Very Large Collections and the Joy of Painting

Today, I examine the results from a question prompted by the analysis in the last installment (see Small Figures and Large Collections). 

The question asked was, 

"Do people with very large collections enjoy painting? Or is that something they have someone else do? It strikes me that MCA for collection size, type of game and preferred hobby aspects could be interesting. I would assume (but I might be wrong) that big battles are the goal of those big collections."

An interesting question.  Several actually!

First off, congratulations for suggesting that Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) might be a useful tool for exploring these questions.  MCA offers a handy and useful tool for many studies of categorical data.

Who actually handles the figure painting task is not asked in the 2024 survey but may have been asked in an earlier year's survey.  Given the questions in the 2024 survey, that question cannot be addressed.  Similarly, while big battles and big collections may go hand-in-hand (this analysis will take a look at any relative relationship there), inferring a directional cause and effect is not possible without asking more specific questions.

Given those caveats, we can examine relative relationships between large collections, the number of models present in a game, and the joy of painting.

To begin, let's look at the counts of the key variables under study.  Those variables are Collection Size, Game Size, and Top Hobby Facets (preferred hobby aspects in original question).  These frequency charts will be useful to reference throughout the analysis.

Collection Size

Note that collection size of 101-500 figures is the largest group capturing nearly 32% of all responses and that counts tail off rapidly as collection size increases.

Game Size

As for the number of models on the table per side for a game, 11-50 models is the most popular at nearly 40% with 51-200 models a close second at nearly 33%.  Note that the number of models variable is prefixed with "#Models:" to prevent confusion with collection size.

Top Facet of Wargaming

For the top reason why respondents wargame, painting is the number one reason (27.61%).  Playing the game comes in second at about 24%.  Hanging out with friends is third at a little over 18%.  More than half of the listed facets fail to garner even 3% each as first choice.

Out of curiosity, the Top 3 facets for each respondent were aggregated and then graphed.  While the ordering is similar for Top 3 and Top 1, Playing surpasses Painting in the top position.  

MCA

To begin, all of the values for each of the three variables are included in the initial MCA.  Plotting the results, Game Size of 1,000+ models and Collection Size greater than 25,000 are classified as outliers and will be removed from the next iteration.

Iteration 1

In Iteration 2, Collection Sizes greater than 15,000 figures and Game Size having only one model per side will be removed from the next iteration as outliers.  

Iteration 2

After Iteration 3, outlier removal presents a distribution of the remaining variable values with enough spread and clustering that can (hopefully) lend itself to interpretation and inference.  Having culled outliers, the four quadrants are marked out over the resulting plot.

MCA 1

To make referencing easier, each quadrant is color coded.

MCA 2

If focusing only on Collection Size, does this clustering look familiar?  Yes.  MCA 2 looks very similar to the graphic from the recent Small Figures and Large Collections analysis referenced in the first sentence above.  Of course, each has a differing collection of variables present.

Small Figures and Large Collections

Notice that in MCA 2, collections of 100 or fewer figures load in the blue quadrant along with using only 2-10 models per side. Collections greater than 5,000 figures cluster into the yellow quadrant and this group tends to gravitate toward larger battles having 201-1000 models per side.  The green quadrant tends to have larger collections and larger games than the blue quadrant while the orange quadrant tends toward large collections and larger games than the green quadrant.

MCA 3

The particular clustering in each of these four quadrants suggests a possible labeling scheme.  Beginning in the blue quadrant and rotating counterclockwise, I label each of the quadrants as Small, Medium, Large, and Super Sized to reflect each of the collection size/game size attributes present in the quadrant.

Interesting result.  Given that the analysis tends to pair ordered collection size with an equivalent ordered game size, two questions emerge.  That is, does a gamer's collection size drive the preferred size of a game or does preferred size of a game lead to a particular collection size?  Which comes first?  Looking at the Small quadrant, for example, does having a collection size of one hundred or fewer figures necessitate games being played with from two to ten models per side or does favoring games with between two and ten figures per side drive the tendency to have collections of one hundred or fewer models?  Interesting point to ponder.

Now to address the reader's first question on collection size and painting enjoyment.  What does this analysis suggest?  Do gamers with very large collections enjoy painting as much as gamers having collections of a different size?

