Wednesday 9 January 2019

Project Planning

As we bask in the heat of our summer evenings and with an abundance of BBQs, beer and wine thoughts are turning to projects for 2019.

 

Still on the plan are existing projects like the fortress guns, the Carlist War expansion, phase two of the Spanish Napoleonics and the remaining 18 figures of the Crimean heavy brigade. Those projects (supply permitting) should be completed by the middle of March.

 

I do have firm plans for the addition of some early British for the Peninsular, something to augment the British in Egypt with stovepipe, maybe half a dozen units with the possibility of two of those superb Perry flatboats for coastal operations.

 

But beyond that I am at a bit of a loss for figure painting projects. What I am determined to do is that wherever possible I want ranges to overlap with existing ranges.

 

I have been seriously attracted to three or four POSSIBLE projects:

 

First is the French Revolutionary campaigns – I have been inspired here after following games on Colin Ashton’s “Carryings on up the Dale” blog. This would add forces for France, Austria and Russia, but would overlap with the British in Egypt that could be used in Holland with the Russians against the French. The French could also be used in the early phases of the Egyptian campaign, against the Turks, before the Kléber uniform was introduced. The Russians may also be able to be used against the Turks, although the Turks would need to have a few more Jannisaries and artillery added.

 

Second is the campaigns in Scandinavia during the Napoleonic era that would involve the Swedes, Danes, Norwegians and Russians. Overlaps here could be Danes vs British; the Russians would have to be a new force since the uniforms in 1807-8 were significantly different to 1812-13, but they could be used against the Turks.

 

Another area of interest is the Seven Years War (again I have taken some inspiration from Colin). My interest here would be on the eastern campaigns Prussia vs Russia and Austria rather than the conflict in the west involving Britain and France. The only logical overlap here would be the Russians against the Turks again.

 

The Great Northern War also interests me. While there is some overlap with Prussian, Saxon and Danish units fighting in both the GNW and WSS that linkage is rather tenuous.

 

One project I really do want to settle on this year is sorting out a gaming area at home. At present all my games are played away from home, but the plan is to be able to set up in the garage. This will have a three phase approach.

 

First will be a table and it will be in the form of a fold up table tennis table.


Second will be to rework the storage facilities in the garage by building some purpose built cupboards that will allow for a figure expansion!


Third will be terrain boards that will store within the reworked storage facilities

 

The first phase is simple and will probably happen in February, but the second and third phases require the removal of a number of items from their existing location and then the storage being constructed. The storage may not happen until June and then the terrain boards can be constructed.

 

It is all food for thought on these sunny evenings.

12 comments:

  1. All of your projects sound super! I will cheerfully follow one and all!

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    1. Thanks Jonathan. Some of the projects have been swirling about in my skull for a while now, but it is always good to commit the to writing.

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  2. Sounds interesting Mark - the French Revolutionary Wars in particular hold quite an appeal - cavalry in Miriltons and so on! I am also interested to read you are planning a gaming location - look forward to the opening ceremony some time in the second half of 2019!

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    1. Yes. A sample French infantry unit may just be ordered tonight...

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  3. Quite a bit to consider there. A Scandinavian army in 28mm has always appealed to me, but more so a Swedish contingent under Bernadotte for 1813. Early to mid Russians would be good though, and those mitre caps and busch plumes do look very smart. I think the campaigns of Suvorov against the Turks would be a lot of fun, and you are quite a long way advanced with what you have done already.

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    1. I like the idea of the earlier Swedes...small actions in a heavily wooded terrain, lots of log cabins and I can reuse many of the Russian wooden buildings I made some years ago.

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  4. Nice range of choices to ponder and I guess you can use some of your Spanish against the Scandinavians before they're spirited away by the Royal Navy!
    Best Iain

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    1. I hadn't thought about the Spanish in Denmark. I must find out if they actually fought any one there, or whether they were just in garrison..

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  5. Some exciting projects in there, Mark. The Great Northern War would also allow you to use those Russian buildings... Would you go early revolution with some Royalist uniforms in there, or later where the forces look a little more Napoleonic? I've always loved the tarleton hats and white coats next to the disheveled levee en masse.

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    1. Yes those wooden buildings will suit anything east of the Elbe really. I have ordered my first unit of foot in bicorne and ragged campaign dress, but will probably look some Tarleton figures at some point too.

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  6. Some very interesting options Mark...
    I suspect you could probably finish them all by the time I get my WSS on the table... ;-)

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Ah maybe so, but it should be noted that my French 1812, Vikings, Saxons, War of 1812 and Spanish may be finished yet still haven't made it to the table. Nonetheless that didn't stop me from ordering a test unit of French Revolutionary infantry today.

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