Sunday 3 August 2014

Translating Blocks into Figures

It has been a relatively quiet and uneventful weekend but I have managed to get in some thinking time - which is always worthwhile in my opinion. I am still waiting for the last of the ships from Stonewall for the Jutland project - once I have these the plan is to get them cleaned up, based and undercoated with a view to tackling the painting once the rebasing of the WW1 collection has been completed.


I am still pondering the WW1 Middle Eastern collection and the basing technique I will use although this will be easier once I have my desert Hexon to hand. I know how I am basing the models but at this stage I am still pondering about the paint job/texturing I shall be using.
 I will be adding to the collection but as everything I will be getting is pretty much an add on rather than essential it will be a more pleasurable experience -especially the painting which I am looking forward to.


For the Nth time I am I am so pleased that I persevered with the block army collection because the gaming experience I gathered has really stood me in good stead for the translation into figures and models. As my games are going to be fought using a grid based playing area in the fashion of Command and Colours I now have a clear idea of the size of actions I can fight and more importantly, the amount of 'kit' I will need. Using the 4/3/2 system of bases per unit works fine although I will probably use markers for hits on artillery, support weapons or vehicles. Had I opted for 10mm then the plan was to have individual bases for these units so, for example, a tank unit would have 3 models.


The armies I will be using are relatively modest in size - usually around a dozen or so units - but with sufficient variety in order cover any eventuality. I suppose rather like an enlarged DBA army with all the options.


It is rather funny in a sense as I had not really thought about using 20mm figures - if you recall I was looking long and hard at 10mm (and had decided on them - to the extent I have some for the Russo Turkish War) - until providence delivered the collection I am now trying to reorganise. My very first adventures in wargames back in the early 1970s were of course using Airfix figures so it is almost going back to my roots in a way. Besides, it will give me an excuse to tackle some kit bashing at long last.


Much to ponder going forwards then.





2 comments:

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Wow, wow, wow here
This seems to be 180 degrees about turn

Something eh 5th Battle Squadron at Jutland would have been prove to achieve

Or is it my imagination?
David please tell!

David Crook said...

Hi Geordie,

Certainly not a 180 degree turn! The situation is quite simple. I am waiting on the last capital ships to arrive from Stonewall and once they do these will be based and undercoated ready for painting - along with the others that are awaiting attention. I will have five batches of ships to complete - 3 x RN and 2 x HSF - which I will tackle once I have completed the rebasing of the WW1 Middle Eastern collection.

Jutland is a long term project so I shall be taking my time over it but the WW1 collection needs to be dealt with sooner rather than later.

Everything is going to plan - except there are now two of them!

All the best,

DC