MCA 4

Painting enjoyment is measured as having Painting the Miniatures attribute as a top choice of Hobby Facet.  Looking at MCA 4, Painting sits astride '0' on the Dimension 1 axis.  This suggests that there is no discernible difference between painting enjoyment for the Medium and Large quadrants.  Gamers finding themselves in Medium or Large quadrants seem to enjoy painting or at least rate painting as a top hobby facet more than those in the Small and Super Sized quadrants.  With Painting absent from both Small and Super Sized quadrants, analysis suggests that these two clusters derive less enjoyment from painting than do either Medium or Large quadrant gamers.  How could this result be explained?  Perhaps gamers in the Small quadrant with collection sizes from 0-100 have yet to discover the pleasure of painting or face other constraints?  Perhaps painting is only a means to an end of getting two groups of about ten figures onto the table for any one game?  On the other end of the spectrum, I wonder if those gamers with very large or Super Sized collections have so many painted figures that other attributes take on more importance and priority.  Notice in the yellow, Super Sized quadrant that gamers in this space tend to favor research, gaming, and writing more than the other three groups.  Painting figures may no longer rank highly on the list of hobby activities needing attention.

Interesting stuff!  Thanks for the follow-up questions!

Now, where do you fit into this scheme or do you fit at all?  Do the relative relationship tendencies brought up here between collect size and game size hold true?

Remember that today is the last day to submit your 2025 survey.

Quistello with the Rejects II

When we last checked in on the Rejects' Quistello game (see Quistello with Rejects Part I), Konigsegg's command in the south was blocked from crossing the Secchia River by the remnants of de Contades' broken brigade and de Bonas' cavalry. In the center, Quistello had been taken and the Austrians were driving out of their bridgehead established of the Secchia.  Elements of von Waldeck's column had reached the canal and were challenging the Piedmontese at that barrier and along the road to San Benedetto.  In the north cavalry were continuing to exchange blows.  The Allies had only de Contades' brigade broken while the Austrians saw Suchow and Wallsegg's broken.  A Sudden Death victory requires three broken Allied brigades and four broken Austrian brigades.  Each army needed to break two more enemy brigades to end the contest immediately.  If you have not yet read Part I, I recommend it. 

Frontline when play resumed.

View looking southeast from San Benedetto.

Konigesegg stuck at the Secchia.

Piedmontese defending canal and road to San Benedetto.

Wurttemberg bringing his boys up.

Czungenberger coming up in support of Lantieri's cavalry.

In the second session, the Austrians returned all three players (Dan, Lee, Ray).  Only Colin, for the Allies, could take the field for the second session.  He would fight alone.  Perhaps this was a fitting assignment since Colin saw very little action in the first session commanding the Piedmontese.

Let's dive in and see how the battle concluded.

Leading off the recommencement of hostilities, Coigny wastes no time in bringing the enemy under the sword.  Having regrouped from his earlier repulse, two French cavalry regiments pitch into one of Lantieri's two cavalry units.  In a decisive vengeance, the Austrians are cut down.  Lantieri's brigade breaks.  With the first attack in the session, the Austrians, with now three broken brigades, are only one broken brigade from defeat! 

Supported French cavalry charge in... 

destroying one of Lantieri's two regiments.

Oh, this could be over quickly if the Allies can pick apart one more Austrian brigade.  Where could they find that?

Realizing their precarious predicament with both flanks compromised, the Austrian Army goes on the attack in the center.  As Austrian infantry prepare to attack the defenders of Gaidellina, Neipperg sends one of his three grenadiers battalions up to lead the attack.  Attacking from the northeast, the supported grenadiers go in.  Even though one of the French regiments in on reserve, it can not muster a response.  With the grenadiers leading the attack, the French are driven out of Gaidellina and another of de Contades' units scatters.  The grenadiers occupy the garden outside of the farm.

Neipperg moves up for an attack on Gaidellina. 

The Austrian attack goes in...

and the French defenders go out!

Along the main road to San Benedetto, von Waldeck and Neipperg continue expanding their bridgehead while volleys are exchanged at the canal.  Suffering greatly from musketry, one Piedmontese regiment falls back from the canal.  The King's Piedmontese are coming under increasing pressure as the Austrians push on toward the canal.  The Allied Army is split!  To help mitigate the risk of having his army irretrievably cleaved in two and the southern part isolated, de Bonas sends one of his cavalry regiments to the north in an attempt to bridge this gap.  He cannot quite close off the Austrian penetration.

Austrians moving out from bridgehead.

A general advance toward the canal...

with the Piedmontese taking up the defense.

One Piedmontese regiment falls back from the canal.

Having seen off the Piedmontese in the wedge formed between the canal and road, the Austrians realign their objective to push on toward the bridge over the canal and the road to San Benedetto.

Serried ranks of Austrians advance!

Back in the north, along the river, Coigny attacks Lantieri in hopes of finishing off this brigade.  Unfortunately, the French cavalry called upon to attack has already suffered heavy losses.  The French attack is repulsed and the French cavalry scatters.  Coigny's cavalry brigade breaks.  Now the score is even with each army needing to break one more brigade for a Sudden Death victory. 

Coigny attacks!

