Sunday 9 October 2016

Dragoon update

Those five Prussian Dragoons are still on my painting desk and I’m gently easing them towards completion. I’ve noticed that I’m slowing down as I approach the point where I will have to add all those white buttons. However I still hope to have them ready in time for the Leipzig game.

It’s over ten years since I started this project (and nearly ten years since I started this blog) and I have to confess that I am running out of steam a bit now. A roll call reveals that I have 23 units of infantry (including my skirmish units), 11 of cavalry and 9 artillery batteries and that’s more than enough figures for one-on-one or solo games. The balance is a little off with the French being outnumbered but this can always be rectified by some unorthodox alliances.

I still have a fair few units that I want to paint including more Old Guard infantry, Brunswick infantry, Eclaireurs, and of course more Prussians but strictly speaking I don’t actually need them in order to play a decent game. It all comes down to painting time I guess!

11 comments:

lewisgunner said...

Send some off for painting! Otherwise the ghost of the lead pile will haunt you!

Stryker said...

Roy - that is one solution however if I did I might find that the ghost of the bank balance haunts me instead!

KEV. Robertson. said...

Ian,
There is one thing I've learnt over the years in Model Making/ Gaming -and that is to set short term goals for a Project that ARE achievable. I tend to work in Blocks- for example I may choose to do an Infantry Regiment (24 figs) and say: "This is to-days job...do all the painting complete by to-night and tomorrow finish the bases and lacquering for completion"...I work at it all day to meet the 'Goal'. I'm not concerned with the overall 'pile' of things to do - I just concentrate on one small part of it. Anyways- this is how I've survived getting things done. Hope my thoughts might be worth something to you. Cheers. KEV.

Stryker said...

Kev - I probably would work best the way you describe but my problem is that a whole day painting just isn't possible for me. On average I might get 3-4 evenings per week with 1.5 hrs time per session. It probably takes me at least 1 hour per infantry figure so you can see the problem! Over 10 years I've averaged 72 figures per year (and some of those were painted by others) so it is a very slow process. Maybe I'll have a bit more time in retirement but will my eyes be up to it then!!!

Wellington Man said...

but, but. but....the Austrians, the Austrians! I seem to recall you had hordes of those!

Matt said...

You have an enviable collection already...perhaps if you consider each new unit as something of a "treat" to add between your newer projects then it is still a work in progress and not a tie?

Stryker said...

Matt B - yes you're right I do have a few more Austrians, perhaps a unit of Uhlans would be good!

Matt G - I think you have the answer there!

Simon said...

I too have lulls, especially during the summer when outdoor activities take over but I find it picks up again when Autumn and winter set in. I've not long retired and thankfully the eyesight is still up to the task. I do try to vary painting alternately to French then allied, infantry then cavalry and something that requires a bit more research to maintain the interest. I look forward to your blog and hope you keep it going, regards Simon

Stryker said...

Hi Simon - thanks for that. There's no question of me giving up the blog as the lead pile is still way too high, I may just slow down slightly!

James Fisher said...

Yeah, but you have to have the right ones for Leipzig, hey Ian?!

We are with you in planning towards a game of that most epic of all Napoleonic battles. I figure that once we have the figures for that, there won't be many gaps at all--save for early uniform types, damn! :)

Stryker said...

James - I do have some early uniform type French, thanks for reminding me!!!