Syrian Archers

Sitting down for meaningful work at the painting desk has posed a real challenge the last two months.  May productivity was looking rather grim until I managed to get in some quality time at the workbench this week.  Besides sticking together a bunch of Perry WotR plastic figures, these Syrian archers emerge from the production line.

Out from the desk today march 22 Syrian archers spread across three BMUs.  Two stands comprise massed archers and the third musters out as a skirmish stand.  Figures are 28mm Newline Designs.

These figures have languished in The Lead Pile for a very long time.  Finally, I decided to pull them from the bin and push them into the painting queue for a change up in period.  Glad I did.  I really like these sculpts and painting them was enjoyable after having produced a number of 18mm units.  Still more 18mm FRW units in work but this was a welcome change.  Seeing these Syrians emerge makes me want to push some more Biblicals into the painting queue.  First, though, I have my eye on WotR and Reconquista figures.

With these fellas coming out of the production line, thoughts turn toward bringing Biblicals back out onto the table.  Before that happens, I expect a return to Samurai battles. 

Babylonian Archers

A variety of finished units continue to muster out from the painting desk.  Today's offering sees a return to Biblicals with 18 Babylonian archers.  These 18 figures are positioned across two stands for use as massed archers in Impetvs or, perhaps, To the Strongest! if I ever return to that ruleset.

Figures are 25mm Newline Designs.  Having painted a number of these figures, these are nice sculpts and easy to paint.  More Newline Biblicals are in the painting queue but not Babylonians.

This week has seen a distraction from figure painting.  On the workbench is a 1/48 armored kit given to me as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago.  I figured it high time to pull the kit off the shelf and make the build.  What is the kit?  Well, it is Tamiya's 1/48 Matilda.

Now, I have not built a 1/48 model for many, many years. I think the last such model built was 1/48 Sherman for use in Chain of Command.  That Sherman is still yet to see any tabletop action.  When Scott gave the Matilda, he said that my British infantry ought to have some armored support.  He is right.  Perhaps having a little armored support will prompt me to bring the 28mm WWII collection out for a game or two?  Gosh.  That collection has not even been out for an inspection in more years than I can remember.  With the allies having armor support, can German armor support be far behind?  We will see if these troops make it to the table.

Assyrian Horse Archers

Looking back at the Painting Log, nearly one year has passed since the Biblical collections last saw some new recruits.  Where does the time go?

In one of my recent digs into The Lead Pile, I unearthed eight Wargames Foundry Assyrian horse archers.  There are only eight of them, why not push them into the painting queue and slide them over to the "Finished" side of the painting ledger?  Why not, indeed!

This is exactly what I managed to do!  Out from the painting desk today are eight Assyrian horse archers formed up into two stands.  Lovely figures.  Notice that these bases have been given the new and improved dice tray.  Having given the tray upgrade to the Sumerian collection, next time the table is clear, perhaps I can pull all of the Biblicals out of boxes and stick dice trays onto all of them?  There are a lot of stands in this collection.  An order to Warbases may be needed to complete this project but at least I can get a start.

I am not done with painting Biblicals or Ancients, quite yet though.  I see a number of units working their way through the painting queue.  After those, in-progress units make it out to the other side of the Painting Ledger, a return to painting 15mm horse & musket is in order.

Later today I introduce a handful of non-wargamers to "tabletop miniatures gaming" known to many of us as "wargaming."

More Hittites

With summer just kicking off and the month of June winding down, activities on the hobby front are seeing signs of renewed life.  From May's low figure count in the Painting Log, June will see a marked uptick in output.  Not quite a hundred figures will pass out from the painting desk but it may be close.  Still one week to go before closing the books on June.  

With two games last week and one game yesterday, gaming is starting to work its way back on track too.  All three games were refights of the WotR Battle of Mortimer's Cross.  The first was a F2F game chronicled here.  The second was a remote game with Peter and the third was a four-player remote game with the Rejects.  Games 2 and 3 are yet to be chronicled.

Mortimer's Cross with the Rejects

Anyway, back to the painting desk.  Mustering out today is another body of Hittite spearmen.  These fourteen figures are mostly Wargames Foundry with the odd Newline Design figure tossed in for good measure.  A return to the SYW/WAS may be out next from the photo booth. 

