Sunday, August 16, 2020

Clearing Out The Bins

As mentioned in an earlier post (see Cretan Archers & Survey Time) on the need to consolidate and organize The Lead Pile, work on that front sees progress.  Continued digging surfaced the following three candidate bins for completion.

First up are two stands of Assyrian heavy slingers from Wargames Foundry.  As expected, this venerable range of figures continues to set the benchmark as a superb range of Biblicals.  While more Foundry Assyrians remain in inventory, these represent the last of the slingers.  Being out of slingers is good since already more slingers are present than recommended for most Army Lists.
Next off the painting desk are more skirmishers.  This time, I switch gears to field Celts for the Punic Wars project.  One stand each of slingers and bowmen can take to the field.  Perhaps when conditions allow for a reconsideration of Telamon these lads will see action?  These eight figures are from Crusader Miniatures and Black Tree Design.

Finally, I dug out six Cuban Rebels for the Spanish-American War project.  While not enough on their own to form a BMU, I can add these two stands to existing formations to bolster numbers.  Figures are Old Glory.
Besides these half-dozen rebels, the Spanish-American War project is seeing increased activity at the painting desk.  In work are a couple of units of Spanish infantry and a couple of units of American volunteer infantry.
Old Glory's SAW range of figures is always a joy to paint.  The figures are big and easy on the eyes.  Few uniforms are as smart looking as the American uniform during this conflict.  Quite a practical outfit too.

After allowing my Old Glory Army Card to lapse several years ago as I moved away from projects based on Old Glory figures, I renewed my card recently.  After considering my options, I moved on an impulse to expand an existing project using Blue Moon figures.  I am sure to find other Old Glory products to add to The Lead Pile over the coming year.  No matter how fast I paint, my Lead Pile may never shrink...

50 comments:

  1. I know what you're saying Jonathan. At the start of the year I was determined to acquire no new figures but some how I have amassed another pile of them..

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    1. I was woke up in the middle of the night last night by the realisation that I will never paint everything I have collected so far.

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    2. Codsticker, you are not alone, my friend.

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  2. Can't beat the Foundry Assyrians Jonathan!

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  3. Very nice work Jonathon - I think of all the armies you have presented over the last three years, my favourites are the ancients! The OG Army card is a great scheme - I have not had one for several years either but maybe its getting time again.....

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    1. Thank you, Keith! Very good to see that you enjoy seeing the ancients. The Assyrians, Egyptians, and now Hittites are some of my favorites.

      How does the OG Army Card work for international orders? Is shipping prohibitively expensive? Still, with 40% discount, it may be worthwhile.

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  4. Nice work, Jonathan. It Is always good to clear The oddS and ends of the lead pile. One positive thing for you is that you abide by the basic principle of Lead Pile Law (section 1.1) that states that “the number of unpainted figures shall always outnumber the number of painted regardless of the number painted...” Sadly this is a law I have broken on a few occasions in recent years as I attempt to achieve “just in time” production.

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    1. Thanks! I am in violation of the Lead Pile Law or at least I HOPE so! With nearly 30,000 painted figures, I better not have more than that in The Lead Pile!

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    2. I don;'t think my unpainted ,lead has ever exceeded the painted, aside perhaps from the very first year or two, when I was painting Scruby 25 mm Napoleonic figures, at least 500 a year...

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    3. Peter, you show restraint and a reasoned approach to collecting.

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  5. I great pot pourri of figures and units there Jonathan. I've been making some dents in my lead pile as the weather has been wet, trying to finish of bits'n' pieces here and there for BKC. Making good progress but sooo much more to do!

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    1. Today's parade is a real potpourri, for sure!

      Good to see that you are making progress on your own Lead Pile while the sun doesn't shine. I look forward to seeing your BKC work. As you say, there is always so much more to do.

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  6. Lovely varied collection of figures! I especially like the skirmishing Celts, like the national debt, the lead mountain is here to stay!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thank you, Iain! "Like the national debt, the lead mountain is here to stay" is a terrific quote! great job and SO true. Well, especially true in the USA.

