Friday, January 1, 2021

The Final Countdown 2020

 The Final Countdown 2020




2020 is done and dusted, and as we all know a very strange year. French Wargame Holidays had by February 75% of our target budget in pre-bookings, with some still on the edge it looked like a fabulous prosperous year was on the way, however as we all know this come crashing down in March, we completed the year fulfilling 8% of our budget with Wargame Holidays and regular B & B, thankfully the Macron Government helped keep us afloat............we are still here, and looking forward and currently planning for a prosperous 2021. 

A big thank you to our customers that did manage to attend and play a wargame this year. A big thank you for  your continued support here on my blog, on Facebook, Instagram and the various Forums I haunt.

We have a few new battlefield and cultural tours being planned to add to our wide list already which is here. We are taking Bookings for holidays from now, commencing in March please contact us via the website to discuss your needs for a tailor made holiday for you and your partner or with your friends. 

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Totals

Summing up my Wargame painting and terrain progress this year on my goals I achieved about 75% with a few minimal diversions. I may of completed more looking back, but motivation was up and down depending upon the external stresses of this strange year. On the positive side a lot of my stash completed with very few purchases of new lead or plastic. Medievals were my main focus as I added to my collections to fill them out to match our "Walk the Battlefield in the morning, Wargame in the afternoon" tour and wargames.

2020 Goals achieved

Salon de Guerre redecoration
95% complete, curtains still being made....lets just say this is not me......

Construction of the wargames table
16 ft Completed

28mm miniatures painting goal 2020
Gaulois 260 figs
59 painted roman auxilia
16 auxilia cavalry 
9 Sassanid cavalry
50 early medieval cavalry
168 early medieval  infantry
31 Medieval cavalry completed 
528 Medieval Infantry completed
18 Napoleonic cavalry 
12 Napoleonic infantry
1 Santa!
24 ACW union 28mm infantry (commission)
8 union 28mm cavalry (commission)
24 Napoleonic 28mm artillery guns (Commission)
16 Vikings 28mm (commission)
40 WW2 british 28mm (commission)
18 Pulp figures (commission)
48 7YW infantry (commission) 
24 7YW cavalry (commission)
Completed 28mm Infantry 1174 
Completed 28mm Cavalry 186
Completed Artillery 24 

WW2 1944 20mm 

160 infantry 
32 tanks completed
6 x Armoured cars built
9 trucks completed
6 AA guns and crews
4 AT guns mixed 6pdr & 17pdr completed
5 gliders built
2 buses built
16 trucks and jeeps built
8 x AT guns kit built 
8 x Armoured cars built
Bunkers 4 completed
16 landing craft built 
8 aircraft built 
20mm Infantry 160
20mm vehicles 56

Miniatures rebased and touched up

54 ACW rebased and touched up
8 cavalry rebased and touched up
34 Gauls rebased, touched up and hand painted shields

Other Science Fiction
1 Jedi Starfighter 


Total Terrain System For Now (TTSFN) Goals achieved
Château board (1500x1200), includes Gaulois fort, dark ages Motte and bailey, and 100 YW castle under construction ATM 40% complete
Standard boards x 6 
Ploughed fields 
Maize /corn Crop fields 
Harvested crop fields 
20mm buildings x 8 
Dark Age Buildings x 6 
Medieval buildings x 10
20mm ww2 buildings x 6
Bocage mark V 12m
Stone walls (master completed)
22 trees

Board game played
3 games

Wargames played
Ancient games x 3
Medieval games x5
Renaissance games
French Revolution games
Napoleonic games
Ww1 games x2
WW2 games x6
Modern games x1
Naval games x1
Fantasy
Science fiction x2

So quite happy with my results, although I am way behind on posting due to running out of my basing paint colour....I did complete a further 18 bases of mostly medieval Infantry in the Christmas to New year including a lot of cavalry. I will post these over the coming week or so.

I think I will do a parade of the Medievals and the Gauls as they really were a big task. I think I have around 30 Gallic warriors remaining to do to complete the 300 figure starting goal so no spares in the drawers of doom. The medievals will continue this year, but WW2 will become the main focus as it makes up 75% of our main Wargames Holiday Business.

Completing bits from my project drawers and the focus on terrain has helped me a lot this year, as now I have space to plan 2021 which is well underway. I will continue to to post every week as it helps me keep track of what has been completed. 

Let us all hope this pandemic can be over so we can socialise and share all of our new painted goodies, and watch our recently painted units flee off the table once again!

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two


cheers
Matt

8 comments:

Gonsalvo said...

I am glad you were able to survive a year that has devastated the hospitality and restaurant industries. It seems the French government did better than most in the US keeping those business afloat so that they will be here when at last the floodwaters recede!

You have made very good use of the time with the fabulous redecoration of the Salon de Guerre [seriously, sewing curtains isn't y6our thing? :-) ] and the amazing quality and volume of your painting!

I wish you much success for the coming year!

Peter

Jonathan Freitag said...

Since Peter summed my thoughts up so well and in duplicate, I will simply wish you a Happy and prosperous New Year. Hang in there Matt!

Aly Morrison said...

A very productive year Matt...
Here’s to the rediscovery of world or even national travel and many many games of toy soldiers.

A Happy and Prosperous New year to you and yours...

All the best. Aly

Bluewillow said...

Cheers Peter,

Yes without the solidarity fund we would have needed to seriously think about our options.

The bonus however was the completion of the Salon de Guerre, and the Wargames table.

The figures painted and completed was a bonus, and I was close to completing a lot of my unpainted lead pile of miniatures.

The terrain side of things was a little behind what I wanted to achieve, however they are further along than if we did not have the lockdowns.

Cheers
Matt

Bluewillow said...

Cheers Johnathon, to you also

Cheers
Matt

Bluewillow said...

Let us hope so Aly, all the best to you and the family. Let us hope we can gather around a table again with our friends.

Cheers
Matt

rct75001 said...

Great volume in what has been an amazingly challenging for a new business.

Looking forward to the time we can get back over to see you both - and a few other places in France :)

Richard

Bluewillow said...

Yes mate very challenging.

It would be great to catch up when you can get over

Cheers
Matt