Happy New Year 2024/2025

 Happy New Year, where did 2024 go? It's been a busy year, both hobby and otherwise.

First up, last year in numbers. I managed to paint

• 181 infantry
• 63 cavalry
• 3 Bigger beasties
• 2 tiny ones
• 17 objectives and general scatter terrain
• 1 bigger piece of terrain
• 4 markers

Thus beating my stated goal of 240 models, with some margin (and a decent portion of those models were cavalry, which really should count for 2...). So how did the projects I had intended go? Well...

The French ran into a bit of a blockage, and I will have to pick them up once SAGA Age of Chivalry has finally arrived (tentative release: 12th of January), when I can take a look and figure out what they want for figures. (Still, I have painted almost all the figures I had assembled, so I count that as a win).

The Undead got down-prioritized, but still managed to acquire a decent start with 4 SAGA points worth of resurrected bodies (3 points of Warriors and 1 point of Mindless, the Undead special Levies). Not too bad, should get a decent speed going once things clear up.

The English got a severe case of feature creep, and are nominally not finished. But the only things missing are 12 infantrymen (Warriors, styled as Burgundian allies... that I need to figure out some good heraldry for) and 6 Mounted Knights. They already have 48 Archers (so I can run them as pure archers for SAGA) and 15 Men-at-Arms, as well as the Warlord, so are more than ready for play.

 The Italo-Normans are... not quite finished, but I've got 7 points and a Warlord ready, so once again, ready for play. The only thing missing is more ranged units (both Bows and Crossbows, for when they substitute in as Crusaders of Spanish), and a few armored infantry (just in case). Still, that's 33 figures in total. Thankfully, I found a good way to paint them that's fairly quick...

Also, they were finished as the Warband Challenge for SAGA Thorsday (excellent youtube-channel and SAGA community), so got painted as 1 point per month. With that done (and nailed), the last ones can hopefully be done in rapid succession.

 As for everything else... there were some big things (a Mammoth mech for Archon Studios, and a Slann from Games Workshop).

Some individual things (Ching Shih and Julie d'Aubigny, community miniatures from Bad Squiddo Games)

And even some uniformed things (after I had listened too much to Sabatons Field of Verdun) (Wargames Atlantic French Infantry)

 All in all, not bad, and I managed to avoid stalling out by switching around what I was painting.

 Now then, that was 2024. What forf 2025?

First up, no definite limit on how many minis I'm going to paint. Instead, I have plans to paint things that do not divy up into individual minis like that, in smaller scales (13.5mm Epic Hail Caesar, with 10-20 figures to a stand, for example, or Warmaster in 10mm, with 8-10). I also have many more larger models that I want to get to, and they obviously take longer than a single 28mm human (that Slann took forever...).

But of course, there are a few projects I intend to get to.

First up, the 4 from last year, since they're not quite finished: English and French for the 100 Years War, Undead, and Italo-Normans. Two of those should be fairly rapid, at least. The Undead have a dragon that I'm not sure quite how to paint...

Then, expand my actual SAGA collection into new ages with Saxons (for Age of Invasions) and the Teutonic Order (for Crusades), since they recently got a nice buff in the new FAQ... the Saxons should be easy and fast, but the Teutons... not so much (with all options, I'm going to need more than 100 models... I'll try to deal with them one unit at a time, and get them game-ready ASAP). Possibly, I'll also sneak in some Irish, once again on the theory that they "should be quick to paint".

 Outside of SAGA, there's some opponents for those Frenchmen (I've also been listening to Sabatons Stormtroopers...). Dead Mans Hand is a recurring game at the club during the summers, so at least one gang of cowboys (or close enough) seems appropriate. And the Pirate gene is itching again, so I might get to expanding my Blood & Plunder collection some more (just need to pressgang some people to play with). And somehow, I accidentally acquired some models for Flames of War, and the flame for it almost rekindled. We'll see what happens if those manage to get some paint.

And of course, there's going to be plenty of random and semi-random minis sprinkled throughout. I have some ideas for following more artsy theme-months (such as Smaugust, painting a dragon for August). We'll see how that works out.