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  7. Excellent work.
    Very much liking the look of the Spanish-American War project.

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    1. Thank you! More SAW figures coming to the photo booth soon. Still need to arrange for the game that has been set out on the table so long ago.

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  8. Hi Jonathan- Great work there on the Cuban Rebels- SAW hold a special fascination- good choice with the Old Glory figures. A great TV Movie 'The Rough Riders' is terrific and certainly provides the tone of the whole SAW affair- A must see if you get the chance. Cheers. KEV.

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    1. Thank you, KEV! This is one of Old Glory's finest ranges, I think. As for Rough Rider's, that is a good movie, for sure.

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  9. G'Day Jonathan, you can't say you don't get variety on your painting table! I like the way you have a consistent basing style across the periods. Very impressive. Cheers Greg

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    1. Today sees a lot of variety as I clear off some loose ends. My basing is only consistent for a handful of projects. Any project geared toward play with either Impetvs or To the Strongest! uses the same basing scheme. Those projects include all of my 28mm Ancients and Renaissance collections.

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  10. A nice mixture of toys Jonathan...
    I do like the Assyrians... and I agree with you on the Foundry Biblical range... as old as it is... it still compares well to most other ranges.

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Thanks, Aly! Foundry's Biblical ranges are some of my favorites with the Assyrians of special note.

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  11. Wonderful painting on these various round out figures, Jonathan. I do need to add some slingers to my Celts too.

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    1. You are very kind, Dean! Your brushwork is in a league of its own.

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  12. Very nice. I have not seen a crouching slinger before and that figure makes for a nice bit of story telling on the base.

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    1. Thank you, Norm! The slingers are from BTD and are fine sculpts. I like having a slinger kneeling on the ground reloading his weapon and pockets.

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  13. That's quite a mini collection you have there Jonathan! Great work on all of them.

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  14. A great mix there and it is satisfying when you give some attention to figures that have been waiting patiently for so long.

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    1. My notes suggest the Cuban rebels have been waiting for 20 years. They showed great patience.

      It is good to clear out some of the hangers-on but I have more of these than I can shake a stick at.

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  15. Wow, when I clear out the bins I’m throwing miniatures that I know that I’ll never paint in the trash (it’s a rare thing thankfully). But you paint up three different genres in rapid fire succession. You have a much better solution. 😀

    Great job on the miniatures! 😀

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    1. Waste not, want not, my friend!

      Actually, I will be able to use all three of these groups in current projects.

      You REALLY throw miniatures away?

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    2. Well.. not often. 😀. But it has happened. It was kinda liberating actually. Off the top of my head I know I’ve tossed some 15mm Quar (sci-fi miniatures), some 15mm WWII soviet infantry, some 28mm Romans, and some 28mm war games factory dark ages troops. Most was because I could NOT give them away but those WF dark ages were just AWFUL miniatures. 🙃

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  16. A nice and eclectic mix of new units, Jon.
    Throwing miniatures AWAY? Hasn't ever happened yet, although I have some 40+ year old leftover bits that could be candidates some day. Maybe! :-)

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    1. Thanks! I have yet to throw anything away too. I do have candidates, though.

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  17. Great looking figures Jonathan and great variety as well.

    Attempting to do similar thing here although the parcels keep arriving.

    Cheers, Ross

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    1. Thank you, Ross! Hard to whittle down The Lead Pile with a steady stream of new lead.

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  18. You're really knocking stuff out - nice work!

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  19. All three offerings here look great Jonathan! Varying the subject matter like you have must have helped keep your hobby mojo at full power. :)

    I recently added to my own mountain with a guilty purchase... I'd fail utterly as a Jedi with my lack of control and allowing my impulses to over ride sense altogether!

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    1. Yes, variety keeps interest high as does clearing out three figure bins!

      What? You are not sharing what your guilt indulgence was?

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    2. I'll be posting on that in the next week or so. :)

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  20. I didn't knew that such slingers existed. Expertly painted as always.

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