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Wednesday, December 30, 2020

In the Nick of Time!

Off the painting desk is the final piece of my self-challenge of painting twenty Hittite units in 2020.  Beginning from Ground Zero at the start of the year, I can now field a Hittite army of twenty BMUs.  Eight of these twenty units are chariots.  Certainly enough to take to the field.  Perhaps I can even field them in a Kadesh-like battle against the newly arrived Egyptian army?  The chariot and crew are from Wargames Foundry.  The runners are from Newline Designs.  By the way, Newline Designs is scheduled to begin a January sale on the 3rd.  Yippee!   
While 2020 has a few days remaining before the calendar is ripped apart, thoughts have been drifting toward painting goals for 2021.  Still too early to formalize goals and objectives but I lean toward two new projects in 2021.  Of course, current projects will continue to see a steady flow of paint as well. 

On painting goals,  I smashed my expectations on 2020 targets.  Details on the number of figures crossing my painting desk will be illustrated in a year-end wrap-up in a week or two when I release a barrage of graphics.  A goal of 900 painted figures was my target but managed to paint about 1,500.  Still, The Lead Pile does not look noticeably smaller. 

The planned refight of Rivoli 1797 should be ready to kick-off near the anniversary date of the battle, perhaps, near the second week of January.  As final preparations are put in order, a second call to arms to armchair generals interested in participating in order writing and decision-making will go out.  Four readers showed interest before.  We will see if these four are still interested and whether others may join in.

On the gaming front, remote gaming seems in full swing.  A refight of the WotR Battle of Wakefield was fought yesterday with the Lancastrians controlling the field but the Yorkists accomplishing their pre-battle objectives.  It was a good, solid fight and great fun.  For Graham's account of the action, please visit Wakefield: Won and Lost.  Anyone guess as to the period of a possible 2021 project?

61 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your painting tally for 2020 Jonathan, it's very impressive. I'm looking forward to seeing all the stats.

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    1. Thank you! Plenty of painting stats coming up within a week.

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  2. Great work again on this final piece of the Hittite Army puzzle. I vote for a solo game very soon involving this army - after the incredible generousity of your mate in donating an entire Egyptian army to your cause, kit would be rude not to thrash them with your Hittites in the neat future!

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    1. Keith, I am happy to make the 20 unit goal. Remember, early on when the original goal was a dozen? Getting the Hittites and Egyptians out on the table will be a priority but, for now, my gaming table is consumed by another planed game.

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  3. A good year for your wargaming despite Covid Jonathan, I am sure you will forge forward in 2021 as well. Happy New Year.

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    1. We can do nothing else but forge ahead, George. Remote gaming has really taken hold for me. I have gamed more in the last two months than the previous two years!

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  4. Certainly a very productive year Jonathan! I'm looking forward to seeing what your 2021 projects might be. Happy New Year!

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    1. Steve, this was my most productive year ever at the painting desk with respect to Painting Points. For me, a focus on 28s skews the Painting Point totals in my favor. 2021 will be much of the same with the addition of at least one new project but likely two.

      Happy New Year to you!

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  5. Jonathan one of the nest things about blogging our goals is that we have incentive to finish them. Congratulations for achieving yours with the Hittites! I'll guess WW2 project?

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    1. Quite right, Steve! Once we make a public proclamation, we back ourselves into a corner and must fight our way out.

      Hittites will continue to grow in 2021 but not at the pace in 2020. WW2 is not my list of new projects but an expansion of current WW2 projects is a possibility.

      Having been playesting Graham's SCW rules (http://wargaming4grownups.blogspot.com/), I have been considering applying these rules for my early war project as a means of becoming more at ease with the rules.

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  6. Splendid looking final piece of the Hittite jigsaw! War of the Roses will of course feature prominently, it would be great to see an Italian wars battle, but that's just me being selfish!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks, Iain! While I may have finished this Hittite puzzle, this puzzle seems to keep adding pieces and may never be finished!

      WotR is one of the new projects planned for 2021. You HAVE been paying attention! I made the initial order yesterday. You may be somewhat surprised at the direction I took.

      Getting Italian Wars back on the table will be something to consider for 2021, for sure.

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  7. An impressive tally of figures painted to a high standard.

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  8. Nice base, the hide covered chariot is spot on.

    2021 with your Hittite / Egyptian duo now thrust into the limelight in double quick time and Wars of the Roses on the horizon and your Ancients C&C games, the ancient / medieval period is going to be a significant dynamic to your year.

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    1. Thanks, Norm!

      I always seem to have too many irons in the fire. Why can I not exhibit a little restraint like you?

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  9. Jonathan, was the Wakefield game the one covered on Wargaming for Grown-Ups? Looked fun!

    Wanted to let you know how much I've enjoyed the Hittites. Chariot wars, and Hittites in particular, are on my "some day" / bucket list, and it's been grand to see this develop. Obviously you do these thing for yourself, but wanted you to know the effort to post progress has been really enjoyable for someone else as well.

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    1. Hi Markus! Yes, the Wakefield battle is the one recounted at "Wargaming for Grown-ups." I have now played in three of these games and all have been great fun. Now that Graham has posted a his BatRep, I will add a link to this post.

      Markus, your comments about my Hittite project are very much appreciated. It is pleasing to read that my efforts are enjoyed by others. THANK YOU!

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  10. Another wonderful addition to your Hittites, Jonathan. Congrats on the impressive number of figure painted too! Wishing you a great 2021!