Once again, Happy New Year.

/Fool, Out

SAGA Age of Chivalry English

 I should know better than to launch a load of big projects at the same time. Well, at least one of them's finally been "finished" (not quite, as always with me, but good enough to showcase at least). It did of course grow in the making. I am nothing if not consistently expansive. Anyway, some English (or "goddamns", as the French called them)

The English were initially intended as small secondary force against my main French force for Blood & Crowns, as well as SAGA Age of Chivalry. I should have known... this now compromises 10 points in SAGA, and god only knows how much for B&C.

First up is the big cheese (or perhaps the big fish), the Warlord/Noble leading this rabble. All the figures are mounted on individual 20x20mm bases, saboted into a bigger base for SAGA (but detached for B&C). Do note how he's also gotten an extra big flag, to make it a bit special (despite just being a George Cross).

If the Warlord's the big fish, these has to be the chips. The Men-at-Arms, in plate armor and with a variety of can openers (and some banners, because it's not a late medieval army if there's not a plethora of waving flags). The sharp eyed might notice that one of them has the same heraldry as the warlord. I might have gotten ideas for a new warlord after already having painted one. Which then got degraded to some kind of secondary hero (depending on what options will be available in Age of Chivalry).

And then there is the mainstay of the English. Ranks upon ranks (upon ranks, upon ranks...) of Longbowmen behind stakes. Age of Chivalry will even have rules for the Stakes, so I had to make some markers (50x25mm bases, so they're easy to transport, and can also allow for some modularity in case other games use different dimensions). Since the Perry kits these are all built from come with the stakes, these were quite simple to make.

And then some more Longbowmen, these in somewhat more skirmishing poses, serving as a bit of an elite (in case I need to make such a distinction).

And next-to-last, some more Longbowmen. Someone suggested that the English needed to be at least tried to be played with 6 SAGA points of archers. And I couldn't resist. These fellows are even more elite than the skirmishers, showcasing some Veterans with access to plate armor (for their legs, at least. Presumably, they want their arms free to work those bows).

For a fun alternative, I also did some mounted archers, carefully painted to correspond to the Veterans as close as possible, as if they had just jumped up on some nearby horses to ride off (English archers were often mounted for rapid movement, only dismounting once in position).

Some of the longbowmen have put back or laid down their bows and grabbed weapons for closer ranges, so if need be, I can field 12 men for melee (or they'll just fit in among the regular archers), giving some modularity.

But that's how I managed to get a full army, and then some, before the book was even released. Now to expand them with some burgundian mercenaries (as normal Warriors, and maybe some Mounted Men-at-Arms) for Blood & Crowns... and maybe so I can use them as Burgundians in Age of Chivalry, too.The "small, secondary" army just keeps growing. Oops?

/Fool Out

New Year 2023/2024

 Happy New Year!

I didn't write one of these last year (because, frankly, 2022 felt like a horrible year), but lets try to get back into things, 2023 felt like the year when I got the painting mojo back. Two projects got finished after way too long, and a third one was both begun and finished.

First up, my SAGA Carthaginians finally got to a playable state.

Since they're SAGA Carthaginians, they can do with some more figures, but this has given me a taste of what I might want, so they will be expanded... eventually.

And then, I could finally reveal my major project, Napoleonic British

Just the first (well, 2nd) Brigade, for now, but there should be more coming there. Also, eventually (I think part of what made 2022 so bad, was that I painted a lot of these, which I then didn't want to reveal... and also, those red coats are a pain)

And then, the hobby gods smiled at me, and I both started, and finished, the "Anglo-Danes" that I bought for 2022... that ended up as a shit-ton of Anglo-Saxons instead.

That was a good feeling, getting all those done in more or less one go. They're not quite finished (I have ideas for another 36 figures), but they do quite good enough for now.

Of course, these weren't everything I got painted, only the biggest projects. There were also a variety of Vikings

(A few hearthguards, a banner bearer, some Levy with Javelins, and a hero).

Also, some Wargames Atlantic Conquistadors (very colorful fellows)...

...as well as a few Azteks for them to fight and/or ally with.

