3rd Dragoon Regiment

Even with work continuing to bring a new ACW battle to the table, the painting desk remains active.  I plan to play the first couple of turns later this evening as a trial.  With help from the recent batch of painted 10mm Confederate infantry, August looks to be a good month on the "Painted" side of the ledger.  Painting seasonality begins to kick in (see Painting Seasonality)!  A variety of units is working its way through the painting queue in a variety of sizes.

First out of the gate sees a return to the 18mm WAS/SYW project with the addition of a British dragoon regiment. These twelve figures muster out as squadrons 1 and 2 of Dragoon Regiment #3.  Figures are Eureka Miniatures.

While the British and Hanoverian armies have been slowly growing in size over time, they have yet to see battle.  Perhaps I ought to consider bringing these untested armies out for a battle in the fall?  Which battle would be an interesting baptism of fire?  I need to give this topic some thought.  Suggestions welcome!

Up next on the gaming is the 1863 Battle of Salem Church.  As seen in the game photo above, the armies are deployed and ready for a fight.  From this angle, the Rebels look vastly outnumbered, but most are hiding in the trees!  The photo below shows that the Confederates are only slightly outnumbered and they hold the good ground.

Armies at Salem Church

On deck this evening is a test for a new player to both rules and remote gaming.  Hopefully, we can run through a few turns to provide a cursory grounding in both.

Suvorov's Russians

As suggested by popular demand (well, popular demand in the sense that two readers asked for a parade!), I present the Russian Army mustering out for the 1799 project.  Actually, this is not quite true.  I reckon there are at least two battalions of jagers that are not included in this parade.  If I search, I bet I find these missing light infantrymen lurking among the SYW Russian Army.

Turning pages back, a long way back, through the Painting Log, I first began working on this Russian Army in 2009.  With no upcoming battle to deploy on the table, adding to the collection has been hit and miss over the years.  2018 and 2019 saw some renewed activity but not much notable progress since then.  2026 has seen six infantry battalions muster out representing the most activity in a long time.

The photo above shows the composition of the Russian Army as of June 2026.  Well, correct with the exception of the missing jagers, that is.  Figures are mostly AB Miniatures with some Eureka and Old Glory tossed in for good measure and variety.  Besides a few odds and ends, The Lead Pile is empty of FRW Russians.

Those units ready for service are:

• 6x Cossack regiments
• 3x Militia/Foot Cossack battalions
• 5x Musketeer Regiments of two battalions each
• 3x Grenadier Regiments of two battalions each
• 6x Combined Grenadier Battalions
• 8x Artillery batteries

I really ought to put together a scenario to bring this army onto the field of battle for its baptism of fire.  First, though, a series of Feudal Japan actions featuring the Battle Among the Tombs.

Hope you enjoyed the parade!

The British Are Coming

No, not those British! 

The British marching forth in today's parade are for the SYW/WAS/Jacobite Rebellion.  These fellas come on in hot pursuit of the Highlanders that have recently mustered out from the painting desk.

Figures are Blue Moon infantry led by a Eureka mounted colonel.  These lads muster out as the 6th Regiment of Foot and are the last of Blue Moon British lingering in The Lead Pile.  No worries.  There remain bags and bags of British infantry to paint and field but the next batch will be Old Glory figures.

Nice figures but harder to see the detail to paint than Old Glory.  Gosh, my eyes seem to be going even more downhill.

On the gaming front, Monday saw a third playing of the Montebello battle.  This time Ray and Lee faced off across the remote gaming table.  Ray commanded the French Army while Lee took charge of the Austrian Army.  The photo above shows Chamberlhac attacking the defenders of Casteggio, one of the objectives for the French.  Did they succeed in taking the town from the enemy to win the day?  And, did Lannes manage to survive this battle having fallen in the previous two?  This is a tale for another day.

1st Dragoon Guards

Following closely upon the heels of the Highlanders, a body of British cavalry trot out from the painting table.  These troopers muster out as the 1st Dragoon Guard Regiment.  Figures are Eureka Miniatures and came as part of a rare bulk buy of unpainted lead from eBay.  The lot had more British cavalry in mitres than I can likely field, but a bargain is a bargain, right?  Well, a bargain only if I paint and field them!  I need to do some research on all of the units that sported the mitre whether in battle or on parade.

