While it has been a busy week, not a tremendous amount of progress on the hobby front. With nature throwing a switch, temperatures have climbed dramatically in the last week. What that sudden change in atmosphere triggers is that my workload flips from indoor activities to outdoor activities. Yardwork jumps to the fore as the garden and lawn spring back to life. Infrastructure such as sprinkler systems and lawn maintenance equipment need adjusting and a general clean-up is required after putting everything away back in October and forgetting about it. Cycling back on the roads is seeing a marked increase as well as I test out both body and bike for the upcoming campaigning season. With that shift in direction, wargaming has seen a bit of a lull.
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| Heavy fighting at Casteggio |
On the painting desk, I did manage to produce a second Russian infantry regiment of two battalions for the 1799 project. Like the Russian regiment produced earlier, these figures are AB Miniatures.
Painting output was down in April compared against the first three months of the year. Without going back to painting seasonality analysis and tendencies, I suspect that seeing a drop in April is normal. We will see if painting ticks up in May.
The lead photo captures a snapshot during the Montebello game with the French attack on Casteggio in the foreground and the detritus of the game room in the background. The large screen in the background monitors the game in session.
So even the Freitag painting and gaming machine has to slow down sometimes : ) . My own energy (and bank account) draining issue has been central heating repairs. But furniture and books have started to get back in place and I've even cleared the wargames table, so who knows?
ReplyDeleteA slow down, sometimes but not often. Still, I managed more painted figures this week. A small success, don't you think? With wargame table cleared, are you planning a game soon?
DeleteFirst thing is to get all the books back on the bookshelves. But I'm refreshing my memory of the rules in hope.
DeleteThese are your own rules, right? You should share what you have created when ready.
DeleteAs you know Jon, I can empathise with the change to outdoor stuff, albeit I'm struggling to find time to get back out and about on the bike. good to see you at least getting a game in and another fine Russian unit there too:).
ReplyDeleteI know very well, Steve! For me, switching from indoor cycling on the trainer to outdoors is a much welcomed change. Maybe you will be able to return to cycling one day? I know you have many pulls on your time.
DeleteI'm glad you are getting out of the basement and into some sunshine Jonathan! Got to get some sunshine occasionally 😁
ReplyDeleteI like the image of the screen in the background... I imagine a couple of commentators going over the current play 😂
Yeah, we all could use a little sunshine. I actually am outside more than you would expect. On the background screen, the only play-by-play, in-game commentary players get to hear is me!
DeleteI like the look of those Russians. The weather has picked up here as well, resulted in me spending more time on garden work
ReplyDeleteThanks, Neil! Garden work is a nice respite from other chores as well.
DeleteAn interesting peek at the workings of the online game. The season is just starting to turn in these parts. Although happy to be putting a particularly punishing winter behind us, the awfulness (to me) of dealing with the maintenance of the grounds, etc, that comes with the turn of the season is not something I welcome.
ReplyDeleteWhile our winter was relatively mild this year, there is always much yardwork to do when spring arrives. Our flowering crabapples are beginning to bloom. About two weeks earlier than usual. When they bloom, I think of you.
DeleteAn impressive looking set up for remote gaming you have created there Jon! I envy you your 6-month break from garden chores (although, not the weather-based reason for it!). Our winter isn't harsh enough - in fact, it's often mid-summer when the grass does not need to be cut as often, as it shrivels up under the heat of the sun!
ReplyDeleteYour AB Russians really are very nice indeed.
The big screen is necessary so that I can see what the players see and also so that I can see the players. While there is still outdoor work to attend to throughout the year, you are correct, I get a long winter break from most outside maintenance. Glad you like the Russians!
DeleteFour and a half hours was a nice long session. I am sure it will be an interesting write-up. Great work on the Russians. ABs really are lovely figures.
ReplyDeleteFor remote game with players in the UK, that is a long session and makes for a late night for those fellas across the pond. Not all of them are retired just yet so at least one had to get up and go to work the next day. Happy you approve of my Russian work. AB figures are nice sculpts, aren't they?
