Happy New Year?

British Grenadiers based for skirmish gaming.
Fife and Drum Miniatures

This morning I was scrolling through all of the twitter updates and it seems like everyone is starting the new year in a painting frenzy because the output of freshly painted figues is amazing. I tip my tricorn to all of you painters.

On the otherhand, I seem to be descending into the depths of a painting funk and I couldn't be bothered to pick up any paint brushes and start thinning down the queue of projects. 

I normally get my greatest painting production done in the early Winter. Painting usually keeps the winter blues at bay because I plan things on a month by month basis. For example, I might plan on painting two 32-figure battalions of Minden Miniatures SYW figures and so by the time that these figures are finished, so to is the month of January and we are that much closer to the arrival of the SYW Association Convention (in April this year) and Spring. Then I do the same thing in February; and the month of March keeps me busy getting ready for the convention.

Fife and Drum Miniatures AWI Highlander light company based for skirmish gaming.

I find that one good way to power through the painting funk is to listen to one of Henry Hyde's podcasts on Patreon

These run for two to three hours which matches perfectly with the amount of painting time that I spend on a regular painting session. I usually paint this amount of time and then give it a break for the rest of the day, sometimes adding a second session in the evening.

By the way, I would encourage my readers to click on the link (above) and visit Henry's Patreon site. For a meer $2.50 per month, you can sign up and become one of Henry's patrons. Think about it, many of you probably spend $2.50 per day on a cup of Starbuck's coffee. So one could simply divert the amount of one cup of coffee per month into a Patreon sponsorship. In exchange, you will have access to lots of good audio and visual content about the hobby. In a way, it is sort of like having Battlegames magazine back in an e-version, rather than in print.

This stream of consciousness posting might have the key to my exit from Painting Funkdom in it. Now if I can just get myself to my painting table something could happen.

All isn't just funk and blues in my world though. 

The past several days found me sitting at the computer keyboard working on a set of rules for SYW-era skirmish wargaming. I have been using my own "Croat Terror" skirmish rules for many years and now I think that it is time to get them published. I will change the name of the rules though, as anything with the word "terror" in it does not seem appropriate in this day and age.

I have done countless games with the rules so they are well-play tested. However, I am changing the melee system from a card-based system to a dice-based system, thus the new melee system needs some play testing before the rules can go to the printer. I am feeling quite positive about getting the rules manuscript completed soon and getting the rules published.

Sigh.

Things will eventually get better.