Too late for a New Years' Resolution?

Ah well, too bad if it is.

I pledge this year to spend less time in front of the PC. Indeed, I pledge to spend less time gazing into screens of all shapes and sizes.

I pledge to spend less on eBay!!!

I will read less, but digest more of what I do read.

I will paint less and play more games. Solo if need be.

I will fritter my efforts away to a far lesser extent. No promises, but I'll limit my efforts to three main projects this year and three minor ones.

To wit:

• The Sudan
• Ancients
• The Duchy of Alzheim

These are all pretty self-explanatory, really. I'd go so far as to say that The Sudan project is at about 40% done (more or less, depending on how far I feel like taking it...) while the Alzheim project is pretty well complete as faras a warganing project ever is. I mean, I can still tinker, but the core is pretty well there. I see myself adding another few infantry (and a couple of mixed legions in the fullness of time - oh, and some more cavalry...) units over time, but this collection now needs to be gamed with.

As for the Ancients, although it's been all Macedonians so far, some hoplites have crept onto the painting table and I'm starting to toy with Marathon as an interim goal whilst keeping an eye on the Pelopponesian Wars in the longer term. I have a feeling Kagan's History might be on the birthday list. I just read his short volume of Historiography on Thucydides and was pretty well blown away by his brevity and clarity.

Keeping an eye on the Marathon goal I'm leaning heavily toward the idea of buying 2nd-hand pre-painted minis as a way of speeding the process along. So if anyone is thinking of moving their collections on, drop me a line.

And for the minor projects:

• WW2 Italians
• Not Quite the Dambusters
• FPW?

I really enjoyed painting my WW2 Italians this year and have it mind to keep going. I have quite a little stash of kits and minis which I aim to finish before I buy anything more, though - I rather overspent on the hobby in 2012, and I feel I need to rein in a bit. How far I can go without an opponent is an issue.

Me and another fellow are looking at doing a Dambusters game this year. Quite acheiveable, I think. We have plenty of research material and are thinking of basing the game on an old WW2 boardgame - don't ask me which, I can't remember just now! More after we next meet over the Australia day long weekend to thrash it out. Short version is 2 waves of three Airfix Lancasters assail the dam attacked by three pair of Me 109s, Me110s and Ju88s. Pretty acheivable as a game I think.

I was pretty fond of my Spencer Smith FPW French and would like to add to them. Perhaps some Bavarians too. Just a brigade of each. They could fill in for all sorts of Ruritanias and I expect the Bavarians would do as Alzheimers whilst the Wurrtemburgers or Prussians might do for Mirenburgers. One just needs a troop of cavalry and a battery of galloping guns in support. What a fine little war game one might then have!

I am bravely resisting Spencer Smiths "Little Britons" 42mm (oh, maybe just a couple of dozen) or getting into the Boer War with Willie 30mm (oh, just a few then): wish me luck with that.

Oh, and I need to lose 8-10 kilos.