Bavarian Kurprinz IR

Off the painting desk today is Battalion 1 of the Bavarian Kurprinz Infantry Regiment.  With 22 musketeers from Lancashire Miniatures and a mounted officer from Eureka Miniatures, this battalion presents a pleasing sight.  

The figures are actually drawn from Lancashire Austrian infantry but pressed into service as Bavarians.  With the large Austrian army contingent made up of Eureka figures, the Lancashire Austrians with their oversized tricorns provided enough distinction to set the Bavarians apart from the Austrians.  While I have yet to confirm, I ought to have enough of these figures left to field the second battalion.  On the gaming table, the Bavarians in their light blue coats will add some needed color to the white-coated Austrians. 

Next off the workbench will likely be two Russians guns for the SYW project.  For those having good recall, the two battles of Kunersdorf were short a few Russians batteries.  Those games required some Austrian batteries to be pressed into service to fill out the OOB.

Hittites are beginning to roll out from the painting desk and will begin making appearances shortly hereafter.  It may be a bit anachronistic or heresy but my Hittites will be marching out wielding iron weapons.  I faced a tough choice.  Do I field them carrying bright bronze weapons or iron weapons?  Since I wanted them to battle my Neo-Assyrians and later Egyptians, I issued them iron weapons.  I suppose the dull iron weapons could depict bronze weapons having a dark patina from oxidation.  That way, the Hittites could fight in late Bronze Age or early Iron Age battles without needing to field two armies.  Yeah, that is my story and I am sticking to it!       

Unexpected Consequences of Remaining Home

With the pandemic in full swing and lockdowns almost universal, plans change.  We try to schedule international travel during the shoulder seasons which typically means either May or September.  Having traveled to Switzerland in both May 2017 and May 2018, a return trip was on the travel schedule for May 2020.  Given the current situation, this year's planned return trip to Switzerland in May was cancelled.  Really, no other option was possible.  Our flights into and out from Zurich were cancelled by the airline.

Primarily confined to quarters over the last two months, we enjoyed one unexpected pleasure.  Frequently traveling in May, the flowering of the trees is often missed.  Not this year.  At present, we are enjoying the vibrant cascade of pink blossoms adorning the two flowering crabapple trees in the back yard.  Also in full bloom are the two lilacs that are slowly taking over two corners of the yard.  The downside of enjoying the colorful backyard besides the obvious loss of a trip to Europe?  Nancy discovered that she may be allergic to all of the pollen.  

Flowering crabapples in bloom

As a reminder of what the pandemic has taken from us, below are a few photos from the 2017 trip onboard the GoldenPass rail line.  We made the journey following a two night's stay in Lausanne on the shore of Lake Geneva to Zurich winding our way through the Alps.  Once this virus runs its course, perhaps we can return?

To add in a little military and wargaming content, a quick stop at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich brought forth the following highlights:

Pikeman with grounded pike

Although the Battle of Murten diorama is huge and quite impressive in person, the glare given off by photographing through the protective case prevents a quality shot.  The pike block in the photo below is HUGE! 

Battle of Murten, 1476

Battle of Murten, 1476

Bring Up the Guns

After pumping out nearly 25 units for the 1859 project in 2019, this project has not seen much activity at the painting desk in 2020.  Besides the four artillery pieces and crew mustering out today, only two battalions of Austrian infantry have emerged from the production line in 2020.  Why the dearth of units for the 1859 project?  Perhaps I have enough combatants to call to arms for the size of game I envision?  Perhaps other projects have bubbled up higher into the painting queue?  Perhaps I simply have lost focus? 

Whatever the real reason for little activity in the 2020, the project sees a small addition with the bringing up of four guns and crew.  Two guns join the French army and two guns move out to join the Sardinian army.  Guns are Freikorps 15s' pieces.  The artillerymen are Lancashire Games.

While two French 36-figure regiments are waiting their turn in the painting queue, many other units will see a slap of paint before the Frenchmen see any work.  The queue is long but the toys are patient.  The painting desk likely will see a return to the 18mm SYW project.  One battalion of Bavarian infantry and two Russian guns are in work and will muster out soon.

After the SYW units take front and center at the photo booth, the first arrivals of a planned Hittite army will emerge from the workbench.  My 2020 goal included beginning a Hittite army and completing a dozen BMUs before year-end.  We will see how I do.  My confidence is high. 

Samurai Cavalry in 15mm

As suggested in the last post, two BMUs of Samurai cavalry trot off the painting desk.  Also, as before, figures are from Peter Pig.  With their various banners and armor, these Samurai horsemen offer up a lot of color.  With the mustering of two cavalry stands, total Samurai cavalry for the project reaches seven.  Hmm. The Seven Samurai.  Enough figures remain to field two more such stands.

The red bead cube on the right rear of the stand serves two purposes.  One, at a glance it identifies the unit as a "Heavy" unit in terms of Samurai Battles.  Two, it allows the placement of a unifying, clan banner when assembling a force from various clans into one cohesive army.  In the heat and confusion of battle, it is easy to overlook which unit belongs to which army when both armies may carry banners from similar or the same clans.

What is up next out from the workbench?  A return to the 1859 project looks to make it to the photo booth first.  This will be a brief return to the project with two guns each of Sardinian and French origin.  Two more regiments of French infantry are in the painting queue but it may be a long time before those see the brush.  Many other units are working their way through the production line ahead of them.  Actually beginning to show some progress on a Hittite Army in 25mm that I pledged as a goal for 2020.  