DeleteEven your quiet weeks on the hobby front outpace most people!
ReplyDeleteI thought being retired meant you slowed down.....☺
A price worth paying for better weather? ☺
Neil
Better weather is worth the price, for sure. Being out on the bike is a pleasure and not to be missed. Slowing down? Well, I reckon that I am.
DeleteI'm liking those Russians. Have you got a Suvorov already painted?
ReplyDeleteThe game was great, if tiring. I look forward to the AAR.
Thanks, Chris! No Suvorov figure yet. Sorry about the game length. I am sure you were tired on Wednesday. The two player games all finished in a little over three hours. Maybe I should begin setting a time limit on the games? That is, after three hours of play and a decision has not been reached, we adjoin to discuss what might have been.
DeleteGreat to see some more of your lovely 'Suvorov' Russians. His famous Italian campaign is not often brought to the tabletop.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, James
Thanks, James! I hope to change tendencies by bringing some of Suvorov’s battles to the table.
DeleteBusy times Jon, nice work on the Russians, they look really good. Looking forward to the next battle report, the set up looks brilliant.
ReplyDeleteBeing busy is good! Time constraints help prioritize what is most important to accomplish. I ought to move the BatRep up in the queue.
DeleteThe fighting looks very intense in the photo. Another fine addition to the Russian army too. The great outdoors, enemy of the wargaming classes, but what joy they both bring.
ReplyDeleteThe fighting was intense with first rate work by O’Reilly that will hopefully become apparent in the write up. I agree with your last sentence. A thought to keep in mind.
DeleteA painted unit, a game, cycling, and some garden work sounds like a good combination.
ReplyDeleteIt is!
DeleteYour brush has caught the AB’s beautifully.
ReplyDelete‘These days’! I would find a 4½ hour session a long haul, but sometimes you just find yourself in the situation that pressing on is the best thing to do. It is always difficult to find the right place in a game to call a half way halt, sometimes when you get back to it, there just isn’t enough game in the second half.
Thanks! For a remote game, especially when I host, 4+ hours is a long time to be moving around the table. What always surprises me is how quickly these gaming sessions fly by. Calling a stop midway can pose a challenge. As you note, sometimes we get it wrong.
DeleteLovely looking unit Jon, especially the flags. My garden is also going nuts at the moment. None stop grass cutting and weeding. Within a couple of months it’ll all be brown and crunchy from the sun and I can get on with some hobby stuff.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mark! Grass cutting and weeding are never ending chores here as well. Halloween is usually when I can finally make the last cut of lawn for the year. With everything "brown and crunchy from the sun" in summer, I hope you have AC in your game room.
DeleteLovely looking unit Jonathan and good that your enjoying the weather when you can even if some of it is working in the yard.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Christopher! Work before pleasure, always.
DeleteGlad to hear that the weather is improving and you out on the bike. As for the yard work... at least it'll keep you busy, idle hands and all that!
ReplyDeleteGreat looking units.
Your wargaming slow is my wargaming 90mph!
Thanks, Richard! Your gaming seems to have kicked into a higher gear in 2026. You are turning over games at a very rapid clip.
DeleteWe are playing a lot too and I do like how you try again and again the same battles to see how it can turn out.
ReplyDeleteI learn something new about rules, scenario, and plate decision making with each replay.
DeleteLiking the new Russians. Those AB sculpts really are nicely detailed.
ReplyDelete4.5hrs of a game sounds... exhausting. Well, in person. Remotely I'm sure it's equally knackering mentally, especially as you're the lucky fellow who gets to push around all those units?
Thanks, Dai! The sculpts are very nice, indeed. It was a long game but as I have mentioned before, time really flies by. I mean time REALLY flies by! The battle report for this action is in the queue.
DeleteLovely looking Russisn unit! Yes the garden has taken up a lot of my time too!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks!
DeleteI finally realized the Austrian commander with the hat on the sabre.
ReplyDeleteHe is one of the classic Old Glory figures with hat on sword.
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