T his weekend, the question of what, precisely, constitutes an "imagination" came up in an online forum of which I am a part. To be fair, the issue originates from further afield in a Facebook group that I am not a member of, but I weighed in with my own view. The following was in response to the question posed yesterday (Sunday) morning by an exasperated member of my own rather more gentlemanly town square, who had been met with a strident response to information he shared about his (admirable) hobby activities on said FB group. Here is, more or less, what I wrote: To my mind, the concept of imagi-nation(s) is a broad one. It can range from historical refights or what-if scenarios/battles/campaigns between armies of a particular era, to completely made up combatants operating in a quasi-historical setting, to the rather generic red and blue forces of the Prussian Kriegspiel that examine a particular tactical problem, task, or exercise. ...
By popular request, here are a few panoramic "artist's renderings" of the respective armies as they take their positions outside Saegewerkdorf, scene of the coming battle. In the distance, to the west, you can see the vile Stagonian army, still sorting itself out from the forced march to the field. And in the foreground, the Army of Stollen, under the craven General von Drosselmaier, awaits its fate. 
Here is another sketch, this time of the Stollenian positions just to the east of Saegewerkdorf. Someone must tell those two sapper officers and that obnoxious little geezer on the drum to climb down off of their bottle caps. Why, it just isn't very manly!
Finally, here is a third sketch, by an obviously tipsy artist (You just can't find good help anymore, can you?), of the Stagonian positions to the west of the village. From bottom to top, the vile and varigated army includes: two squadrons of hussars, a two-compant battalion of grenzer, a four-company regiment of grenadiers, a two-company battalion of sappers, two-companies of a fusilier regiment, a two-gun battery, an independent company of infantry, and a three- squadron regiment of horse grenadiers. General von Drosselmaier across the battlefield certainly has his work cut out for him!
Comments
Looks tough, but push on boys, and give 'em hell!
(Anyone taking bets on this one? I've got Stollen down as 2-1 favourites).
Steve.
Are thse plastic trees? They look very good, are they available from anyone?
John
You confirm something I have noticed since commencing SYW gaming, that selecting a lighter shade of green for terrain boards sets off the figures much better. I have had much good service from my TSS tiles but they fall down in this respect, being just a bit too dark in shade. I noticed this at the last show I attended - the lighter coloured terrain was much more attractive.
And now you've got me wondering if I should get out the satin varnish for my own figures. I like that shiny effect..
Have a great game, Keith Flint.
...and again many thanks for your inspiring table that tipped me into going for the "Old School" look!
Go Stollen !
-- Allan