Sunday 25 March 2012

Seven Years War Non-project Begins

I'm going to call this pile of lead a non-project. What is the difference between a project and a non-project? A project supersedes all other painting and is the focus of paintbrush attention; a project has a finishing date; a non-project has neither.

Although a lot of the pile constitutes new units (perhaps 30) a good deal will be used to upgrade infantry units from 16 figures to 24 figures. I have never been happy with the basing method decided on by the Ilkley Lads, though it did get lots of units on the table quickly, but I conformed. Now I choose to rebel!!!!

Below are some shots of the first two 24 man units, each with 8 newly painted figures attached to them. The first photo shows before and after. Before, the figures were based 4 to a stand measuring 40mm frontage by 50mm deep. Now they are based 6 to a stand measuring 45mm frontage and 50mm deep. I think you will agree that the density (50% more figures on an extra 12% frontage) is much more SYW looking.




My first target will be to upgrade enough units to play scenario 12, Flank Attack, Scenarios for Wargamers, by Charles Grant. It is based on Leuthen. The forces will be Prussian (red) Vs Russian (blue) with cavalry increased by 50%. It shouldn't take too long to knock out the units.

10 comments:

Broeders said...

I thought I had a lot of unpainted metal!

Nate said...

Looking great so far. Where are the flags from?

Secundus said...

Lovely painting ! I know the pain of rebasing and the trouble it can cause. I have my French napoleonics based four to a base and the erge to rebase them six to a base has made me stop in my tracks. I spent a fortune buying new bases 60mm wide and 40mm deep but decided they were too large to put the regiments in line with. A result of all this tooing and frooing meant that I just stopped what i was doing and had to move on to another era. I did try the 60mm bases with my ACW collection but there too decided they were just too large to work with so went back to 40mmx40mm.
It seems like every new game that comes out has a new base size and figure count. It's hard sometimes not to get swept up in the moment and start rebasing armies. Warhammer Waterloo with its 6 figures to a base has really slowed me up, I had just rebased the entire army a year before. Sigh...

Dalauppror said...

Looking good ! with 45mm front and 5-6 minis/base:)

Looking forward to follow this project !

Best regards Dalauppror

Sean said...

I agree the denser basing looks nicer.

BigRedBat said...

I very much like the denser basing!

Simon

JAMES ROACH said...

Hi Nate,

The flags were scanned from books and hand painted in enamels.

Castigator said...

I agree with your decision. The new basing looks great! Our hobby is definitely about the art and visual impression the units give.

Dave

NW Crew said...

Wow. It looks great with dense basing like that.
/Mattias

DHC Wargames said...

Lovely work there! Big thumbs up!