 2022 will be up with the leaders.  Among the remaining pages, the all time leaders are the 19th Century/Chocolate Box Wars page with 2,290 visits and Baroque Battles at 2,140. Interesting to note that the most popular posts are the Danish Delight (Battle of Dybbol) at 1,600 visits--which has held its place for some time--with the Saga Gripping Beat Mongol Hearthguard now at #2 with 1,100. 

  GAME ROOM CLEAR OUT/REORGANIZATION

As reported in my earlier Ex Libris post, much of my gaming/hobby time and energy was consumed by managing the "real world" aspect of the hobby: to wit, clearing out and reorganizing my gaming space (and associated toys, collections, etc, etc).  I thought it would be appropriate to provide an accounting for this project in this year-end wrap up.

One major imperative of this project was to open up space. Clearing out the books was a big part of this, but another was to displace several of my collections from the game room to "long term storage" in the attic (we are fortunate to have a large attic that makes this possible).  Above right, my 15mm Napoleonics and 6mm League of Augsburg collections, and above left, the 35+ boxes of my 28mm Napoleonic collection, they all now reside in the attic.  

Before: on top of all of my books, my swords and other collections were leaning in corners and sitting atop other things.  

 

I got this nifty display case (from IKEA), and installed some LED lights myself. 

 

 Now my collectibles, ceramic figs, bronzes, and other bits have a dedicated, dust free space for display. That plus the lights are a nice accent in the room when I turn other lights down.  I'll devote another post to a tour of these bits and bobs if there's interest.

 

My small sword collection is no longer consigned to the corners.  For the curious, in the above (left to right) are a Pattern 1796 British Light Cavalry Saber (Thos Craven, probably about 1803), a model 1811 "Blucher" Cavalry Saber (dated about 1830), a British "Walloon" Sword ( mid/late-17th Century), a French model 1845 Infantry Officer Sword (dated 1846), a French An XI Cuirassier Sword (although dated 1816, it is a pre-Restoration, French 1st Empire model AN XI, as carried by French Napoleonic dragoons and heavies),  a French An XI Light Cavalry Saber (dated 1811), and hiding out behind, my very own US Army Pattern 1902 Officer's Sword (picked up circa 1984, not the same vintage as the others, but still ancient, like me--part of my kit during my career as a US Army Armor/Cavalry Officer). If there's interest, I can provide a more detailed post on these weapons in the future.

No small part of my time this fall was taken up with designing and then building the sword rack (big shout out to my friend AJ, of AJ's Wargaming blog, for the loan of the tools and assist with expertise and advice!).  From gathering materials to final painting took almost two solid weeks (I don't do woodwork much faster than I paint figures, it seems). 

There's now a fridge in the man-cave (forget the rest: this is probably the most important addition!)

 

The view entering the newly reorganized game room.

The trimmed down game room library: it is a more focused set of references and rules, but still a robust resource for all of my gaming purposes.

Along the back wall, the remaining figure collections housed on shelves under a handy set-up space.

Terrain storage and a dedicated snack table to the side...
  

...and a place to sit, read, and mentally meander.

 

And with that, I'll sign off and wish everyone (in advance) a Happy New Year!

 

Excelsior!