The recent spate of record-breaking heat has forced a modest time shift in daily activities. Each morning, I am out on the bike before the temperatures rise to uncomfortable and sometimes dangerously exhausting levels. Same situation arises for yardwork. Even with the early morning routines, the efforts and heat tend to bring on fatigue. Often I end up spending some of the remaining afternoon in recovery and rehydration mode. What is the rule of cycling recovery? Don’t run when you can walk. Don't walk when you can stand. Don’t stand when you can sit. Don’t sit when you can recline. I want to get back downstairs to the game room where it is cool and put some time in at the painting desk but motivation slips away as I am simply exhausted. More often than not, reading or computer work in the line of fire of a fan takes the place of painting. Much of the week will see triple digits on the thermometer.Despite these excuses, work progresses on the hobby front with the mustering out of two, 23-figure Spanish regiments of foot for the 18mm SYW/WAS project. Regiments marching out today are Burgos (red facings) and Espana (green facings). Figures are Old Glory foot led by Eureka mounted colonels. Flags are by David from Not by Appointment. Gaming continues even though the Dog Days of summer approach. Last week saw the Rejects take to the field in a remote Sumerian clash. That battle report still awaits chronicling. I need to brush up on my cuneiform translation skills to get the details of the battle correct. This week sees two or maybe even three battles on the docket. The two confirmed games fall both on Thursday. I may regret double booking myself by Thursday's close. Luckily, I am only hosting one of the games.
Below is a teaser from the Rejects' Sumerian battle. What is the caption for this photo?
More 15/18mm figures are in work at the painting desk including the start on a FPW Prussian Army. I know. I have been pondering this for a few years now and finally pulled the trigger. Will it last? Stay tuned.
Finally, I really appreciate the interest and feedback on the GWS Least Liked post. The post has received a lot of great responses. Thank you! With such encouragement, I may next test the waters with a similar analysis on the Most Liked wargaming aspects.
We could do with a bit of your summer heat over here in the UK. It's still feels like a grotty spring at the moment the temperatures barely making it into the low 20 degree celsius. But of course us Brits love to moan about the weather, so if it was hotter we'd just be complaining it was too hot 🤣
ReplyDeleteLee, if I could send some of this heat your way, I would!
DeleteNicely painted figures Jon ……good to hear you are still managing to get out on the bike. Weather is a challenge here much of the time for the wrong reasons, we are having the coldest and wettest July on record with much of the time temperatures around 15 degrees. Suddenly yesterday it rushed upto 21 with thunderstorms. I have to say when it’s hot my dungeon is the best place with a stable cool temperature. I will be in touch soon about resuming gaming 👍
ReplyDeleteThanks, Matt! When it is hot here, the game room in the basement is a good place for me to slip away to, as well. Looking forward to getting back into our gaming routine. Remember our Ucles battles? Well, this battle is out on the table again this week.
DeleteDespite the heat, you are still churning out the figures!
ReplyDeleteI'd say go with the flow; if the painting muse doesn't call, so be it. It's supposed to be a hobby, not a job.
Caption: "Where Asses Dare"? "Swing left, sweet chariot..." ?
Neil
Oh, these are both good caption suggestions!
DeleteThe other option was "Onager (gonna)get you" ☺
DeleteNeil
Well, that one will be stuck in my head the rest of today.
DeleteI sympathise - I'm no good at all in the heat, I blame it on being norn and raised in a cold climate! Very nice work on the Spanish.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the heat so much. Glad you approve of the Spanish, Brian!
DeleteWow! Lovely Spanish infantry. I hope that you will notice my latest battle account. I myself was offline for some days... I'm excited to see when and how you will use your Spanish troops. :-) Cheers!
ReplyDeleteThanks, André! While these regiments have yet to see action, my other Spanish have seen battle at Madonna dell Olmo and Bassignana.
DeleteSome nice additions to your SYW/WAS collection Jon. Sounds like you may be getting a bit too much of a good thing, in terms of sunny summer days, unlike our British friends.
ReplyDeleteNo idea on the caption for the photo - I will just have to wait for your AAR :)
Thanks, Keith! Yes, you must wait for the BatRep to see how this photo fits into the big picture.
DeleteBeautiful looking unit Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michal!
DeleteThe Spanish regiments are really very nice indeed, another Sumerian battle report sounds good too! Looking forward to seeing your FPW project take off, it's one I fancy doing in the future but not too sure what scale, 10mm is my main thought.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donnie! Since I already have French, Sardinians, and Austrians for the FAW, expanding to include the Germans states seems a natural progression.
DeleteMuy hermoso! A fine pair of Spanish infantry regiments, Jon!
ReplyDeleteGracias! Some 28mm Spanish Napoleonics still linger in The Lead Pile. I ought to pull them out and slap some painting on them to keep the theme alive.
DeleteLovely looking unit Jonathan. Looking forward to your battle report and your progress on the FPW project.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Richard! It is about time that I expanded my 1859 project to both 1866 and 1870 conflicts.
DeleteIf I dally long enough on the BatRep, you fellas will have forgotten the details and it will be a like a new game.
The new units are top notch. The heat is present on the other coast as well, we are at 85 F at waters edge and higher just ten miles inland.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see the regimine for heat you are following is a sane one. Remote gaming has another benefit, no travel needed except by electron. Today is recovery, from an afternoon whale-watch . Good luck with the games, you have a busy week planned out.
