Friday, May 14, 2010

A Siren's Song --     

I'm sure that it happens to lots of us.  I have masses of lead to paint in a couple of periods that I really like . . . and I'm being tempted to start another period.

I know that I should stick with my SYW and Colonial projects.  I know it.  But . . .

But I'm being tempted by a lot of really nice photos of units and games using ECW troops.  That's the English Civil War for those who might be unfamiliar with it . . . you know, the various conflicts (there were a number of phases) in the mid-17th century.  Not the much earlier War of the Roses (which is what one of our local bookstores thought).

The Quindia series "Collecting a Wargames Army 101" (series of 8 icons about halfway down the page) first excited me.  Then many photos on sites like Angus Konstam's ECW page, Lead Gardens , Steve's Fieldworks, For Ye Kinge and others fueled my interest.

So the "Siren call" has been heard . . . but I don't have any figures (I'll probably opt for the Old Glory Army Deal at some point) and I haven't got a rule set that I like a lot yet . . . so I wouldn't know how many figures to paint for a unit . . . and I haven't read all of the history books that I've already purchased for the period.

So why am I wanting to start painting?

It is that darn Siren.  I'm sure that you've heard similar calls . . . oh, maybe not for the ECW, but for something . . . for some period.

So far I'm resisting.  I am wavering on whether to paint SYW or Colonial figures when Murdock comes over for our paint day . . . but I'm trying not to head that Siren's call.

-- Jeff

13 comments:

marinergrim said...

Plastic jeff - plastic. ECW range from Warlord is really good and the figures are nicely presented - 40 figures for £18 sterling. Good value.

A J said...

I don't think there's a wargamer in the world who hasn't heard the sirens' song of new shiny metal. Seriously, I know what you mean. We played several ECW games at my old club using Old Glory 25mm figures (which are excellent, btw) and Armati rules. It's a period I'd like to get into myself, probably building Scottish armies. One day...

tim said...

Curse that siren, lying b!t¢h! Always promising total satisfaction if you just make a little switch... Don't listen to her - ECW is junk. All those stupid fancy colours - ridiculous! Pikes AND shot - who ever heard of such nonsense!

El Grego said...

Nice try Tim - we know you better than that! :)

ECW is just one of several genres that I would like to pursue...

Bluebear Jeff said...

Paul, I've really not liked those plastics that have needed "assembly" that I've dealt with in the past . . . and many of the blog accounts that I've read have complained about the "fiddly" frustrations they've had with the Warlord assembly.

Yes, the options are wonderful . . . but not at the expense of having to put hundreds of figures together.

Now I'm not saying that I won't try some if I succumb to the Siren's call, but I suspect that I won't build entire armies out of them.


-- Jeff

Capt Bill said...

Resist, resist, resist I say!!!

Fitz-Badger said...

ECW is another period I've long been interested in. Have a few books, but no minis yet.
But my next project, which I'm starting to ease into, is Colonial (NW Frontierish).

Gallia said...

Hi Jeff,
Four years ago was when Der Alte and I went to Keith's to play with Peter Gilder's Sudan collection residing in northern Illinois. Not long after that I came up with a plan suited to my situation to obtain satisfactory closure for a brand new time period; NW Frontier Colonial. Some are familiar with the result on the Campaigns of General Pettygree blog.
----------------
Da Plan:

1. Two years to field substantial forces for both sides. It took two months longer to obtain this result for first solo and small participatory games. I painted, so did a friend in the UK plus a lot of natives were done by Neil's company, Reinforcements By Post in Bangladesh. No way I could have gotten this done alone.

2. One more year to add extra whatevers using the above painters and also encouraging Der Alte to add a battalion of Highlanders.

Otherwise in my case it would have dragged on for years with lots of wondering whys I started anything new along the way; a big project that is.

Best wishe and declare Sir,
Are you for King or Parliament?
Bill

Prince Lupus said...

The Agony and the Ecstacy of wargaming. (I recall the guy in the film painted even larger than 28mm)

We've had a go at the rules generously offered on the Quindia web site and with a couple of tweeks, to make them simple enough for us, provided a game with (what we thought) was an ECW feel. They pretty much let you choose how many figures you want in a unit.

We have also been using Basic Impetus Baroque version although they a little more generic in feel they are always fun.

abdul666 said...

Dispersion! To try to do too many things at once is a sure recipe for bitter disappoinment: nothing makes substantial, stimulating progress.

Snickering Corpses said...

I've been trying to ignore that siren song myself, but was somewhat set back in my ignoring by the inclusion of four boxes of Thirty Years War figures in a group of plastics I acquired from another gamer many months ago. Still haven't cracked them open and started forming units, but it may only be a matter of time...

MurdocK said...

I have always found that having a particular table top action to plan for works best for me in both motivation, organization and internal "pressure" to completions.

Since you have the TCW rules in such an advanced state, may I suggest working on more completions in that range?

Ken said...

I have just this evening finished a 48-figure regiment of Covenanter foot in 10mm. Our group is about to play its first ECW game July 9 (using For God, King, and Country). Fortunately, another of us has rather more figures painted than I do.