Saturday, July 17, 2021

Urring on the Side of Caution?

When finally taking the step to embark upon a new project, do you buy only enough figures to field a test-unit or two or do you tend to throw caution to the wind and buy enough figures to field an army (or two?)  Having made my tendencies public via this blog for approaching nine years, my answer ought to be obvious.  Right?  Right.  I tend to make a large purchase and throw it onto The Lead Pile to tackle later.  Sometimes, project tackling comes later.  In this case, a year later.     
Off the painting desk today is the first stand for a new project.  The first dozen figures form a heavy spear unit.  The stand has shield bearers with javelin in the front rank protecting infantry with long spear in the second rank.  The spearmen in the back rank are outfitted in the fashionable, bossed cloak.  Figures are from the excellent line of Sumerians available from Newline Designs. 
These Newline Designs figures were purchased a year ago during the anniversary sale.  Only now am I turning attention to this project.  A pair of Sumerian armies was on the plan for 2021 but I got sidetracked by an interest in War of the Roses.  Work continues slowly on the WotR project with my fourth battle beginning construction. 

Did I purchase enough Sumerians to field two armies?  Yes but likely only enough for a pair of starter armies.  These two armies will tend toward the smallish size for now.  Besides a large tranche of Newline Designs figures, I also ordered a sizable array of Wargames Foundry Sumerians.

With gaming frequency up and painting output down, I do not expect to make quick progress on the Sumerian project soon.  As noted above I have a WotR battle on the workbench along with more 10mm ACW.   Thoughts are returning to expanding the 15mm SYW project.  A barrage of 2021 Summer Sales was too much to resist and more 15mm SYW lead is on its way from a trio of manufacturers.

62 comments:

  1. Great stuff Jon....this first stand looks wonderful, please keep up the good work and let's see more of your Sumerians soon!

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    1. Thank you, Keith! I will try to produce more than one unit per year!

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  2. "I pun, therefore I am". I would like to play in a game with your Sumerians, although they look like they are based for Impetus and not TUIH.

    And sorry for interfering in your painting schedule by asking you to play actual wargames.

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    1. While based for Impetvs or To the Strongest!, no reason they cannot be used for To Ur too.

      No need to apologize for interfering my painting with your regular gaming sessions. I have enjoyed the weekly games immensely. With luck and conviction, we can continue these remote games even when the World returns to normal.

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  3. Wonderful looking unit with lots of different poses. Why do you have a raised bit on the back corner of your bases?

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    1. thank you, Peter! Yes, a number of different poses are included. The cleat on the trailing edge is used for affixing unit stats for games like Impetvs or TtS!.

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  4. Lovely figures, what rules are you going to use?

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    1. Thank you! A number of options are viable. "Impetvs", "To the Strongest!", and Graham's "To Ur is Human" come to mind.

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  5. Only a year? You are a hasty fellow! Still, they turned out very well.

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    1. Thanks, Ross! Yeah, I wasted little time in fielding this first unit...I ought to take a rest.

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  6. I usually take a plunge, it appears to have served you well this time. Nice looking units, definitely different from SYW!

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    1. Good! A fellow plunge taker. Much different from SYW, for sure.

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  7. Yeah, to game or paint. First world problems again, finally!

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  8. Gilgamesh will be pleased. I find if I'm buying I go in stages, but I get crazy on big trades. Or sales. Or free shipping deals . . . .

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    1. Thanks! I require not much incentive to dive in. Comforting to see I am not alone .

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  9. Very interesting! I will follow the development of the project ...

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    1. Thank you, Valentine! Keep watching this space...

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  10. Sumerians vs Sumerians? Not familiar with the era at all in all honesty.

    Great units tho sir! I like the scale mail.

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    1. It is city states battling with each other a lot of the time, or regional governors rising against central authority. Economic when building armies and good for campaigns.

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    2. Glad you like the look of the unit, Dai!

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  11. A splendid start to a new project Jonathan…

    A very attractive colour scheme as well…

    All the best. Aly

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  12. Rather more of an incrementalist myself, I think. In part that's because I almost always mix manufacturers.

    Your new Sumerians are very handsome, Jon!

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    1. I tend to mix 'em up too, Peter. Glad you like them!

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  13. That base is really a nice thing to look into. I like the lively sculpts, with the clothings colours and shield detail making the whole unit pop. I’m finding it too hot to paint at the moment, the paint is drying on the brush!

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    1. Thank you, Norm! Painting in heat is no fun. One reason that my painting station is underground in the basement. Stays cool down there year-round. What were you working on?

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  14. Lovely work Jonathan. When I read the title I was sure this was going to be a WotR post, so the Sumerians were a pleasant surprise. I fully subscribe to your approach to a new project; just purchase everything you think you'll need and throw it on the lead pile.

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    1. Much appreciated, Lawrence! The next WotR Battle is stay has much to complete. Only 15 of the 52 figures are done. After I get 46 15mm French off the workbench, maybe the Medievals will see a slap of paint?

      Good to see that I am not alone in diving into the deep end wrt figure purchases. Sometimes, figures go out of production before you can finish a project.

