Fourth year anniversary

When I started this blog in January 2007 I had no idea how long it would last, and so I would like to thank all those who read, follow and comment on this blog as the interest you show is very much appreciated. I can't really do a "review of the year" post as I haven't done much this year apart from painting figures. I only managed one show and one game (pathetic, I know), but then I realised a long time ago that the parts of the hobby that I enjoy most are painting and collecting figures and then discussing the hobby with like-minded people. Like many others, I suspect, the lack of a permanent gaming table is one reason why I don't actually game much (and the lack of any club affiliation is another). But I assume that will be remedied at some stage in the future and consequently I haven't stopped buying up pieces of terrain this year - some lovely buildings from Paul Darnell for my First Carlist War, Sudan and 1815 projects and the two Tablescape buildings for the AWI. I have not succumbed to any "shiny-itis" impulse buys this year, apart from a few packs from the North Star colonial Africa range. I bought the Perry plastic Napoleonic French hussars box at Salute and still have not decided what to do with them. An early idea was to paint a few as Diemar's Black Hussars for the AWI, but having researched the uniform I don't think these figures will work (unless I concoct something that is half plastic hussar and half Queen's Rangers hussar); so I may just paint them up for 1815.


Painting totals for this year are (all 25mm):

- AWI: 122 foot, 12 cavalry and 5 guns;

- 1815: 81 foot, 17 cavalry and 1 gun;

- First Carlist War: 44 foot and 1 gun;

- Darkest Africa: 19 foot;

- First Crusade: 7 foot and 1 cavalry.


That makes 340 pieces or "points" (i.e. counting cavalry as 2), which is a significant, albeit expected, reduction on last year's production of 524 points. Still, a weekly average of 7.8 figures isn't that bad. Looking at the figures I am surprised at how few Carlist War figures I painted - that was the AWI's gain but I will need to spend more time on the former period this year.


I am still unsure where the ECW, First Crusade, Sudan and Darkest Africa projects are going. I suspect for each of those periods it will be a question of painting something up as and when the mood grabs me. I should make an effort to at least finish off the Crusades units I have half-finished and some ECW command stands. For 1815 I had intended to continue to paint at least one brigade of infantry a year, but I can see that target slipping. So instead I will just paint the 3me Ligne, which will then finish off Bachelu's division. After that I will paint up the remaining brigade and divisional command stands and then work on some foot artillery. The AWI this year will see more French, British infantry battalions, British Legion cavalry and hopefully some American militia cavalry if Eureka make/release them. In the First Carlist War leadpile are line battalions for both sides, the French Foreign Legion and British lancers.


All that depends of course on finding painting time, and I fear that will be squeezed further this year. The Kiwi is determined to move house by the end of the year and as that will mean moving out of central London (we have no idea where to) I will have to start serious commuting to work. Whilst that won't impact much on morning painting time (because that vanished when Hugo was born), it will on my current evening painting hour of 7.30-8.30pm. Putting the house on the market may also necessitate packing my painting stuff away completely. Ho hum.


I hope readers had a good Christmas break. My brother worked out yesterday that over the past 2 weeks he had drunk 35 different wines, and I suspect my tally was similar. Personal wine highlights included: Chateaux Calon-Segur 96, Leoville-Barton 95 and d'Yquem 97 on Christmas Day; Puriri Hills "The Pope" 2005, Hugel Alsace Pinot Gris 1989 and Graham's 1977 port on Boxing Day; Jeanneret Clare Valley Riesling 2003 and Pol Roger 1999 on New Year's Eve; Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2009 and d'Arenberg "The Sticks and Stones" 2002 on New Year's Day; and Bollinger Grand Annee 2000 throughout the festive period. Hic.


Next up: more British line and American artillery for the AWI, Isabellino skirmishers and the 61me Ligne. The photo above is of Eclaireur's and my recent refight of Freeman's Farm - more on that anon.