"Getting harder to resist new armies/time periods" Topic

I have successfully resisted adding new periods to my collections, and I am even selling a few things off as I don't have time to play with what I have now. Then I read an interesting book on Constantine and the Roman Empire and, all of a sudden, Late Roman armies sound really cool, and I'm researching figure manufacturers and scales … Curses.

I've done the same thing. Sold two big collections, essentially the bulk of my minis. Trying to p,an new projects that can be done with 1/72nd plastic.

Have been avoiding new projects for some time – have enough old ones! I gave a bunch of my Ancients away to friends but lo and behold, more emerged from the lead mountain so I have more to paint

Nick, I am looking at 1/72 plastics as well. Maybe DBA size armies.

I think some of the problem may be that it's too easy for gamers today. "Back in the day" (70s and 80s) you would see an interesting series of articles in The Courier, Military Modeling, etc., and think about doing a certain period. You would order catalogs,, look through the books at the Library, send for some samples, then place an order or two. You might need to scratch build some terrain and modify some figs as well for your armies. 1-2 years later you might have enough for a game.

Today, say for example, I want to do 15mm Boxer Rebellion. By the end of the week I can have hundreds of figs, buildings, trees, a terrain mat, Ospreys, rules, and whatever else I need as long as I can afford it. All that's left is the painting. It makes it so that gamers are continually piling projects, board games, rules, and more on top of each other week after week. I guess it's a good problem to have, but it makes it hard for many gamers to focus on anything.

Not me, I'm done. I have too many collections I need to get on the table as it is….

I was never very good at resisting a new period, and I find that now I'm a little older, I'm even less good at it than I was before.

I've done a pretty good job of discarding and consolidating in the past five years, but the serious tests are still in front of me. By about March, I'll have purchased the last figures to complete existing armies. By the end of next year, I should have everything painted I plan to keep.

The question is whether in 2022 I restrict myself to painting for the flea markets or find some excuse for a new period/scale.

Watch this space.

I keep reminding myself what Larry Brom said, "as long as a gamer has figures to paint, he will live forever. I turn 70 next Tuesday, so that quote is taking on new meaning.

nnascati, you might want to ask Lori Brom about that one.

I turned 68 this year, and I'm working very hard to get down to what my son will (probably) find a good home for, lest he just call in a dumpster instead.

Hmm. Now there's a thought: could we not establish some sort of notification service, so that when singleton wargamers die, the people he wouldn't play with--or who wouldn't play with him--will at least show up and make sure his troops and terrain aren't just thrown away? There are people who will make sure I have military honors at my burial. Is there no one who will make a home for my 28mm Napoleonics?

My problem is that I keep thinking of units that would be cool additions to the armies I already have which I had previously declared to be "complete."

Robert, I am ready to stand corrected. I've always assumed the words were Larry's.

The last several years I've been doing a sell off of dead end projects, games I will never play, and all those odd and ends that seem to follow me home over the years. This year, for the first time, I had a collection (Samurai army) that was on the line to be sold when I decided to expand rather then sell. I really do love the excitement of planning, buying, and organizing a new period.

Lot's of work, no doubt, but great fun all the same.

1/72 plastic is almost tempting…

As I get older, I turned sixty this year, I have developed a paternal concern for the troops that will be left without their general at my passing. I have two daughters who did a little gaming when they were young, but won't do it anymore. One of provided me with a two-year old grandson. He is old enough to start boot camp with 54mm plastics I believe! And yes, 1/72 is a very tempting scale. I love Strelets Romans! Even though I have a nice 28mm Late Roman Army and a large 15mm Imperial Roman Army, I am convinced that you can never have enough Romans! I am furiously painting a Marian and an Early Imperial 1/72 Army. Then come the Barbarians…

I've managed, other then some small buys, to stay focused on finishing the armies I have. When I buy, I buy to complete those. So far so good. I'll be finishing my ACW project finally, I don't need more at this point. And I should finish some projects next year as well.

So much for behaving! I just ordered $100.00 USD worth of sailors from Bob Murch. Oh well, happy birthday to me.

My original wargaming set-up, back in the early 1960s was ACW with 1:72 Airfix. I no longer have those and are not tempted to recreate them.

In 1964 the film Zulu was released and I saw it several times. Inspired by that I created a 1:72 Zulu set-up, with plastic figures converted from Airfix Guards Colour Party and metal home cast Zulus, based on a conversion of an Airfix Red Indian. I still have these, although they have seen no wargames for decades, and they can be seen here:
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In 1966, I created an Agincourt set-up based on Airfix Sheriff of Nottingham and Robin Hood figures. Again these have seen no wargames for decades, but I still have them and they can be seen here:
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In 1969, I began creating a Napoleonic set-up, originally based on Waterloo and later expanded into the Peninsula. The original figures were Airfix but there are now a great many Hat and Esci/Italeri, plus a few Revell and Waterloo 1815. I stuck with this as my only period until relatively recently. Many of these figures can be seen here:
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I had always been interested in the ‘45 (being half Scots helps) and six years ago, shortly after Redbox created some 1:72 British Army figures for that era, began creating a Jacobite Rebellion set-up. Strelets had produced 1:72 Jacobite Highlanders a few years earlier and I used other Strelets and Imex figures to convert to the cavalry and artillery which I needed. I have nearly completed all of the Jacobite Rebellion figures and have purchased the figures to expand this into the War of Austrian Succession and Seven Years War in North America (French & Indian War). This set-up can be seen on my website here, plus many posts on the website blog:
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While painting my Napoleonic set-up, I originally had plans to follow this up with a Roman set-up based on Early Imperial Romans (4 Legions plus auxiliaries) and several opponents. I have purchased all of the 1:72 plastic Roman figures and figures for four Armies of opponents, but none are painted. I have plans for at least four more opponents.

A couple of years ago, I decided to update and expand my Zulu War set-up. I have purchased all of the figures, but painted none.

Finally, at the beginning of lockdown, I watched the film "A Bridge too Far". Inspired by this I purchased all of the figures for the British 1st Airborne Division and about half of the Guards Armoured Division, although all are unpainted. I have plans for some of the American 82nd Airborne and various German units, but have not purchased these yet.

Since I am 77, I really wonder how many of these additional set-ups will ever get completed.

Rod

I decided years ago, to follow the wise advice of Brigadier Peter Young in Charge! to choose a period and stick to it. It has stood me in good stead: I have not got a massive 'lead mountain' nor numerous uncompleted projects I shall, now, never finish.

And moving to black powder era ImagiNations, rather than recreating historical armies, a few years ago saves me having to buy lots of uniform books – or worrying about new research revealing that my miniature armies are uniformed or painted wrongly…

nnascati, I'm perfectly willing to believe Larry Brom said the words. But Lori might be in a position to tell you how true they were.

For that matter, talk to Abbot Komminers, who has given his "Death and the Wargamer" lecture at HMGS conventions. He once spent I think it was five years selling off a dead friend's unpainted lead.

Or, you might talk to me. I sold off a bunch of the old Heritage "John Carter of Mars" figures to a fellow MWNWC member before I went on active duty in 1983. They were poorly painted and based on cardboard. I bought them back from his estate sale 20 years later, still needing paint and basing. I doubt he ever used them like that.

Better to keep in mind we won't live forever and show our heirs at least minimal courtesy.