Richard's January

At the start of the year I set myself eight goals for 2020, with the intention of posting my progress at the end of each month. So, how did I go during January?

1. Painting 28mm FJ. 

I painted the pants on another squad, and bought a StuG to support them. I guess that counts as progress?

2. Find a set of WW2 rules that I enjoy playing in 28mm.

A couple of ideas for systems have been kicked around by people at the club, so I'm sure something will happen with this.

3. Paint a Landsknecht square for Impetus.

I took a few figures out of their boxes, looked at them, freaked out and put them away again.

4. Complete a Black Seas fleet box. 

I've been a bit all over the place on this. Last year I was heading towards a Spanish fleet box, but then I received USS Constitution for Christmas, so began looking at the US version. But then Warlord Games released their 'Smuggler's Run' campaign, and it looks great. So rather than a fleet box, I'm going to change this goal to be the ships for the campaign, both my own company and HM Customs.

My smuggling company will start with the two brigs and the frigate that I originally painted up as Spanish, and I will add to it when the Schooners and Merchants are released next month (assuming business is good and the company can afford new ships...), the incentive being that I can't add a ship to my roster until I have a painted model of it.

For the British, I need the following to be able to field all of the combinations that the campaign can throw at you:

• 1 x First Rate
• 1 x Third Rate
• 2 x Frigate
• 3 x Brig
• 1 x Sloop
• 2 x Cutter
• 3 x Schooner
• 2 x Gunboat Squadron

So, in January I painted and rigged two Royal Navy Brigs.

I still have have two Brigs and two Frigates left from the starter box, plus a box each of the Third Rates and Gunboats, so will continue by working on those in February. I will get the Schooners when they are released, and maybe even see if I can convert the second of my spare Brigs into a Sloop.

5. Try out Battlegroup: NORTHAG, and write a review. 

It sounds like this will be released at Salute in April.

6. Complete some of the random FOW platoons that I have lying around. 

I haven't painted anything, but I've had a good look through the pile, and have a bit of a plan.

• Early War British - complete this army by painting some armoured cars and Vickers MkVIb.
• Mid War British - repaint and rebase my old 8th Army support weapons to match my more recent work.
• Late War British - rebase my infantry company, and paint the kits that I have in order to make a 100pt force under the upcoming D-Day: British book.

I've also cleared the decks a bit by selling most of my MW British Armour, and may do another pass through the collection at some point because, to be honest, I have way too much FOW.

7. Syrians for Team Yankee.

No progress.

8. Put together an event or campaign of some kind. 

This is going to be the Smuggler's Run campaign.

Overall Theme: Uncompleted Projects

I've already failed here. I had toyed around with buying into 40K when the Chaos new releases came out last year, but in the end decided against it. Then this month I saw the Adeptus Mechanicus Pteraxii and Serberys Sulphurhounds that were announced at LVO, and I was immediately grabbed by the aesthetic.

Rather than going crazy and jumping straight in, I have picked up a second hand set of Skitarii Rangers sprues to see whether I like the models. They are my first ever GW models, never having played any of their games, and my first impressions are that they're amazing. The casts are beautiful, the sprues are packed with parts, and I'm looking forward to painting them.

January Summary

• Models Painted: 2
• Leadpile Size: Increased
• Month Rating: Poor