Wargames Neutral

It's been a while since I last talked about this. When I say a while I obviously mean over a year! But since coming back into the hobby I have not actually spent ANY money on either gaming or painting. Or should I say any of MY money.

I guess before continuing I had better quantify what I mean by this. All my wargaming and painting have been paid for either by Christmas or Birthday presents, the flogging of old wargames figures or famously my back and breast from my Sealed Knot days. The last revenue stream has been the painting and selling of figures or the painting for figures that has got me a fair bit of kit.

So more or less I have managed to get a hell of a lot of kit together over the last two years and without the worry of taking it out of the pot. In fact my hobby has subbed baying the bills a couple of times in the past. However a mix of the Waterloo Project and the recent spending spree at Castle Donnington has almost dried up the pool, so much so that I don't think I will be spending much more during the rest of this year. In fact I am almost certain of it as I have just sent off the Baccus Prussian order and a fairly sexy Leven order. 

Before you all reach for hankies let me set things straight, I am not at all without stuff to paint, hell I think even at my current rate I will not run out in the next few years. Indeed I am really surprised that I have managed to turn my small hill into a mountain, but that's the curse of the wargamer I guess.

No rather than spend more money I am dead set on getting through my commitments, the 6mm Zulu's will feature a lot over the next few months until I have them all painted up. I also have the Santa Clause to paint up having received it this week. I also will start to receive my Winter War Kickstarter and plan to start work on that fairly soon so I can start selling the painted figures to recharge my war chest ready for the Spring Campaign. This was a set tactic from the beginning as I was sure I will be able to get far in excess of what I have paid for the figures given that the figures work out about 50p each and will retail at £5 a pack of four. Based on those prices all the vehicles will be free so really as long as the figures turn up I am onto a winner. I may even throw some of the vehicles when they arrive straight into my community currency to exchange for wanted lead. 

So even though my painting time is now far more restricted than it was six months ago I still think I can keep neutral and yet still buy plenty of lead fun, but I wonder how many others can boost this lucky way of wargameing?

Warganing Neutral

The idea is not mine, not at all but I first saw it in Another Slight Diversion which is a great figure gaming blog if you don't already know it. In fact I think Andy is a good part of the reason I am back to figures and also running this blog, so you can blame him. I have taken Andy's idea and twisted it to my advantage. My idea is that I have to fit to the two rules (with slight alteration) that Andy works to, these being

1. Can't Buy a Figure unless I have painted a figure from my lead pile.

2. Can't spend money unless I have either created money from sale of hobby stuff or it's from my gameing stash.

Due to the low level of figures I had at the start of the process I am allowing myself one free splurge at Derby in a few weeks. This is fine as rule 2 still applies. Good job I just sold a ASL item then ;-)

Paint, bases, materials and Rules do not count to 2 as it is the figures that need watching.

I also have an idea that may well help me out with getting figures and keep me supplied with things to paint without the cost impact. More on this at a later date.

The Books.

Figures owned since last purchase

6mm all Napoleonic's

14 Cav regiments 3 painted

31 Infantry 24 painted

12 scermish strips 6 painted

9 guns and limbers 3 painted

15mm

ECW

10 mounted Dragoons Painted

10 dismounted Dragoons Painted

30 figure regiment of foote

Ancients

56 infantry 40 painted

Most of these have been painted in the last 4 weeks so I have mounted up plenty under rule 1 and paying for the replacements is covered as well. Good times.

I plan to buy a bunch of Baccus French Naps to round off the French army and can do this under 1 as I should have almost all the above painted by then. But I also plan on buying a fair chunk of Chariot Miniatures for a Macedonian army but not knowing what rules set I am likely to use this could limit me to buying the obvious troop types.

I also want to go into another period at some point but need to start gaming again and reach out to suitable rules.