(None of them are intended for strictly historical purposes, for now they'll make a good warband for Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago if that ever picks up at the club again)

In more Frostgrave-related stuff, there were some big, fuzzy fellows.

(The club has started a Wildwoods campaign, and I felt a hankering for some thing pre-historic)

And I even got a piece of terrain done!

(Yes, it IS huge)

Because I'm slightly masochistic (it seems), I also painted up some Highlanders, for those napoleonics (my, so far, single ahistorical addition, other than these, I'm sticking to the officila OrBat for 3rd Division in 1812)

Gordon Highlanders. Half a battalion as I do them. So I need to paint another 20 sooner or later... (I jest a bit, I'm not that traumatized, even if these fine fellows took me 2 months).

And in a sudden christmas rush, I started 10 English 1400s Men-at-Arms on Christmas Day. And got them finished in time for New Year

I don't know quite how it happened, but I certainly aint complaining.

Add in a variety of one-offs, random adventurers, some more monsters, and some smaller expansions for old armies, and I end the year on 

• 244 approximately human-sized figures
  
• 25 cavalry (or about that size)
• 5 bigger beastie (or things on bigger bases, at least, including the fuzzies up above)
• 1 Piece of Terrain
• 3 Saga Objectives

Not bad at all, if I say so myself.

For next year, I'll set a two-part goal. The most important one, that I think I have a chance of fulfilling, is to simply paint at least 240 minis in total (averaging 20/month). If I keep going like I've done this year, it should definitely be doable. Especially considering some of the projects I have in mind.

What are those projects, then?

Well, 4 different SAGA warbands (one of which I've already started)

• English for Age of Chivalry (that's those Men-at-Arms above, as well as some more, and lots of longbowmen), which will also do double duty for Blood & Crowns (I do so love when one project gives more than one army in the end
• French, also for Age of Chivalry, as well as Blood & Crowns. I have a few already painted, an old project that petered out into nothing.
• Undead Legion, for Age of Magic. I accidentally painted up 3 zombies in 2023, and got a hankering for more... also, I have some excellent Necromancers, creatures, and a dragon that I now have an excuse to paint and use
• Normans, for Age of Vikings, doing extra duty as either Spanish or Crusaders for Age of Crusades. I already have Normans, but with the new Victrix releases, I feel a need to redo these. And while I'm at it, I might as well do them more Italo-Norman, and make them suitable for a variety of uses.
• Something Napoleonic. Either a brigade of Portuguese (my initial plan), or perhaps just enough Frenchmen to have two forces for Sharp Practice, and get some actual games in with that.
  

That should give me plenty to do. And the best part is, I have pretty much everything I need for that already (unless I go with the French), so I'll even reduce the Pile of Shame!

Once more, Happy New Year

/Fool, out

SAGA - They were supposed to be Anglo-Danes

 So. I had a bright idea in late 2021. Get some Victrix Late Saxon/Anglo Dane Huscarls, and I'd have an Anglodane warband for SAGA. Excellent! Small, cheap, easy to paint with their lots of chainmail... Well, it didn't quite go according to plan. First I realised that I wanted some Levy with Bows as well. And some warriors would be useful...

But hey, I did get my Anglodanes out of it. Just, also an Anglosaxon warband. That, hilariously enough, doesn't use any of those huscarls I bought first. No, not even the warlord, unless I absolutely want to.

First up, those huscarls. They do look good, and cool with those daneaxes of them (and I'm an old SAGA player, I remember when those axes where the thing for Anglodanes, their reason for being and what only they got)

Of course, not all huscarls has to use big honking axes. Sometimes, shields are useful, too. (Shield decals from Little Big Men, via Victrix, for all the models).

And then, those Levy with Bows. So far, so good.

And after that, the Warriors... those are a lot of Warriors... (25, to be precise, including one with a banner, just in case).

... and I had bits over for some poorer Warriors, too. A.k.a. Melee Levy for the Anglosaxons (distinguished by having axes instead of swords, as well as mostly single colour shields).

So that gives me 5 points of non-HG Anglosaxons. But one point of Hearthguard isn't exactly useful for them. And I wasn't quite out of non-armored bodies...