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    1. Thank you, Dean! Now, if I only had your talent.

      Happy New Year to you!

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  11. Congratulations on the painting tally, that's quite a haul

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    1. Thanks, Neil! What until you see the final counts with bat graphs galore...

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  12. That's a impressive base. It will be nice to see them in battle.

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    1. Thank you, Andrè! It will be very satisfying to see this army out on the plains of battle.

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  13. A final unit well done. I am making progress on the grenadiers even if it feels uphill. You have certainly had a productive end to the year 👍 we are now into a further lockdown phase here 😢

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    1. Thank you, Matt! I look forward to seeing your grenadiers when finished. There is no rush. We can give them a taste of battle once they muster out from your painting desk.

      Lockdown here as well. I am expecting continued emphasis on social distancing once the effects of the holidays filter into the system. You had your children home over the holidays. That is fortunate.

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  14. Lovely work as usual Jonathan, and congratulations on reaching the Hittite target and also the 1500 completed figures. What is especially impressive, apart from the beautiful standard you always achieve, is that the bulk of them appear to have been 28mm. I have just picked up my first 28mm figure for a couple of years and keep thinking to myself I could complete four or five 15mm figures in the same time.

    I had a feeling WotR would be one of the major projects for 2021. The interesting thing will be seeing which direction you have taken, and what figure range you went with. Will it include a Richard III emerging from a carpark, I wonder?

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    1. Much appreciated, Lawrence! Without having crunched the final painting tallies for 2020, my hunch is that 28mm figures represented a larger percentage and that is what drove up my Adjusted Painting Points totals. We will see if that hypothesis bears out once I make the computations.

      As my eyes age, I am increasingly finding that I enjoy painting 28s more than the smaller scales. Unfortunately, I still have plenty of the smaller figures to paint.

      As for WotR, yeah, I think I have been dragged into at least fielding a Battle or two just for the fun of it. My first order went out to Perry for their plastic boxes. We will see if fielding armies in plastic is for me or not.

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  15. Magnificent madness! But also impressive quality to go with the quantity.

    All the best in 2020. Hopefully as many as possible of those thousand+ will see action in 2021.

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    1. Thank you, Ross! Yeah, let’s see how many thousands hit the table in 2022.

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  16. You Your Hittite project certainly hit its tight goal for 20 in 2020, Jon. This Chariot looks great just like the rest of the army!

    Does the Newline sale discount apply to unit packs?

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    1. Thank you, Peter! I recall unit packs have been on sale too. Circle 03JAN on your calendar. I know I did!

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    2. It's already there! I have a pretty good Idea what I want to get, to complement the large Old Glory order planned for January (before my Army Card runs out).

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    3. What’s on your shopping lists for both?

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    4. Peleset Ox carts and a few chariots for sure, some Indians (I am planning an expansion of my decades old Minifigs Mauryan Indian army, with the bulk of the new figures being Old Glory), some odds and ends of command figures and fill ins to optimize my Chariot era collections - Egyptians, Hittites, Assyrians, Sea Peoples, and Libyans.

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    5. Nice! Do you have Newline in your collections already or will these be the first?

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    6. These will be the first; I would not even have been aware of the company were it not for your units on display, Jon!

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    7. Excellent, I hope you like them. Perhaps mention to Sean that I ought to get a small commission? Ha ha...

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    8. LOL, although we do get extra discount offers from Lancashire Games...
      (Same as they offer periodically, just extra opportunities for same).

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  17. A great addition...what a fantastic achievement!

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  18. Looking more than great!
    All the best in 2021 Jonathan!

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  19. Congratulations on your impressive painting totals and equally impressive work.

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  20. Jonathan.

    More wonderful Hittites - a great accomplishment to hit the goal and must feel good. The 1500 figure achievement is all significant.

    I look forward to another year of seeing your throughout - and maybe I’ll find some discipline to leave a comment or two when I visit.

    Richard

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    1. Thanks, Richard! Leaving a comment is always appreciated!

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  21. Well done Jonathan...
    A splendid finish to a productive year...

    I am looking forward to seeing what you get up to this year...

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Thank you, Aly! There will plenty of activity to follow.

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  22. Way to go! There is no painting goal that you cannot reach. For myself, and I’m sure for many others, and I mean this seriously; you are Superman with a paint brush. 😀

    I hope you’ll be able to use your new army in the near future. 😀

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    1. You are too kind and, perhaps, a bit hyperbolic in your assessment! Thanks!

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  23. Lovely chariot Jonathan and fine job indeed on your achievements!

    Christopher

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  24. Fabulous Tally Johnathon.....I shall have to try harder this year to beat 1500 painted 28mm figures.....off to a good start though 20 Imoerial Romans almost completed from start yesterday....

    Cheers
    Matt

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    1. Thanks, Matt! Mine were not all 28s though. Twenty in two days is impressive!

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  25. Another lovely Hittite chariot Jonathan. I think perhaps the best of a fine bunch?!
    I look forward to your game of Rivoli.
    Regards, James

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    1. Thank you, James! I am looking forward to Rivoli too.

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  26. I guess that makes 4 ancient armies now? Looking forward to seeing them in action on the table.

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    1. Three Biblical and two Ancients (or maybe three if I count the Celts as separate from my Punic Wars collection?).

      I look forward to bringing them to battle too. hopefully with you in command of the Egyptians.

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