While November ticked over with 108 total painted figures for an assortment of projects, midway through December sees that good progress continuing. That continued progress includes working toward a year-end goal of fielding a FPW Prussian infantry division. With three of the four required infantry regiments completed earlier, I added in the four divisional batteries to break up the painting of countless Prussian infantry.So, out from the desk today are four Prussian batteries. Artillerymen are from Lancashire Games and the guns are Freikorps 15s. Left to paint and muster out are a battalion of Jaegers and the fourth infantry regiment. Since there are no mounted troops yet in The Lead Pile, attached cavalry and command will have to come later. Hopefully some of the required mounted arm will be in-house in early 2025. Still need to decide on which figures to use for the mounted contingents and then place an order. Right now, Old Glory cavalry from 19th Century Miniatures seems the most likely source. Although temperatures have been hovering near freezing for an extended period, new snow this morning gave way to warming to just above freezing. With a narrow window of above freezing temperatures and daylight, several batches of completed figures were given a spray coat of matte varnish. Next, those figures will move on to basing. A quick count shows 81 figures in this latest batch and December is not half over. I expect to see a slow down as the holidays approach.
Work begins on the next installment of the Great Wargaming Survey analysis. I often try to set aside part of Friday for this study and yesterday was no different. What is under investigation? Several of the new questions in the 2024 survey asked about boardgaming, computer gaming, and the extent to which those two different modes of wargaming fit in with miniatures gaming. Respondents were asked if they participate in boardgaming or computer gaming and the relative mix between figure gaming and the other two. Hopefully, something interesting drops out from this analysis.
Stay tuned. For now, back to the painting desk.
Beautiful crisp work on these Jonathan. You really are ending the year with a flourish.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lawrence! I am picking up pace as year-end approaches but nowhere near your levels of output.
DeleteI think we're running about the same as I'm just nudging a thousand figures for the year at the moment.
DeleteWe are closer than I expected. I am just over 900 figures. Very unlikely to reach 1,000.
DeleteGreat progress, Jon. Impressive 👍🏼.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to more analysis. The GWS is a rare opportunity to see where our hobby may be heading, and your work on it is appreciated (mind boggling stuff, to those of us who are less numbers capable…😎).
Thanks, Martin! Double thanks for your GWS analysis support!
DeleteLovely work matey - but I think all that “blue” would get a bit too much for me after a while. Good job you can chop and change what you’re painting.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mark! To keep the production from stalling, you need to mix it up.
DeleteThe Palouse Painting Production Pumps out 81 figures!
ReplyDeleteReaders are shocked, but want to know the truth. What dark secrets lie behind these phenomenal painting feats? Is he in league with dark powers? Does he maintain a small army of slaves/children/ elves in his basement?
Rumours of a suppressed union grow! The Free Elf Trading Association - although some say such rumours are "cheesy" many believe them true.......☺
Neil
Neil! You are in very fine form today! No slaves/children/elves encamped here. Simply trying to paint a little, often. Keeping production up is much easier in winter. It also helps that I am gaming only weekly of late.
DeleteSo no forced labour and no robots.....
DeleteIt must be.....magic! ☺
Hope to see you at the VWC again.
Neil
On VWC attendance, 0830 Pacific is a tough time to coordinate. Mornings are usually when I am out on bike, in gym, or busy doing something else.
DeleteA line of ordnance that would do Alfred Krupp ("the Cannon king") proud!
ReplyDeleteI hope so!
DeleteBeautiful work Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michal!
DeleteYour new Prussian artillery looks excellent Jon - great brushwork!
ReplyDeleteMuch appreciated, Keith!
DeleteVery convincing gun line. Prussian forces always look so impressive, must be the 'spikey' hats.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe for a moment that you have shackled labor in your basement painting your queue. Such efficiency must be robot based.
Do take Christmas off from painting, they say the food is really good. And the robots require oiling.
Thanks, Joe! I reckon the spikey helmets help! Probably one of the reasons for putting this headgear into service and copied by some including the USA. The holidays are a perfect time for extra painting sessions especially with no house guests booked. No robots in use either...
DeleteWhen counting the numbers of figures painted, I note a common score is an artillery counts as 10 and cavalry as 2. Manufacturers also seem to use that as a base …. Is that how you score.
ReplyDeleteThe spray varnish! I don’t do it after October …. Are you spraying indoors or out? …. A friend wants to know because October - march is quite restrictive. 🙂
Norm, I count them as they fall. When I do annual painting wraps-ups at year-end, I do adjust painting production for figure size and type but the counts here are raw numbers. That is, one foot, one horse (rider and mount), and one gun all count the same, one! For the four batteries shown here, the sixteen crew and four guns total to 20 figures painted.
DeleteOh, and I spray outdoors in an area mostly protected from the wind.
DeleteI shall be brave and try it tomorrow!
DeleteNorm, I use W&N Professional Matte Spray Varnish and the product seems little affected by temperature or humidity.
DeleteCracking work on the Prussian artillery Jon, they look grand, very nicely done.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Donnie!
DeleteGreat work on the artillery, you can never have enough for the Prussians
ReplyDeleteThank you, Neil!
DeleteYou seem to use a variety of manufacturers with your FPW armies. Is this by design? And the newly painted artillery all lined up look wonderful.
ReplyDeletePeter, my figure selection is a combination of what is available, what I like, and what are compatible. I like Lancashire Games' foot a lot.
DeleteSplendid painting Jon. You'll have the armies done in no time!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ray! Not sure about having a Prussian Army finished in no time but some time is possible.
DeleteYou are painting with Germanic efficiency Jonathan! 😁
ReplyDeleteThe spiky helmets were certainly popular after the FPW. They were used by the Victorian army/militia in Australia
Thank you! We tend to pick and emulate uniforms from “winners” hoping that the uniforms hold the key to victory.
DeleteVery business looking Prussian artillery there Jonathan and a fine tally of painted figures.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Phil!
DeleteFPW??..I haven't looked at your blog in ages ( or any blog!) - I must be behind the times- but they look great!
ReplyDeleteFranco Prussian War. Good to have you back, John!
DeleteThey will give some Frenchmen a nasty headache. It seems brave t me to be attempting varnish 'above freezing' - but you have the experience :)
ReplyDeleteOnly giving Frenchmen headaches when under my command. When I lead the French, I hope these artillery e cannot hit the side of a barn. On varnishing in cold weather, I do have some experience.
DeleteLooking great Jonathan. All set to dominate French battlefields.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteGreat work there Jon:)! The weather has been mild here so was able to get a quick batch of priming in yesterday, to at least try and do a bit of painting before and maybe over Xmas. As always looking forward to seeing what you can deduce from this years data.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Strike while the weather is good, Steve! I ponder the next analysis.
DeleteSplendid looking Prussian artillery! I look forward to your GWS analysis !
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thank you, Iain! Working on the next installment but first a game to be played today.
Delete