Note to self: No more saying/writing/blogging/thinking that things are getting better. It is best not to tempt fate that way.
That said, I have come to the conclusion that painting big battalions is just not going to happen any time soon. I'll be doing good to get the ones I have based!
So, the lead pile was raided today. My Eureka Arquebusiers de Grassin and two regiments of Austrians from Minden Miniatures are packed and will head off for painting on Monday. That reduces the pile by 152 figures. Although I need to order some mounted colonels from Frank.
Sending off this order leaves a regiment each of Minden Prussian fusiliers and musketeers, and two regiments of Old School Miniatures Prussian musketeers from Fighting 15s. Oh, and the newly-arrived Eureka Saxon horse.
Once these all get done, I would love to get more of the Minden Miniatures of various flavours, and some more Crusader Miniatures too. Of course, there are always plenty of other options out there, so we'll see. Checking the relative sizes of the Homburgers and their allies compared to the Landgraf and his allies reveals that the Electoral force needs more cavalry, the Imperials need more white-coated infantry of several flavors, and both sides are fairly even in the artillery arm.
Blogging about my armies just reminded me of one of those "Doh!" moments I recently experienced.
I was reading Charles S. Grant's various new books, The War Game Companion, Battlegames Table Top Teasers Vol 1, and Raid on St Michel. I was pondering how I could use them for some games, and was wondering the best way to represent the militia units in the books. (Quick summary: the militia units are half the size of regular units.) I contemplated ordering some of the Eureka "Ragged Continentals" and painting them up in various colors; that way they could stand in for any country that needed them.
That's when I realized that I already HAVE half-strength units (other that the obvious ploy of splitting "regular" units): my collection was originally for 24-figure units, and I have combined them into BAR-sized big battalions or purchased new ones at larger size. But I have four old units that were only 24 figures strong that I never up-sized. Voila! Instant militia! One is a Prussian Freibattalion, one is the Wurzburg Red battalion, and one each generic French and Spanish units. That was a satisfying discovery.
Which reminds me of my next game purchase: more bases. I must go count how many I need to order for the Dutch.
Cheers,
Ed
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Blog? What blog?
I think we have finally reached a modicum of stability in the realm of family and health issues. No boring details here, though, since this is an ImagiNation after all!
So, what has the Landgraf been up to on the gaming front? Plenty of different things with no guiding principle.
First and most enjoyable, Ray came and visited. In the weeks leading up to his visit, something got us directed at Memoir '44. This WW2 board game with miniatures is a lot of fun, but I had not played it in years and Ray not at all. Well, we took care of that!
Ray now owns everything put out for the system, and I'm not far behind. During the weekend he was here, we played at least 12 games (six scenarios, swapping sides after each game). We thoroughly enjoyed it.
M44 is one of Richard Borg's Command & Colours series. I had bought the C&C version of Battle Cry at Cold Wars 2001 after playing it under Mr. Borg's guidance all afternoon. So I pulled it out for Ray and I to try.
Somehow, eight years later, the game is still mint: figures on sprues, counters unpunched, heck even the dice stickers are still on their sheet. Ray informed me that the game is being sold on Ebay and other places for a tidy sum. So, punch out and play or save and sell?? We decided to leave it for now.
But that led to all kinds of C&C-related excursions. We went looking for Napoleonic versions, especially ones we could play using our 28mm miniatures. I almost bought myself a set of Kallistra Hexon for my birthday to make into a miniatures game. Ray and I are still discussing it.
Our interest in GW's War of the Ring faded quickly. Even though I actually sat down and painted a dozen figures or so. Really!
I have made several book and terrain purchases (the Landgraf's pontoon train arrived today from PMCGames, for example), including the reprint of the classic His Britannic Majesty's Army in Western Germany by Eighteenth Century Press. And now I'm anxiously awaiting the third and final volume of Jack Gill's history of Napoleon's 1809 campaign.
On the ImagiNation front, my preorder of Eureka Miniatures' Saxon cavalry has arrived. Beautiful figures! The Empress will no doubt be please by this accession to her strength: 8 squadrons of cavalry, two each of cuirassiers, dragoons, chevaulegers, and hussars, plus a dismounted squadron for each of the two light regiments.
I did run my Le Petit Empereur game at ChimaeraCon 2009. It looked good, but only played through once or twice. See a couple of pics here.
I am working on some plans right now for the rest of the year. My Saxon cavalry, Mittel-Nirgendwo infantry, and various Minden Miniatures are all crying out to be painted, but I am sorely tempted by my Napoleonic lead pile. Hopefully, another post will follow soon with real progress to be noted.
Thanks for stopping by.
Ed v. H-F
So, what has the Landgraf been up to on the gaming front? Plenty of different things with no guiding principle.
First and most enjoyable, Ray came and visited. In the weeks leading up to his visit, something got us directed at Memoir '44. This WW2 board game with miniatures is a lot of fun, but I had not played it in years and Ray not at all. Well, we took care of that!
Ray now owns everything put out for the system, and I'm not far behind. During the weekend he was here, we played at least 12 games (six scenarios, swapping sides after each game). We thoroughly enjoyed it.
M44 is one of Richard Borg's Command & Colours series. I had bought the C&C version of Battle Cry at Cold Wars 2001 after playing it under Mr. Borg's guidance all afternoon. So I pulled it out for Ray and I to try.
Somehow, eight years later, the game is still mint: figures on sprues, counters unpunched, heck even the dice stickers are still on their sheet. Ray informed me that the game is being sold on Ebay and other places for a tidy sum. So, punch out and play or save and sell?? We decided to leave it for now.
But that led to all kinds of C&C-related excursions. We went looking for Napoleonic versions, especially ones we could play using our 28mm miniatures. I almost bought myself a set of Kallistra Hexon for my birthday to make into a miniatures game. Ray and I are still discussing it.
Our interest in GW's War of the Ring faded quickly. Even though I actually sat down and painted a dozen figures or so. Really!
I have made several book and terrain purchases (the Landgraf's pontoon train arrived today from PMCGames, for example), including the reprint of the classic His Britannic Majesty's Army in Western Germany by Eighteenth Century Press. And now I'm anxiously awaiting the third and final volume of Jack Gill's history of Napoleon's 1809 campaign.
On the ImagiNation front, my preorder of Eureka Miniatures' Saxon cavalry has arrived. Beautiful figures! The Empress will no doubt be please by this accession to her strength: 8 squadrons of cavalry, two each of cuirassiers, dragoons, chevaulegers, and hussars, plus a dismounted squadron for each of the two light regiments.
I did run my Le Petit Empereur game at ChimaeraCon 2009. It looked good, but only played through once or twice. See a couple of pics here.
I am working on some plans right now for the rest of the year. My Saxon cavalry, Mittel-Nirgendwo infantry, and various Minden Miniatures are all crying out to be painted, but I am sorely tempted by my Napoleonic lead pile. Hopefully, another post will follow soon with real progress to be noted.
Thanks for stopping by.
Ed v. H-F
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