Happy New Year!

A lot of stories about liver disease in today's Scottish media that I didn't appreciate after last night's excess, but a break in the rain meant I got out for a walk and cleared my head. It's been a good holiday break with some reading, gaming and painting done. Of course this means that I may get too over optimistic about what can be achieved in 2014!

Firstly, the projects.

As always some finishing off to do:

• The Nomonham project is almost complete. I based two Russian 122mm guns this morning and that gives me all I need. There is still a box of Japanese infantry that needs attention at some stage as the Japanese will need some reinforcements.
• Malaya 1942 - still needs some heavy weapons, particularly for the Brits, and an order has been dispatched to Warlord for these.
• Yugoslavia WW2 - just needs some Italian heavy weapons, again en route from Warlord.

Then some new projects:

• Chinese for the Sino-Japanese War. The Eureka figures are superb, if ridiculously pricey.
• Scots for Bannockburn. The anniversary is the big event in Scotland and I suspect you won't be able to move for display games at Scottish shows this year. I have been collecting spearmen from several ranges, although not entirely happy with any of them.

On the subject of display games, a few other members have stepped up this year with projects, so my focus is something related to Bannockburn. The challenge will be to find a different angle.

The other big anniversary is of course the outbreak of WW1. As it kicked off in the Balkans, I may do something Austrian and Serbian at one of the shows. I certainly plan to highlight this part of the war and may even add a figure or two to my collection. Credit to Max Hastings, who has given this more coverage than it usually gets in his book 'Catastrophe', my current reading.

On reading, I am still working my way through the reading pile I purchased at Hay-on-Wye, but there is so much good new stuff coming out I may still be looking at it next year.

I have highlighted a few other anniversaries in the month's update on Balkan Military History. Hard to believe I have been editing this website for 17 years! Chaldiran is one that particularly caught my eye as an interesting action. Plus the Ottoman/Venetian war of 1714, when the Turks recaptured the Peloponnese.

Well, all that should keep me busy. All the best for 2014 and good luck with your own projects.