Thanks, Joe! Happy to see that the heat regimen is a sane one. Not everything I undertake appears as such. Remote gaming has an added benefit in that the game room is hot already with the massive lights. Having only one body in the room (me!) keeps everything comfortable.
DeleteLounging at water's edge. That sounds nice.
Very nifty wee fellows there Jonathan. Look forward to reading of the latest clash of carts. I think summer as past the UK by and gone straight to autumn.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Phil! Too bad that summer skipped you fellas in the UK.
DeleteI like the look of those Spanish units and you could always send a little of that heat my way. Having to put the heating on in July
ReplyDeleteThanks, Neil! Turning the heat on in July? Summer has missed you!
DeleteLovely work Jonathan. Spanish units of most eras look smart and you have done them beautifully, as always. We are suffering a cold snap at the moment, so it is difficult getting up at my usual 5:00am to paint before work starts for the day.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Hope your weather returns to early painting mode soon.
DeleteI don't envy you the heat, even if we are not having the greatest summer here in UK. I do smile a bit that your 'motivation slips away' due to exhaustion, but you still manage to finish two rather lovely looking units! I espectially like the white with crimson facings. Looking forward to the Rejects' battle report too..
ReplyDeleteGlad you approve of the Spanish, David! The Rejects BatRep still remains unwritten. Hopely that motivation returns before I slip even more behind.
DeleteDespite the heat your output (painting and cycling, and gamesmastering) continues to be impressive Jon.
ReplyDeleteChris/Nundanket
Thanks, Chris! I am pondering a game for you fellas next week if anyone is around.
DeleteGreat looking units Jonathan. Is the high heat accompanied by high humidity? That is what tips it into unpleasant here, albeit at a different time of the year.
ReplyDeleteRichard
Thanks, Richard! we have high temps but low humidity. Locals say, "it's hot but it is a dry heat!" Humidity in the teens today. That is one reason we have such trouble with summer wild fires.
DeleteWonderful units Jonathan. Pity about the extreme weather. My gaming room gets quite warm in summer so it is difficult to get motivated to do much then. But first world problems I suppose. 😊
ReplyDeleteI think Neil has come up with the best captions.
Thank you, Ben! Even though my game room is below ground and remains cool, I understand how difficult it is to enjoy a game or painting in a hot room. In mid-July, we can expect a few days of 100F highs but the that last two weeks have been hotter than usual. We expect more records to fall later in the week as we cross the 100F threshold for three or four more days before (hopefully) cooling down a bit.
DeleteNeil is always a clever one and glad he stepped in to offer suggestions.
The Spanish look great. You heat sounds too much to me by a long way. Summer here has been a real disappointment so far. . Often each year once or twice , but not this year , I would go to Cornwall to visit. I miss the genuine warmth of there, even if it was only for a week or less per visit.
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Thanks, Alan! Why no excursion to Cornwall this year?
DeleteYou meant your, typo, sorry.
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Lovely looking Spaniards Jon!!
ReplyDeleteCaption for the pic...
Sumer of 69
I know you like a bit of Mr Adams!
Oh, that is a great suggestion!
DeleteDancing on momma's porsche?!
DeleteVery funny, James!
Deleteknow what you mean about the heat and forcing an early routine. The triple digits here have lapsed for a brief spell; the other day I was at the park with the kids and it was a refreshing 90 degrees.
ReplyDeletestill, a good looking unit that you churned out there. 😁
A refreshing 90 degrees? I know exactly what you mean!
DeleteDitto all of the above comments about how d@mned good those Spanish look!
ReplyDeleteMotivation is a key to painting isn't it. It fits a bit with the 'least liked' identified by some respondents. I find it a real challenge when the paint dries on the brush between my little palette and the figure!
The beauty of the hobby is that there is always something else to do. If painting does not appeal, I often work on orders of battle, or attend to my huge pile of reading, or do some figure prep. or just look over the collection.
Regards, James
Thanks, James! You (and others) are much too kind.
DeleteWhile motivation may be key to keeping the brushes in motion, having a certain level of grit and determination helps too. Toss in a little megalomania and the brushes will remain in motion.
I enjoy looking over my collections just to remind myself what has been accomplished.
Then there is trying to keep up with the Tour de France!
ReplyDeleteThat too! Not as close as I expected but Vingegaard is coming off a serious injury.
DeleteFine work on thise figures Jon:)! I don't envy you that heat, as here it is due to get to a mere 86F on Friday, which to us will feel hot and very humid. As we get older our bodies simply cannot cope with the heat compared to when we were young. Hard to believe I used to play cricket and football in temperatures well above 100F, but then I was in my late 20's and had acclimatised well enough to cope.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Steve! Hard to believe that I used to go out cycling in the heat of the summer afternoon after work in 100F not that many many years ago. Much more pleasant and much less fatiguing to ride in the morning.
DeleteSplendid new Spanish troops, Jon. May I suggest that the flags will "come to life" a bit if given a ripple? They seem a bit static to me as they are. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, David! While a ripple looks good, the paper I print the flags on is thick and not easy to curl without making a crease in the flag. Besides, I like to see all of your work and not only bits of it.
DeleteAh, right - understood, Jon. :-)
Delete