"Hardest Parts About Starting a New Period?" Topic

What are the most difficult parts of getting into a new historical period?

* the research
* acquiring the minis
* finding the right ruleset
* finding opponents
etc.

15mm sci-fi

No research. All minis relatively compatible. A few good rule sets out there depending on where you want to take it. And everyone's always up for a giraffe on a far flung planet!

Finding the right rule set- Having a good set of rules that you like and feel comfortable with is the first step and ideally you will be able to then find opponents The rules will have a strong influence on what army you chose . Army choice will then determine what figures you research and eventually buy and paint.

For me, getting the minis is no problem. It's the rules that are the hurdle.

Research is generally enjoyable, since I wouldn't start a project I wasn't interested in.
Acquiring figures? We are living in the golden age.
Rules CAN be difficult, but sometimes they are the thing that start me off in a period.
But if it's anything more than a small skirmish, then painting the figures is probably the hardest part.

Definitely…the Rules!

I agree with advocate, getting the damn figures painted is what makes my projects take forever.

Finding the right rules and getting the figures painted!

The hardest part is after you start a new period in a lovely flush of reading, buying, basing, priming, and writing random scenario bits on even more random scraps of paper, you have to continue so you can actually finish something.

getting the enthusiasm to match the inspiration.

1500s North America – definitely the 15mm miniatures (soldados and indios with appropriate weapons) – still looking…

SF – it was the rules, so many possibilities…

Always the painting…

Edit: THW rules allow solo, co-op, one on one.

Rules are the number one ball and chain to a new period

Missing figures for common units or troop types. Conversions only go so far…

Finding big glossy rules that inspire me.

Finding books that actually tell you "soldier-level" information on a period.

Last time I tried poking my head into Napoleonics, the answer was "all the good books are in French and German".
So I bought some more ww2 mini's instead :/

Not true. You want soldier level?
A Soldier of the 71st , the notebook of Captain Coignet for starters. For tactical insight I'd try the experience of battle in the age of Napoleon.

Painting the figures or having them painted.

Waiting for your friend to paint up his half of the figures… -_-

Rules – ones you like and that potential opponents will like.
Currently looking for some AWI ones, Black Powder with the Revolution supplement look interesting but at £50.00 GBP…

Rules that work is by far the biggest hurdle followed by painting. I have a number of painted French revolutionary figures still unbased as I have not found a set of rules that I like.

vtsaogames – Appreciate it!

If, like me, you enjoy doing periods that are not that main periods (ie Napoleonics, WWII, Am Civil War ect.) then it is finding the figures. For many smaller periods finding one dealer that makes everything you need is very hard. I hate it when, in order to get my figures, I have to buy from three or more dealers and then STILL can't get everything I need.

How about painting all of those minis that keep arriving?! The first few dozen are easy, but it gets hard as the months go by …

Painting is the tough part. I paint both sides which makes finding opponents pretty easy. Research is fun. I usually home-brew my own rules these days so that is not so tough.

Keeping the enthusiasm for the period long enough to get the figures painted up and on the battlefield. Usually I have the rules decision made fairly early on because that is part of what got me inspired in the first place.