Tuesday, November 21, 2023

A Few Artillery Pieces

With Thanksgiving holidays this week and a kitchen remodel beginning next week, the rapid pace of gaming will slow if not stop completely for the next two weeks.  A two-week gaming hiatus is probably optimistic knowing how construction projects typically work out.  Anyway, I hope to return to the table by middle of December.

What does this unplanned hiatus do for project planning on the gaming and painting front?  Well, it puts reaching 100 games played for 2023 at risk but increases my chance of hitting 1,000 figures painted for the year.  I really am close to both targets and both goals should fall before year-end.
On the painting front, mustering out from the painting desk today are three guns for the 18mm SYW project.  The guns and crews are Eureka Miniatures with two Piedmontese and one Austrian heavy artillery in the mix.
While a lot of this year's painting effort seemed to focus on the SYW/WAS project, a quick peek into the Painting Log confirms my hunch.  Today, I stand at 499 infantry, 84 cavalry, and 21 gun and crew for the SYW/WAS project in 2023.  

After the recent run of Ancients, Biblical, and Spanish-American War games hosted, the next battle in the planning stage takes a look at the War of Austrian Succession.  The battle under research is the 1744 Battle of Madonna dell'Olmo in Northern Italy outside the city of Cuneo.  Still much work to do as I sift through conflicting OBs and battle accounts.  There is a method to my madness and explains the push to send a number of Spanish and Piedmontese troops through the painting queue this year.  Unlike the earlier Battles of Bassignana, I will actually be able to field Spanish and Piedmontese for M d'O.  Progress!

44 comments:

  1. Nice pieces Jonathan, I like this kind of artillery, I have an ECW round shot as a door stopper.

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    1. Thank you! Did you pick the roundshot up from a battlefield walk?

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  2. Nicely done Jon….will be in touch 👍

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  3. Fine looking artillery pieces there Jonathan. Whether you meet your painting target or not that it is an impressive amount of painting this year.

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  4. Lovely work Jon and I like the fact that the Austrian artillery has radiused joints as the spokes hit the rim:). Whether you reach your target goals or not, you've packed a lot into this year, certainly on the gaming front. Good luck with the kitchen refit. Not something we can easily do with our SEND son at home now, as it's too much disruption etc. Hoping to do some other rooms next year though...

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    1. Thank you, Steve! I may still reach both goals. I am only a handful of games from 100 and less than 100 figures from 1,000.

      Remodeling is never a fun prospect. I will be better on the other side of this project.

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  5. Just think of the kitchen as a 1:1 scale bit of modelling and it might feel better ……. Oh wait! No it won’t 🙂 I like the guns, artillery always seem to be the greatest help in making it feel like a project is making ground. Do you count a piece and crew as 10 figures when calculating the number of figures painted at years end?

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    1. Norm, you are not the first to suggest I divert some figure painting effort to kitchen painting...

      I count a gun and four crew as five pieces. Similarly, a trooper and his mount are counted as one. After raw counts, I often equalize effort by figure size and troop size when I consider Painting Points. When I set the goal at 1,000 figures painted that is one foot, one gun, and one horse (with rider).

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  6. Great looking artillery pieces and crews, Jonathan!

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  7. Good luck with the kitchen remodelling. Always a difficult process but worth it.
    This is a case of ‘when one door closes’. What source are you using for the Piedmontese uniforms Jon?
    Chris

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    1. Thanks! I may need a bit of luck for a reconstruction project.

      I will pass along a few online sources for Piedmont uniforms.

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  8. A new kitchen for Christmas seems like a worthwhile project. Is it mainly cupboards, or are you going the full renovation? Lovely artillery, and I especially like the yellow ochre colour on the Austrian piece.

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    1. Worthwhile but costly. In this phase, all woodwork and cabinetry are being redone and a new stove hood put in. Glad you like the guns.

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  9. I like the look of the artillry and look forward to seeing the upcoming game

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    1. Thanks! Still much work to do on the scenario to get it fit for duty.

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  10. A nice group of guns to finish the year’s painting.

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  11. These will match up nicely to the infantry and recent cavalry for sure. I know nothing of WoAS, so will wait to see what all this is about.

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    1. Much appreciated, Dai! Stay tuned and you will learn about the WAS. If you want a taste of the period, search here on "Bassignana".

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  12. Interesting mix of artillery.
    I'm sure the kitchen refurb will be a temporary blip in your productive painting progress.....☺
    Neil

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  13. Well done! I'm doing 18mm SYW too, but in Wofun, and am close to my goal of enough to run the Junior General Leuthen scenario in December.

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  14. On the cusp of some renovation and repair in the abode in these parts. Although less major than a kitchen, the real challenge has been finding a reliable contractor and actually getting the job scheduled. Good luck to you!

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  15. More nice additions to your mid 18th century collection, Jon. We got a new kitchen about three years ago (I think!) and it all went surprisingly smoothly to be honest - so hopefully you have a similar experience! (Personally, I would rather have spent the money on a trip to Europe - but there you go!)

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    1. Thanks! I was OK with the design of the current kitchen arrangement. Sometimes putting a little change into our lives and surroundings is worth the cost. We could have explored Europe in high style for the cost of this remodel.

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  16. Lovely guns Jonathan…
    I would be delighted to have even a percentage of your years figure and games count.

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Thank you, Aly! I think slowing it down a bit in 2024 seems reasonable.

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  17. You have great looking guns, Jon! :-)
    I like the plan for the WAS battle, and it explains some the recent painting trends!

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    1. Thanks, Peter! Yes, there is a method to this madness.

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  18. 100 games and 1000 figures! That would be my aspiration for the next decade. Hopefully retirement at some future point will help.
    The guns and gunners look fab.

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    1. One day, retirement will arrive. Then, you can reach toward these goals. Glad you like the artillery and crew!

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  19. That's some crrrazy numbers Jon. You're a man on a mission!

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  20. Big numbers in figures painted, games played and unfortunately for kitchens fitted! My current kitchen was the first one I didn't fit myself as I was too busy at the time, cabinets and a hood should fit your timescale, no tiling or painting? Good luck with it anyway and I hope it doesn't disrupt your painting or gaming!
    Best Iain

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    1. Painting, yes. New tile, we save for another day. This phase is squeezed in between two holidays. Gaming will be disrupted but painting may actually increase during the reconstruction.

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  21. I understand that you will not use my Madonna dell Olmo scenario? Very nice guns and crews.

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    1. André, while I am looking at other sources, your excellent scenario (and the discussion that followed) remains the cornerstone to any scenario I develop. With luck, you will approve of my work when finished.

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