Meikraft Models Pfalz DIIIa

The variety of old, plastic 1/72nd WWI aircraft kits available via eBay surprises me.  Many kits are from the 1960s and 1970s and arrive still sealed in shrinkwrap.

One recent purchase was this mid-70s kit from Meikraft Models of a German Pfalz DIIIa.  Meikraft Models is a company unfamiliar to me from my youth.  At that time, Revell was about the only manufacturer I recall ever seeing in stores.  

This Meikraft kit, states that it was a short-run from the mid-70s and "Made for the serious modeler - Experience required."  That warning is appropriate since the kit comes out of the box in rough shape.  Flash, heavy flash, rough cuts, poor molding, and poor fit are all in abundance. 

The best surprises in the kit are the two decal sheets.  From these two decal sheets, a number of Pfalz DIII's can be adorned.  A really terrific variety of aircraft possibilities with these.  Getting these old decal sheets, alone, might provide justification for buying this kit.   

Even though the kit was a bit rough requiring extra work, the construction was straightforward.  After painting, application of decals, and some dirtying up, I think this kit will be a good addition to my growing German Jagdstaffel.  A neat kit and terrific decal sheets.

2017 Painting Log in Review

2017 ended with a whimper on the hobby front.  Rather than enjoying the week between Christmas and New Years' Day with a chance for a bit of R&R with friends and family, I was stricken by a nasty flu.  Still battling the effects of that terrible holiday bug as I write.  Planned games cancelled and painting sessions cut short as fatigue comes quickly.  Just enough energy to file away the 2017 Painting Log Review.  

A few completed units lay in wait at the workbench patiently awaiting their turn at the photo booth but in summary 2017 saw, 

• Total Number of figures painted: 911 figures and 8 pieces of equipment
• Total Number of Adjusted Painting Points: 4,334

While figure count was down from 2016 (1,105 vs 911), Adjusted Painting Points actually increased slightly (4,317 vs 4,334) over 2016.  That painting point count placed 2017 in the slot of fourth largest annual total since I began tracking such things more than twenty years ago.

Having ultimately made no formal declaration for project plans for 2017 at the beginning of the year, the following was mentioned in the 2016 Painting Log Review:

While neither the 1799 nor 1859 projects saw action on the gaming table in 2016 as planned, games in these two periods are very close to seeing fruition.  The 1800 and 1859 battles of Montebello are almost ready for playtesting.  The map for Montebello has been transferred onto the gaming table and OB and scenario details for the 1859 action are in the final stages.  Playtesting should begin by the end of January.

What lays ahead for 2017?  Well, in general, more gaming would be most welcome and a new project (Neo-Assyrians) will likely take center stage.  Those thoughts are for another post.  Until next time. 

Very handy when I failed to set a benchmark for accountability at year end. Given that these two paragraphs were all I mentioned as goals at the beginning of 2017, still, they provide insights into my thoughts on a few goals.  First, the two battles of Montebello saw a lot of action on the gaming table in 2017.  Actually, a lot of gaming activity took place in 2017 and easily exceeded two dozen games.  Likely the most gaming I have done in one year in a very, very long time.  Second, the Neo-Assyrian project mentioned as a start-up in last year's post, exploded in 2017 as will be confirmed in the following graphs.  Checking the Painting Log, 46 BMUs for the Assyrian Wars project crossed over the painting desk in 2017.  A tidy sum, that! 

As with past years' analytics, painting totals are presented in unadjusted (raw) figure counts as well as adjusted figure counts.  Adjusted counts consider figure size as a component while unadjusted simply tallies the number of painted figures produced.  Adjustments are made based on Analog Hobbies' Painting Challenge points system.

On an unadjusted basis of painted figures by era (Figure 1), the major effort (34% of total) was in the 25mm Assyrian Wars project.  With 46 BMUs finished, no surprise there.  The count of 308 painting figures does not include the work done to refurbish and base the nine Assyrian chariots.  Next, coming in at 127 figures (14% of total), the 25mm Great Italian Wars project took second billing followed by the 18mm 1799 project (90 figures; about 10%) and 25mm Reconquista (86 figures; 9.5%)

Figure 1

On an adjusted figure count basis (Figure 2), the percentages by project are transformed as the weighting of the 25/28mm projects (Assyrian Wars, Italian Wars, Reconquista) dampen the effects of the 18mm 1799 project.

