Not much activity at the painting desk this week past. Many diversions distracted me from enjoying meaningful painting sessions. First, weather has been splendid. Mileage on the bike is ramping up to a more 'summer-like' level. The increases in mileage do have their downside. I feel a bit more fatigued after several days out. Sunday afternoon's thunderstorms allowed me to take a day off from the bike. Still, I did not manage to slip in any meaningful painting but there is always another day.
Second, finishing up the San Martino group game on Tuesday and then writing up the battle report on Wednesday and Thursday consumed prime hobby time before the holiday weekend. While drafting the San Martino battle report, thoughts returned again to the usefulness of these After Action Reports. I do enjoy chronicling these battlefield exploits, but they often represent a sizable slice of time to curate and draft. Do readers read these accounts in entirety or skim to the end? This topic comes to the fore with each battle report published. Perhaps, I ought to formalize my thoughts on battle report usefulness in a separate post?
Finally, I have been researching and planning for the next scenario. With the help of André (Wackershofen Anno Domini), I am using his 1745 Battle of Bassignana scenario as a starting point for my own interpretation of this WAS battle. Hopefully, the scenario will be set in place within a fortnight. Table is being laid out now. I need to build a pontoon bridge for this action.
Great to see beautiful unit!
ReplyDeleteGlad you like it!
DeleteThats another fine body of French cavalry troopers Jon! As to your questions about in depth AAR's, I think that, as with most blog content, it should be about what the writer wants to do/share - not about the audience. Blogs are not a service or resource for others - well mine isn't - they are an extension of my hobby that adds another dimension to my enjoyment - so - if you enjoy writing in depth AAR's, carry on. If, on the other hand, they are a trial and burn up valuable hobby time you would rather invest painting or gaming, cut them back or stop doing them altogether! I enjoy reading other gamers AAR's but I must admit, sometimes a blow by blow account is more than I have time to read. I think you get the balance about right!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteYou are right, Keith. We ought to concentrate on publishing what motivates us to write. I certainly follow that tenet in that I write what interests me. If others enjoy these ramblings and derive some utility, well, so much the better.
I do enjoy writing AARs but I wonder if increasing the number of games played places pressure and urgency on chronicling all of them?
Very encouraging to see that you think I have the balance right. Excellent!
I appreciate your thoughts on this topic.
Another fine regiment of French cavalry
ReplyDeleteThank you, Neil!
DeleteAnother lovely addition to the French ranks Jonathan. It is good to read detailed AARs especially if it is the readers period and or rules of interest. I expect a few readers skip read lengthy posts and I expect those are the readers who rarely if ever comment anyway. At the end of the day blogs are a personal thing and one should do what is for your enjoyment. I for one are grateful for your content and shall always look forward to your posts be they short or long.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like them, Phil!
DeleteYour comments on AARs are insightful and useful reminders. I appreciate your continued support, encouragement, and advice!
Good looking unit Jon, steady progress will bring results. I’m with Phil it is your blog for which you receive no financial renumeration. Just kind words. you write or include what you enjoy writing loyal followers will be here to stay which ever.😀 certainly I balance the Length of time to blog a report vs painting time
ReplyDeleteMatt, glad you like the latest French cavalry. We will see them in battle one day.
DeleteThanks for your perspective on blogging and writing battle reports. Sometimes, balancing hobby activity is delicate task.
Great brushwork on your new French cavalry unit. You consistently produce fine additions to your collection.
ReplyDeleteThe game reports fulfill a place to showcase a collection, introduction to a new or favored rules set, detail an approach to solving a problem. Ok, maybe celebrate crushing victory over one's victims, uh, gaming buddies.
You added to my account in the last couple of years the additional support of remote gaming and its uses. I don't think I get feedback based on effort, but then it is hard to gage what interesting looks like.
I appreciate the time and effort you put into the AAR stream. But if it prevents your time for more enjoyable parts of the hobby, go where you heart is.
Thanks, Joe!
DeleteYou provide another insightful and helpful addition to this body of BatRep blogging. It is, indeed, hard to gauge what is interesting to others. Your comments are much appreciated!
I need to include more Battle Reports on crushing my opponent...
I will shortly be writing up one where I was the crushee.
DeleteMany of my games end with a similar result. This week, though, I saw two victories at the table.
DeleteNothing wrong with getting outside while you can; winter is coming, after all ;) Re: battle reports, my mileage varies. If it's a set of rules I'd like to learn more about, I'll tend to read it in detail, esp. if the consequences of mechanics are discussed. Otherwise, I most often skim for eye candy. Conde look solid, a nice addition to the growing horde.
