Summing Up 2024

Looking back on the times I've done this yearly review one of the things I note is that I really shouldn't bother trying to predict what I'm going to do the following year. I haven't even now completed the predictions I made for 2023. I was right that I'd get my latest rules "Tricorn and Bonnet" out in 2024, but otherwise wide of the mark. And having completed that I didn't really start on my next rules project either. "Tricorn & Turban" has stalled badly and the Roman follow up to "Spartans and Successors" languishes next to the back burner. It isn't even on the stove. My unannounced aim to mark 5 years of "To Ur is Human" with a slightly revised all colour version with extra historical background also lies with only half a dozen pages at most reviewed.

However, for starters we're really interested in the wargaming that got done, aren't we? So here's the league table:

Let's deal with the obvious first, and that's the continuing explosion of DBA. Since I've been collecting data the growth looks like this:

Yes. It's been a bit of a takeover really. It is driven by a number of things, one of which is that it's really entry level stuff for the new boys, and easy for them to pick up armies in this size. My recent holidays post-COVID have also inspired me to put together related armies, which then need playing with. The combination of the Caucasus and mid-European trips are also one of the reasons for the massive increase in medieval games.

The further rise of DBA is the reason for the increase to 97 games in the year, touching distance of three figures. It's possible I've miscounted too, especially with show games, so I may have got there. It's quite a jump from last year's 68 games. If you adjust be saying each DBA game is 1/3 of a full game, then it'd still be a jump, from 57 game equivalents to 75. I guess you could say the same for the "Edgcote Made Easy" games, which account for the lion's share of the rest of the difference, and also bolstered the medieval totals.

The percentage of games I run rose slightly again, as we are down to Chris K & me as the main organisers, but that may drop next year as Phil's games room comes on line. CK & I have alternated Tuesdays more or less all year, but I've also run a number of weekend or one off events as well.

For the first time since records began I'm not my favourite author, coming second behind Phil Barker because of the increase in DBA. I'd say this is because I haven't been working on developing anything new, as noted above. The latter part of the year got dominated by Chris' push to publish NQM, which I was delighted to get behind, and all of the SCW games I played/ran this year used NQM and not my own rules.

I did a painting tally last year, and managed to produce numbers for this year too. Not always easy to do, as I track what I've got, not when I painted it. This means that where stuff has been added to existing counts within the database I have it in my overall numbers, but not in my chronological unit creation listing. As with last year it's a mixed story. The Ottomans still lag behind their final finish date (last year!) as do the WSS Imperialists/Austrians.

A few observations here. My count methodology didn't allow for guns & vehicles last year, so I had to add that. The biggest area of output was Ottoman infantry, which enabled me to top last years count of foot sloggers. Alas the cavalry numbers are way down. Otherwise the main project has been the Hussites and their opponents, and then the balance is made up of odds and sods to fill gaps in existing armies.

The methodology doesn't allow for this beast either, bought for me by the youngest daughter at Christmas who said "It can turn up when you roll a double six".

For next year I really must do more Ottoman cavalry, Imperialist infantry and Hungarian hussars all for the early 18th century. I've got some Imperial cuirassiers to paint too in order to clear the plastic backlog. 

Medium term I've got an intention of painting 15mm 1st Opium Wars British forces, once I've read this book. My Taiping Era rules were written to cover these as well, and I have the added advantage that I can also use the figures for the Sikh Wars, and so have an excuse to buy and paint them as well. Perhaps I'll start that off. 

As I said, I finally cleared "Tricorn and Bonnet" off the desk, and apart from "Romans and their Rivals" I have no self penned rules in the pipeline really. As readers will know I did publish some rules in the Edgcote Wargamers Guide I wrote with Richard Lindley (copies still available) for the Northamptonshire Battlefields Society. These have sold well enough and covered their costs. They'll be at shows next year with the Society stand. I should also have other WotR goodies for NBS as the next couple of months pass.

Right. That's about it, I think, except to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Now back to the Christmas cake.