Figure 2

Turning to disaggregating counts by scale (Figure 3), fully 75% of all painting production was recognized in the 25/28mm classification.  2017 was the year of 25/28mm figure for me.  Perhaps a better balance is needed in 2018?

Figure 3

On an adjusted basis, the 25/28mm classification dominance is even more pronounced.  Fully 85% of all production found itself in the larger scale projects.  

Figure 4

How does 2017 fit into the historical trends and tendencies over the life of my figure tracking?

On an unadjusted basis, painting trends show consistency in 2014 - 2017 periods with each hovering around 1,000 figures annually (Figure 5).  Had 2017 painting output been more balanced between 25/28mm and 15/18mm then 2017 would have seen very similar raw figure counts as 2014-2016.

Figure 5

Converting these counts to an adjusted basis by Year and Scale (Figure 6) shows that painting output in 2017 reached the fourth highest output since painting statistics have been tracked just edging out 2016.  Again, by painting a little most days, consistency remains in place and good gains can be realized.

Figure 6

Project diversity continued in 2017 as shown by the variety of differently colored bars in Figure 7.  Even given the 2017 focus on the Assyrian Wars project, fifteen different projects saw figures muster off from the painting desk.

Figure 7

On an adjusted basis, Figure 8 reconfirms that 2017 was a good year at the painting desk.  The graph also confirms that my painting production has found a very sustainable level of consistency over the last ten years. 

Figure 8

While my totals are not as monumental as some, the balance of about 900-1000 figures painted annually seems about right.  Given that no new projects are on the drawing board for 2018 and that I am slowly shifting towards an emphasis of more gaming, my 2018 goals on the painting front may be lowered.  That, however, is for another post when project planning for 2018 is considered.

Peruvian Highlands - Machu Picchu and the Inca Drawbridge

As promised in the last episode of the Machu Picchu travelogue, the finale of my visit caps off with a hike to the Inca Drawbridge.  For previous travel accounts, please see:

• Day 1
• Day 2

The Inca Drawbridge is not on the citadel site, itself, but about a twenty minute walk from the Guardhouse around the side of Mach Picchu Mountain.  To reach the drawbridge requires a hike that is not difficult but presents a few hazards.  The main hazard is that the pathway around Machu Picchu Mountain is along a narrow footpath with sheer drops of 1,000 feet to the valley floor below.

Path along Machu Picchu Mountain

The second potential hazard encountered on the day of our visit was frequent confrontations with the local fauna.  While seemingly friendly, the llamas felt no urgency in making a pathway around them easy.  With no wall in place along the path, a quick nudge by a llama might spell the end of a good day.

Fauna grazing along the treacherous path

Fortunately, the animals were quite docile and seemed more interested in grazing along the path than causing any intentional mischief.  They even seemed to enjoy a chance at a photo op.

Say "Cheese"

Making our way passed the llamas and a bend in the trail, the Inca Drawbridge is visible in the distance.

First glimpse of Inca Bridge

The construction of the bridge is quite clever.  A wall was built out from the cliff face and a large gap remains.  Wooden planks were placed across this gap which could be retracted to restrict access to the citadel.  A little sentry post overlooks the drawbridge.

Another interesting feature of the wall is a series of "flying steps" protruding out from the wall face.  Having a lengthy rise and no handhold, negotiating these steps would require great care and balance.  The purpose of these flying steps is speculative but a reasonable conclusion is the these steps were used during the construction of the wall.  Even if an attacker attempted access to the path from the steps, a defender could easily thwart any attempt. 

Inca Drawbridge showing "flying steps"

This flying step feature is seen throughout Machu Picchu and the Peruvian Highlands.  These steps could also have been utilized as a means to quickly access a series of terraces.  This feature is encountered on almost all of the terraces we came across.  Flying steps can be found even at the top of Huayna Picchu.

Flying Steps on Huayna Picchu

While the arduous climb up Huayna Picchu was on Day 1, below is a near aerial view of the Machu Picchu citadel from the top of Huayna Picchu.

View of MP Citadel from atop Huayna Picchu

Having made the journey back from the drawbridge safely, time remained to make one more tour of the citadel itself before taking the shuttle back down the mountain.  As we circumnavigated the main plaza, the sense of scale comes into perspective.  The structures are massive.  To provide a sense of the overwhelming nature of the structures, see the photos below with people for reference.  Everything is built on a massive scale and is truly an awesome sight.