ReplyDeleteMarkus, it is always winter some where...
DeleteThanks for your thoughts on what you find interesting in BatReps.
A jaunty looking group of cavalry. To you question on AAR. They are time consuming to write even when you enjoy writing them. When games stack up it can seem to turn into a bit of a chore. I always find AAR interesting to see how people set them up and how they unfold.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteI think you may have hit the nail squarely on the head, Peter! When games stack up, writing battle reports can become a chore. I need to keep your wisdom in mind.
You're a machine, Jon!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Aaron but not as productive as I once was.
DeleteThey look great Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteChristopher
Thanks!
DeleteI thought this was number seven. Another beautiful regiment Jonathan. I do enjoy reading your AARs and would love to do more of the games I play, but am conscious of my lack of time. I think the reward may come in a few years' time when you want to look back and recall what happened in a given game.
ReplyDeleteLawrence, you run a tight accounting of my French cavalry output. You nailed it!
DeleteThank you for commenting that you enjoy reading my AARs. Every bit of positive reinforcement helps! You make a good point about chronicling battles for posterity's sake. I cannot count how many times I go back and re-read an old battle report for inspiration, nostalgia, and ideas.
Another lovely unit Jonathan…
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading AAR’s especially when I am having a bit of a drought in actual games myself…
The only danger is that it can cause a lot of activity from my Wargames Butterfly…😁
All the best. Aly
Thank you, Aly! Happy to see that you enjoy reading AARs. If battle reports provide inspiration for a new project, well, even better!
DeleteThe regiment is looking perfect to me. I'm very excited to read your report of Bassignana. Will you put Spanish flags on the French units which you will use as Spanish cavalry?
ReplyDeleteOne detail: André is written with accent aigu and not with accent grave. Merci beaucoup!
Thanks, André. The French cavalry posing as Spanish at Bassignana are unflagged so they will carry neither! The French infantry posing as Spanish will be carrying French colors, however.
DeleteOn the accent, sorry about that. On my keyboard, I must use a combination of "alt" + a numeric string to render the accent. Unfortunately, I chose the wrong combination. Hopefully, I have it correct now.
You're really cracking on with the French. Inspiring. Can't wait to get started on mine.
ReplyDeleteChris, no more Mr. Anonymous? Hooray! I look forward to seeing your French army take shape. Happy to provide a little inspiration.
DeleteA damn fine addition to your collection Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ray!
DeleteGreat to hear that the weather has warmed up for you to start stacking the mildes up Jon. I try to get out every other day, for about 10 miles or so, which fits into my routine nicely. Anymore and my arthritic knee and repaired hernia don't like it!
ReplyDeleteLovely looking cavalry and good to see you finding the time to carry on painting alongside all of your other activities.
Re: AAR's, it's something I always ponder over given the time and effort involved compared to the feedback given. for each one. Matt's comment along the lines of think about sharing it with a few gaming friends is a great way of looking at it.
When I read yours (and others) I tend to skim through them to the end, to get an overview of what happened etc, then the next day read them in detial and comment, having had time to absorb all of the action etc.
From my point of view it certianly helps if I know the rules being used as I can understand what happened and why, if you get my drift? If I don't know the rules, sometimes it's hard to follow the course of events. It would be good to read a seperate Blog post on this issue to get your thoughts.
Hi Steve, yes, the weather is good here except for a thunderstorm yesterday. Mileage is ticking up. Good to see you out on the bike when time and body permits.
DeleteI know you have entertained similar thoughts on the value of writing battle reports. Perhaps for me the issue may be that I am playing many, many more games than I once did. This dramatic increase in gaming, I think, puts added pressure on chronicling more of these games. Increasing the number of games also reduces the time to write even a solitary report. Completed games awaiting in queue up for a report quickly becomes overwhelming. Your point on writing such that those unfamiliar to the rules can understand the mechanisms and play is a good one. I tend to focus on the action, itself, rather than the game mechanisms. I need to think on this some more.
Thank you for your comments!
There are blogs and then there are blogs. I tend to treat different blogs differently from each other. In some cases I tend to read AAR’s from beginning to end and there are other cases where I just skim through. My choice depends mostly on the blogger’s writing style and accompanying photographs. In your case Jon I tend to read posts throughout so as far as I’m concerned your posts are always welcome and I thank you for the time and patience you put into each post.
ReplyDeleteAnd that’s another fine unit you've. got there!
Mike, I like your bifurcation scheme between blogs and blogs! Good to see that my battle reports fit into the "read 'em through to the end" class.
