2018 and onwards plans

Short introduction
For something not usual for this blog, in early 2018 I posted a discussion rather than rule reviews or battle reports.  I have copied that discussion into this page. The discussion was how to potentially improve my wargaming mojo by listing my possible projects for the next few years.  My plan is to update is irregularly with how I am going.

First update in February 2021 in green.

Second update May 2023 in blue.

Introduction
In November 2017 I was losing my interest in playing wargames, possibly as my focus in my gaming had spread across so many projects and I was lost at sea. So why not list my gaming interests and what I feel I should be investing my time in for the next few years?  It is based on what I have really enjoyed over the last few years.   It is more of a list of things to help me choose projects from for the next two to three years rather than a small defined target.  The ones that I am most keen on are listed as priority; the secondary are those I would like to fit in but in reality are not likely.  And based on past experience, there is a good chance of something new or re-prioritisation!

Background
I played 20mm WW2 in the mid-late 80's. I dabbled in Ancients in the 90's but mostly played a lot of boardgames, mostly multiplayer affairs.  In the 2000’s the games were limited to a few games a year of Armati 2 or 20mm WW2 using various rules (mostly Take Cover!! , a Rapid Fire-ish clone).  In 2009 I began this blog to get more familiar with various ancient rules by replaying the same battles with different rules.

Feb 2018 (from the initial post)
The games played since have expanded. I am at the point in 2018 where I feel my gaming mojo is in need of repair - I have lots of potential projects that I already have minis or kit for but not that much time.  Taking stock for a main focus may help bring the mojo back.  Not saying I will not detour and sideline from this, but at least having it written down I have more of a chance of concentrating on the things I found I like.   I also have some 10+ AARs lined up to to post that are in various stages of completion. And three games half played. This is also preying on my mind and possibly also contributing to mojo loss.  A focus for the first half of 2018 will be finishing them off and then trying to not let potential posts bank up so much. I am also hoping to cut down on spending as I do not have to buy anything (or at least not much) to play from this list. Being a realist I do know that the "Ooh, shiny!" will still "force" me to spend my cash occasionally and  detour from anything I have written down :-)

Feb 2021 update

I gamed very little in 2018-2020 but got in a mostly ancient games, a couple of WW2 games and  a couple of games of Machinas.  So did some of the primary goals, a couple of secondaries and the side project that was Machinas.  So still much the same goals as in 2018.  It will be interesting to see if a detour into anything much else over the next few years that is not what I have been doing over the last two years. My main aim for 2021 will be playing more historical battles with my rules, playing the 6mm WW2 campaign and more pulp SF.  Bound to be distractions.

May 2023 update

Much the same - dabbling in a few WW2 games, still playing the Peter Sides ancient scenarios with my own rules (that seem to change with every game :-)).  Still doing SF RPG pulpish narrative games.  Just got out the Machinas sequel (Win or Die!) and expect to run a few games of that.  So drifting the same 2 years later.

Ancients
Priority

• Keep playing Peter Sides’ historical scenarios with Ancient Battlelines Clash. Feb 2021 Yes, still going. May 2023: still going.
• Play different rules with the same battle (a new battle already chosen). Try and get 10 done.  I have a list of 30 or so rulesets I would happily give a go. Feb 2021 Not started.  I think I cannot focus on my own rules and lots of others at the same time. May 2023: still keen, still not started.

Secondary

• I bought the book "As Told in the Great Hall" about 4 years ago.  I have wanted to play the 14 or so British early Medieval scenarios within. Feb 2021 Done!
• I would like to complete basing some 200 or so 15mm Chinese and Dark Ages figures I acquired in 2012; and finish fixing up some other figures that need some maintenance. Feb 2021 No. May 2023: No.
•  Play Bill Banks Imperator again and revisit the 8x8 grid rules but maybe expand to 12x8. Feb 2021 Thinking about it, but on 6x6. May 2023: No.

WW2
Priority

• Finish off the WW2x2 Company Advance rules and play a few more Operation Jupiter games (20mm).  Maybe streamline them to fit in with the 4x3 simple rules would be good. Feb 2021: no progress, but did create some very similar platoon based rules and plan to play a campaign.  Will then scale these up to Company size. May 2023: till keep writing revisions but not actually playing,
• Need to complete the armour and penetration value updates for these rules. Feb 2021 Done.

Secondary

• Finish off the WW2x2 Section Advance rules, put them on the blog and play a few more games. Feb 2021: No. May 2023: No.
• IABSM.  I have lots of cards I made for IABSM (I Ain't' Been Shot Mum) in 2002-ish and I believe I could simply use my WW2x2 Company Advance combat mechanisms to replace the ones in IABSM and leave everything else the same in IABSM. I was never happy with combat but loved everything else.  Then I could play some IABSM scenarios without having to convert them. Feb 2021: No. May 2023: No.
• The ww3x4 games  (WW2 on a 3x4 grid) were fun and could possibly see another outing. Feb 2021: No. May 2023: PLayed a 6 game campaign in 2021 and a coiple of games early 2023.  Could see more, it was fun and easy to setup.
• Maybe even play some 6mm games with different rules. Maybe. Feb 2021: No. May 2023: No.

