2009, A Year in Review

Okay, this will be the last post for 2009, so I thought I would take a look back to see what I did along the way. What I found surprised me, other things made me go Huh? Well onto what I did, lets set the way back machine to January 2009...

January

Saw a lot of terrain being built for GitD, some of this terrain actually made it to Chicago as well, but for the most part, I was a terrain making machine. There were rocks, ruins and a ton more things made for GitD, including 140 markers for one scenario! If I ever get another bright idea like this, someone shoot me!

I also built a few 1/48th tanks for a game that Rob & I were working on. We had plans to do Villers Bocage in 28mm with his rules. We each got a bunch of vehicles done, but not much else.

Once again GitD took my attention with me hoisting a few practice games in my garage. We had 6 guys over getting in many practice games for GitD. Fun times in the garage when it's cool outside.

February

Well more terrain was built for GitD and we can not forget that Gathering in the Desert happened in February. We had a great turnout and a great event with many folks coming in from outside of AZ. I have to say that GitD was a lot of work and I needed a vacation just to unwind.

March

As I mentioned above, the wife & I took a trip to Colorado in March to meet our son for Spring Break. Stayed with some great friends, played a few games of LotR at Colletormainia in Parker and saw many of the sights. Basically had a blast on the trip and it was needed because once I got back to work, found out that I was to loose my job at the end of July.

Also finished up 350 points of Uruk Hai for the Adepticon tourney I would play in. Built a display board and got ready to head to Chi Town.

April

Adepticon was on the plate for April with me helping set up on Thursday night, playing LotR on Friday, running a LotHS game on Friday night. Saturday saw me running the Warhammer Ancients Battle Singles tourney which had a few more people from last year. That Saturday night ran the LotHS game again. Sunday saw me running another WAB Doubles tourney on Sunday with breaking down the show on Sunday night. I remember watching the snow come down from the loading dock of the hotel wondering if I would be able to fly home the next day.

April also saw me breaking out 40K again and playing the new rules with my buddy Rob. I still was not sold on 40K, and was still helping Rob with his WW2 rules. 40K would come back over and over throughout the year.

May

May was Pulp month with me getting a few pulp figures painted for myself as well as my buddy Mike. I think we also did a game in May, can't remember for sure. All I know is that I started thinking about doing a Pulp with the Legends rules, never got off the board though.

June

Once again 40K dominated the month with my buddy Rob & I thinking about doing some 40K skirmish stuff. We actually played a few games and talked about doing a narrative campaign of some sort. Once again Rob talked me into a few games of 40K which I moved slowly towards accepting the new rules.

July

Once again I was bitten by the terrain bug which saw me building a few 40K specific terrain pieces for some 40K skirmish. It also seemed that I played a few more games of 40K as well as some 40K skirmish with Rob.

The end of the Month saw me leaving GMAC along with many friends as the company shut our doors here in Phoenix. I looked to this as a good & bad thing. The good side was that I was getting out of a company that was quickly heading for the toilet, but on the other side I was entering a job market that was in the toilet as well.

Also started working on a huge Imperial Guard army for my buddy Lonnie, this project would last throughout the year.

August

17 year anniversary with my wife, no job & I took two weeks to head to Kansas with my son. he was moving into a house off campus and I wanted to be there, so the kid & I jumped into his car and drove to Kansas, seeing friends and the worlds largest ground hog!

When I got home Rob & I once again busted out 40K with us talking about more 40K skirmish stuff. This also lead to us discovering some =I=munda games, this was Necromunda style games with each person using Inquisitors. I also read Dan Abnetts Eisenhorn Trilogy, which fueled the =I= munda ideas.

September

Are you ready for some Blood Bowl? I guess I was with me completing not one but two Blood Bowl teams. Also got in a few games of BB with Mike.

And speaking of Mike, also started painting his Italians for him for Flames of War. I did a trade were I would paint 1500 points of Italians for him in trade for a 1500 German North Africa Army.

Also Rob and I played a few more games o =I=munda and talked about building a few more Inquisitor bands. Also talked about playing Inquisitor as well.

October

My brother came out for a visit which involved us doing a turn around trip out to Palm Springs to see our parents and when back in Phoenix busted out another old classic GW game, Warhammer Quest. Rob joined my brother, wife and myself in a few hours of torture playing WQ. We had a blast but got our butts kicked a bunch of times. Also showed my bro Formula De, which was a blast.

I built more terrain for GitD in 2010 as well as getting a huge order of terrain from GW. Once again the terrain bug bit and I spent a lot of time working on terrain.

Also ran the first GitD 2010 Primer at Imperial Outpost, had a small turn out but a great event. GitD 2010 is looking to be another great year with some awesome looking armies.

Also turned 41 this month, wow, I am becoming old!

November

Saw me doing a lot of work on the Imperial Guard for Lonnie, in act this is all that I worked on for November trying to get in ready for delivery in December.

December

A rather quite month but got my act together and started Saguaro Painting Service http://saguaropainting.blogspot.com/ This would help with bills since I am still looking for work. Finished the IG for Lonnie and this was the first commission for SPS.

Also got in a few more games of 40K with Rob and a few other friends and started to realize that I am enjoying the game of 40K.

So there you have it, a year in review. What stands out to me is 40K seemed to take up a lot of game time in 2009. Rob & I discussed this and he made me aware that I was keeping 40K at arms length away from me. It seemed that I did not want to embrace it fully.

Also I only played LotHS a few times while at Adepticon, heck I wrote the game and I don't even play it, whats up with that?? Well it's about hating what you create I guess, don't get me wrong, I love the game, but after spending so much times writing it in 2008, I needed a break.

Anyhow, the next post will be my game resolutions for 2010, so stay tuned for the New Year...

TK