Weather has been good on the Palouse and outdoor cycling has picked up accordingly.  While my lingering and annoying cold/flu bug has forced continued workouts on the indoor trainer, mileage outside increases.  Late spring and early summer are colorful times with the bright yellow blooms of rapeseed blanketing the landscape.  Seems many more fields of yellow this year than in recent years.  Nice contrast to the blue sky and the green, forested hills. 

Next time, hopefully a battle report!

The Dirty Dozen

Actually, the very dirty fourteen!

Being knocked back from illness the last week and having to wipe away a couple of games from this week's schedule, I am surprised at how much more I feel motivated to paint.  The absence of any games to plan, host, and write-up, has given me more time to think about activities at the workbench.  More accomplished than simply thinking about painting activities.  I have gotten down to business with a few meaningful painting sessions as my recovery allows.  I even managed to stick together a dozen Perry WotR mounted men-at-arms.  Glad I don't need to field masses of these mounted horsemen.  Short bursts may be all I can muster, for now, but good progress is made on a number of projects.    

Off the painting desk today is the first of two bodies of Hittite spearmen.  Figures are mostly Wargames Foundry with an odd Newline Designs' figure tossed in for good measure. 

These fellas look a bit dirtier and more campaign-worn than usual.  I may have applied the stain a touch too liberally this time or may not have wiped away quite enough.  Anyway, these dirty warriors join the ranks of the Hittite Army.

For now, back to the painting desk.

Assyrians and a Pair of Games

In between pushing out additions to the 18mm SYW/WAS collection, I try to plug in a 25mm Biblical unit or two to break up the process and stick in some variety.  Today's offering is one such distraction.

Out from the painting desk today is a twelve-figure unit of Assyrian Auxiliary foot.  Figures are Wargames Foundry.  These dirty and seasoned hard campaigners are ready for service once gaming returns to Biblicals.  Hittite reinforcements are not far behind.

Besides the five-game series on Monday refighting Cunaxa, two more gaming sessions were logged into the Games Played book this week.  Tuesday saw Matt and I battle over the Brandywine battlefield (see Battle of Brandywine Part 2).  On Thursday, I joined Tony (Prometheus in Aspic) in a five player, WSS battle he hosted remotely.  This may have been the first multi-player remote game that Tony has hosted.  He took on the task with confidence and the game progressed with ease.  Great job, Tony!  Oh, by the way, Mark and I came out on top in this clash with a score of 11-3.  Decisive victory!

Tony's BatRep can be found at, WSS Action at Damebrunnen.  Great fun to actually get to play with these fellas rather than hosting.

Babylonians on the March

 

With heads barely peeking over the tops of their large tower shields, a body of Babylonian infantry is on the march out from the painting desk.  These 28mm Newline Design figures are some of my favorite sculpts from the Biblical range and I have many.

The shields these fellas carry are so large that they obscure the figure almost entirely.  Great figures and a pleasure to paint.

With Mother's Day coming up this Sunday, it is time for the crabapple trees to be in bloom.  Right on schedule, they are!

Weather has been pleasant and cycling has kicked up over the last few weeks.  River is running high from snow melt and recent rainfall.  The Lower Falls sees a complete inundation by the torrent of water.

South channel of the Upper Falls is much the same!

I close out today with a big red barn from a recent ride.

Assyrian Auxiliary Infantry

With games on Monday and Wednesday this week, refining QRS for another WotR game set for next week, and assorted other distractions, I have been finding little time to sit down for any meaningful time at the painting desk.  I did, however, manage to push out a 14-figure stand of Assyrian Auxiliary foot.  Figures are Wargames Foundry.  These scruffy looking lads were a nice change of pace from the predominately SYW figures marching across my painting desk of late.  

More Biblicals are in work including Babylonian and Hittite foot and a sizable batch of 18mm SYW units waiting to come up in the photo booth.  Also coming out from the workbench are two bodies of WotR foot knights.  Perhaps, I can carve out some time this weekend to get some painting done?  First, I must reset the table for the next game. 

While I briefly mentioned the Po River battles in the previous post, I have yet to chronicle the Solden Hill Battle on Monday in a third playtest of WotR' rules.  The game was a success, but my Lancastrians fell to the cunning play of my opponent.  It was another near run battle, but a game-ending flank attack spoiled an otherwise positive outing.

Yorkists attacking Somerset on Solden Hill.

