It's almost November. Where has 2018 gone? I already posted on my significant project for the month of October having completed a Walktober/Zomtober group of models. It was the only significant "job" that passed through the queue but have have a care for the hardworking figures behind the scenes that have yet to enjoy their moment in the sun. Since the new year isn't so far away I've been taking stock of some ideas for future projects and while it inevitably involves new shiny toys occasionally the poor, lamented occupants from the Island of Lost Toys get a reprieve from exile.
If I didn't know better I'd think I was getting old. There seems a mystique surrounding Napoleonic wargaming. The period/genre has a bit of a rep as a bastion of grognards and truly dedicated hobbyists. I'm not really one of those. Recently Stan suggested giving the Napoleonics a go. It probably had to do with the recent release of second edition Black Power. I have been provided a general at best overview of European history but my knowledge of this period in particular is limited to the names of a few generals and the principal belligerents. At some point I acquired some Osprey book because I like flashy uniforms, and finally there was a catchy ABBA tune. Most of my books were on Napoleonic Russians though so for the time being they aren't of much use. I've decided to build my project around the French army because I can cover more periods during the wars.
I see this as an opportunity to improve my knowledge of a history I'm a bit blurry on, and paint some flashy uniforms, and horses. At this point I'm very much in the test painting phase. I happen to have a small stash of Napoleonic miniatures left over from an aborted 40K project that died on the vine years ago. Here's where the Toy Island expats come into play. I had to do a lot of digging through the plastic mountain to locate them but eventually I found a collection of sprues and partially painted figures. After some barbaric prying and cutting I broke them free of Warhammer grenades and accoutrements and started rebasing them onto squares from the rubble strewn rounds they had been juxtapositioned to. With all of this sorted the salvaged calvary men on horse and afoot are ready for priming and, hopefully a new life with jaunty new Vallejo colours I'm excited to try out. Always a magpie for new lead I did pick up the three models in the rear right. At center is Napoleon, along with Mameluke Ali. These wonderful sculpts should give me a break as I try to work through the thick of half painted bodies.
My other behind the curtain project has been revisiting Battletech which was my first first wargame. Back in the day I was a nasty little savage and played with cardboard counters. Just the same I remember having quite a bit of fun even if the particulars escape me. Over the summer I read that the current license holder Catalyst Labs intends to release a new boxed version of the game with some pretty sweet looking plastics. That may be delayed but I am good with that. Not wanting to repeat the mistakes of the past I plan to do a slow burn mech painting project and try my hand at some N scale terrain making. I would really like to give this game a go when the time comes but this time around I want to do it in style.
In the more immediate future and of more tangible commitment is the next leg of my TWD project. November should see this group of mostly survivors readied for action. The Napoleonics and Battletech experiments have a very loose timeline and I haven't actually established any deadlines. They are a diversion I can play around with when I want to paint and model but need a break from more pressing concerns. Most deadlines I set are in my painting schedule are abstract. I tried including a counter on the blog last year and documenting what I bought and what I painted as I went along but it didn't help me at all. It made things worse. For the month of November I actually looked outside my own parameters and have joined the Blackjack Legacy Painting Challenge. I'm not sure how much of a challenge it will be; I'm looking at it as more of a support group where the participants will help each other (But mostly me :D ) stay motivated and see projects through. If you are looking for a friendly group of hobbyists to connect with in groups check out the Blackjack Legacy Tabletop Gaming Group.
The final loose end I worked at this month was a few of the doubles I had of TWD survivors. I started on them when the new order was delayed and still feeling a TWD vibe. The models in the rear are serviceable I suppose but they might not have ended up where I hoped they would be. I've had the doubles kicking around for a while and meant to try again at some point. This time around I might get them up to snuff. A cynical person might say this was a half ass entry on half ass projects but then the Great and Terrible OZ would probably punch them in the dick :P . Every blog entry can't showcase a masterpiece. I might have done differently if I hadn't backed myself into a corner with the deadline to present this but sometimes I think a messy entry has it's place. See you in November and don't let the flying monkeys drink all your paint water.
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