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.
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| A New Project |
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| 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.
An uptick in survey numbers is both welcome and a surprise after the recent decline.
ReplyDeleteYour 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!
Nice try, Norm! I already have Napoleonic Peninsular War in 28mm! Should I bring them out for a battle to prove it?
DeleteIt would be the honourable thing to do!
DeleteAdd a Napoleonic Peninsular War battle onto the backlog of scenarios I want to bring to the table...
DeleteI 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!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Good job in remembering the code, Iain! There are 94 figures in the box so a bigger start than you guessed.
DeleteWell, thats a relief, somewhat more substantial!
DeleteBest Iain
Somewhat more substantial, no doubt. Already plotting out a second order as an OOB takes shape.
DeleteWell 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.
ReplyDeleteIf it is any consolation, 10mm would have been my first choice! I already have an AWI British army in 28mm.
DeleteDamn;)! Maybe WWII then...?
DeleteNow you're just guessing...
DeleteGosh! 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?
ReplyDeleteMy guess is Spanish Civil War....
Neil
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.
DeleteMust be League of Augsburg then! ☺
DeleteNeil
So close! I give you that. We originally began discussions on a LoA project but that quickly morphed into GNW then to WSS. We settled (for now!) on WSS.
DeleteI was working on possible 10mm Pendraken for periods you don't already have......
DeleteThe LoA are particularly nice!
28mm - if it's Front Rank I hope you got all you need as GB are retiring...
Neil
I am beginning with Ebor. These are very nice sculpts with super-fast turn around. I will be ordering more.
DeleteA new project well done that man! Can't guess what it is you have so many bases covered. With you contemplating 10mm it will be a big battles period perchance?
ReplyDeleteI cannot say...
DeleteAs the great, unwashed arm-twister, I would normally be bragging about how great this project will be. But...my plastic starter army is stuck in Customs! So, I may need to piggyback off of Jon's next metal order.
ReplyDeleteBeing a "Metal Head" has its advantages!
DeleteIf I'd only known that US Customs hates UK plastic but loves UK metal...
DeleteIf only...You are early in the project, not too late to change direction.
DeleteAlmost 2 kilos of metal in that parcel!? Craziness. Your postman got a workout delivering that box.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing this year's analysis of the GWS and also that ACW game has me intrigued to find out it's conclusion.
Dai, usually the postman jokes about, "what do you have in there, lead?" My answer is almost always, "Yep!" This time he could see that the box contained metal figures.
DeleteTwo Salem Church games are in the books with two very different outcomes.
Oh, a new 28 mm project??? Waiting for more Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteWho doesn't enjoy the excitement of a new project?
DeleteI put in the code too, so my responses should be in there. I wish I could remember what they were. If you had stuck to 10mm I would have guessed the Crimean War, but I'm less confident now.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you put in the code, Lawrence! Perhaps we can decipher your entry with a few choice answers that ring a bell? Not Crimean War!
DeleteI too put the code in, but I also have no recollection of my answers. My guess is English Civil War...
ReplyDeleteGood! The more the merrier! Like Lawrence, perhaps a few answers will bring back memories of your answer? ECW? Already have that!
DeleteGood luck with your new project, Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alexey!
DeleteHaven't got a clue about your new project, just enjoy it whatever it is.
ReplyDeleteMuch appreciated, Richard! Maybe unit #1 will not be long in appearing?
DeleteIndian Mutiny or Sikh Wars?
ReplyDeleteNope and nope.
DeleteI like others am struggling to think of any periods you don’t already have Jon ! It seems only fair you give us a hint ?
ReplyDeleteLace Wars...
Delete...in the Sun.
DeleteWell, I will admit that I have never been able to fathom the pull of the various scales and periods. Good luck in your project. Nes plus ultra, perhaps?
ReplyDeleteJoe, I have never been able to understand those who can concentrate on only one period and scale.
DeleteGood luck with the new survey data Jonathan. Excellent news that responses have increased by 10%.
ReplyDeleteSo the Lead pile does have gaps in it? Or are some of it's nether regions to dangerous to delve into? 😁
Good luck with the new project and I am looking forward to seeing the results leaving your painting desk.
Thanks, Ben. Yes, very good to see an increase in response rate. Will be interesting to explore these data for one more year. A few gaps in The Lead Pile. Some design and some simply overlooked. First unit went onto the painting desk this evening, jumping ahead of something already in work.
DeleteLooking forward to seeing what you make of the newest survey data, always interesting posts and as for a new project, great news, SYW in India perhaps?
ReplyDeleteA new year of analysis to look forward to, Donnie. Hopefully some will be of interest. Not SYW in India…
DeleteI put in your code, do I get any bonus dice or rerolls in our next game??
ReplyDeleteI was gonna guess American-Mexican Wars, but I see in your replIes its WSS. Which theatre have you plumped for and are you mainly red or white?
Good, Ray! Maybe with the code we can pinpoint some of your answers if you get stumped on how you answered a question. I will be mainly grey/white.
DeleteLooking forward to seeing what the new project is. 10mm to 28mm is a significant scale switch
ReplyDeleteWhen considering this project, I had envisioned fighting large battles in a small scale. My compadre had other thoughts so we increased the figure size and dropped the figure to man ratio.
DeleteI shall look forward to seeing this year's data analysis, and I pretty sure I put the code in too. I'm part of the 10% increase as for some reason I missed it last year. I won't pretend to guess the project as I've already seen the answer in the preceding 40 comments.
ReplyDeleteMartin, doubly good to see that you are part of the response increase and that you enjoy seeing analyses of survey results! I find the results fascinating, enlightening, and reassuring.
DeleteI was trying to think of what periods I know you have, what I suspect you already have and what the gaps might be (not many). WSS was one of them but I thought it might be a bit too close to WAS so I would have plumped for LOA like Neil or Crimean War.
ReplyDeleteChris/Nundanket
You are correct, Chris. I do have many horse and musket periods and WSS is close in time to WPS/WAS. I reckon battles will eventually cover fighting in both LoA, GNW, and WSS since there are plans to include the possibility of integrated pikemen. We will see where this goes.
DeleteGood news on the new project! I look forward to seeing your take on Ebor Miniatures in due course, having just completed Orkney's Foot and the first base of Churchill's Foot using those figures.
ReplyDeleteThanks, David! I will use your your good works for inspiration.
DeleteGreat to hear response rates are up for the GWS 2026, Jonathan—looking forward to seeing your comparative analysis with last year's figures!
ReplyDeleteWSS in 28mm is a fantastic period to tackle, and you really can't go wrong with Ebor Miniatures. Good luck getting that first unit painted up
All the best, Andy
Thank you very much, Andy!
Delete