Figures - Plan of attack

I don't want to get ahead of myself. Viewing this as one LARGE project carries with it some small measure of self-intimidation. And, as readers of my other blog (Ramblings of a Distracted Wargamer) will know, I don't have a good track record of finishing projects I begin. I get distracted by the "next great project," and depressed by the amount of work remaining for the current project.

So, I plan to just paint figures a small unit at a time. I'll choose what to paint next based on how much the addition of the unit, or the piece of terrain, will add to the quality of the games I can play with them. Setting these milestones in this way will, I hope, motivate me to make progress.

"The Plan," then looks something like this:

1) Finish off my first unit of infantry. All these need are finished bases and a matte overcoat to dull the sheen and protect the paint. These guys are Gobbelani line infantry - the unit led by Our Hero, Nazim Nuri-agha.

2) A unit of southern auxiliaries. These use the same figures as the Gobbelani line infantry, but a different paint scheme. OK, these will serve in the Gobbelah army as well, but they'll stand in for the enemy in the first games. Why? Well, the choice is made for me by one fact: they're the only figures I have yet. More are coming in the mail, but won't be here in time to avoid this compromise.

That's enough figures to play my first skirmish games. I have some plastic trees from a craft store (I think they were made for decorating cakes), and with the addition of some large stones, I have enough terrain to have a few rough encounters in the mountains near the main town, Grabalotsa. Milestone 1 complete!

3) Assemble and paint one of the log house models I bought from Pegasus.



OK, now we can play games involving a little more hard cover. Milestone 2 complete! Yes, yes, these are modest milestones, but such things will keep me painting and playing, I think.

4) I have a feeling these trees of mine aren't going to stand up well. That's going to get frustrating pretty quickly. Also, they look like plastic. So, mount the trees on appropriate fender washers. Base them just like the infantry. Find a way to paint them quickly...might just spray them black and dry brush them dark green...we'll see.

5) Assemble and paint another log house. I figure I'll be able to get all this done before the next batch of figures arrives in the mail. So, largely I chose this step because I'll be running out of things to paint and add to the games at this point.

6) The first troops to arrive will be a box of HaT Russian Militia, and a box of Orion Ukranian Cossack cavalry. I'll start into these with a unit of twelve Molotovnik infantry with muskets.

Now I've got some actual opposing infantry, so I'll get a few more skirmishes in, on the Molotov frontier. Milestone 3 complete!

7) Add a unit of six Molotovnik cossack cavalry.

First games with cavalry are now possible. Milestone 4 complete!

8) Assemble and paint the last log house.

9) I have a feeling the cavalry are going to tip the balance of power in these games in favor of the Molotovniks. So, add another unit of Gobbelah line infantry.

Things get sketchy from here...a lot will depend on whether the figures I'll use for the Nerdistani forces have arrived yet, where the campaign is heading, and what I feel like painting yet. Think I'll leave well enough alone with the planning at this point :-)