As well-known by now, Eureka cavalry are my favorite for this period and almost all of my cavalry across all nations are comprised of Eureka figures.  At last count, (just tallied this morning) there are over 1,000 painted Eureka cavalrymen in the SYW collection.  Who knew and how did this happen?

Besides more Highlanders for the period, a regiment of British foot is working through the production line.  The British foot figures are the last of the Blue Moon British sculpts in The Lead Pile.  After these are finished, then it is on to bags and bags of Old Glory British.  Yes, bags and bags...

On the gaming front, games have been non-existent this week as I recover from injury.  Monday sees me take command of the Prussian Army in Reject Richard's next remote Koenig Krieg SYW battle on hexes.  With Russian dispositions unknown, I have little idea what to expect.  I am sure that the Russian commanders will complain that Frederick got the better ground!  Should be fun.  

This morning, it is back to the painting desk and then putting the finishing touches on the scenario for the upcoming Montebello game.

Scope Creep?

With the 18mm SYW project expanding to include armies present in the War of Austrian Succession, War of Polish Succession, and a British Army in the early stages of development, expanding the theatre to include the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion seems only natural, right?  Scope creep or simply a reasonable expansion?  Well, this expansion seemed a natural byproduct to me.  

Having said that, the first Jacobite units muster out from the painting desk.  First to muster out are Lord Ogilvy's Regiment (blue flag) and Gordon of Glennbuchat's Regiment (white flag).  Both of these 23-figure regiments represent Lowland regiments.  Highlanders are up next.  Figures are Old Glory foot led by a Eureka mounted colonel.  Yes, painting Highlanders in tartan is up next.  After the Jacobites receive a half-dozen units or so, it will be time to crank up the production line to push some Government troops through.

Lots of other projects are seeing activity at the workbench so British will be in waiting until I return to painting 15mm figures.  

Tuesday saw a recommencement of hostilities on the plain at Pharsalus.   After seeing my four-game Caesarian sweep of Pompey at Pharsalus two weeks ago, Kevin dropped in for a rematch and lunch.  This time, we swapped sides.  I commanded Pompey and Kevin guided Caesar.  As in the previous outing, games were fought using Commands & Colors with 6mm armies.  In yesterday's four-game series, Caesar came away 7-1, 7-3, 5-7, 7-3.   In Caesar's 5-7 loss, Caesar was killed in combat.  Over the eight-game series, Caesar came away 7 and 1.  Pharsalus seems a tough task for Pompey.

With the New Year barely out of the gates, games are already on the docket for Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.  Starting the gaming year off with a bang!  Monday's game will feature a return to the WotR as a refight of Wakefield is in the offing.  Plenty of work to do to design and develop a scenario before then.  Which theory of the battle will be presented?  Stay tuned.

Next time, perhaps my annual painting review.

Piedmontese Reinforcements and a Game

With an expected return to 18th Century battlefields after a series of WotR games (Solden Hill and Mortimer's Cross) seeing action on the table, the brushes saw work adding to the 18mm SYW/WAS/(and now) WPS collection.  Yes, a third conflict is being studied.  That study focuses on the War of Polish Succession (WPS) of 1733-1738.  Many of the same antagonists seen in the later War of Austrian Succession are seen here and some of the same Northern Italian ground is fought over again. 

Since the Piedmontese/Sardinians fought in both conflicts, two more regiments were pushed into the painting queue.  This time I field two of the many provincial infantry regiments.  Marching out today are IRs Aosta and Asti.  Foot figures are Old Glory led by Eureka mounted colonels.  Flags are David's handiworks from Not By Appointment.  These two 23-figure regiments will be added into the regulars already on the muster rolls.

What WPS battle is on deck first?  Well, I will present my interpretation of the 1734 Battle of Quistello first introduced to me by André in his PBEM game several years ago.  André's inspirational work on this scenario can be found on his blog at Quistello.

Research turned up the following contemporary map,

and an account by Ben Franklin.  Yes, the Ben Franklin!  Franklin's 1734 account of the battle can be found at Variant Accounts of Battle.

