Stocking Up For Winter and Portland Book Shopping

With the arrival of fall and cooler temperatures, wargaming thoughts turn towards prepping enough figures to survive the winter painting season.  Once the temperatures drop below freezing, even the garage is not a great place to spray primer onto the figures.  In the cold, dullcoting is especially troublesome.  Over the next two weeks, primering figures may take priority.

In anticipation of the winter season, two orders arrived in the mail recently.  One order from 19th Century Miniatures containing a resupply of figures for my 1859 project and the other from Old Glory containing figures from mix of periods.  19th Century orders over $100 yield a 30% discount from retail which I was able to trigger.  Figures ordered included restocking Austrian line infantry and an assortment of French infantry.  Work had stalled on the 1859 project due to a depletion of my Austrian inventory and I didn't want the Italian forces to surpass their Austrian opponents.  I know, I could have continued painting Italians but I like to vary my painting activities within a project.

With Blue Moon rapidly expanding their 15mm ranges and Old Glory adding onto their excellent 10mm range, I finally opted to join the Old Glory Army.  Holding the Old Glory Army card allows 40% on most ranges that Old Glory manufactures or distributes.  In my first order using the card, I received resupply of several bags of 10mm ACW including the newly released Parrot rifles and supply wagons.  Also in the order were Zouaves in both fez and turban.  Since moving to a smaller scale with regimental gaming, I needed to fill out zouave units that worked well as brigades but do not muster enough men for regimental scales.

I requested and received special packaging on ACW limbers too.  This special request contained 12 limbers, 12 pairs of limber riders, and 24 wheels.  No horses and no drivers were needed since Old Glory packages enough horses and drivers for three pairs of horses per limber.  Regimental Fire and Fury only requires one team per limber so I ended up with a box full of surplus horses and drivers.  My existing painted limbers did contain two teams per limber but I still wound up with a small pile of unused teams.  The pack of limbers, sans teams, will help address this wastage.

Newly released Blue Moon French legere were picked up as were several bags of Blue Moon AWI Hessian musketeers that I will press into service as either Prussians or Wurttembergers for my SYW project.  Hopefully, the Blue Moon figures will fit in amongst the rather larger Eureka Prussian musketeers.  Eureka's Prussian grenadiers are smaller than the musketeers and fusiliers so these Blue Moon figures ought to look fine on the tabletop.  Additionally, the Blue Moon figures are much less expensive at $0.30 per figure vs. Eureka's $0.70 per figure. 

As a bonus, Old Glory offers a free pack of figures for signing up to their Army Card.  I chose the 28mm ACW Union Camp Set with Tent.  I don't collect 28mm ACW figures but the figures will make a very nice vignette. 

I spent this past weekend visiting my sister in Portland.  One of the benefits of a Portland visit includes noshing at the dozens of food carts and small restaurants within each neighborhood.  With the presence of large national chain restaurants stifled within the city, the variety and quality is exceptional and prices are very inexpensive.  My proclamation is that Portland has the best food scene in the northwest.

Another benefit to a Portland visit is a chance to browse through the stacks at Powell's Bookstore.  From Powell's, I brought back several books on Jackson's valley campaign, Longstreet's biography, and an Osprey Essential history on Rome at War.  As a book shopping surprise, my visit coincided with the Friends of Multonomah Library book sale.  The sale was held at the Doubletree and when we arrived 30 minutes before doors opened, a line was formed around the block.  Now, this sale was the members only pre-sale so I can only imagine what the lines would have been like when the sale opened to the general public on the following day.

When we made it to the door, I grabbed a map and headed straight to the military history tables.  On the way to the table, I scooped up an empty box.  I came away with nearly a dozen books at bargain prices including Kagan's Peloponnesian War, Sears' To the Gates of Richmond and Landscape Turned Red, and the Illustrated History of the Civil War to name a few.  While I already have a copy of Sears' Landscape Turned Red in paperback, I picked up a like new hardback edition for $3.  In fact, all of the books I brought home from the book sale were in like new condition.