2022 Resolutions

Well, it’s that time again: time to rate how faithful I was to my hobby resolutions from last year, and time to make some new ones for 2022. Last year I decided to keep it simple and not set too many lofty or unrealistic goals for myself (including goals that just seem to be set every year and never started; like my Old West scenery or my Wargames Factory Shock Troopers). In fact, this what I said: “I’m going to paint whatever the hell I want, whenever the hell I want…with some minor guidelines.” Sound advice, and it will be more of the same this year.

So, how did I do last year? I only set four goals for myself. They were:

More Roleplaying Stuff: Goal met! I posted some write-ups of a Marvel Super Heroes game I ran way back in January. The game was much more fun to write up than it was to play, because two of my four players didn’t exactly enjoy a return to the old 1980’s TSR system, (One really didn’t enjoy it, but that’s another story. ‘Nuff said.) Still, for myself and the other two, it was a lot of fun. I didn’t manage to write up any further Star Trek Adventures games, although we did play a few times. I hope to return to running both these games again this year, although likely with a new group of players (see below).

One Character a Month: Goal met! You can see the results here if you want. Some were late for their respective months, but all made it in by year’s end.

Painting Challenges: Goal Met! In addition to the one I set for myself, I hosted my now-annual Monster Mayhem in May, and I took part in no less than six other painting competitions: Leadballoony’s Fembruary (although I posted my miniature in March), Carrion Crow’s Forgotten Heroes (my favorite painting challenge!) in June, Dave Stone’s Season of Scenery (July-August) and Apocalypse Me challenges (October, although I posted her late), Orctober (October), and, although I didn’t “officially” enter, I painted a miniature for Deadcember, an Instagram challenge.

More AARs: Goal met! I posted After Action Reports with original scenarios for two games: a couple of Green Hornet .45 Adventure games, and a return to Super Mission Force, featuring The Crimson Hound!

So,I grabbed all the rings, despite being annoyingly late a few times. I also got two more personal projects completed: all the Star Wars: Imperial Assault miniatures in the Twin Shadows expansion, plus the accompanying Ally and Villain packs; and all the miniatures for the Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps game, including the Ultimate Badasses expansion. Not too shabby!

So what about this year? Well, these goals should look somewhat similar.

More Roleplaying Stuff: This year, Dead Dick’s Tavern will feature even more RPG content. Roleplaying games were my first love and my initial entry point into the miniatures hobby. I love playing RPGs, I love running RPGs, I love talking about RP games and game systems. We are in a golden age of RPGs; with tons of small-press and creator-owned content sharing the market with amazing companies like Free League Publishing and Modiphius. I will (hopefully) discuss RPGs old and new, post some game write-ups and reviews; and if possible, maybe even get to play in more games as a result.

Through Instagram and Discord, I have been fortunate to meet some roleplaying gamers from all over the country and play games with them. It’s been a pretty fun experience, and one I plan to continue this year. If you look at the top of this blog, you will see there is more than one page. (Yeah, I know. I didn’t realize that either for the longest time.) Anyway, a new page will soon be up there, talking about which RPGs I hope to run in 2022. If you are interested in playing anything I list (remotely, of course), then by all means contact me for the particulars!

One Character a Month: Maybe more, actually. As I said, I won’t be hosting this challenge, but it’s open to anyone who has an Instagram account and wants to participate. It’s essentially the same challenge as mine (though no backstory required): paint a D&D character class each month. I’m using this as an excuse to paint some classic lead: Grenadier, Ral Partha, RAFM…I will post my submissions here, too!

Painting Challenges: I’ll be paring it back a bit this year. Aside from the above Character of the Month, I will absolutely be hosting Monster Mayhem again, and I will always do Forgotten Heroes for as long as Jeremy hosts it. I can’t say no to Dave’s Season of Scenery, either; he’s so accommodating by giving us two months, and it’s pretty much the only time I force myself to build and paint scenery. Other than that, we’ll see what comes my way.

More AARs: Yes! This year will see a return and conclusion to the Green Hornet adventure. I would also like very much to do some more Star Trek skirmish games; perhaps this time using the TNG crew; and of course, Super Mission Force.

Personal Projects: I don’t like to make promises to myself that I don’t keep (although it happens often)…BUT…I’m going to be focusing on getting all my Star Wars: Imperial Assault miniatures painted this year. Will I be able to get through 3 more boxed expansions and 20 + blister packs, a total of 63 miniatures? Probably not. We’ll see. I have some other things I keep looking at, thinking I should start or finish them. As always.

Get Back Out There: I’ve been neglecting the blogs of others for a while, as real life has reared its ugly head. I hope to be once again be more of a nuisance to hobbyists everywhere.

Well, that’s about it. Keep watch for that new RPG page, if interested. (I have no idea what I’ll be posting next, but it’s a good bet it will have something to do with the miniatures hobby.)

10 thoughts on “2022 Resolutions

  1. Dave Stone

    Congratulations on all the challenges met Keith, no small feet in it’s own right. Look forward to Monster May(hem) and already have a couple of models ready for painting, and a whole host of other ideas as well.
    Will keep an eye out for your RPG page, as it is something I haven’t done in a long time, and still miss.
    Good luck with all your goals for this year, and hope to see some of your Star Wars models making the list.

    1. The Angry Piper Post author

      Thanks, Dave. I’m gonna try to get all the Star Wars miniatures done, but knowing me, I don’t see it happening. What I WILL do is make sure that whatever I start, I finish. So, if I start the Hoth expansion, I will make it my mission to complete the entire boxed expansion and any figure expansions that were released along with it, like I did with Twin Shadows. At least that way I can tackle this in chunks!

  2. Matt

    That’s a solid set of goals, Keith, and they look manageable. I’ve already got a couple of Monster May(hem) entries lined up for painting, and as usual I’m looking forward to your excellent AARs!

    1. The Angry Piper Post author

      Good to know, Matt. Although Monster Mayhem is a few months away, I also have a few minis in mind, as I do for Jeremy’s Forgotten Heroes challenge! Might be a little while before you see any new AARs. I haven’t thought about what new challenge awaits the Green Hornet yet, and although I have a basic plot for the Star Trek game, I have to break it down into scenarios first. And that is proving difficult…

  3. Dick Garrison

    Sounds like a reasonable set of resolutions too me, much as I loved the background stories with the D&D characters, the amount of time you must of put into them I can see would be somewhat daunting. Especially if you are starting another page as well!

    Quite frankly I’ll read whatever you post up here mate.

    Cheers Roger.

    1. The Angry Piper Post author

      Aww, thanks, Roger. But the new page is really just that: a page that will contain info on the rpg games I want to run. It won’t be another blog. Think of it as another room in Dead Dick’s Tavern. It’s not so much that the stories are daunting, it’s just that deadlines are tough (obviously), and there were a couple of times I had the miniature painted but couldn’t post it because I either didn’t have the time to write a backstory or I hadn’t thought of one yet!

  4. MARK A MORIN

    Nice set of goals – but you left off:

    “Play in a game of Mark Morin”

    Hmmmm?

    Been enjoying your posts BTW, just not always easy to jump over to the other site!

    1. The Angry Piper Post author

      LOL! True! I do appreciate the invite, and I definitely need to check out your awesome scenery in person! And if I get to see that amazing gaming shed you’ve been putting together, all the better! We’ll have to take some selfies to send to IRO!

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