Chaos sometimes leads to clarity

[olicana]

I've posted an article to my blog about my Peninsular project. Over the last month or two the aim of what I want to represent, and the way I want to play my Peninsular games has changed. I've gone from the literal approach to the abstract and feel all the better for it.

I've really struggled with this project and, perhaps, my thoughts might be of value to someone else who is struggling with what they want to get out of their collection. Then again, maybe not.

If you think my thoughts are tosh, fair enough, enjoy the pics instead.

https://olicanalad.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-peninsular-project-new-plan-for-oob.html

[Harry Faversham]

I well recall you telling me at Leeds FIASCO, you were beginning this project, and giving you my whirl of pisdom that...
it'd drive you mental! 
I've enjoyed seeing you create your magnificent Peninsula Collection, stunningly superb figures there mate. But I've some need to talk about being mental, at that same show I bought four packs of Colonel Faulkner's 'Wild Geese', what's that sixteen figures? I've still got half of 'em wearing just an undercoat!

[jambo1]

A really interesting read, I think you have come to a good answer for your project. Great looking figures too!!

[FifteensAway]

I get it.  Within the last year or so I started adding up numbers of figures in a collection compared to space on the table and clearly was planning vastly too many figures - and had already purchased the figures!  Not Napoleonic but the issue remains the same.  And the problem is systemic is so many of my various collections.  It actually pushed me to realize I really need to eliminate many of my collections of figures, especially when I realized storage space for unpainted figures takes X room, while the same painted figures takes triple X for storage.  Despite that, I'm currently working to place an order to round out my ACW collection to its final point despite it being a collection very likely to be sold on or otherwise disposed off - but having the extra stuff fills in some gaps that I tell myself will help the collection be more appealing to others.  Delusional?  Probably.  Odd little hobby sometimes.

However, for me, the real take away from your blog was the picture with the colored beads and white and black 'alpha' bead.  I've contemplated doing something just like that and actually have the beads and the alphabetic beads - the latter actually used in one game - along with two variations for using them on the table, one with single stand posts and the bother from 'popsicle' sticks with multiple posts I refer to as bead-sickle sticks.  Can you please regale us with how you use those marking devices? 

And, yes, beautiful collection and gaming space.

[Roo]

Your blog is always an interesting read and so once agin it proved.  Plenty of lovely troops and superb terrain.  Keep it coming.

[olicana]

Can you please regale us with how you use those marking devices?

Hi 15s,

We don't use roster sheets here. We like everything to be displayed, board game fashion, on the playing surface. It stops mistakes due to failure to write things down, wrongly reading whats written, and general forgetfulness. We are also quite lazy  .

The 'pin plate' and beads are used for unit information, and is used instead of a roster sheet.

The number bead is easy - it simply denotes the command group. In this case the 'Division' number. All units in the division, including artillery and the commander get the same number bead. I have black for one side, white for the other.

The coloured beads are simply 'training / morale class' modifier beads. The one on the left is defensive the one on the right is offensive. Red beads adjust base dice down 1, the green one denotes base dice with no change, blue adjusts base dice up 1 and purple adjusts the base dice up 2.

I got the 'colour' idea from Commands and Colors - people remember colour codes really easily. After one game they will become firmly fixed in your head; so take your time deciding which will be which before the first game - you'll confuse the hell out of everyone if you change the coding after it.

We mark disorder with a tuft, shaken with a broken wheel (because the 'wheels have come off' ), casualties with small stones on coins, and unloaded with a white pom pom. Barrels are used as reminders of anything not otherwise specified.



In this shot, most things are evident - unit quality, little stone casualty markers (one with 1 stone one with 2 stones), a wheel denoting a shaken unit, 'smoke' on a couple of unloaded units, and a barrel denoting that the division commander is incapacitated for some reason.

The French line unit in the centre is in a bad way - it's taken casualties, it's failed a morale check (shaken), and the troops were poorly trained with bad morale to begin with (red, red - down 1 defence, down 1 offence). The only thing it has going for it is that it is able to give fire.



Here's another shot. Here the Scots of 3rd Division (in the game), are absolutely up for it with blue and purple beads (the dark blue bead is actually very purple in reality). However, they are disordered (tuft) and they have taken heavy casualties (a three stone casualty marker - lose four and break!).

Not a piece of paper in sight.

[FifteensAway]

Thanks, Oilcana!  Great system which has given me food for thought.  I've already travelled the color road with some little building things I found in a toy store in decent earth tones but I like your approach better.  Only thing I'd change is try to go with more earth tones for the beads - but that also risks losing the clarity of the other colors.  Much to think upon.

[Belisarius]

I always enjoy reading your blog , over the years . Having moved house this year , leaving my beloved basement behind , I’ve had to rethink ( get red of ) large parts of my collection of figures and magazines.  It was a Herculean effort to shift and sort through 30 x years of a collection, one I wouldn’t like to repeat. I’m still in the process of rethinking what I want from a tabletop game. At the moment I’m inclined to think that we’re trying to do the impossible , especially in 28mm , my favourite scale.