Using André's map and Google Earth as guides, my interpretation of the battlefield topography and troop dispositions are illustrated in the photo of my game table below:

First game is on deck for Monday with six of Postie's Rejects in a remote game.  Looking forward to it!

Still have work to accomplish before Monday with writing a Battle Briefing, updating the QRS, affixing labels to all of the units, and positioning units onto the table. 

The British Are Coming!

No, not those British! 

While the SYW/WAS collection has not seen any action on the gaming table in more than a year (has it really been that long since Bassignana?), painting for this project continues.  As illustrated in the half-year painting update in Saturnine Orogeny, work on the 18mm SYW/WAS collection comprised nearly 39% of all painting output for 2025 through June.

Marching out from the painting desk are two regiments of SYW/WAS British foot.  These 46 figures muster out as the 3rd and 4th Regiments of Foot.  Foot figures are from Blue Moon led by Eureka Miniatures' mounted colonels.  Looking into The Lead Pile, this looks the end of the Blue Moon British figures.  Any more British units will be made up of Old Glory figures and I have several bags of them.

While other projects are seeing more efforts at the painting desk, two regiments of Piedmontese will be mustering out shortly.  After that, a whole mishmash of projects will be working through the painting queue.  A pair of Great Italian Wars units may beat the Piedmontese out of the gate, though.  We will see.

Painting has taken a backseat to gaming this week with three gaming sessions on the docket.  Monday saw two playtests of Reject Richard's Anglo-Dutch Wars naval rules that were easy to learn and great fun.  Excellent rules.  This game even has me eyeing my pile of unbuilt Anglo-Dutch ships.  Eyeing only.  I do not think I maintain the skill or patience to build up enough ships for two fleets.  Still, a guy can dream.  Richard's Battle Report can be read at Naval Playtest 3.

Tuesday saw a return to Mortimer's Cross on my table in a remote three-player game.  Great fun in a challenging game for Edward IV.  Battle report to follow soonish (I hope!).  My next decision is whether to set up another refight of Mortimer's Cross or go out in search of a new battle to fight.  Time will tell.

Finally, Wednesday saw four battles of Cunaxa fought on Scott's table.  Using Commands & Colors: Ancients, we played out four games in about two-and-a-half hours.  Again, great fun!  Scott went 2-0 and I managed to go 2-1 in the session. Poor Kevin was skunked again at 0-3.  In the four games, Artaxerxes won two games and Cyrus won two games.

That is it for the gaming for the week just passed.  No games on next week's slate yet but, like the weather, that can change quickly.

A Little Bump in the Road

Thanks to everyone who took the time to leave a comment on the previous GWS analysis.  The post saw a lot of good commentary on the topic of media sources for inspiration.  The post even saw some activity on the Lead Adventurers' Forum.  A related analysis is in work which takes a look at what inspires us most.  Hopefully, the next survey iteration with garner an equally robust discussion.

The week began on a sunny and hot note.  Cycling mileage picked up and I looked forward to a game on Monday.  With illness swirling all around, I thought I possibly had dodged this latest bullet shot my way.  It was not to be.  I was struck down on Sunday.  By Monday, I felt even worse and reluctantly cancelled the scheduled remote game.  Sitting here at the keyboard on Tuesday morning, I see no light at the end of the tunnel yet.  Hopefully, my situation improves enough to host a planned game on Thursday.   

Until then, I manage to muster just enough strength for short painting sessions.  For variety and to empty a few bins having just enough figures to form a unit, several units, for projects not seen in a long time, are in work.  Today, though, out from the painting desk is a regiment of Spanish cavalry for the often expanding SYW/WAS project.  These troopers march out as the Granada Cavalry Regiment.  Figures are Eureka Miniatures.

What is next off the painting desk?  Stay tuned!

Spanish Brabante Cavalry

Another body of Spanish cavalry trots out from the painting desk.  This time, the Brabante Cavalry Regiment makes its way off the workbench and into the holding box.  These twelve figures are from Eureka Miniatures.

More units for the 18mm SYW/WAS project are stacking up in line awaiting a turn at the photo box before we see a return to a few Biblical units including Hittites and Assyrians.  There are a handful or two of Swiss handgunners for the Great Italian Wars working their way through the production line as well.  A batch of Piedmontese infantry began work at the painting desk yesterday.  

