Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Now what?

I find myself at a pause and a bit melancholy, not least because an old frend is ailing. Well not that old, he's only 15 but thats older than me when converted to human years of expected life, anyway enough of that for now, never count an old campaigner out until his last breath is drawn.

Since the next few weeks will see many non-hobby claims on my time and energy it seems like a good time to pause and have a bit of a review and see if there's any solo games that I feel I ought to play before year's end as well as looking at the nearly empty workbench to see what should follow once the 2 newly cast limber horses and limber parts are done.

So far this year most of the important parts of my collection have had an outing with the most glaring ommission being the Prince Valiant Elastolins. Technically the 16thC figures have not been out either but since I played a Google hangout game with hosted by Rob, I have at leaast played the period. I'll have to put some thought into a new Prince Michael adventure and hopefully finish the new figures that have been lurking at the back of the painting desk. I think I'll aim for mid December and will consider the possibility of a multi-player hangout or skype game.

Beyond that its wide open. I think I have had enough of the Great War for now despite not having finished enough storical British for the intended scenario but there is always  next year. I'm ready  now to move on to a less historical setting where Toy Soldiers stay shiny  and there are no gas attacks, no mud and misery and being buried alive nor  any widows. &nbsp

The first step will be to plan out what the first mini-campaign will be, something involving ambushes of convoys I think, and what figures I will need. My money is on a return to Oom Bob and the Oerberg affair.  I need to work on a backstory that will not involve me casting and assembling scores of horses and converting every rider. 
posted from Bloggeroid

14 comments:

  1. Hi Ross:
    Hope your friend gets better soon and that better spirits soon return to you. I suspect I know what you mean.
    "a less historical setting where Toy Soldiers stay shiny and there are no gas attacks, no mud and misery and being buried alive nor any widows" - I must say I like the sound of that. :)
    Cheers,
    M

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  2. Dear Ross,
    I second Michael's hope for a quick recovery for your young friend. It is always troubling to contemplate the fact that someone who has not had an opportunity to experience life has been brought up short by illness.
    As for the next project, what is your creative process? Could it help simply to pull out figures with which you'd like to play and let ideas emerge from them. If it's colonials, could you have a mini-campaign concerning bringing reinforcements to the besieged fortress of Tantrapur? Or if you are going back to the Atlantica period, you could have one force threaten a forward border post and a relief column approach. Small maps and small forces could bring you to the new year. Of course if medievals are your period of choice you could have one force raid a manorial church being visited by a local noblewoman who is subsequently kidnapped. The local castle guard is raised to attempt to safely retrieve her.
    Lots of fun in any case. And keep a good thought - your young friend does have the resiliance of youth on his side.
    Jerry
    "grumpy is good."

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    1. thanks Jerry, I appearto have been unintentionally misleading. My companion is not ancient but 15 is not young for a cat either.

      As for creative process, the starting point this time will be to look at what I have to work with, think about the sort of game I want, piched battle, diege, skirmish prtit guerre etc and then look at the gap in resources between have and need then cross reference with what I am interested in doing. That will give methe setting. From therei will pick a scenario and work on a backstory.

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    2. Dear Ross,

      This isn't Horace is it?

      Jerry

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    3. Yes gallant Hector, named for the Trojan Hero who has graced this blog from time to time.

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  3. I third Michael and second Jerry. Pull out the figures and have some games ,perhaps some more ancients/medievals...
    Cheers
    Alan

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    1. thanksAlan,it could be 2 - 3 eeeks before I have time andspace for a game but I hope to get a bit of painting in.

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  4. Ross Mac,

    Sorry to hear that your cat is not as well as they might be. Sue and I hope that the situation resolves itself with a positive outcome as soon as possible.

    At least you have been working on some form of wargaming recently ... which is more than I have managed for the last six months. I have lots of ideas for scenarios, but somehow just don't seem to have to motivation to fight a wargame. I know that it will come eventually, but I just don't know when.

    All the best,

    Bob

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    1. Thank you for the good wishes for Hector. Hopefully the gaming muse will find you.

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  5. Ross,
    I continue to enjoy reading your blog. I finally got those ECW highlanders base up http://www.guildwargamers.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=369&t=35531&p=383585&sid=5233682cb8daa2acbd31d9aa197a7e7f. I am very happy with the results. I am also in a painting lull. I have been trying to finish off the the first stage of my project to update the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives data base of American volunteers. I finished on Veterans day. I need to get back to the reborn ECW project. I have a small horde of cavalry awaiting final brush strokes and three additional foot units that I would like to finish before the new year.

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  6. Sorry to hear about your ailing friend, Hector. My no so old long-haired orange cat developed a very bad respiratory illness a couple of years ago and passed away after a long struggle. Best wishes to Hector!

    I good "clean" and "shiny toy soldier" campaign sounds like a good idea.

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  7. My best wishes for Hector. In the past few years we lost both George (aged 19) and Princess (aged 17) so it is certainly possible for Hector to rally and be with you for a few more years . . . and I certainly hope that occurs. . . and he will always be with us with your masthead photo.


    -- Jeff

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  8. Best wishes to Hector. My cat - Napier - was not so lucky as to reach old age, but I have many happy memories of the times we shared.
    Arthur

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