Wednesday, September 23, 2026

GWS 2026 and a New Project

After the rigorous analysis on what we least like about wargaming, time for a brief update this morning before diving into the first of the Salem Church battle reports.  First, a big thank you to everyone who weighed in with their thoughts on their least liked aspects of wargaming.  Commentary was robust, interesting, and most welcome.

Given that the GWS 2026 data file hit my Dropbox yesterday, attention will turn to preparing that file for the coming year's analysis.  Since I ended the 2025 reporting year examining what we disliked about the hobby, I thought an immediate follow-up with a similar analysis for the 2026 survey might provide an interesting compare and contrast while the 2025 results are still fresh in mind.  Will much change?  We will see.  On a positive note, survey response was up by about ten percent over 2025.  A ten percent increase is a welcome bump from a couple of years seeing a slide in participation.  In a quick count 17 readers put in the "PWJ2026" code into the survey Comments field.  Without confirming, I recall we had 11 such entries last year.  Excellent!  At some point, I will produce select a set of summary statistics for this august group of dedicated readers. 
A New Project
New project?  Yes, it appears that is the case.  Having my arm slightly twisted into submission, I am embarking upon a new, joint project with a friend.  I have long considered this period but figured there were already too many projects in work.  Even if overwhelmed by temptation, I figured that I would tackle this period in 10mm.  Well, I have been a victim to temptation and coercion.  The project will not be in 10mm but 28mm!  The first tranche of figures arrived from the UK on Monday.  What have I done?  Well, giving a little boost to The Lead Pile if nothing else!  The counter in the sidebar illustrates this loss of resolve in reducing The Lead Pile.  Any guesses?
Sedgwick's Corps on the attack!
Next time, a battle report on the first of several playings of the ACW Battle of Salem Church when we see five of Postie's Rejects locked into battle for control of the Orange Plank Road.

Until next time.

10 comments:

  1. An uptick in survey numbers is both welcome and a surprise after the recent decline.

    Your figures ...... clues;

    Project can be done in 10mm and 28mm

    You bought metal, so perhaps these are not available in plastic 28mm.

    The box is not big, so nothing like tanks etc.

    Answer - I think you fancy Napoleonic Peninsular and I claim my five pounds!

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    1. Nice try, Norm! I already have Napoleonic Peninsular War in 28mm! Should I bring them out for a battle to prove it?

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    2. It would be the honourable thing to do!

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    3. Add a Napoleonic Peninsular War battle onto the backlog of scenarios I want to bring to the table...

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  2. I remembered the code this year, glad the numbers are up, Ive no idea what the project is but youre starting small if theres only 24 figures, Im being good this year after increasing the pile of opportunity by about 800 Napoleonic figures! Looking forward to your AAR!
    Best Iain

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    1. Good job in remembering the code, Iain! There are 94 figures in the box so a bigger start than you guessed.

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  3. Well good to see an increase in responses compared to last year and, as one of those that used the code, I look forward to seeing if this August group differs and, if so, to what extent etc. As for this shocking repudiation of 10mm in favour of following the great unwashed 28mm fraternity (😉), I'm hazarding a guess at AWI using R&P rules.

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    1. If it is any consolation, 10mm would have been my first choice! I already have an AWI British army in 28mm.

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  4. Gosh! Guess the new project! Here's me thinking you already had every period under the sun! I was first thinking something trendy like the Perry's new Revolutionary war, but you have those and it's not plastic. Then I thought something obscure, but in 10mm and 28mm?
    My guess is Spanish Civil War....
    Neil

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    1. Neil, you are not alone in those thoughts! SCW would have been a good guess, and I would have enjoyed tackling that period in miniature. Alas, that is not it...this time.

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