(AP 2016) - some photos as of 12/22/16 on blog

[FifteensAway]

Okay, not sure if this is still 'open' and not sure if I'm being brave or just simply insane.  Probably so on count number two, your honor.

Count #1: Paint all of my 15 mm AWI cavalry, each unit is 12 men on 12 horses with 12 matching dismounts and the three figure horseholders (two horses and man, or two men and horse), plus one casualty figure to make 40 pieces per unit.  I only have to paint twenty units.  That's just a wee 800 figures!    Yes, seriously.  Morale support happily received.

Count #2: Try to paint my entire AWI collection by the end of 2017 with getting a good start between now and the end of this year.  Ordered the bases already.  Over 4,500 figures.

As crazy as all that sounds, my goal is to paint to a 'gaming' standard rather the LAFable standard - way higher than I'm likely to achieve.  

At least getting the cavalry out of the way first makes the rest easier - probably put the artillery in second place and do generals along the way.  The infantry should be 'relatively' easy and 'quick' since they are only 18 figure units, mostly - a smattering at 24.  My FIW have been 40 plus.

Big challenges?  I have about 350 pirate figures and items to paint.  And I want to make major inroads towards completing my FIW figures - again all in, imagine this, 15 mm.

Did one of you just call some men with a funny white coat with sleeves in the back?  

[syrinx0]

AP is always open. Very rules light.  It's more about motivating you to paint.  I finished my Dacian  force (~300 28MM figures) AP 2015 project in 2016  so I understand where you are coming from with the multi year option.   4500 figures, even at 15mm, will be one long project but sooner you start the more likely you can finish in 2017. 
Good luck!

[Dr Mathias]

I'm sure you know that by posting this thread you have practically obligated yourself.

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

[rumacara]

yup. You´re in.
Now where are those AWI figures painted?

[FifteensAway]

I have added in - and put in front of the cavalry - painting all of the artillery and certain other figures.  Those other figures include a couple of "scout units" at one for each side, a bunch of civilian figures (two dozen already primed for painting), a corps of invalids for the patriots and one of pioneers for the British.  All of those figures and the artillery, with associated casualties figures, comes to 506 figures.  That is a somewhat easier lot to paint.  But I hope not only to get those painted this year but also to get the 800 figures for the cavalry ready to paint and, if at all possible, at least partially painted.  After that, I'll tackle the officers.  Only then will I turn to the infantry.

Now, that may seem an odd plan but once the above listed lot is done and I start into the infantry, I go straight into well catered for games with a nice round of all arms and some 'decorative' figures to boot.  Part of the motivation for this arrangement is I know I'll be enthusiastic about painting the infantry but a little more challenged with the other components.  

And, heck, since this is to a gaming standard, I just might get the artillery and associates and cavalry done by the end of the year!  (okay, mildly problematic - but won't happen if I don't attempt it, right?)

[FifteensAway]

Cavalry bases, 200, ready for figures, bases for all 44 pieces of artillery and all the crew ready, bases for the ancillary bits also ready (the limbers, the scouts, the civilians and a few other bits and odds).  Progress.

[armchairgeneral]

Is there some confusion or typo here? 20 AWI cavalry units doesn't sound right? Did you mean ACW?

When starting a new project I usually work out the minimum size army I need to have a game with and work towards that rather than doing all the cavalry, then the infantry etc.

[FifteensAway]

No confusion - this is my favorite period and the reason for 20 cavalry units (all of which existed historically though not necessarily as full regiments nor involved in actual battles) is to allow hypothetical actions more along the lines of SYW style events. 

Once upon a time my goal was to recreate every unit involved in the AWI.  That changed as I researched it more closely and realized it just isn't possible to recreate them all, especially on the American side since the records are so incomplete. 

However, I have collected sufficient figures to have 96 units, including French and even some Spanish, of foot for the Continental side of things.  And 80 for the British which of course includes German and Loyalist units.  I have units specific for the northern campaigns, others for the central campaigns, and still others focused on the southern theater of action.

I will be able to do a creditable recreation of the battle of Long Island - though even my collection will be taxed to put all units known to be present on to the table.  But I will be able to recreate the full battle of Brandywine.  And every other battle of the war will be workable.  I will even be able to do a variation of Quebec using either a castle or a Vauban style fortress (or a combination of the two).  And for most actions I will be able to put the correct unit on the table - though not always painted to an exact match since I drew the line at painting any unit more than once.  So there might be a unit painted for a different period of the war present in a battle it participated in but not as clothed in.  I'd call that a reasonable compromise.

Now, as to my reason, some may call it compromised to build such a massive collection of figures for a period like the AWI.  But it is just for fun and because I wanted to travel this road.  Excessive but entertaining.

And since I think of the SYW as the penultimate period to wargame in but since I don't want to build any more collections - already have way too many periods and some of them are of similar size to this one and equally sanity questionable! - I just decided I'd use my AWI collection to recreate the same style of battle.  What with British, highlanders, various German units, the Loyalists in red and green, the Continental Line, the militia, the French, and the Spanish, I figure I can put on a pretty good approximation of a SYW battle or two.  And it can all land in the realm of Imagination style events so not so far fetched - except that Imaginations are inherently far fetched.

So, do you want to come by for a game once it is all painted, then?   

[OSHIROmodels]

Are we going to get pictures?

cheers

James

[FifteensAway]

Took some time but made progress.  All 800 cavalry figures are now cleaned, prepped, glued to a painting base (cardboard strips), and primed.  So, slow progress, but progress.  

Also working on a variety of the peripheral figures for my AWI - a couple of scout units, the pioneers for the British, the invalid corps, the civilians (those not already primed), some mounted civilians, and the dozen limbers with there horse and tender.  Next up are the artillery crews, guns, and casualty figure per gun.  Lots of bases already prepared for the infantry (yes, changed up the order again).  When this lot is done, that will be 1,285 figures - a good start.  However, between taking steps towards finishing up my FIW collection, a small lot of Pirates to wrap up, and the big distraction of an elderly mother with dementia, time is hard to find.

Did make a fateful decision.  Rather than going for the best paint job I can do but do quickly, I've decided to just go for a basic gaming paint job.  I'd rather have then in action than in the box.  So speed trumps quality - by a very wide margin.  Try not to miserable paint jobs, just workmanlike.

The last four days were my treat to myself to get this done - helped along by too much rain locally to work in the yard but just enough clear weather to prime what was ready earlier today!

[AKULA]

Photos or it didn't happen....

 

[FifteensAway]

Tried to post photo with link above but not working - not a photo hosting service, just a photo loaded on my Mac.

Would just post to my google blog but even that seems to be hard of access.  Will keep trying.   

[FifteensAway]

Okay, got access back to my blog and have put up a post that includes some (bad) photos of the cavalry I'm working on (or at least making progress on, just primed but shows, more or less, the lot underway).  Here is the link to the blog:  http://steeplechasingzebras.blogspot.com

I'd love to post a photo but it just doesn't work from blog to here.