Fantasy
Priority

• I have a whole lot of Heroscape and could reuse the figures to play some fantasy skirmish along the lines of Songs of Blades and Heroes, Melee, Open Combat, Sellswords and Spellsingers  or something similar.  Something co-op.  Or just play Heroscape. Feb 2021: No. May 2023: Thinking about it, but no actual playing.

Pulp
Priority

• I have written some rules that take the Pulp Alley concept (mostly the cards) and used a simplified GoalSystem (Chaos in Cairo) task resolution system for a combat-light solo pulp game.  Suitable to play out the Pulp Alley campaigns.  I need to dig these out and give them a run with the children. Feb 2021: No..,but think my SF RPG rules would work for a light Pulp Alley type game. May 2023: No, blut am a lot closer with rules that I think will work, so maybe soon.

SF
Priority

• Continue playing solo the Traveller Adventures using my solo adventure framework. Feb 2021: Did a few more.  Moved to 4 Dice SF RPG  in November 2020 that seems to be what I am looking for an plan to play more adventures. May 2023: Moved away from 4D SF RPG to other rules of my own and thinking about running next Traveller adventure.

Secondary

• Find some simple rules that are suitable to play with a small number of ships.  Vector movement would be good. Order systems not so good. Starfire is probably out, but Full Thrust, Engage!, Shooting Stars, Call to Arms come to mind and could be good.  I have quite a few more SF spaceship rules and just need to go back and go through them looking for something that appeals. Feb 2021: Tinkered a little with my own rules and simplifying Starfire but progress on spaceship gaming close to nil.  May 2023: Still tinkering.

Boardgames
Priority

• Play more of the ones I already have with the children.  I have two children (9 and 11 as at Feb 2018) and we play together so the games have to be good for three people and generally co-op games, although my daughter does love to thrash us at Love Letter Adventure time! There is a list of about 20 Euro, AmeriTrash, mini/boardgame crossovers and card games we have played over the last 5 or so years.. I hope to play them some more and see which ones are keepers and which are not. Currently on the list (either have played in the past or ready to play) are Betrayal at House on the Hill, Zombicide, Forbidden Island, Warhammer Quest, Cluedo, Space Crusade, X-Wing Miniatures, Thunderbirds!, Wings of War, Star Fluxx, Battlestations!, 221b Baker Street, Love Letter Adventure Time, Sushi Go, Ghooosts! and Ghost Fightin' Treasure Hunters.  There are more I can't remember :-)  And some more I would like to buy (such as Pandemic, Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan). Plus three Kickstarters I backed in 2017 on track to deliver in 2018. Feb 2021: Almost nothing to report here - we played a few games each of Risk, X-Wing Miniatures and  Stratego.  Not much else.  This task may never happen, although may do some solo! May 2023: No.

Secondary

• Play some of the smaller “old school” boardgames I have but have never played. Feb 2021: No. May 2023: No.
• Find a fairly good short solo game I like playing. Dungeon Roll is not bad but a bit generic;  Tiny Epic Galaxy is fun but does not quite cut it.  I have a list of about 6 to try. Feb 2021: Played a lot more Dungeon Roll but over it for now.  Also played Micro Space Empires a bit but found it was not what I was looking for. May 2023: No.

Side projects
Let's call these tertiary.  They may happen but more unlikely than the secondaries above.

• More Machinas Feb 2021: Streamlined the rules, played a few game.  Hope to play more. May 2023: No more games but jsut got out the revised Win or Die! rules.
• Revisit Solo Sword and the Stars-type star system game (blog posts to still be written).Feb 2021: No. May 2023: No.
• Complete development of a solo Sargon II Mesopotamia ruler type boardgame (I think this is the last of my 20 years+ projects that I have not managed to do something with in the last 5 years). Feb 2021: No. May 2023: No.
•  Revisit Medieval Naval Warfare rules and play a few games. Feb 2021: Revisited the rules but have not played a game yet. May 2023: No.

Things not really on the list for the next few years (but you never know)

• For most of my boardgames I do not have the space to set them and leave them in place so unlikely they will see daylight.
• Cold war miniatures – I have 6mm miniatures but not a priority.
• Solo story writing – the SFRPG solo adventuring framework morphed into story creator that was interesting but requires a bit of time investment to do.
• Mass fantasy battles – I have been given quite a few unpainted Warhammer figures but have done nothing with them.
• Starfire – I have a few undocumented AARs of playing Starfire with miniatures but it was not as exciting as I was expecting.
• Some CCGs – I have Illuminati New World Order and Star Trek TOS but unlikely this will see any play soon.
• I have some 20mm WW2 vehicles that need painting that I am unlikely to get around to doing.  I have some 20mm WW2 vehicles that need to be built - even more unlikely to occur.
• I have some 6mm Napoleonic Brits that need painting and while I would like to try out some Napoleonics, I cannot see that happening in the next few years.
• I have about 40 15mm SF figures (old Ral Partha), about 12 painted.  I am ready to play some SF skirmish using something like Five Parsecs from Home.

Feb 2021: Did none of these. Unsurprisingly. May 2023: No.

Final word
So, there you have it - everything I would like to do and loosely prioritised. I will try and check back on this list in later years to see if it helped with my mojo.  Also to see how I went to then determine my wargamer butterfly rating :-) May 2023: Stillinterested in much the same things, so no expansion into new genres (yet).