The Pledge eight years on.

The Pledge was started back in 2005 by mweaver on The Miniatures Page. The rules weren't hard and fast and each participant tweaked them to meet their own goals. I didn't count the lead pile in the beginning and I don't carry over from the previous year. For me the rules were paint more miniatures than I bought. An Excel sheet was created and the The Pledge began.

2015. It went well for the first few months. Painting was well ahead of the purchases made then a bargain came along on some John Jenkins Warring States Chinese eliminating any progress made and putting me deep in the red. Life got in the way of painting for the remainder of the year and I fell behind.  -178.

2016. Most of the year was spent in other activities but I managed to keep purchases under control. +28

2017. I didn't shy away from buying and started a GNW project. Motivated by various games we were playing I managed to paint a fair number of figures. +127

2018. Purchases kept low but painting out put was not out standing either still a good year. +53

2019. Several impulse purchases plus figures needed for various projects lead to a high figure count but concentrating on painting still kept me in the black. +27

2020. The Empress Vietnam range was too good to resist. As gaming was suspended I focused on what was bought and a few other random projects. +78

2021. Another new project started. ACW is a fairly easy period to paint so this went quickly. Purchases were about average but I was aggressive with painting giving me my best totals ever. +179

2022. The "No new projects" mantra was muffled once again. 29 figures bought in February and nothing else until I started with Mark's Little Soldiers. 177 figures bought in the last four months of the year. Painting output was very good though so the year ends well. +122

I find keeping track of things like this helps in two ways. I motivates me to paint when I need it, if only a figure or two at a time or just painting the boots on a group of 12 fig

ures. Also I can look back through the year(s) and see what I've done. 

The Pledge has often been criticized as a program that encourages not buying miniatures but as can be seen from the chart above my numbers of purchases are fairly close to what's been painted. 

The averages are

bought 205 figures per year

painted 260 figures per year

+55 figures a year.

I've never counted the lead pile, I thought about it once but it was too overwhelming, nor what is painted, working on an inventory of what I have but can't decide on a format. The last few years I've tried to paint whatever has been purchased during that year but that only happens about 80% of the time.

Merry Christmas!

 

Recruiting continues.

 A second group of Mark's Little Soldiers arrived a few weeks back. I took advantage of the deal and got the President figure. 

For this group I chose to use the Army Painter spray primers. Wolf Grey and Goblin Green. This helped the painting speed although care needs to be taken with flesh as the base color shows through but this is easily fixed. The colored primer does help save time. I gave the figures two coats but need to touch up a few of the folds. They pretty much eliminated the time spent on two coats, which I found never really covered well, touch ups are still need but are part of the regular process anyway. I still have a bit of a problem with the varnish pooling and remaining whiteish but should be able to overcome that with a little practice. 

Berglander Squad

More troops on the workbench.

Wave three is available to order but I hope to get a few more figures done before I order.

Generals and Officer.

Mark's Little Soldiers or...

 number six of "no new projects" .

I had heard rumors of this several years ago but nothing was done and then the flood gates opened.

Little Soldiers

As usual the temptation to jump in was tempered by the desire to reduce the lead pile. After several visit to Mark's Instagram page resistance was futile. I ordered a few packs, not the full first wave so missed out on the "Boy Detective" figure but enough to get a feel for the figures and see if it was something I was willing to commit to. It was. I painted up a few figures and am happy with the result. The casting clean with enough detail to look like historical figures but not so much to limit what they are or keep them from being used for imagination projects. All the goals Mr. Copplestone stated he wanted were achieved.

The 1st group, Panovians.

These figures I had primed white and then painted for the next group I will spray the main uniform color and go from there. It took 2-3 coats to get good coverage.

Now I'm all in on this project and hope to get a game in by the end of the year. 

further links

http://nstarmagazine.com/marks_little_soldiers_1.htm

http://nstarmagazine.com/marks_little_soldiers_2.htm

https://www.instagram.com/marks_little_soldiers/

https://www.copplestonecastings.co.uk/list.php?cat=23&page=1

http://recreationalconflict.lusagi.com/copplestonecastings/Mark'sLittleSoldiers/littlesoldiersm.html

The Three Musketeers with One Hour Skirmish Wargames.