Citadel with Huayna Picchu in background

Intiwatana

Eastern Urban Sector

Steep stairway up to the Temple of the Three Windows

Temple of the Sun

After one last photo, we headed back to the citadel entrance and awaited a shuttle.  After a twenty minute ride down the mountain, the shuttle deposited us back in Aguas Calientes. 

Jon with Machu Picchu citadel in background

Aguas Calientes

Ashigaru Yari in 15mm

As promised, a second unit of spear-wielding Ashigaru departs the painting desk.  These 21 figures are Peter Pig like all of the 15mm figures in this project.  Rarely, it seems, that a project is exclusively comprised of one manufacturer.  The 15mm Samurai Battles collection is one such project.

This two-hex stand augments an existing clan which I designate as the "Running Man" clan.  While I tend to build clans or brigades in a set composition of elements, I have found in games using Samurai Battles that more yari are needed than the default two units I field per brigade.  

One note on the seemingly odd stand arrangement.  My co-conspirator and motivator for this project uses a four inch grid for his Samurai Battle games, I wanted units having a four-inch width so that my units maintained the same frontage as his.  Since I use a two-inch hex grid for some of my other gaming projects, two 50mm hexes are joined to form the BMU shown here.  In Samurai Battles and Impetvs, number of figures per stand are not important, so the number of figures per stand is based on my notion of what looks good.   

A BMU having a double hex base allows one of my stands to take up two hexes on the hex game mat providing a more linear look to the game.  This arrangement also allows the possibility of introducing flanks and Zones of Control into the rules being considered. 

With a couple of units freshly mustered off the painting desk, motivation is high to get the collection into battle.  I wonder how long this urge will last?    

Adding to the Assyrian Wars Project

While work on the Assyrian Wars project has slowed from the heady days of summer, work still continues at a much more moderate pace.  A one or two unit monthly production seems a reasoned and sustainable rate.

Off the painting desk today is a unit of Black Tree Design's Phrygian warriors.  While these warriors may not be specifically earmarked as Assyrians Wars' participants, I overlook any anachronism they may pose.  As light troops, these figures should fit in comfortably among the other units; at least on my gaming table, that is. 

While this stand may represent a typical body of lightly armed and armored troops, a much more interesting stand is in work at the painting desk.  The subject is something not seen yet in the project.  I am still pondering how best to represent it on the gaming table.  Several viable options exist (at least in my mind).  One particular solution in the "more is merrier" camp will produce the likely winner.

Happy Holidays!

Weather wise, Christmas 2017 is shaping up much like Christmas 2016.  That is, snow on the ground and bloody cold outside temperatures.  With those conditions, a White Christmas is almost certain.  As I type out this post, the sun is low on the southern horizon in the northern, midwinter sky.  Clear skies allow the slight, warming rays of the winter sun to penetrate my south facing office window and alight on my keyboard.  The sun's faint warmth in 10 degree F conditions is magnified by the glass in the window providing a perfect situation for enjoying a bit of tranquility before the delightful chaos that accompanies Christmas festivities arrives.

Perhaps it is time for a long winter's nap?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Ashigaru Yari in 15mm

It has been a very long time since any 15mm Feudal Japanese figures have passed across the painting desk.  Better late than never, right?  The collection has not seen any tabletop action in an even longer period of time.  What motivated me to push these into the painting queue now?  I really cannot say.  The packs caught my eye on a recent rummage through The Lead Pile.  Often that is the only trigger needed to snap into action.  

Off the painting desk is the first of two Ashigaru spear units.  Figures are from Peter Pig's excellent Feudal Japan Samurai range.  Like most of the Samurai and Ashigaru figures from Peter Pig, the sashimono is cast onto the figure.  A detail I quite like.  No fiddling around to attach a banner to figure.  Even with a simple and stylistic clan emblem, the figures stand out on the gaming table. 

While the figures have not seen action on the gaming table recently, I enjoyed games using both Samurai Battles and Impetvs with the armies mustered.  Using Impetvs, both gridded and non-gridded versions have been tried.  Modifying Impetvs to work on a grid produced intriguing results using simple mechanisms to convert from non-grid to grid.  I am reconsidering the gridded approach and working to codify some of the mechanisms developed and tried during those playtests.  My game notes, thus far, have proven elusive.  Perhaps if the figures get back onto the grid, it may all come back.