Chats, Challenges and Cupboard Clearing.

At the beginning of this year I made a resolution, don't we all? For my part is was to paint all the miniatures in my stash, and not to buy any new shiny things until they were all done.

Well I have been partly successful so far, and we are two thirds the way through August. So what have I achieved so far in clearing out the cupboard stash? The Wars of the Roses project has been completed with over 600 miniatures built and painted. They were done over a few months, helped greatly by regularly joining the Tabletop Commanders Paint & Chats.

Held regularly on Fridays and Sundays, with spontaneous sessions often held too. They really inspire me to work on whatever miniatures I have on the painting board at the time, with good conversation and humour thrown in for a good mix. A pleasant way to while away a few hours, whilst painting away. The painting side of our hobby is pretty much a solitary affair, we sit at our table, maybe a movie, music or a YT video on in the background, and we beaver away alone. Not so now, by the power of Google+ Hangouts, I can now paint and chat along with other like minded souls, who have become good friends.

To add an extra bit of motivation we sometimes throw in a challenge, this coming Winter we are looking to initiate a three month long challenge. It doesn't have a name as yet, but it is intended that it runs from October through to Christmas Day. A great opportunity to empty that cupboard! Yes that one in the corner you have been avoiding. It contains the minis you bought in the dim and distant past, never to see the light of day again. Well for three months, you can make a point of dusting them off and getting some paint on them. That guilty feeling will be lifted forever.

I myself will be painting up my 'Liberty or Death' box set, the one time this year I weakened and bought something new and shiny. I was intending to purchase the set this Christmas, but the opportunity arose to purchase a set for a substantially lower price. Apart from half a dozen test figures, the box remains closed until all my other projects are complete.

I am have now come to the end of my Arab army project. A total of 169 figures, all plastic Gripping Beast apart from the leader figure, a metal mounted Saladin to lead them in battle. So another stash can be ticked off the list. I am now working on Gripping Beast Anglo-Danes and Vikings, both metal and plastic sets. I also have a Revell kit of a Viking long ship, to make into a small diorama for Saga.

The last minis lurking in my stash cupboard are one regiment of horse and three of foot, for my English Civil War armies. Those armies are already quite large, and those final units will finally finish the project. I have about six weeks to try and complete the above, before commencing the Winter Challenge.

STOP PRESS

Since I penned the above article, we have sealed a deal on a new home, we are downsizing, so initially some of my armies will have to go into storage. I do however intend to take enough of my 6mm ACW to fight the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, the Vikings and Anglo-Danes to play some Saga and finally the Liberty or Death box set will be my Winter painting project.