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  15. Splendid looking Sumerians! I tend to buy one or two units and then go for the full on army deal,plus if there is a sale I can find myself with units that then have to find armies!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks! That is the spirit with figure purchases!

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  16. I definitely buy the whole shebang up front, like you. When doing so, I generally will tackle the project soon after the lead is assembled rather than having it wait (although that happens as well). Love the early Ancient/Biblical era: lovely job!

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    1. Another entry for the “buy a bunch first” camp. Excellent! Glad you like the Biblicals.

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  17. A good start to a new project- I have a soft spot for Sumerians and keep thinking about building an army- you've given me more inspiration!

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    1. Happy to provide some inspiration, John! If you are wanting rules’ suggestions, let me know.

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  18. I love Jon's painting of these figures, but I do struggle with the models and the poses. Jon & I have spoken about this, so hopefully this is no surprise. The Sumerian armies were made up , mainly, of citizen farmers as far as we can tell, with a few "Royal Guards". Sort of proto-Greek hoplites in terms of military duty. I think that they are unlikely to have looked like a scrum front row or a line of scrimmage in terms of physical build. They will have been on a low protein diet, and will have been more wiry in build than muscular (if you visit developing countries then you will notice this still, especially when you move into the countryside) . This is true of most of history, but figure designers don't care, mostly (except for 1/72 soft plastic designers, although they still err in terms of height).

    The other issue is that the idea of small shields has crept into 28mm figure design. The evidence, such as we have it, is for man sized shields for the heavy infantry armed with shields (possibly with the front rank being shield carriers), not for light and easy to swing about semi-bucklers. The images we have for light troops also don't have shields, which shouldn't be a surprise if you think about Greek psiloi with javelins and slings.

    Of course the evidence is really thin - a point I make in To Ur is Human - and there is nothing to say troops like this did not exist, it's just there's nothing to say that they do. It is interesting that the Wargames Foundry range, where Nigel Stillman gave the historical advice, have a much more limited range of figures and poses.

    Unpopular tho' it might be, I'd go as far as to suggest the most accurate range you can get in terms of equipment and figure physique is the range from Hat in 20mm.

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    1. Good points, all, Graham, and a good discussion of our interpretations of this ancient history.

      As you state, the evidence is thin. We may not know what we don't know and what we do know or think we know may be incorrect.

      Using Wargames Foundry's range of Sumerians as a guide to troop types is misleading too. There are no crew for the battle carts. Were these autonomous vehicles? No slingers or bowmen are present either. Your rules list slingers and bowmen as a viable troop type. Perhaps, Foundry's range is still a work in progress and the range with all of the various troop types and poses remains a work in progress.

      What you have accomplished is open up a period new to me and trigger a desire for more investigation on my part.

      Oh, and I like the look of the muscular Newline Designs' figures. Perhaps, this is the start of my first Fantasy Project?

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    2. I'd say that the WF range is incomplete rather than inaccurate. I would guess you are expected to use one of the foot figures as "chariot" crew. The slingers and bowmen are mostly subject peoples (except for the battle line archers) so you could use the figures in the Minoan range to supplement them. What is odd is the absence of a Lugal/Command figure.

      I understand why people like the deep musculature on modern 28mm figures, as it gives depth to the figure when painted. and makes the figures look more warrior like.

      The Newline Sumerians look a lot like those from CP Models, and I would make the same comments about them in terms of builds and the small shields. I like his command figure, and if you but "To Ur" from him, you get a general figure included in the price.

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    3. I am not familiar with CP Models. I will give them a look. Thanks for your comments.

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  19. Nice looking dudes. I too tend to go large on a new project (for me) especially if it’s a new genre as I buy both sides. That way whenever the URuge strikes to actually paint the figures are waiting. 😀

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  20. Awesome unit, and period...I do like the spears and the shields...

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  21. These look great Jonathan.
    Regards, James

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  22. Nicely looking Sumerian infantrymen. And I’m looking forward to see the next units of this unusual but really interesting age.
    It’s a big temptation to buy all available miniatures of a new project army. And soon after the purchasing my passion fades. Let’s consider it is an investition into wargame industry :)

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    1. Thank you, Dmitry! My goal is to work in Sumerian units on a regular basis into the painting queue. We will see how it goes.

      Once you purchase all of the figures for a new project and interest wanes, what do you do with the figures?

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    2. Hypothetically. Most often, I manage to curb my inner demons:) I will sell figures after several years of inactivity. I don't have much storage space. When I say several years I mean 5+, but this is not a strict rule. I still have miniatures that I bought in 2013.

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    3. I have unpainted lead older than my adult children!

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  23. Ooh like these guys a lot! Well done sir!

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  24. Good looking unit Jonathan, the bulk buy is an interesting approach but not one I tend to follow.👍

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    1. Thanks! On bulk buying, you have more discipline than I!

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  25. Those are rather nice Jonathan. I like the colour choice for the shields, lovely and rich looking. I'm with you on buying the whole lot. Nothing worse than getting 80% of the army and then the range becomes unavailable or the company closes down! Will look forward to seeing more units completed, particularly the chariots.

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    1. Thank you, Doug! I wager most of us have armies where the figures became unavailable before a project was finished. I know I have! On the Sumerian front, more infantry coming up before I tackle a battle cart.

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