Turning back to the south around Gaidellina, Sachsen-Gotha's cavalry brigade crosses the river and readies for action.  With two bodies of enemy cavalry to his front, and two more Austrian cavalry regiments coming across the river to his left, Konigsegg attacks.  Konigsegg must must be careful, though, this cavalry brigade has suffered casualties in earlier fights.  He could wind up breaking his own brigade in aggressive attacks.  In the clash, one of the French regiments is destroyed but the Austrians are forced back to behind Gaidellina.  Luckily for the Austrians, they lose no units in the fight. 

Austrian cavalry attack...

and are repulsed!

Sensing that the battle hangs in the balance, von Waldeck pushes on and into the enemy!  First at the canal, one of his three grenadier battalions storms out of the canal and into an already wavering enemy.  The enemy is dispatched with the grenadiers not much worse for their efforts.  Near the bridge, his remaining two grenadiers attack the Savoy Grenadiers.  With their King offering encouragement, the enemy grenadiers are repulsed! 

Grenadiers v Grenadiers!

This really is crunch time for the Allied Army.  Pushed back on their heels, both the Piedmontese infantry brigade and de Bonas' French cavalry brigade cannot sustain one more loss without breaking.

Since the Austrian center came up short in breaking the Piedmontese, the honor for putting away the Allied Army once and for all falls upon Konigsegg and Sachsen-Gotha's cavalry brigade.  Having crossed the river above Gaidellina and regrouped, the Austrian heavy cavalry find themselves upon the flank of a body of French cavalry.  Supported, the cuirassiers attack into the flank of the enemy horsemen.  The outcome really was not in doubt.  The Austrian heavies rip through the files and scatter the Frenchmen everywhere.  De Bonas' brigade is done for and so is the Allied Army.

The French offer a flank...

and Austrian cuirassiers accept!

Sudden Death victory to the Austrians!

Wow!  That turned out to be a much closer battle than expected.  In the final throes of battle, the deciding factor would be which army could break one more enemy brigade.  The Austrians managed to accomplish that task but the outcome was undecided until the end.

Congratulations to Dan, Lee, and Ray as victors but I tip my hat to the Franco-Piedmontese of Steve, Richard, and Colin.  The Allies put up a spirited fight given a difficult situation.  While Colin had little to do in the first session, he was thrown into the deep end of the pool in the second session as commander of the entire Allied Army.  With few dice to roll in the first session, he had plenty of opportunity to affect the outcome in the second half of the game.  Too bad that Richard and Steve could not be present to watch the second half of battle unfold.

Losing two, small infantry brigades early on set the Austrian timetable back.  Losing the third brigade early in the second session really put the pressure upon the Austrian commanders to take care of their forces.  This was a close one, really close.

And now for the Butcher's Bill (thanks, Stephen for the reminder to dig up these photos!)...

Thanks gentlemen for a spectacular game!

Quistello with the Rejects I

Back nearly three weeks ago (gosh, how time flies!), I hosted Postie's Rejects for a remote game during one of the regular Monday Paint & Chat sessions.  

For the game, we had six players present under arms.  Richard, Steve, and Colin commanded the Franco-Piedmontese (Allied) armies while Dan, Lee, and Ray commanded the Austrian Army.  The Franco-Piedmontese were headed up by Steve as de Broglie.  The Austrian Army was under the command of Dan as Konigsegg.  Army and troop dispositions are shown in the table photos below: 

Battlefield with Austrian attack plan.

Troop dispositions

As noted in the earlier introduction to the Battle of Quistello, the Allies begin the battle encamped when the Austrian attack strikes.  Allied formations may not respond straight away and some units may be surprised by this sudden disturbance.  Since this battle was fought over two Monday's, I will break the battle report up into two installments as well.

On to Part 1!

All is quiet in the early morning before sentries are alerted to the impending attack.

The battlefield

View from behind the Piedmontese lines.

As Konigsegg and Wurttemberg's columns approach the Secchia River south of Quistello, the French brigade under de Contades is none the wiser of the impending danger.  While the Austrians begin the approach to the Secchia River, a traffic jam quickly develops.  Units are stacking upon one another as the light is dim and the way forward uncertain. Von Waldeck waits astride the road to the north of Quistello until Konigsegg's attack begins.  Between San Benedetto and Mirasole, the Allies have no idea what is about to fall upon their comrades to the south. 

Austrians approach Secchia in the south...

and a traffic jam quickly develops!

Von Waldeck awaits his signal.

The Allies encamped in the north of the Austrian crossings.

Rather than attacking south of Quistello alongside Konigsegg as planned, Prince Wurttemberg veers to the north landing heavy blows on the French held village of Quistello.  Caught completely by surprise, the defenders are quickly overwhelmed and scattered by Austrian grenadiers.  The French artillery is overrun in this chaotic exchange, with the grenadiers suffering only minor losses.  With Quistello in Austrian hands, time to form up and cross the Secchia. 