With a little luck, I can put together a battle account before the next WotR game on Wednesday.  Only a few modifications made to the next iteration of the QRS to simplify the process and reduce possible harm inflicted from one anomalous event.

Back to Biblicals

While armies were engaged in a heated, yet collegial, battle on the table yesterday on the field of Bassignana, today sees a return to the painting desk.  The painting desk also sees a return to mustering more Biblicals in 25mm.

Out from the painting desk are two stands of Chaldean archers, each of nine bowmen.  Figures are Newline Designs.  I enjoy painting Newline figures for their understated simplicity and quick to field nature.  When I want to pick up the production and get some bang for the buck, I pull out a handful of Newline Biblicals.  Always a pleasure to paint.   

Speaking of picking up the pace at the painting desk, painting sees an uptick in output with May benchwork making an attempt to push more lead across the work desk.  Currently, there are 46 18mm WAS Genoese just about to ready for basing.  Whether these figures make it into May totals or slide into June counts is still in question.  If finished today, May numbers will look quite good.  If not today, well, I have a good jump on June. 

I leave with a teaser photo from Thursday's Bassignana game.

Skythians on the Loose

The past week has seen a major interruption in service on the wargaming front.  I am not sure there has ever been a week between blog posts nor between work outs on the bike (well, besides COVID and broken leg).  Well, for now, I am back at the keyboard and planning for a return to a Fornovo replay or two possibly beginning next week.  If you are anticipating a rematch, keep an eye on your Inbox.

Luckily, I still have a unit or two lined up at the light box for photos before I return to the painting desk to pick up the brushes.  Naturally, there are a number of domestic chores to catch up on first.  Still, there is hope.

Off of the painting desk today are two, three-figure stands of Skythian horse archers.  Figures are Wargames Foundry.  Nice figures.

Babylonians

More Biblicals.

Out from the painting workbench today are 28 Babylonian spearmen distributed across two, fourteen figure stands.  Figures are Wargames Foundry.  These fellas muster out to augment my growing army of Babylonians.  More bowmen are working their way through the painting queue but have yet to see a lick of paint.

What are ahead of the bowmen in queue?  Well, while Biblicals continue to feature prominently, I see 18mm Hanoverian cavalry, 18mm FRW infantry, and 25mm Crimean War Russian infantry.  All are awaiting their turn in the photo booth.

The Battle of Fornovo continues to feature on the gaming table with a one-on-one F2F game on Saturday and a four-player remote game on Monday.  Saturday's battle saw the French absolutely stomp the Italians while readers must wait for the battle report to see the outcome of Monday's game.  For now, I will only say that the game was great fun.

Italians forcing the rising Taro River.

Sticking to Biblicals, for now

This Wargaming Life seems to be returning to pre-holiday (and COVID) levels of activity.  Meaningful painting sessions are becoming more regular and three games are on the docket for this week.  The Lake Trasimene battle sees run-outs on Tuesday and Friday with a Samurai game sandwiched in between on Thursday.  One game is F2F while the other two are remote.  

Following up on the kallipani emerging from The Lead Pile last month (see Biblical Mounted Infantry), painting Biblicals remains in focus.  Off the table today are 22 Wargames Foundry Chaldean archers spread across three units to reinforce recent efforts on fielding a Babylonian/Chaldean/Elamite army.

While WAS/SYW Piedmontese, French, and Hanoverian cavalry will likely muster out next, more Biblicals are in the painting queue.  Expect more Babylonians and Sumerians.  With a Newline Designs' order from the January sale on its way, I need to clear out a little room in The Lead Pile. 

Up next from the Georgetown University Wargaming Society's continuing series of lectures, is a lecture on

In this workshop, the innovative integration of formal scientific experiments with experimental game mechanics will be explored, focusing particularly on wargames. The discussion will revolve around how traditional wargaming elements can be effectively utilized in scientific settings to enhance experimental outcomes. We will delve into the additional benefits of incorporating game mechanics into formal experiments, what modifications are required in traditional gaming styles to facilitate scientific inquiry, and the potential of this interdisciplinary approach to reshape experimental research.

Rather than applying scientific methods to wargaming in order to improve understanding (such as my simulation studies), this lecture looks to invert my process by using wargaming mechanisms to improve formal, scientific experiments.  It may be worth a listen.  This event is 20 February.  I plan to attend.

Link: Experimental Games