As expected, May painting production will see a dismal total of only 30 figures completed.  Perhaps I can pick up the pace as summer approaches?  No guarantees as Real Life is throwing up an almost constant barrage of distractions and mileage on the bike climbs.  After not much gaming, next week should see a pick-up in activity on that front.  Hoping to return to another playtest round of the WotR rules' work soon featuring a new scenario.  

That is all for today!

A Few Spanish and a Seasonal Funk

Springtime is proving to pose a number of challenges to focused work at the painting desk.  April saw only 54 painted figures muster out from the painting desk.  Even though May has only just begun, my schedule suggests that this month may see a similar fate.  That is unless my efforts at the painting desk are kicked into a higher gear.

To console my drop in production, I brought up a seasonal painting tendency I last updated more than four years ago.  Fours years ago?  Time certainly is flying by.

Looking at this graphic ought to provide a bit of solace to my current state.  Over the years, painting productivity typically takes a dip in spring with May signaling the bottoming out of production for the year before activity increases.  Perhaps May will once again pinpoint the low point for the year, and I will shift painting production to a higher level as the summer builds?  I can hope.

Since the productivity analysis has not been updated in years, time to give this study a re-examination.  Perhaps this pattern has evolved from the last iteration?  A future study to move up in the analysis queue.

Anyway, out from the table today is a twelve-figure regiment of Spanish cavalry for the 18mm SYW/WAS project.  The troopers march out as the Principe Cavalry Regiment.  Figures are from Eureka Miniatures.  

On Deck, British Cavalry

Last week saw a complete bust at the gaming table.  One game was cancelled due to illness (not mine!), and a second game scrapped due to a Zoom server outage.  This was the first time that Zoom technical issues caused a game cancellation.  This event was surprising after five years of no interruptions.  I will give Zoom this one, this time.  With my annual contract coming due, this could have been an inopportune time for system failure.  

Last week also saw a pick-up in activity in a PBEM SYW campaign that had fallen silent for several weeks.  We ready ourselves for a big battle at Prague.  Prussians have a tough task of dislodging the Austrian Army from their White Mountain defenses. 

The week ahead looks to see the game schedule back on the rails with games slated for Wednesday (make-up game from last week's Zoom outage) and Thursday.  Thursday sees a playtest of Tony's WSS rules.  Beautiful 25mm figures played on a hex grid with a lineage of Commands & Colors, what is not to like?  I may even get a call to join into a F2F gaming session at some point in the week if I am lucky.

What the gaming lull allowed was a couple of meaningful painting sessions.  Seeing an increase of effort at the painting desk was a needed boost.  With other hobby activities taking much of my time, painting had decidedly taken a back seat to these other activities.  Good to be back on track with April output looking to be not brilliant but at least respectable.

A couple of Biblical units are mustering out and will be queueing up at the photo booth once they have been based.  First, though, is a regiment of British cavalry for the 18mm SYW project.  These troopers muster out as the 6th Dragoon Regiment.  Figures are Eureka Miniatures.

For now, back to the painting desk.

Walloon Guard

After a few battle reports and a couple of thought pieces, time to return to parading some recent units mustering out from the painting desk.  January saw another productive month at the painting desk.  More than 100 figures marched off of the workbench.  At the photo booth, a logjam forms with a large number of units awaiting their turn.  Notice in the sidebar that I managed to reduce The Lead Pile by 945 figures in 2024.  Great result!  Expect a broader discussion on the painting front when I publish year-end review of figures painted.  

Anyway, into the photo box today are two units comprising the Spanish Walloon Guard.  These two units are made up of 46 figures with Old Glory foot led by Eureka mounted colonels.  Flags are by David at Not By Appointment. 

Why the Walloon Guard?  Well, if I am going to refight the 1743 Battle of Campo Santo, Walloon Guard need to be on the table.  This is a first but necessary step.

On the gaming front, Monday sees a second playing of the Adobe Wells gunfight.  That action will feature a completely new cast of characters as six of Postie's Rejects take to the field.  Should be fun as they try their hands at Triggeronometry in the Old West.