Pooch's December update and 2024 goals

So that's it, 2023 is done. There was a LOT painted this year, but it's fair to say that the goals more or less went out the window in December once I got super excited about a new project! 

But still, lets look at what did get finished in December, before I share the goals for 2024...

1. Paint a platoon for Flames of War

This month's is VERY MUCH a cop out. I painted 4 PaK 36 AT Guns. That's it. Not the crew, those came from something I painted months ago. 

I mean. It counts. But isn't a win...

So... yea. That's something done at least.

2. Add something to armies I have already painted

You know how I said that I got super excited about a new project? 

There has been a lot of talk in the group about 10e 40k, and wanting the game to be fun. We all love the fluff, but some of the previous editions with their rules bloat, and metagaming just really didn't feel good for the group, which meant that we never got into the swing of it. Despite pretty much all of us having full armies for it!

So, I decided that I wanted to get back to my 40k roots, and to do that, I would paint something new for it that I had never owned before. And I would pick something that already had a codex, limiting the risk of codex creep making a whole bunch of units obsolete- enter the Tyranids!

Added bonus with them was that there was plenty going cheap on the local trading site too! 

In December, I finished up the Combat Patrol box, made up of a Warrior Prime, 20 Termagants, 2 Ripper Swarms, 5 Barbgaunts, 3 von Ryan's Leapers and a Psychophage. And I also painted three Tyranid Warriors too. To classify under this goal, I'll also point out that a bunch of those models together (8 termagants and 3 warriors to be precise) would also work as a Kill Team!

The whole army so far!

Warrior Prime

Another shot of the Prime

Can't have a Prime without a unit of Warriors for them to lead!

von Ryan's Leapers. I assume von Ryan didn't make it.....

Barbgaunts!

Psychophage

That's a LOT of teeth.....

Found: one arm. Slightly used. Looking to return to owner

Four of the twenty Termagants

Get used to seeing green and purple, I have many more space bugs left to paint!

3. Finish up a piece of terrain

I know that I said that I would finish the last building for my Wild West town.... but I ran short of time, and so instead assembled these two wagons also for my Wild West town!

Two wagons. Does what it says on the tin.

I do still have that last building to make, which I should really do!

4. Play a game a month, that was different to the last month

This month was our Remember December competition, (read McZ's report here), where I took my US Paras, supported by the F4F Wildcats I finished last month out for a run.

It is always great to get out for a series of games, and I do so love my US paras. I was too busy with the games that I actually forgot to take any pictures reall, I only managed these two, the first showing my Paras holding on to a hill, and the second showing the British forces that were holding the hill opposite!

This is my hill

This is not my hill

For that game, it's worth noting that at the end, neither hill was my hill....

5. Paint a Hundred Years War French Army for ADLG

Now, this one I genuinely failed at this month. I didn't paint a single thing. That'll be a problem for next year now I think!

So what about 2024 then?

I find having the monthly blog, with a set of goals to complete  really good to focus me, and to keep a focus on actually completing projects, instead of keeping things in a 50-80% completed state. I want to have a slightly broader set of goals this year, but with a specific goal to actually get myself into playing 40k, and playing it enough to actually know the rules and army well enough that I enjoy those games!

So what's the plan for 2024 then? Just four goals this year:

1. Paint something bought in 2024

2. Paint something bought before 2024

3. Play a game of 40k each month

4. Play a game of not-40k each month

And that's it- I'd better get cracking!

Pooch