Looking Ahead to 2013

Well another year just about done and it’s time to plan out 2013.  But before I go there a quick glance backwards and look at some goals I had made for 2012 might be in order.  Here is how I did…

1. Finish the construction of Blockhaus 17 (my desert fort) and post final pictures and a how-to guide with dimensions and pictures for those who might want to do the same project.  Incomplete:  Still needs interior finished.  Also it is clear the design I used was for 28mm figures and not 1:72 ESCI/Airfix.  So I’m still working on this one still.  

2.  Continue to scan and  post more Legion Pulp stories (at least once every 15th of each month).  Complete:  I have enough to last for several more years if I post only one a month.

3.  More Foreign Legion book reviews (my goal will also be at least one per month).  There are also many, many books on Algeria, Tonkin, Morocco and the Sahara that I want to finish and review as well.  Complete:  I have never stopped reading and have several reviews in various stages of being completed.  I also had a great year of collecting some obscure titles that I have yet to start reading so I’m well prepared for future book reviews.  

4.  Movie reviews with screenshots of the movie sets/forts as I can find and acquire movies on the Foreign Legion ( I think again one per month would be ).  Complete: Movies acquired and to be posted are Timbuktu, Desert Sands, Le Grand Jeu, Morocco and the BBC Beau Geste series among others.

5.  More attention to miniatures and war gaming terrain: on the horizon will be more buildings, tents, dunes, ruins, an oasis village, terrain boards, as well as painting up some more 1:72 scale Legion troops, Turco’s, Zouaves and also reviews of some 25/28mm metal Foreign Legion figures.  Incomplete: I’ve acquired the figures but still need to paint them up.  Also I want to get some 28mm figures from some other manufacturers.  More work on terrain is required too.

6.  Continued historical research on Legion/French forts, battles, equipment, uniforms, etc.  Complete:  Lots of information ready on more North African forts and battles.  More uniform prints too. 

7.  More original maps and floor plans that would be suitable for Role Playing such as barracks, forts, villages, deserts.  Incomplete:  Didn’t get around to it. 

8.  Original artwork (mainly pencil as well as pen & ink) depicting Foreign Legion soldiers.  This is something completely new but I’ve not had time this year to work on anything.  Incomplete:  Didn’t get around to this either except for some sketches that didn’t go any further. 

9.  Original fiction.  After reading so many short pulp stories and personal memoirs of service in the Foreign Legion I think I might be able to write a couple short stories featuring desert forts, marauding Chambaa tribesmen and resolute Legionnaires.  If I get around to this it might be some time toward the middle or latter half of the year.  Incomplete:  I did start developing some ideas for a pulp story of about 30-40 pages set in and around Sidi Bel Abbes but this is as far as I got. 

10.  More participation in the miniature, war gaming, historical on-line communities.  This might help promote the blog a bit.  Also I might add an RSS feed.  I do want to get more followers, comments, and views of my blog.  My goal is 200,000 views by 31 Dec 2012.  Incomplete:  My total views were far from my goal of 200,000 but 2012 was a good year nonetheless at just under 80,000.  My total posts for 2012 was also shorter than expected at only 74.

So, in retrospect, I still have six goals incomplete from the ten I set for myself this year.  What better way to start 2013 with a resolution to finish what I started and move on to some other tasks.  So for 2013 here are my new resolutions (and coming attractions) for this blog.

1.  Figure Painting: Finish AIP Foreign Legion, Artizan March of Die set, and 120x primed 1:72 scale Legionnaires from various sets.  Acquire figures from Askari and Conte.

2.  Finish the Blockhaus 17 Fort.  I want to complete this and revise the plan for a smaller scale.

3.  Finish Pulp Story.  I can do 30-40 pages easy.  I have the time-just need to focus.

4.  Floor Plans and Drawings.  I have several ideas and these will be published here in 2013 when I decide on scale for the floor plans.  Drawings and some pen and ink work will be scanned and posted no matter how horrible.

5.  Blog Posts.  I want to have no less than 100 posts for 2013, 26 more than 2012.

6.  Wargame Terrain.  I have been itching to do more terrain to include more Arab style buildings for a small village or oasis, a Poste Opitque and a fortified train station.

7.  Armée d’Afrique.  I want to complete some small profiles on the various components that comprised the French forces in North Africa particularly the Zouaves, Infanterie Légère d’Afrique (African Light Infantry) or more often known as penal battalions or Le Joyeaux or Bat’ d’Af‘, Turco’s, Spahis, and others.

8.  Famous Legionnaires.  Coming soon will be articles on Charles Sweeny, Edgar Hamilton, Zinovi Pechkoff and Prince Agee.

9.  Men’s Pulps.   I’ve been steadily collecting some of those wonderful articles from old Men’s magazines and will be posting some of these in the future.

10.  Odd Stuff.  I’m sure to be posting various odds and ends that I come across–random pictures, new links and blogs, videos, screen captures, and anything new and interesting from Galica.

Thanks to all visitors and those who take the time to read these posts.

Happy New Year!

NOTE:  Picture not related to this post–just a great one I found posted on cervens.