Clearing the Decks

It is that time of the year when most of us think about new projects, old projects and those projects that probably should be sold off (more often than not to start a new layer to the pile of shame ie lead pile), I'm happy to count myself amongst "most of us" and I really do need to think about what is going what is staying and what I can hold on to for a bit longer without having to justify it's cluttering the storage areas of our simple abode to she who must be restrained.

Taking into account my previous mournful post I shall start with those projects that should go including those that are more or less finished. I find this is easier to contemplate by scale, I'm simply not up to the task of 15/18mm figures anymore, it really is a strain to paint them and I think that all of the unpainted wee chaps of that size are to go (should take some stress off of the floorboards). Lots of Nap, tons of ACW, spattering of ECW and sizeable chunk of SYW, as I mentioned with 15mm it is not a case of whether I am interested in the period anymore simply a practical consideration. Of the painted most are Naps and ACW,  the new gaming group use 15mm for Naps so I think that is the most appropriate place for them they can added to the existing collection or if surplus to requirements they will be heading to the sale yards. Hmm, the ACW is a bit of a different story I enjoyed collecting and playing with them (F&F for me) but they haven't been used for many many years so even if I was to apply the 5 year rule they would be gone, most are AB so getting rid of them shouldn't be difficult. Maybe I'll give them 12 months if they don't see action they are out, hell I should just do it now, grrrr, decisions decisions....... The Vietnam stuff is going to go a goodly collection that once again hasn't seen the light of day for some time, same with the Dacians and Byzantines both unused and need to be blooded by someone who is into that sort of thing. It really is time to say bye bye!

Moving on to 25/28mm I don't think there is anything that exists in painted form to go but there is a bit of unpainted that needs to be assessed so...

Napoleonics will remain on hold for now I just don't have any interest in painting them, beautiful Calpe figures but inspiration is low. A good set of Nap rules is what is needed here brigade or divisional level I think, Corp level rules are either too slow or too abstract in appearance and/or look so an old project that will remain in limbo.

Seven Years War is again another old project but one that is constantly evolving.  I bought a shed load of foundry Russians to use for an iNation army and that is still a goer, I bought a similar quantity of Front Rank Russians that are for ebay once painted. I have a hankering to have a go at Musket and Thomas Hawks and that is the real mover for me this year and a project to be kicked along. I'm looking forward to the new Fife and Drum kickstarter AWI figures this year but as far as racing to get them painted they will probably take a ticket and wait to be called I will concentrate on the FIW first. So a limbo iNation project, no real plans so far for the SYW proper despite always having figures to be painted so again in limbo, sleeper AWI project and 2 movers one in regards to FIW and a painting for ebay project.

Being realistic the limbo projects wont get touched, the sleeper might get touched and the two mover projects ......might get finished, I'll mark the FIW as a definite must do project.  I also have a hankering for the WSS and have a handful of Ebor miniatures which I find very appealing but I don't have any real desire to paint them, are they keepers? .....yep, not exactly in limbo perhaps we should call it delta sleep, rules are once again the real blocker here.

ACW, this is a new one for me in 28mm, I have just brokered a deal (with some help) for some plastic 28mm figures and I picked up F&F Regimental rules at the end of last year, whether I finish enough for a meaningful game is open to debate but it is a mover project.

Ancients, another new venture. I may have painted a Dacian army in 15mm but it was never used *sigh* so time to have another crack at it in 28mm. Again a deal for some figures was brokered and I have landed a haul of Aventine Miniatures which I had originally been commissioned to paint. The owner is now going OS for work and is having a proper figure cull (like the bunny), a complete sell off of the pile of shame along with completely finished armies. I admire his resolve as well as his Aventine Republican Romans ;-) A mover Project this one.

So there we have it ACW for F&F regimental, Paint for ebay SYW,  FIW for Muskets and Thomas Hawks and Republican Romans for rules TBA. An almost achievable, modest set of goals and no I wont be keeping score on the blog, I cant handle that sort of pressure! Of interest it seems to be rules that drive my projects, worth thinking about

A rather pleasing project is some remodelling with the house and shed which will include a man cave cum gaming room in the house and some space for terrain construction and small workshop in the garage, this project is a mover but it will be completely finished by the end of the year? I think not, funding may interfere as we are aiming high on this project,  time will tell,

I do have one more very large project to kick the year off but as it is still in the early stages and requires some dedication both in planning and execution I will pass on bringing it into daylight just for the minute.