Painting Daydreams for 2009 (sorry it's so long)

As the year draws 2008 to a close, it's time to look ahead to 2009. Since it will be the 200th anniversary of Napoleon's 1809 campaign, which featured many cool battles, I expect Napoleonic painting will loom large, especially now that my modern stuff is quite loaded up, and my anime-games are in good shape, with solid collections for Robotech and Gundam that can be enhanced with small one-off projects.

Of course, the last thing that anyone would ever think as they observe my varied collection of gaming figures is "this guy really sticks to a plan", but it's still fun to pretend.

So, a few "resolutions" for painting in 2009, listed in order of importance:

1 - 6mm Napoleonics - painting them for my friend Curt as part of a trade for his 15mm French Collection. Curt has the merciful patience of a Saint on this, which means I owe him a bunch of Grenzer and Austrian line. Watch the blog progress photos (aka: evidence of progress)

2 - 28mm Napoleonics - of couse, I have a collection of Austrians and French in 15mm, and Dallas has French and Russians, so it is perfectly logical that I would invest time and resources in a difference scale, right? Screw logic! Especially after getting some Perry plastic French for Christmas!

I have nearly completed my first unit, based in a conventional style of 3 40mm x 45mm bases with 6 men each, for a total of 18 figures per unit. The skirmishers are being done individually on 20mm square bases, where they can be collected together for Shako, or used indivdually for skirmishing.

And I still have a ton of Austrians from Foundry, where I am experimenting with some more exotic basing standards that may enhance the look of the unit and make them more fitting for skirmishing as well. On the downside, it means many, many soldiers per unit - I may collapse and just do some "standard" based Austrians as well.

Anyone who has experienced that slight and immature pleasure of realizing other people are sick too will understand that I am pleased that this plague has spread to Dallas, who is now in posession of Victrix plastic Brits. Maybe if we both go bonkers, we can prepare for a peninsular-type Shako game in 25mm - that would be awesome! Now to target Mike...

3 - 15mm 8th Army Brits - for about three years now, I have been in posession of some DAK in 15mm, ready for action. I have a force of Brits ready to take them on, but they are heavy on tanks and light on other things (like infantry, and MGs to back them), with two pathetically under-supported lorried infantry platoons. I recently ordered and received another infantry platoon, some mortars, Vickers MGs and 2- and 6-pounder anti-tank guns. Time to work on those so the poor 8th army lads have some help against Rommel's troops.

4 - 6mm US WW2 Americans - for many years, (back to the time Curt got me interested in Spearhead) I have sat on a few packs of American kit. Well, it's rolling out now, and just needs some more mechanized guys before they are ready to fight! Already complete: 1 infantry battalion, 1 57mm ATG company, and 1 Sherman tank battalion. Due up for completion - 1 (or maybe 2) infantry batallion(s) in M3 Halftracks, another Sherman battalion, and an M10 tank destroyer battalion.

5 - 6mm WW2 Russians and Germans - my collection here is strong, but geared to late war (44 and 45, which is great fun). I'm trying to expand it to earlier war periods (42 and 43). That means more BT-5s etc. for Russians, and more Russian infantry, as well as some new infantry and more early mark panzers for the Germans. My current 6mm German infantry is primarily GHQ (which make great tanks and dreadful infantry) and I'm working on adding more Adler figure units (which look awesome!).

6 - 25/28mm Modern - continued expansion here - I have some Brits from Mongrel (geared to 70s, early 80s) that I would like to provide some action, just need to add another couple of sections. I may also get some 1/56 scale T-72s to give some armour support to the other 1/56 scale elements of my collection. For more "ultra" modern, I have some Kitech T-90 kits to finish, and I am experiementing with a way to create a "Black Eagle" for this scale, which would be fun to roll out. Plus, I hope the Imprint guy comes out with some new Soviet armour kits, because his 1/50 stuff fits with either 1/56 or the (alleged) 1/43 from Kitech.

7 - 6mm Modern - once more, continued expansion. I am working on models to represent the current prototype for Russian vehicles, like the "Black Eagle" tank, the BMP-4 and other cool looking monster things that Putin can design but can't buy to chew up Mike's new 6mm Brits! Also, will add new units for Arab-Isreali conflicts, like Isrealy mech infantry in M3 halftracks, and a batallion of M-60 tanks. Plus, I need to do a couple of planes - an Su-25 for the Russians, an Su-27 for the Arabs, and an F-4 to support my Israelis.

Random Priority - New 40k stuff - I hear rumours that the GW dopes will be re-doing the Imperial Guard codex, and may issue some new plastics, and maybe new plastic storm troopers. It's probably too much to hope for a re-issue of the regular plastic troops (which I don't care for) but plastic storm troopers would give me a chance to round out my Cadian Grenadier force.

Total Long Shot - 6mm Seven Years' War - in my collection, for some reason, I have a package of gorgeous 6mm Adler figures labled "Leuthen Battlepack" (apologies to SYW folks for any typos in the spelling) that appears to have everything I might need for a little (literally) smack down. I know little of the SYW, nothing of the battle of Leuthen (sp?) or any rules for the period, or any uniforms, and besides Brian has a stunning collection already in 15mm making this effort pretty redundant, but I've been known to snap before and just try something new for the sake of it.

And, of course, last but not least, pressure Cam to ensure his figures are ready for that Con in the spring! Otherwise, the poor will suffer (see previous posts).

So anyway, that's all I can think of. what about your plans? Let's hear them, so we can pressure you to follow up, salute you when they are ready for action!