Happy New Year! What's in store for 2018

Happy New Year 2018! Everyone...

Ok, it is time for my yearly traditional first post for 2018 and lay out my plans for the upcoming year.  These plans usually change (especially when something new comes out) but I enjoy them as it sets me on an outline for the year and sort of a checklist at the end of the year to see what was accomplished.

My plan this year for painting will probably break down my queue into calendar quarters, this will give me a goal every three month's on what needs to be accomplished.  Along with trying to squeeze in some more gaming (and continue working on my N Scale model train layout).

Guild Ball

Painting Goal:  This is a tough one.  I would love to say to be able to complete every Guild Ball model that I have so that all Guilds are completed.  It is doable since I currently probably have around 40 models left to complete.  I have the new six for both the Farmer's and Blacksmith's, the second six for the Brewer's and the remaining are for my Mortician's and Union.  I do have a few one off's left (Smoke and Lucky) and I am wrapping up Skatha for my son's Hunter's Guild.  I think realistically I will shoot to complete the Farmer's, Blacksmith's and Brewer's (along with the few one off's).  This will give me some room for some of the new Minor Guilds that will be released in 2018.

Gaming Goal:  Here we go, I always want to be able to play more games each year, but real life always gets in the way.  I prefer the collecting/painting over the gaming anyways (hence the reason why I have every Guild for Guild Ball), but the plan for 2018 will be to concentrate on two gaming systems (Guild Ball and Warmachine/Hordes).  AdeptiCon 2018 is coming up at the end of March (coincides with the end of my first painting quarter) and for Guild Ball I am signed up for the AdeptiCon Championships on Friday, and the Homelands Cup on Sunday.  Here's my problem, I have yet to play in an official event for Guild Ball, all my games have just been friendlies.  So that is my goal for 2018 is to play in more Guild Ball events.

Warmacine/Hordes

Painting Goal:  I still have quite a few models in my backlog for Warmachine/Hordes (mainly with Trollbloods), but I need to concentrate 2018 on my two main factions, Khador for Warmachine and Minions for Hordes.  In those regards, the backlog is not too big.  I have a few Units and Warjacks that I need to complete for Khador and there are some new models coming out for Minions at the end of this month that will take high priority in my painting queue.  Let's not also forget the new Minions 'Dracodile' that will be posted tomorrow.

Gaming Goal:  For the past year I have been telling myself that I am going to try and play in the 'local' (40 miles one way) WM/H league in South Bend.  I have yet to play in that league.  It runs for 5 weeks, then they take a week or two off and start back up and continues through the year.  The first session for 2018 will be starting up shortly.  If I want to remember the rules for WM/H, I have to play more (as with Guild Ball), so I will try and finally play in some of the league sessions when I know it does not interfere with any vacations.  On Saturday at AdeptiCon my son and I are signed up for the WM/H Team Tournament, so I need to make sure I know what I am doing.

Events

I enjoy attending events through out the year (when once again life doesn't get in the way) and the funds are available.  Not always to compete in events, but just also hanging out and getting in some friendly games.

2018 will be very similar to my plans for last year with a few subtractions and additions.  

For the last couple of years I have been starting out the year with the Las Vegas Open, well this year I will not be attending.  There is no organized play for Guild Ball this year, so the only interest would be Warmachine/Hordes.  With AdeptiCon only two months later, I am flying my son out for that.

AdeptiCon in March, as just mentioned above, this one is a must.  Now that I am in the Midwest again, this is a 'must' attend event for any gamer.  Registration opened up early December and my son and I are all signed up.  This year I also decided to book the hotel onsite in case we have any late night gaming (though I'll probably be tired).

Vacation plans will once again get in the way for the Summer months (at the end of May I will be going back to Arizona and moving my oldest back with us to Michigan), so the funds for June will then be limited.  Muse on Mini's throws a Con that same weekend we will be driving and then there is Privateer Press Lock & Load in either June or July.  Lock & Load would be very fun to attend, but the airfare for two to Seattle will get pricey (along with the hotel room).  I try and attend events where I can still drive where gas is still cheaper than airfare.  We shall see about Lock & Load, but my hopes are not high for this one.

Now comes the Fall/Winter and there is a quite a few I would like to attend, once again funds will limit our choices along with dates.

September has the Nova Open in the Washington DC area over Labor Day Weekend, this one is reachable by car for us and is an option.  I have never attended the Nova Open, but here that it is a really big event.

October is the Michigan GT in Lansing.  Mainly it is for Warhammer 40K, but over the past few years has branched out to other gaming systems.  Last year I was signed up for the WM/H Tournament, but a totaled van kept me from attending.

November has Warmachine Weekend in the St. Louis area (just a 6 hour drive for us).  I really feel this will be the year my son and I will finally attend the Warmachine Weekend.  I also have some friends from here that will be attending and I enjoy the 'fun' types of events that they run.  I am just not happy with the lack of information (and late information) they provide on their website.  I like to plan my events well ahead of time (so I can schedule the time off), and it took them forever to get a listing of events up on their site.  Besides that little issue, I have high hopes for this event (especially if we do not attend Lock & Load).  More than likely it will be one or the other.

Now we come to December and this past year it was the first ever SteamCon USA in Chicago.  Steamforged Games recently asked social media for any other locations that people are interested in.  So we will have to wait and see for this one.  If by chance it is again in Chicago, we are most definitely there (as long as there is some time gap from WMW), if it is in any other city we will need to see how far that drive and costs will be.  I also have to take into account my son will probably have a job working weekends, so I have to plan these accordingly where they will not interfere too much with his work schedules.

Other Games On The Radar

Malifaux

The game of Malifaux has always intrigued me even though I have never played the game.  I really do like the look of the models.  There is a group in South Bend that plays every Tuesday night so I know there is a local following (although this past year at the Michigan GT all the Malifaux events were cancelled due to a lack of registrations).  I think if by chance I do get into this game, I need to stick just to one Faction.  I will need to control the collector in me.  One drawback is that my son never really had an interest in this game, so that may keep me from playing.

Batman Miniatures Game

I am just throwing this one out there for now.  My son plays this game and he is playing it Friday at AdeptiCon while I play Guild Ball.  I am intrigued by Team Arrow so you never know what will happen.  Unlike Malifaux above, I do not think that anyone locally plays this game.  So it's a complete opposite from above.  No locals but my son loves it and with Malifaux it has locals but not my son.

So right now these two games are just a small blip on the radar.

Bolt Action

So where was Bolt Action in my above plans for 2018.  Well originally it was going to be a fairly large part and my son and I were going to play in the Team Tournament at AdeptiCon.  But our interests has slid a bit (mainly with Guild Ball for me).  Now I still plan on keeping all my armies, will I paint anything for them...maybe...my passions change through out the year.  Will I get some games in...I really think so, especially when my son moves up, it will not be frequent, but every now and then.

Well there you go, my outline for 2018.  We shall see come the end of December on how well I did.  I do know that if I want to play more games, it will probably cut into the time I have to paint them, so I will need to be realistic on my painting queues.