An introduction to the state of things

Greetings folks.

Two updates in less than a week? Am I spoiling you? Has the world gone mad? Should I stop with the rhetorical questions? 

So far as I understand it, it is tradition of a sort on these parts to occasionally review the progress of things and look, not only back on things that have been done, but also forwards towards the future and the things I hope to do. Seeing as we're still close to the start of this new year, I figured now is as good a time as any to review, reflect and plan ahead.

Looking back over the past year I can see that I only posted two updates here and, to be honest, those two updates cover my total output of finished models for 2014; a somewhat sad and sorry state of affairs. This isn't to say that wasn't busy last year, apart from over summer I was hobbying pretty regularly. The problem was that I would be forever jumping from project to project; I would build a bit of this, then convert that, prime this, build that. . . to say I had the attention span of a goldfish would be a pretty accurate measurement. Throw in my general reluctance to show unpainted or WiP models and it made for a seemingly quiet year. If I've learned anything it would be to at least try and concentrate on one project for more than a few days, and off the back of that to be less afraid to show unpainted or WiP models on my blog. 

So, what of the future? Well, if I can take my two lessons from last year forward I should be posting fairly regularly, and I want to be able to post at least every two weeks or less. This should be regular enough to give frequent updates on my quest to paint things but spaced out enough that I won't get burned out or feel bad about missing a post by a few days. Having briefly catalogued the backlog, I have the following things I need to deal with. . .

• Six Day War IDF 7th/60th Brigades - 7 M51 Shermans (already painted 1), 4 Magach 2s, 2 Sho'ts, 5 half tracks, infantry platoon and artillery battery - my current project and one thats likely to see completion this side of summer.
• Market Garden 3 RTR - 6 Shermans/Fireflies (already painted a platoon, but will likely repaint it as I'm not happy with it now) - the basis of a larger army, will see infantry, artillery and recce added in the future
• Market Garden Irish Guards - 10 Shermans/Fireflies and JOE Vandaleur with RAF observer
• Market Garden Grenadier Guards - 8 Shermans/Fireflies, motor company HQ, motor rifle platoon - planning to add two more platoons and some support platoons in the future
• British rifle company - HQ, 3 rifle platoons and MG platoon - will add othher support platoons in future, these are going to be generic and unbadged to use as any standard rifle company for Normandy or Market Garden
• British Assault company - HQ, 3 rifle platoons, full battery of M7 priests, 3 Sherman flails, 3 Sherman DDs and 3 Shermans/Fireflies with deep wading kit - for use in D-Day games, will be adding some other support platoons in future
• British independent tank platoons - 16 Shermans/Fireflies - will be getting split into individual platoons from the different regiments not mentioned above that supported the Normandy campaign
• US 101st  Airborne Glider company - HQ, 2 rifle platoons, weapons platoon and 37mm gun platoon - can borrow regimental support from painted 101st paratroopers, but willl also get their own MGs and mortars in future.
• US 82nd Airborne Paratrooper compmay - HQ and 3 full rifle platoons - will get assorted support platoons in the future.
• US Armoured company - 13 various Shermans,4 jeeps and 5 half tracks - will add M8 scout cars, infantry and various other support platoons in future.
• US Assault company - 3 boat sections (already painted a boat section), HMG platoon, A&P platoon, engineer platoon, Ranger company, NGFS observer and 5 Sherman DDs - more or less complete in terms of models, may add some support platoons in future
• German Panzer Brigade 107 - 8 Panther Gs - will add halftracks and AAA in future, will borrow infantry and artillery from generic Heer
• German motor pool - 1 Tiger I, 3 StuG Gs, 3 Panther As, 6 Panzer IVs, 3 Panzer IIIs, 2 armoured Sdkfz 7/1 (quad 2cm) and 20 assorted trucks - will add more Panthers, more StuG Gs, StuH 42s, self propelled artillery and recce in the future
• German Heer pool - multiple HQ sections, 6+ rifle platoons, assault rifle platoon, 2 mortar platoons, heavy mortar platoon, 2 MG platoons, 10.5cm howitzer battery, 15cm howitzer battery, PaK40 platoon, PaK38 Platoon - not much more to be added to this, maybe more artillery and static AAA
• SS pool - HQ section, 3 rifle platoons, mortar platoon, MG platoon, motorised 10.5cm howitzer battery - will add AT and static AA in future
• Falschirmjager and Luftwaffe - HQ section, 2 rifle platoons, mortar platoon, MG platoon, PaK40 platoon and FlaK36 battery - will add 3rd rifle platoon and artillery to FJ in future as well as more static AAA
• Afrika Corps - HQ section, 3 rifle platoons, engineer platoon, 12 Panzer IVs, 12 Panzer IIIs, 4 Panzer IIs, 10.5cm howitzer battery and FlaK 36 battery - will bring engineer platoon to full strength and add some towed AT

So, as we can see, my backlog is eye wateringly massive and I still have a few random things (like a British glider pilot platoon and a US 105mm battery) that don't really fall into any of the above and will likely form the basis of new armies once some of the above is completed.

In terms of what I want to do over the next year, I'd say I've got a few goals that should be achievable if I put my mind to it. Short terms goals (by June) are:

• Finish the existing IDF and pick up missing jeep and gun tows for 25 pounder battery
• Paint at least 1,500 points of DAK
• Build and paint at least six desert terrain pieces of which half must be suitable for both 6 Day War and WW2 mid war Africa

More long term, to be done by the end of this year I want to: 

• Bring existing US airborne up to 1900 points
• Paint enough German stuff to bring my existing 559 Scwere Panzerjager up to 1,900 points
• Build and paint enough terrain for a 6' x 4' Market Garden table

If I can do all of the above I'll be a happy Dave, anything else I'll consider to be a bonus.

Thanks for bearing with me, next time there will be pictures!