2016: What's next?

Who knows but at least there is a plan!

And all plans need someone like this.....

Sophers as Mrs El Cid

That's right, a sponsor. This year Sophia is my sponsor and will feature in a number of my projects (one way or another) starting with.....

Lion Rampant (LR): As you can tell, I'm more than a bit excited about this as I think it has some brilliant possibilities for story telling and some really cinematic presentation. There are some great inspirational movies...........

• El CId: I've always wanted to do this and can now legitimately go out and buy the beautiful Hat El Cid troops. For example, check out these Almoravid infantry here. A pity Sophia doesn't have her own figure in the El Cid command set!
• Alexander Nevsky: The Teutonic Knights and the Muscovites. Plenty of opportunity for some cinematic painting with some groovy music.
• Thibaud Desert Crusader: For fans of The Flashing Blade there was also this French children's TV series which has stuck in my mind for decades. There was also the Swedish movie Arn: The Knight Templar which looks pretty cool. Come to think of it, The Flashing Blade would be a great setting for the Pikeman's Lament when it appears.
• The Hollow Crown: This was the great BBC mini series which did Richard II, Henry IV (Parts I and II) and Henry V. Lots of possibilities for LR here.
• The Pride and the Passion: Yes, you may think I have gone barking mad here but this brilliant Sophia Loren movie based on The Gun by C S Forester and set in the Napoleonic wars is a real inspiration. Just think how little you need to change in the basic LR rules to make it work for the Napoleonic wars....

Whadaya mean, you losta my gun!

Other new stuff just lifting off:

• Rembarre! Battles of the Vendee war as a hex grid game for 20mm plastics (plus map and counters version) which will allow several battles to be played out as a campaign.
• Napoleonic OHW hex grid rules: These are to be used with my 20mm plastic armies, especially for those with funny hats. I'd like to use some unusual theatres for this including the wars in the Baltic.
• Somewhere in Africa: I'll be following this one up very very soon. 20mm plastics with the Five Core rules on hexes.
• In a Cocked Hex: I still want to develop this further for the GNW. An excuse to get on and paint more Baccus 6mm stuff.

And then there is the old stuff I need to crack on with:

• Tannenberg: Not far to go now. Target to complete this by end June.
• Firestorm Neuve Chappelle: Again, very nearly there. Another end June target.
• Venture Fair: The scenarios just need time to develop and this is in short supply, lets say end September.
• Hat, Horses and Hexes: Painting H&R 6mm types for this one. I'll do this as and when. 
• Plan B: Russia 1941: I need some infantry for this and have now decided to buy PSC 15mm Germans and Russians. Another ad hoc thing when I feel like it. Mind you, I have a nice KV2 to build so that's an incentive!
• KISS My Arras: This is likely to end up in 15mm so a good job I've got a Matilda I and II to build. 

And some stuff that is just fermenting away on its own:

• Full Automatic: I like to wrestle with Bolt Action and Neil Thomas' WW2 rules (from Wargaming: An introduction) and think that I can come up with something on a hex grid (and why not).
• MDF 6mm: I need some little MDF chaps. I could use these for Blucher as others are doing but I wonder.....   

Some MDF chaps by Robert De Angelis

Just looking back at what I wrote year ago it's clear that I can't keep up with my own ideas. The main thing I suppose is to keep cracking on and if I get stuck with one thing pick another one up and run with it.

And finally......

Oh dear, I think my sponsor has dozed off. Maybe she's really into WH40K!