Austrian grenadiers attack!

Defenders are overwhelmed and driven out.

With his march against Quistello cut short due to Wurttemberg's quick success against this village, von Waldeck turns his attention elsewhere.  Rather than cross the Secchia through Quistello, von Waldeck turns westward to cross the river farther downstream. 

To the south, having his cavalry coming up on the right of his two infantry brigades, Konigsegg sends Suchow across the river and against the defenders in Gaidellina.  Choosing to keep his brigade in column to cross the river more quickly, Suchow storms across the river.  De Broglie, situated in Gaidellina, barely has time to grab his clothes and his sons before the farmhouse is overrun.  Failing to change into line, Suchow attacks in column.  This was never going to be an easy task.  Suchow's brigade takes heavy losses and is bloodily repulsed.  Reforming into line, Suchow attacks again.  This time, one of his regiments is destroyed and the survivors clamor back over the river to regroup.  This sharp action manages to break Suchow's brigade but Wallsegg's brigade is moving up in support.  

von Waldeck turns westward to cross.

Suchow attacks Gaidellina!

First attack is repulsed as is the second.
Suchow breaks!

Wallsegg moves up to take Suchow's place.

As de Contades begins to react to the attacks by moving infantry up to the river, Wallsegg crosses the Secchia above Gaidellina but remains in column.  The Austrians are not learning this lesson quickly enough!  De Contades infantry may be hard pressed to stop the wall of Austrians preparing to make the crossing to their front.  Help is on the way!  De Bonas brings his cavalry forward and then immediately pitches into the head of the enemy columns.  Without a chance to reform, the columns are destroyed as two waves of French horsemen crash into their formations.  Wallsegg's brigade breaks!  The situation is not looking good for the Austrians!

As Austrians cross upriver, the French respond.

The Thin White Line...

De Bonas attacks...

driving Wallsegg back into the river, breaking his brigade.

Back on the west bank of the Secchia opposite Quistello, Wurttemberg moves out of the bridgehead to attack the enemy astride the road to San Benedetto.  With grenadiers leading the way, the French are scattered in the attack.  A second French battery is overrun as the grenadiers advance down the road.  Having broken the obstacle holding up the advance, Austrians begin pouring across the Secchia.  The Allied Center is weakening!

Grenadiers overrun a battery and drive off the enemy.

General Austrian advance in the center.

Annoyed that both of his assaults against Gaidellina were heavily repulsed, Konigsegg calls upon his cavalry to clear the way.  With Sachsen-Gotha's cavalry brigade moving up, the Austrians attack across the river.  These attacks are met by de Bonas' recently victorious cavalry.  After a brief clash, the Austrian cavalry are sent back across the river from where they came!

Sachsen-Gotha's cavalry attack...

and are driven back with heavy casualties.

With Gaidellina reinforced and the Austrians thwarted repeatedly, attention turns northward.  Seeing that the Allied Center is ripe for exploitation, von Waldeck begins to cross in strength and advance toward the canal.  Prince Wurttemberg moves up on his left in support.  As pressure mounts on de Contades and losses increase, his brigade breaks.  Having broken the center, von Waldeck swings north to contest the canal as King Emmanuele's Piedmontese move into action.

Gaidellina reinforced.

Austrians cross the river in force.

The Allied Center is broken!

D'Aix's French cavalry final stirs to life and moves against Lanthieri's dragoons as the Austrians advance upon the Secchia River.  In what looks like a series of potentially successful attacks against the outnumbered Austrian dragoons, all of d'Aix's attacks are repulsed.  There is great joy in the Austrian camp.  Not so much from the Allied camp.

d'Aix attacks...

and is repulsed!

After about three and a half hours of play, we decide to stop the game upon the conclusion of the current turn.  We briefly discuss whether to carry on into another session or call the game where it stands.  The front line is illustrated in the table photo below:  

Front line at end of session.

The Austrians have made good progress and have reached the canal.  However, the Allies still hold Gaidellina and much of Konigsegg's Wing, in the south, is wrecked and bottled up on the east bank of the river.  As for casualties, the Butcher's Bill shows,

Allied Losses

Austrian Losses

The Allies have suffered more heavily but the Austrians have two broken brigades to the Allied one broken brigade.  To claim a Sudden Death victory, each army must break two more brigades.

After several emails, the decision is made to fight on.  Unfortunately, in the next installment, Colin faces the Austrian trio alone as his comrades are otherwise engaged.  We will see if Colin is up to singular command against the masses in the conclusion.

Hopefully, the conclusion to this action will not take me so long to write as this one!  Thanks again to the Rejects for a very action-packed game!