DeleteYou are very kind and encouraging, Mike.
Thank you!
A fine looking addition to the French Army: I find the French gray/white coated cavalry quite appealing, but somehow in a different way than the pearl coated Austrians (funny, that, but there it is).
ReplyDeleteAs far as battle reports, I find that my energy for doing detailed ones (that I used to do) has fallen off, and I now generally tend to be a bit more summary. As a reader, and blogger, I recognize the effort that such reports require (and I admire the fact that you do them so consistently). Having said that, although I enjoy them, I actually find it more challenging to comment upon, so I generally do so less consistently--generally if something jumps out at me as opposed to the general idea of providing a comment to demonstrate that I visited and appreciated the post. Having said that, I also recognize that you generally don't lack for feedback to your posts (wonderful blog that you have here!), so I don't feel the same "responsibility" to leave a note as I would on some other blogs that get less love :)
Glad you like the French cavalry, Ed! When I finish with the Minwax stain SYW French look a lot like SYW Austrians! I do use a brighter white for the Austrian coat.
DeleteI appreciate your thoughtful observations on writing battle reports. Those who write them, know the effort involved. I get your point on commenting on BatReps too. That is a very good point and another useful observation. I need to keep that in mind when writing them to evoke more interaction with the reader.
I find your lack of painting progress to be unacceptable…..😀
ReplyDeleteThat’s funny bc it’s from me.
I must confess that I usually skim AARs especially if it’s a period/ rules that I’m not really familiar or interested in. I do try to read some of it bc I know that AARs are very time consuming to write. I’ve basically given up writing my own.
However I would say that if you enjoy reading your own AARs 6 months after the event and it brings back the fond memories then it’s worthwhile. For me; it’s just knowing that an online friend had a good time. 😀😀
Unacceptable? Well! I still hold the "over" wager for September for your 100 figures...
DeleteStew, at least you are honest in your admission of skimming over many battle reports. I understand your position. For me, the writing exercise is still worthwhile especially if an online friend had a good time. I may have to be more selective as to which games get the treatment.
Lovely unit Jonathan, my own Seven Years War stuff lies in a box unpainted ...maybe next year?
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yes, maybe next year you begin your SYW project?
DeleteLovely painted cavalry Jonathan... as usual.
ReplyDeleteAs for AARs, I think they have a value as a collective archive about what excites us in wargaming. Though it might be asked whether they are written to satisfy ourselves or to satisfy others.
From a personal perspective all the hobby activity I engage in (painting etc.) is so that I can play or umpire games. The conundrum is that the more games that are played, the more AARs, the less time for the hobby activities. It has the danger of becoming a cycle of game-AAR-game. I'm still new to this blogging lark and find it both an incentive to do things, but also a drain on precious leisure time. What I'm slowly learning is how to manage expectations on posts and commenting.
I enjoy reading your AARs in detail because you have an engaging style Jonathan, and play periods in which I am interested. Other AARs may get a skim read unless something catches my eye.
Well done on provoking thought and discussion.
Thanks, Richard! I expect to see the cavalry in battle soon.
DeleteViewing battle reports as a collective archive is a good approach. Since I do enjoy chronicling my own battlefield exploits, I guess writing to satisfy oneself is the proper perspective to have in this undertaking. If others enjoy them then so much the better.
I echo your observation that one can easy fall into the Game-AAR-Game-AAR cycle (trap) leaving little time for anything else. I think this may be the situation in which I find myself now. with two and even three games a week, I must carefully curate which games get the post-game battle report treatment. It feels a loss not to be able to tackle every game in this respect but, as you say, it is a "drain on precious leisure time."
Your feedback offers helpful encouragement.
Thank you!
Lovely unit, Jon.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading and writing battle reports. However, anyone who has written them knows they can be quite time consuming (1-2 hours I'd say for most)> i ma still procrastinating on writing up our last game a few weeks ago. Once you start playing more than once a week, I think that you have little choice but to pare things back to a brief narrative and let the pictures do the talking for the mot part... except when you want to do more than that! :-)
I do find them very useful personally as a reminiscence of games past as well.
Thanks, Peter!
DeleteI appreciate you weighing in with your thoughts on writing and reading battle reports. We have been at this a long time. When my gaming was conducted at a much more leisurely and infrequent pace, battle reports were much easier to cobble together without becoming overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information collected. Paring report frequency down is a sound suggestion. I have already begun skipping the chronicling of a number of games especially when the host or another participant writes up a good battle account. Still, a brief summary of those stories not told is a good way forward.
Like you, I do occasionally go back and re-read these older battle accounts.