The Obsession of an Old West town!

[Legionnaire]

When I joined up not long ago, some forum users welcomed me to the Obsession, and I have now discovered how true it is! I started out with a few MDF kits, but as I actually had a good payday today, I have splashed out and ordered some more (5 Sarissa kits), some terrain pieces and two of those nice wagons from 4Ground! Items on my "wish list" have been crossed off, but other things have been added in their place.

Damn you lot with all your shiny baubles and eye candy (need some of those ERTL cattle now too...) 

[Elbows]

Don't fear, it'll come and go.  I burned myself out for a good year after blasting way too much time painting/building Old West stuff.  Then it came back fierce.  I've argued (well, not argued perhaps, but stated) that the Old West is possibly the best Skirmish genre you can do.

Loads of character and feel...no need to justify why a shootout happens...politics to prostitutes, cow towns to train robberies etc.  A huge wave of movies for inspiration.  I'm just now entering "Phase 2" of my obsession.  I have enough of a town that I'll be starting on my wilderness side of things (cactii, plateaus and the like)...and probably gather up a reasonable sized Mexican villa out of adobe structures.

I'm spending most of my time right now working on my rules set though.  It's a good obsession to have!  (and while it sounds silly...it won't necessarily break the bank as bad as some other eras/genres could.  No buying pesky expensive vehicles, etc!) 

[Legionnaire]

Personally, I've always liked the Old West since I was a kid and we played lots of RPG's in the genre, so when I discovered wargaming this was a "natural" step.

I agree with the opinion of skirmish game, you have so many possible scenarios to choose from and the settings (town, a ranch, wilderness...) are multifaceted.

I would love to have a game at my gaming club but it's a bit like herding cats, might get some people interested in it though.

The big appeal of it all now is a) I work more= earn more b) there is a lot of inspiration on this forum and c) in which other genre can you so freely build up and populate a city for a fight?

[Gutbukkit]

Whilst my own Wild West project is nowhere near as grand and complete as a lot here on LAF, I agree with Elbows in that I go through phases of either painting old west stuff furiously or having a big spurt of building activity (most its still unfinished which is why I have only a few bits posted here on LAF). I move on to a new project, buy some bits paint a few things then it always comes back to the Old West. I've yet to play a game in the genre, but it's the appeal of the genre that pulls me back, the love of the films as a kid and the new films of today, the games on Xbox (I'm looking at you Red Dead Redemption), the fiction and books, heck I only have to play a game of poker and I'll want to be working on my old west project next day. To date it must be my most complete project and definitely the one I'm most happy with.

I think another side of the appeal for me is I love making terrain and buildings for it...they're easy and look great. I love the laser cut stuff and own a few pieces but there's nothing better than scratch building something and looking at the end result and feeling pleased with it. Every time I see a new member post new towns or updates on ones seen before, it takes my eye of whatever other project I'm working on and brings me back to the Wild West. This week being a prime example of my return to this genre. There are tons of great Old West towns on this board, all with their own bits of inspiration.
And to quote Legionnaire: Damn you lot with all your shiny baubles and eye candy!

[Heisler]

I know how it goes! I only intended to have 6 maybe 7 buildings and suddenly I had enough to fill a 6x4 board. Fortunately I have enough other deadlines that I can't really spend so much time that I'll burn out, but that sometimes means that I can go three weeks without touching any of them while I finish other projects. The Old West is kind of my carrot on a stick project.

[Brian Smaller]

Hmmm. I got bit by that bug too.

[FifteensAway]

My big worry is that once I get going with my Wild West/Pony Wars all those other Hard Collected miniatures will languish, not unloved but relegated to the back of the shelf.  Well, in my case, in the back of the garage since I have so dang many.  

Anyone know where I can kidnap an incredibly good and astonishingly fast figure painter who eats little, drinks less, and sleeps only on alternate Sunday nights?  And, jiggers, don't tell the coppers about my plans!  

LEGIONAIRRE?  You realize, of course, you've named your old west town with this thread, right?  .... Obsession.

[Heisler]

That would be a great name!

[Elbows]

Yep, that fits.

[Deedles]

Damn you lot with all your shiny baubles and eye candy

yeah - it does help seeing other people stuff doesn't it.

I  intended my little Old West project to be 15-20 figures and 5-6 buildings tops..

Its up to 120+ figures 25 buildings, various vehicles and this probably just the completion of phase 1

I did a list after my show outing this weekend of other "wants", "needs" and "nice to haves" and I reckon it will take me another year !

here my list!
Building floor plans.
Back of building fence planking .
Boot hill
Coffins
6 more standing horses
Adobe town – 8-10 building , +church , cantina etc,
Chinese Laundry - Scratchbuild
Coolies and Tang gang members. Obelisk miniatures
Railroad workers, construction workers.
Prospectors – Tiger Miniatures
Mine, - from Ainsty & scratchbuild
River sections .
Sawmill – Scratchbuild
Church
Courthouse
Assaye office
Train station building - scratchbuild
Cure All tonic seller & vehicle (inspired by admiral benbow scratchbuild)
Rebase blue moon figures onto slotta.
Magnificent 7 set to paint
Mounted Banditos
4 x Wounded/fallen Horses
Team horses – x8 - Dixon
Coffin vignette – Dixon
Hangman set – Dixon
Civilians - Battleflag
Paddlesteamer -large!


so i think Obsession is a fair work - and actually a great name for an Old West town!

[Legionnaire]

LEGIONAIRRE?  You realize, of course, you've named your old west town with this thread, right?  .... Obsession.

Great thinking mate, I'll take that! 

My biggest adversaries in my Project Old West are space and a 3-year old whirlwind daughter. But I have been flogging some unwanted stuff to make space  .

I never intended Obsession to be a Project, but lately I've been looking at my small collection (20+ figures), 4'x4' board and paper craft terrain and thinking: "I'd really, really love to make something more of it." Hence me signing up to the forum and Hey Presto! Instant inspiration!!!! 

Like Deedles I have a little list:

Washing line (think Black Cat Bases do one)
Something for a bath house ("If you're gonna shoot , shoot, don't talk  )
A livery
Shipping company (probably no stagecoach... for now)
A Boot Hill
Some rocky outcrops
Native American Indians (rather Prarie Indians than Apache's)
Wooded section (s)
River section
A water tower (resin one from Frontline Wargaming about £8)
Town Sign (OBSESSION!)
Church/ School
Cattle
Scatter terrain (rubbish, barrels, crates...)
Forge
Possibly a gallows
Mounted minis (only got one and some horses)
The Blue Moon Tombstone Civilians

At some point I'd like to add a wilderness section with:

A ferry/ boat
Shack (s)/ Cabin
Corrall
Ranch house
Hills

More will be added as I go along. I can see myself being busy for quite some time  .

[Ray Earle]

About ten years now, the West just keeps bringing me back in. 

[Conquistador]

Well, I will be selling off a bunch of my anglo-oriented Old West Stuff that I won't need because I am turning it into a "Nueva España Occidental" setting for games in the area of Northern Nueva España - what would become New Mexico (after the MAW) - and I am moving my Gothic Horror games there too.    The village of Dolor de Santo de Hermana (exact name still pending) is the site from which games covering the time period of the Pueblo Revolt through the 1820's will occur plus the previously mentioned later occurring Gothic Horror and some VSF games (the one that don't involve Spain on Venus.)

I will try and remember to post those items on the LAF selling forum before I list them on Ebay so you have first shot at them.

It can be addicting but I am hoping to avoid any more purchases before (and after) retirement.

Gracias,

Glenn