 I’m trying the Sword &Sandal supplement for OHSW using the partial deck suggested by Nick on the FB page. All cards above seven are removed from the deck as well as a joker leaving twenty five cards for the deck. 

The four Musketeers are in the center of the square as Rochefort and five of the Cardinals guards enter from the north. 

Musketeers win initiative. 

They spread out on either side of the fountain.

             

Two guards advance. One stays just out of range while the other moves into fight. 

                                         

The guard draws a six to the Musketeers two. The Musketeer draws a three and falls back two inches the guard follows up. 

The guard draws a six to the Musketeers two. The Musketeer draws a three and falls back two inches the guard follows up. 

Guard draws 6 and beats Musketeer by 2 causing the fallback.

The fight on the rights sees the Guard defending with a 5 of spades and the Musketeer drawing a Joker. 

Checking morale has the Musketeers failing and ending the game. 

It was a quick game. Some modifications are needed to the S&S set but it is an easy work around. A little more thought needed to go into the scenario but it was good for a quick try of the rules. 

China Marines

 Another game of OHSW. This time I did the Zulu War scenario from the book. I switched the Zulus for Boxers and the British for US Marines. There's no set turn limit in this scenario. The Boxers win by getting into the redoubt and knocking down all the Marines. The Marines win by holding out until reinforcements arrive. 

The Boxers advance.

The Marines wait to fire.

The Boxers attack in piecemeal.

Concentrated fire takes it toll.

The Boxers continue to press the attack.

Per the scenario the Marines have gain enough points for the reinforcements to arrive.

The game lasted about five turns, just under an hour. Turns went quickly as the Marines burnt through cards while firing and the Boxers never pulled a high enough card to move a large group of troops. 

In previous games I had played that a figure could move once and fire on 1 action point. After questioning the FB group and getting a clarification in  this game I played 1 action point for each. I had also wondered whether or not when a figure can draw 2 cards to resolve an action if the acting figures wins on the first draw is the second draw necessary. The responses varied with the author saying he drew both cards but I have decided to go with not drawing the second card. It affects the probability of a Joker turning over sooner and burning up potentially higher value cards.   

This has been a great way to get in a few quick games while waiting for our normal group of gamers to be able to get back together.

 

Boer War One Hour Skirmish.

 My third play of OHSW is set during the Boer War. The scenario is based on the one from Wargaming History; the Boer War. As I no longer have the book it's mostly from memory. I had bought the figures and built the house years ago but never got around to using them. This seemed like a good time and about time.

Captain Hunt of the Bushveld Carbineers is given information that members of a Boer commando are hold up in a farmhouse. They are said to be hungry and tired. He gathers some troopers and heads of to capture the Boers.

The game will be 7 turns.

The British: 3

Captain Hunt Leader 2 rifle, pistol
Sargent leader 1 rifle
Trooper 1 bruiser rifle
Trooper 2 bruiser rifle

Trooper 3 dead shot rifle

Trooper 4-9 Rifle

The Boer: 2

Leader 2 rifle, pistol

Dead shot rifle

Boer 1 Shotgun

Boers 2-5 rifle.

Using the cover of darkness Cpt Hunt has moved his men up close to the farmhouse. Are the Boers asleep or waiting in ambush? 

Confident the Boers are unaware Cpt Hunt moves up

Getting into position.

The Australians advance. 

Using the kraal as cover the bruisers move to flank the Boers.

The Boers are wide awake!

The Boers open fire hitting Captain Hunt and several others. Fortunately Hunt recovers and keeps the Australians going. The Boers feel the pressure and start to move out of the farmhouse. Then their sniper takes on final shot.

The Boers start their retreat.

Two Carbineers move in for close assault.

Captain Hunt is shot a second time, this time fatally.

The Boers escape out the back.

I'm enjoying the OHSW rules the play is quick and I can knock out a turn or two before work and finish the game in the evening. There's a bit of drama when drawing the cards and sequence of the actions has to be given some thought so point aren't wasted if a Joker turns up.

There's an active FB page that is quick to answer questions and has some great ideas for scenarios.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/232318944493472 

Thanks for reading