The Final Painting Progress Chart Update. . .

Above, you'll see the final Grand Duchy of Stollen painting progress chart update.  My mathematics might be off by a few numbers here and there, but nevertheless, the units are all finished and waiting to assemble for battle in a few weeks' time once the "Which Tabletop Battle Should They Fight?" poll ends.  If you have not yet voted for a particular scenario, please do so by January 31st at the upper right-hand corner of the GD of S homepage.  So far, Sittangbad remains in the lead (not, I hasten to add, "lead."  Get it?), but there is still plenty of time for one of the Charles S. Grant scenarios to come from behind. 

I've also been sorting through the pile of lead and plastic here in Zum Stollenkeller, and it looks like it's enough to keep me busy for another couple of years at least if you factor in the additional bridges I want to scratch-build along with a planned dozen or so pontoon, baggage, and ammunition wagons or carts, which I'll also build from scratch.  I'll use RSM95 teams and drivers for these along with a few by Minden.  Anyway, here's what is in the pile already, or will be added to it shortly:

30 RSM95 Prussian Hussars (To be converted into uhlans by simple addition of lances)
30 RSM95 Prussian Dragoons (These will need horses)
30 Spencer Smith Dragoons (plastics in the classic charge pose)
61 RSM95 Prussian Musketeers
21 RSM 95 Austrian Grenadiers (I'll eventually purchase 60 additional RSM Musketeers to form an 80-strong Bavarian Regiment, which will join the Army of Zichenau)
40+ RSM95 and Minden Austrian Grenzers

13 RSM and Minden Artillery Crew and Two Guns
Various odd Holger Eriksson and RSM95 figures
Various Staff Mounted and on Foot


On another note, I have made the momentous decision to mount my figures on bases over the next several months to save time and effort in moving them on the gaming table.  I'll probably use the base dimensions set out by Peter Gilder in his In the Grand Manner ruleset -- I have always loved the look of those old games at The Enchanted Cottage -- but I'll tweak things a bit so I can remove single casualties before an entire base of eight infantry or three cavalry need removal.  Skirmishers will be based in close order but two to a base.  I'll just move them apart to form open order skirmish screens in woods or on the flanks.  Generals and staff will be on bases of two-four figures.  Artillery crews and aides de camp will remain unbased.  

There are, naturally, a few more details to work out with all of this as I go along, but it should speed up the pace of my games appreciably.  Henry Hyde's recent efforts to base his huge collection of Spencer Smiths as well as Charles S. Grant's extremely well-presented "new" armies, as seen in recent Wargaming in History titles and the Wargamers' Annuals, have been the main impetus behind my decision.  Monkey see, monkey do and all that you know.  Oh, and speaking of Henry, if you have not already done so, visit and bookmark his new blog, Henry Hyde's Wargaming Blog.

Now, one of you asked several weeks ago, before the Christmas period, how various 25-30mm makes of 18th century miniatures stacked up against each other.  I have not forgotten!  It is just taking me a little time to round up some links to others' blogs that feature several comparison photographs.  As soon as I have all of those, I'll post an entry here with the requisite links.

Last of all, no painting this evening!  The Grand Duchess, Young Master Paul, and I have been invited to an early dinner this evening at a colleague's house two blocks away.  It will give us a nice chance to bundle up the Young Master and walk with him through about four inches of snow that is covering our neighborhood right now.  I realize lots of people hate the stuff, but to me, nothing is prettier than a winter landscape with a nice blanket of white snow covering everything and some crisp, cold winter air.  Alas, it's not quite enough snow to visit a nearby state park and clip into the ol' Nordic (cross-country) skis this weekend, but we are already discussing when to present a first pair of skis to our son in the not-too-distant future, which provides something fun to daydream about in the meantime.