So let's get some mercenaries. Gall-Gaedhil, to be precise, a mix between Vikings and Irish, with the temperament you'd expect from that (let's call it... explosive). It helps that they're currently very useful in SAGA.

And Anglosaxons can make use of 8-packs of Hearthguards. Especially if they're mounted, so I converted up some such (using Victrix Late Roman Cavalry as a base, with Late Saxon heads, arms, shields, and in a few places, I cut of the Roman torsos and added Saxons instead...)

Finally, then, the Warlord. It began as a transport solution, and ended up maximising variability. There's a flagbearer, if you want your warlord to have the banner. There's a priest or musician, if those feel like they'd fit (or they can be used as a Bard and a Priest). There are more or less fancy warlords both with and without daneaxe.

So you can have an Anglosaxon noblewoman leading the local Fyrd, with an advisor...

Or the Queen of Mercia, carrying royal standard and leading the Great Fyrd...

Or an anglodanish earl, showing his neighbours what's what...

Or possibly even king Cnut, or one of his heirs, marching forth to keep the North Sea Empire...

The options truly are endless there.

All in all, a very fun force, and not too difficult to paint once I actually got going (took me about 6 months once I painted the first huscarls... nevermind how long they laid in the Pile of Shame). I have a few expansions in mind for them (while the warriors can serve as levy, for an all-levy force, I could have some more. And perhaps some additional Archers to that. And Angry Monks would be both fun and dangerous with this lot...) but for now, the force is finished. It's also seen the table, and proven to be hard, but not unbeatable, and very fun to play.

/Fool Out.

SAGA - Carthaginians sweeping through

 At long last, I've finished my Carthaginians for SAGA: Age of Hannibal. Well, they're at a playable size, at least. This looks like one of those armies that have all the options, and you want at least 75% of them. But it's enough to get them on the table, and figure out how to prioritize what next to get.

Have I mentioned how I do not like painting horses? As you might see, there's quite a bit of horses in there. But it's 6 points, and I even have a few options already (not shown above)

First up, the Warlord. Mounted, of course. A kitbash between Victrix Greek/Macedonian Heavy Cavalry (horse, body, and cloak), Republican Roman Cavalry (the arms), and a head from the Warriors of Carthage. But he looks cool, and that's the important bit.

Next up is of course the Hearthguards, citizens of Carthage following their leader, and providing a heavy punch. A mix of Greek Heavy Cavalry and Republican Roman Cavalry (presumably, some of them weren't above a bit of looting), once again with heads from Warriors of Carthage.

Keeping up with the horse folks, what would Carthaginians be without some Numidian Light Cavalry? 5+7, some of them painted the normal way, some painted with Army Painter Speed Paints (making my horse-related woes significantly smaller).

And of course, what would Carthaginians be without an elephant? (Yes, I know, Hannibal did most of his best work without them, but it's the visuals... and an easy point)

Carthaginians also had some fairly skilled skirmishers. For now, I'm satisfied with 8, and will run them as counts-as either Thureophoroi or Samnite Mercenaries (gives them a bit more of an elite feel than garden variety Levies).

Talking about Levies (or possibly Mercenaries). Slingers! Could be Balearic ones (Mercenaries), or more regular ones (and thus ordinary Carthaginian Levies). Will probably depend on how many other mercenaries I decide to field, how these will do their job...

Finally. some additional options (because Victrix Warriors of Carthage comes with a whole lot of infantry, that looks great, but doesn't seem all that useful to field). Some spearmen in hoplite armor, who'll probably stand in for the "usual" 4 man Warrior cheerleader unit. In due time (when I paint more), they might get to stand in as Mercenary Hoplites, too.

And last of all, some veteran spearmen with looted roman armor and shields. Looks awesome, would make for stellar Hearthguard... if you wanted foot hearthguard, which I doubt you want. But I do have the option, if I change my mind, so that's not bad.

Suffice to say, I have plans for at least as many units again, but for now, these can take a rest, and I can just game with them (which might rekindle the flame, making me paint more...). Just need to figure out how to transport them in a compact way over the Alps (or the local hills)...

/Fool Out