So with 2023 in the rear view mirror it’s time once again to set some goals for the year ahead. I’ve decided to really reduce my goals to a handful of achievable projects this year based on what kind of hobby productivity I was able to achieve in 2023.

Goal 1: Adepticon 2024

My first goal of the year is focused around Adepticon. Iron Dice is hosting a total of four events at Adepticon, several in conjunction with Lard America. Two of these events are for Bag the Hun so the prep work is in my corner. The other two are Stalingrad games, one each for Chain of Command and Bolt Action. Ben and Drew are tackling the brunt of prep for those.

The first Bag the Hun event covers a dogfight on March 19th, 1945 over Japan as the newly formed Japanese 343rd Kokutai received a baptism by fire as they attacked US Navy Hellcats conducting strikes on mainland Japan. For this I need 8x Hellcats and 8x N1K2-J Shinden Kai airplanes in 1/300. I have these printed and basecoated but the finishing work is still needed.

The second aerial event is the larger project. It does not depict a specific incident but instead will see the players piloting Soviet Yak-1 fighters over Stalingrad against the Luftwaffe (controlled by Ben and I). Instead of a specific fight this scenario will hopefully convey the desperate situation the Soviet air force (VVS) found itself in during the fall of 1942. This scenario has me painting 8x Yak-1s, and 8x each of Me109s, Ju88s, and Ju87s.

These two projects will likely eat up most of the rest of my January and probably some of my February to get to a place I’m happy with them. However, I fully expect to complete this goal completely this year and hopefully host some great games and get people interested in tiny planes. If you are attending Adepticon and want to fly some tiny planes around you’ll be able to find our two events when Adepticon registration opens under the named “Last Rays of the Rising Sun (Friday 10am)” and “Red Stars over the Volga (Saturday 10am)”

Goal 2: 15mm

Ben and I bought into 15mm heavily (he was already in deep though) (Ben editorial – Lies!) via an excellent sale in December. I’m pretty stoked about these tiny miniatures, excited enough that I’ve plowed through building most of what I bought up, got the basing figured out, and even painted a test mini. I read through the battlegroup rules along with the Overlord: Battles Beyond the Beaches supplement. I’m pretty eager to try it and I’ve got a pair of initial forces built up for paint. Since the Flames of War “Hit the Beach” starter was the core of my start I decided that the classic ‘Normandy 44’ subject will be a good place to start with 15mm. A new scale means terrain in that scale and I’m only just starting to print buildings and plan how I want to handle my 15mm terrain.

The goal at the end? Two painted forces and a finished board to play on.

Goal 3: Tiny Planes

This goal is basically infinite and open ended. I’ll likely be tickled by some things beyond what I’m listing here but my main goals are simply first to get my Missile Threat planes painted up and on the table. I have 4x MiG-21s and 4x F-100 Super Sabres ready for paint. Secondly I’m going to continue working on stuff for the Pacific Campaign, and playing more games of it too. I have a bunch of planes for both the Japanese Navy and USAAF ready for paint, and I’ll be printing and painting some US Navy mid war scheme planes and maybe, just maybe, I’ll manage some Japanese Army planes too. In the wings is a small project of planes for the Dutch East Indies Air Force (ML-KNIL).

Stretch Goal: 28mm Forces

I feel like I’m already running out of 2024 by the time I’m here talking about 28mm. Anyways my main goal would be a pair of forces for the Japanese Army and US Marine Corps. The Japanese will be the first in the pipeline and we’ll see if I can manage the Marines too. I need to 3d print a ton of both Japanese and Marines before I can dive into painting. Much like the planes, a project in the wings is a pending delivery of May ’40 Miniatures WW2 Dutch KNIL forces. If I can’t stand the hype they may get painted before the Marines, we’ll see. This goal is only to come out to play if I can tackle my other ones with year leftover.

Beyond the Goals

Inevitably my attention will wander and I’ll do a little of this and a little of that throughout the year. This is the kind of stuff I use to break up larger projects a little. On the table are probably Sci-Fi and Modern 28mm minis, 28mm sci-fi terrain, and 28mm pacific terrain.

Summary

Anticipating a few interruptions to my available hobby time this year I think these few goals are humble enough to work through the year. Adepticon goodies, 15mm forces and terrain, tiny planes, and maybe more.