Happy New Year 2025/2026

 Happy New Year. Somehow, it is now 2026. Linear time continues to surprise me.

 But I got quite a lot of done throughout the year (even if it didn't all end up here on the blog, the disadvantage of doing many smaller things). The total numbers:

• 293 Human Infantry-sized (incl. 1 Cannon & Crew, counting as 4)
• 30 Cavalry/Ogre (or equivalent)
• 3 Bigger beasties (at least 60mm round base)
• 9 Objectives
• 9 15mm tanks/AFVs

Not bad at all. Almost managed to hit 365 minis, aka a mini a day (somewhere in November, that looked quite possible, but then there came some slower projects). The absolute majority of these were in one way or another intended for SAGA, and other than the 9 tanks, all in 28mm. I had plans to branch out to smaller scales, but that obviously didn't happen. My massive pile of Epic Hail Caesar still lies untouched...

But what did I get finished, then? 

Beginning with the biggest: my Normans

These were a huge undertaking (mostly painted in 2024), and was a relief to get done (and to a quality that I am satisfied with). I then had the joy to bring them to my first international tournament in SAGA: The World Cup! A Team tournament, and my team was mostly there because Sweden needed some representation, and the A-team were busy organising the whole thing. Still, I did my part and we didn't end up last. We'll see if it happens again...

There were then the matter of the Undead horde. They began more or less by accident, but got finished over the summer (again, a significant part were painted earlier than 2025). Quite fun to paint (and very relaxing, a lot can be accomplished with washes, and gore hides the mistakes), especially the big dragon. Still, they haven't seen a game yet, so I guess I need to get to that in 2026

Last major SAGA army: the Irish. As expected, they were very fast to paint, especially as I nailed down my Speedpaint technique with these (and did a guide for it). They also got to see the table, and got to melt some opposition (reminding me that they are not a suitable opposition for someone playing their second game of SAGA... oops)

 There were also the barbarians I finished early in the year, for Frostgrave. However, that game has been quite calm since, so they remain in their box.

What else has been painted? Well...

There were some Texas Rangers, for Dead Mans Hand (that we play pretty much every summer, letting me have my own minis for it for the first time). And I just had to make them in two versions, both mounted and on foot (it even got relevant in the game, that I could mount up them!)

And also some uniformed Cavalry (amusingly enough, on foot), for the same. These are recently finished, so haven't had a game yet. Also, very old sculpts, and new plastic replacements arrived a few days ago... we'll see which ones get to see the table.

 

Also, I did mention some tiny tanks and AFVs. We'll see when I get around to doing the rest of the company...

And also a variety of smaller stuff and one-offs (incidentally, the collection of Lizardmen is starting to get up in size...)

And finally, I made what was, in hindsight, possibly a bad idea. I painted some samurai (from the ever loveable Bad Squiddo Games). Because I had an itch, and thought this would take care of that itch...

It did quite literally the opposite. So now I have a "samurai" army, that is rapidly expanding in scope to two, or possibly 3-4. With an initial idea to run these as counts-as SAGA: Age of Chivalry (several of the factions there could do quite well as various samurai clans). But it also got me looking into Test of Honour, and oh dear. At least it's a "true" skirmish ruleset, where you don't need too many minis. So we all know how that will end...

But what about 2026? 

I think my my  main goal for the year, will be to paint at least 6 "big things". Be it dragons, buildings, ships, mechs, or whatever comes in front of me. I have a fair amount of buildings that need to be assembled and painted, as well as several Blood & Plunder ships (no, I am not giving up hope about that game). And we'll see what else happens. I doubt I'll reach that 1 mini/day, since the big things will still only count as 1, as they say. I currently have 6 projects that are in focus, hopefully I manage to remain focused on those:

• Teutonic Order (possibly my most ambitious yet, in regards to already planned parts)
• French (I should be able to finish them relatively soon, I think... but I've said that before)
• The Samurai (I only count them as 1, but they could probably count for at least 2...)
•  Saxons (should be small and simple, even if I expand them into "generic Germanics" as it rolls along)
• Knights Templar (another small one, since they're an elite army... even if I consider doing some advanced basing on them)
• Arabs (I have big plans for them, but the immediate goal is a small 6 point warband for SAGA, with very few options... we'll see how that ends up going)

Then there will of course continue to be the various small stuff and cool minis I just had to paint... But that should be the gist of it.

Once again, Happy New Year

/Fool