Decisions, decisions, decisions

Almost all my existing projects are nearing their end. The British Peninsular army only needs some artillery and that will be ordered at the end of this month. The Spanish and Russian Napoleonic limbers are under way. There are a few units of Cossacks that need to be back filled and the Crimean cavalry is in the queue. The only project of any substance left on the plan is the Revolutionary War armies, of which I have completed three French battalions, but that is intended as an occasional project...adding a few units here and there. Since we are sadly lacking in British troops for the American Revolution I have started a foray into this period with the first of what will be six British battalions to face off against the vast American collection in our group ordered. The British might also be followed by a spattering of French just to provide some spice to our AWI games.

I have some ideas about expanding existing collections, such as the British Crimean army that could do with another half dozen battalions so that it can go toe to toe with the more extensive Russians, or the Russo-Japanese War cavalry and machine guns, or another couple of units of Wars of the Roses cavalry. An expansion to the early WWI is also a possibility. I will also add some supply vehicles to my various Napoleonic armies in the near future. While that list of additions could go on a bit longer, these are really just bits and pieces, but when it comes to a cohesive project I am not sure what I want to collect next. 

Whatever I do collect you can be certain it will have a heavy 19th Century focus. I have already decided that the criteria for all future collections is that they must have some connection to an existing collection which, given my broad 19th Century collections, opens up a number of options. In the Napoleonic period I can pretty much justify buying any nation because I can make a direct connection with another army. I have always been keen on the Bavarian army, but have shied away because another member in the group already has a collection, but his is an 1809 army and I would be interested in the 1813-1814 period when there was a higher weighting of National militia. So The Bavarians are option one. 

Option two is the Danes. There are logical connections here to existing collections like the British in 1807 and to the Russians and Prussians in 1813 – although the uniforms differ between those two periods and this would require two Danish armies. There is also a connection to the Swedes, both in 1807 and 1813, and that makes the Swedes option three. The Swedes in turn can be used against the Russians in the Finnish War...and there is option number four, but I would need buy another Russian army since the early Russians are substantially different to the 1812-13 Russians I have and this breaks the criteria of having an opponent in place, although the early Russians could fight the Ottoman Turks. Option five is the French 1805-1812 for use in Spain against the British and the Spanish, and a host of others, including the Austrians and they could be option six. 

Outside of the Napoleonic period the options become significantly less, well at least in areas I have any real interest in. The Danes for 1864, put on hold a couple of years ago, are still an option since I already have the Austrians and Prussians to face them, as are the Turks for the Crimea. If I could find a manufacturer that I like for the Austrians for the Franco-Austrian War of 1859 they would be a certainty. Likewise if a manufacturer was to introduce a nice range for the Austro-Prussian War (specifically the Saxons, Bavarian, Hanoverians and Wurtembergers) I’d be in like Flynn, but I think that very unlikely. 

So what is to be done? I need a focus or else I will risk becoming more of a wargaming butterfly than I already am. Thinking rationally – yes I know that is a strange concept in our hobby – the Napoleonic armies are most likely. The French are out for now because the new Perry plastics for that period are not yet released, but they will be a future "must do". I really like the Perry Swedish range,  but it is incomplete so that knocks out the Swedes and then the early Russians as a result. I am not sure about the Austrians – all that white worries me and there so many tempting troop types that could get out of hand. 

That leaves the Danes and the Bavarians. Both have tantalising uniforms and both can be allied to the French, and the Bavarians can change sides too.  Both forces are also relatively small and can probably be built in their entirety for 1813. The likelihood is that both will be done, but which one first? 

In the end my decision came down the availability of support equipment – the Perry Bavarians have limbers, caissons and wurst wagons that are just too tempting. The Danes do not have any equipment yet. The Bavarians will be done first. I have bought the reference book from The History Book Man, so watch these pages in the coming months for battalions of infantry in cornflower blue with their distinctive flags marching off the painting table.   

Speaking of the painting table, it is beginning to groan under the weight of items painted but waiting to be based. With a busy weekend planned they probably won’t be based for an other week, by then there will be much to present at show and tell.