2011: Year in Review

Since I wrote a retrospective post last year, I thought I would once again take a look back at some of my blogging and gaming accomplishments for 2011.

On the blogging side, I had quite a few posts of which I'm proud.  Continuing my obsession with the old Starfleet Wars game, I examined the scale of the Starfleet Wars/Galactic Knights models; I conducted an in-depth review of the Starfleet Wars rules; I dug up some reviews of Starfleet Wars from the late 70s/early 80s; and I was fortunate enough to publish a retrospective by one of the Starfleet Wars sculptors.  Regarding other games, I also took a detailed look at Galactic Knights; and I had fun designing my own dungeon using the Holmes D&D rules.

In addition, I wrote tutorials on painting Terran ships, painting an Entomalian cruiser, painting an Ent carrier, mounting spaceships on bases, and painting a moon for the tabletop.  I also posted lots of photos of my painted spaceships, Hordes of the Things armies, my OGRE/GEV miniatures, and other minis.

On the spaceship gaming front, I was disappointed that I missed out on Millennium Con, which is just up the road in Round Rock (I did run a marathon instead, so the weekend wasn't a total waste).  However, I did run a game at ChimaeraCon in San Antonio, a Galactic Knights scenario linked to a simultaneous ground battle.  I also finally was able to play Starfleet Wars for the first time, as well as some Full Thrust.

My biggest gaming accomplishment (in conjunction with Chris from the Hill Cantons and Brad from Skull Crushing for Great Justice) was putting on a small game convention here in New Braunfels--the South Texas Mini-Con.  It was a small event, but everyone had a good time.  I even ran my first convention game of Starfleet Wars.

I also participated in plenty of other games: D&D in the Hill Cantons campaign on a semi-regular basis and a Conan one-shot; a game or two of Hordes of the Things; I also introduced a new player to Galactic Knights (and did it again a few weeks later); and even played Search for the Emporer's Treasure.

When I started out the year, I hoped to get a little painting done.  I did complete a lot of miniatures: this blog's namesake SGDN, two other Terran ships, some Terran starbombers and star armored pursuit ships, Carnivoran starbombers, Entomalian starbombers, two different Entomalian battlecruisers, various starfighters, more starfighters, even more starfighters, a scratchbuilt asteriod base, Star Frontiers Federation battleship, frigates and destroyers and scouts and freighters, Star Frontiers pirate frigates, Star Frontiers privateers and more privateers, and Stardate: 3000 shuttles and fighters.  I still have plenty to keep me busy, however, as I purchased more during the year.

All in all, 2011 was a pretty good year for me when it came to blogging, painting, and gaming.  Here's to a better one in 2012!