Ashigaru Teppo in 15mm

Seems like I am jumping all over the place with respect to many projects seeing action at the painting desk.  That perception is true.  However, today I muster out the first of three units for the Samurai Battles project.  First off the work desk is a 19-figure stand of teppo.  As always, figures for this project are from Peter Pig.  Excellent sculpts and a joy to paint. 

In an attempt to clean up The Lead Pile, I have been toiling through the boxes to see if some boxes can be better organized and consolidated.  Among the stacks of boxes and bags of figures, I uncovered two orders from Peter Pig containing Feudal Japanese.  Those bags had filtered down into parts almost unknown and certainly almost forgotten.  Quite fun to find lost treasures!  Both orders were relatively new orders picked up from recent sales.  Sorting through the bags of figures, enough figures were found to form one unit of Ashigaru teppo, one unit of Ashigaru spearmen, and four units of Samurai mounted cavalry.  

While the teppo form up and march out today, two of the Samurai cavalry units are finished.  A third cavalry unit is in work.  Expect to see the first two Samurai cavalry up next in the photo booth.  Nearing almost six years since the collection was out on the parade ground (see: Samurai Battles Project in Review), a display highlighting all of the work completed, thus far, seems a good idea.  I wonder to what extent the project has grown in the intervening six years.  I may be surprised.   Hopefully, pleasantly. 

75mm German IG in 15mm

Having recently completed a BTD German infantry gun and crew in 25mm (See Distractions), I pushed a 15mm Peter Pig German IG into the painting queue.  This little piece jumped ahead of a long line of figures awaiting a slap of paint.  The gun and crew found themselves, suddenly, at the front of the line.

Why the upset in the painting queue?  Well, I have been pondering Norm's Tigers at Minsk (TaM) rules after playing several games of late.  With the rules still relatively fresh in mind, I am interested in giving the rules another run-out before my memory fades.  Following the multiple playings of the introductory scenario, I am ready to try something different.  Different in the sense of presenting a different tactical problem and in introducing armor, infantry guns, and anti-tank weapons in the form of an AT rifle.  Not having any of the mid-war Eastern Front ToE, thoughts have centered on Norway, 1940.

Finding a likely candidate scenario in an old ASL Journal, work begins to convert the situation into one suitable for TaM.  The first scenario under investigation is primarily infantry only with the Germans having an infantry gun and a Panzer II showing up later to bolster the German attack.  Being set in Norway in late April 1940, maneuvering through snow with ski troops with come into play.  

While early war armor and weapons are not included in the original TaM, Norm was kind enough to provide stats for the PZII, H-39, and an infantry gun.  In addition to the IG coming off the painting table, work progresses on fielding some early war armor.  Off the workbench are a few each of PZIIs, H-39s, and Panhards.  All vehicles are 15mm Command Decision models from Old Glory with the exception of one H-39.  That exception is a Peter Pig piece.

Scenario development may take time as forces and timelines are modified to provide a competitive game and new rules are introduced.  How many playtests are needed to get everything in proper working order?  This is a question for which I have no answer.  Once the situation and forces have been stabilized, three complete playings ought to provide a respectable baseline.  More details to follow once the scenario sees further development.

Until then, expect more work from the painting desk.

Seasonality in Painting Production 2020

No, these graphs are not from my latest EKG. 

The four-panel graphs above illustrate the seasonal cycle and trend decomposition of my painting production measured back to 1996.  What?  Who tracks such mundane statistics?  Well, I do.  Having maintained a Painting Log since 1996, I amassed quite a large database and houseful of painted figures over the last 25 years.  The counts keep climbing with no end in sight.

When I last examined my painting seasonality in 2014, I was curious to see if there was a relationship between time of year and painting output.  There was a relationship.  Looking at the seasonality graph from 2014 (see below), fourth quarter seems to be my most productive period.  August shows a resurgence of activity too.  Rather than actual figure count, Adjusted Painting Points are summarized.  Adjusted Painting Points are based on the Analog Hobbies Points Scoring System. 

Monthly seasonal tendencies 1996-2014

Have my painting tendencies changed if five more years of data are added into the seasonal analysis?  Yes, seasonal tendencies have changed.  Painting output in May, August, and October have fallen in relative terms from the 2014 analysis while September, November, and December have increased.  The October through December remains my most productive period.  December output is almost off the charts.

Notice that the seasonality exhibits a sawtooth pattern.  That is, every up month is followed by a down month.  Does a good month at the painting desk tend to lead to backing off of production in the next month?  The data suggest that but it could also be due to timing.  Sometimes, I just don't quite finish off a unit before month end.  That unit then is finished off early in the following month, perhaps, inflating the next month's painting tally. 

Monthly seasonal tendencies 1996-2019

These seasonal pattern changes make sense.  May has seen regular two week vacations over the last five years (not this year!).  November and December has seen less guest traffic over the Winter Break so more time spent at the painting desk.  More or less, I remain a creature of habit.

What about changes to Total Painting Points over the last 25 years?  The data suggests my output made a leap in about 2006.  Since then, production has remained relatively stable averaging between 300-400 painting points per month.

Total Painting Points and Trend, 1996-2020 YTD

Do other figure painters in the northern hemisphere experience a similar painting tendency?  With the exception of Christmas holiday season, do painters in the southern hemisphere see their seasonal tendencies as a reflection of northern hemisphere painters?  That is, seasonal lows in earlier spring?

Next off the painting desk will see a return to Feudal Japan and some WWII vehicles in 15mm.  Also, expect to see a WWII 15mm German infantry gun for a planned scenario.