Friday 31 December 2010

New Year Message

As 2010 draws to a close I decided to put finger to keyboard with some thoughts about the year past and the one to come.  The photo shows one of my Christmas presents.

Two funerals and a wedding.
Sadly, and as previously reported here, I lost two good friends this year: Paddy Griffith in June and John G Robertson less than a month later.  I'm sure we all keenly feel their loss - so much so in my case that I've not yet been able to write a proper obituary for John.  I believe that the best tribute we can offer them is to keep on fooling around with wargames and toy soldiers and military history in general.
It looked for a while as if there might be a third funeral after my father hurled himself down the stairs back in February, but happily he has made something of a recovery.
I managed to end the year on a high note when, on 24 December Sara and I were married at Sheffield Registry Office - in the presence of a small congregation of family and wargamers.

The year (in wargaming) ahead
I have a number of things I'd like to achieve in 2011:
Megablitz - I have a large Eastern Front game planned in February - 12 players so far and I'd like to make it 20 if I can.  Hopefully I will arrange another large game later in the year.  As regards smaller games, the Mokra scenario has been a success and I have plans for another Polish game (using 10 Mech Brigade?) and a few using Japs in Manchuria/China/Malaya.  Finish more 20mm toys including a Japanese ID, British ID, 7 Armd Div, probably more Russians and possibly some Chinese... 
NATO Brigade Commander - this has been on the back burner of late, but I have a number of WW3-based games in mind and more 6mm toys awaiting the dangerous end of the paintbrush.  These include more Soviets, together with Greeks and Austrians.
Funny Little Wars - with all 12(!) members of the Forbodian Palace Guard finished, I plan to complete a usable little army, hopefully in time for the summer.
Op14 - I have 3 or 4 scenarios in stock and would like to finish more 6mm toys - including more French and Russians, and the first of the Austrians.
Wargames events - I will be attending the following during 2011 presenting the year's new Wargame Developments participation game - Triples, Partizan, CoW, The Other Partizan.  I may also appear at a couple of other shows but there's nothing else in the diary as yet.
No doubt more distractions will present themselves during the year...

And finally
I feel that the blog has really gathered pace this year and would like to thank all readers - old friends and new, and in particular those who have commented.  It is your comments which provide much of the incentive to write new posts so please keep it up!

It remains only for me to wish you all a happy new year.  I hope to see you (UK residents at least!) during 2011.

17 comments:

west1871 said...

Happy new year,and I hope your have more good than bad this year.

Cheers from Rich.

Tim Gow said...

west1871
Thanks Rich - for this and all your comments in 2010.
Tim

Paul said...

Nice post Tim. All the best for the new year!

Always a pleasure to click onto your posts and get your feedback on projects.

Regards Paul.

Tim Gow said...

Paul
Thanks - plenty more to come in 2011.
Tim

Don M said...

First off Tim I'd like to thank you for all the inspiration, I'm really enjoying my time on your blog, and I might just make it back to the UK one day, been planning our honeymoon for June July this year, haven't planned just where yet...)

Again my congratulations on your wedding and sincerest condolences on your loss, very glad your dad pulled through, I've lost both my parents and a younger sister in the past few years it's always hard to deal with. But the lose of close friends is every bit as difficult, and when it's someone
like Paddy Griffith the loss is felt far a field., I've read much by him...

I'd like to wish you and your wife all the best this coming year, may you be as happy as I've become,
may you also continue this excellent blog and keep us enthralled with your painting and gaming adventures!

Don

Tim Gow said...

Don M
Thank you as always for your kind words and encouragement. Do let me know if you're heading for the UK - can I recommend July http://www.wargamedevelopments.org/cow.htm Don't know how you'll sell it to your domestic authorities though...
Tim

Ross Mac rmacfa@gmail.com said...

Congratulations on the wedding Tim. All the best in the year ahead.

Ross

Tim Gow said...

Ross Mac
Thanks - here's to another year of blogging!
Tim

SoA Shows North said...

Congratulations, Tim

Phil

Tim Gow said...

Cheers Phil.

Don M said...

Tim Gow said...

I recommend July http://www.wargamedevelopments.org/cow.htm Don't know how you'll sell it to your domestic authorities though...


I'll run that by the new boss...)

ian drury said...

Congratulations to you both and best wishes for 2011.
Ian and Jo

Tim Gow said...

Thanks Ian

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Congratulations on your marriage and I am glad your father and family have made it through his trauma (I speak from my own experience of my elderly father "bouncing" and needing an emergency hip replacement)

The wargaming plans seem enough to overfill the year ahead :)

Tim Gow said...

Geordie
Thanks. As you can see from more recent posts, the plan has already fallen apart.
Tim

Bill said...

Thanks for your sentiments and all your great work here. My best wishes for your marriage, and of course I look forward to many more enjoyable posts from this blog.

Tim Gow said...

Thanks Bill - keep reading!
Tim