Projects, Work in Progress and Old Favourites...

I'm definitely not a compulsive wargamer... I do not buy the last ruleset on the market on day 1 nor do I start a new project every month to abandon it as soon as I got the minis in my mailbox...
But nonetheless, I fall in love very often for new periods, miniature lines, different scales and extravagant projects. So, I fear I can still be categorized on the compulsive/maniac side of the hobby... how sad...
The main difference is that I never (and I have to underline this word never) abandon or end a project.
I still regularly paint (and have game with) my first wargaming love: 1/72 plastic napoleonic with which I've began my career back in the early 90s.

The only big move on has came 5 years ago, when I did halt all my fantasy, sci-fi and GW, sold a part of them and definitely stuck myself on historical wargame only (and the only regret I feel is toward my local GW distributor, whose yearly balance has had a big flex due to my decision... sorry Igor!).
Therefore, I like to put a little order on my wargamers mind categorizing my actual and future WIP.
please consider that these projects would never meet an end. I firmly minded to continue to buy/paint/have games with all of them. It could be happen I'll left something behind for a short time. or even a long period break. But I think I'll find all these periods/projects still interesting and worthwhile in the next 10, 50, 100 years to come...

so, let start categorizing: I'll divide my projects in "actually playing", that means I have a very good selection of them painted and I've many games with them during the year (I do not play with unpainted/primed minis), "collecting and painting" which are developing projects, not yet arrived to a game or, sometimes, for which I haven't found an opponent and. "future interests" which group both seriously thought future projects and some itching extemporary inspiration from my fellows or from blogs...

ACTUALLY PLAYING

• 15 mm WWII, mainly from battlefront, for Flames of War games (that is my most played system, actually, I'm also involved in tournaments...).
• 28 mm WWII, warlords, artizan, offensive miniatures, that I'm playing with Bolt Action rules (but I'm thinking to give a try to the new Chain of Command from the TooFatLardies guys...)
• 1/2400 WWI naval wargame, with model exclusively from GHQ, using Naval Thunder rules
• 1/72 napoleonics, various plastic soldiers companies, with Lasalle ruleset

 COLLECTING AND PAINTING

• 10 mm Franco Prussian War and 1866 wars, mainly from Pendraken, but with some raids on Magister Militum camp, this is a well set project, with other 3 guys actively painting their armies in order to have, in a short time, some big clashes using 1866/70 rules.
• 6 mm Yom Kippur War, with GHQ 1/285 models. Still uncertain on rules, Cold War Commander or A Fistful of TOWs? we'll see... we'd like to have a game on october, just to give a commemorative tribute...
• 28mm Old West from Artizan... but just a small skirmish band of 10 7th Cav. soldiers.
• 15 mm napoleonics from AB ranges... just for painting sake.
• 1/1200 napoleonic ship of the line, Langton and GHQ... how lovely are these models... I've even find a new opponent...
• 1/2400 WWII naval on pacific front. GHQ models at various stage between mounting, priming and thinking on colour scheme...
• 1/285 WWII aircrafts, GHQ and Raiden miniature stuff. very lovely, I'll play with Bag the Huns 2 rules as soon as I get someone to involve in...
• 28 mm (or more closely 30 mm), WWI early war english army from Renegade miniatures.
• a small Dystopian War french fleet (yes I know, I've said no more fantasy nor sci-fi on my workbench... but these are so lovely...)
• ... and from the bottom of my models drawer, some very old projects: a late roman army in 15 mm (Magister Militum) and very old 25 mm Foundry Carthaginians, originally thought for WAB.

FUTURE INTERESTS
what a dreadful category... so many future interests...

• I'm spotting, almost everyday, on the web for Eureka' and Old Glory 15s' Seven Year War Prussian, French and Austrian... I think this new project is very close to step up to the above category...
• I'd like to give a try to the AK47 Republic ruleset from Peter Pig, with a couple of armies from their beautiful range...
• 1/1200 ironclads from various sources for Lissa... no idea which rules nor against whom to play.
• 1/600 Thoroughbred's ironclads. Really like to put together two small river fleets and let them discuss their points of view about federal politic on the game tables...
  

OFFENSIVE MINIATURE 28 MM GERMAN FALLSCHIRMJAEGER REVIEW

One of most often searched topics on the web , by me at least, is figure reviews and comparison.

When I start with a new project, or simply decide to give a try to a new miniature maker, I search the net to have an idea of what I'm buying and, most important, how do the miniature looks aside other brand's I already own.

I have to say I never have been so lucky to find a complete review, with comments and comparative charts... but several fellows wargamers have done a nice job.

Now, I have to give something back to the community...

at Salute, last April, I've loitered a little bit around Offensive Miniature stand and I had a very nice chat with the owner, a friendly guy with whom, I'm sure, it would be a pleasure to spend time with in everyday life.

I was looking specifically for his products, having read so well about them on magazines and around the web, so I asked some clarifications about the scale he uses for his minis.

In fact the miniatures appear to be a little bit tiny respect other competitors.

This question started a very well argumented discussion about the 28mm scale problem and the two main philosophies on the matter: 1/56 true scale VS 28 mm as a scale.

Try to figure out: we are used to see as good miniature reproduction not a scaled and anatomically correct man, but a chuncky figure with big hands, big head, bracing some weird and overscaled weapons...

Yes, it's true. GW style 28mm is a standard now and some of the most beatifull pieces here around (front rank, warlord, artizan etc) won't pass a scale modeller exams. But we like them anyway because they are, well, as we think a wargame miniature has to be.

Offensive Miniature policy is to get more close to the scale and anatomically correct side. Therefore the more correct human proportions (expecially hands, head and weapons) make them appearing "tiny" aside to a more conventional 28mm miniature...

On other side, if you try to fit your conventional 28mm miniatures on your 1/56 halftrack you'll have to cut and file a lot to have them seated in or, even, standing on it... Offensive miniature's will fit them perfectly...

On the sculpt side, the poses are not exagerated. People are doing what do you aspect from them, not trying to have a cast for an action movie...

Uniforms and weapons are intended more for Normandy '44 than Cassino...

ok, let see the minis:

this is a whole view of the bounch, in the blister there are 11 different poses

 facial expression are little bit grim and worried... maybe they had heard of an allied landing on the beaches?

 in the squad there are 2 MG42 and 2 ammo carrier, and it will please both historical OOB addicted and Bolt Action players...

 the central figure is a little bit stupid... what is he thinking to do? to call a friend why he has found two seats in theater? to point out to the enemy where is his platoon? or is he minded to take a lift on a passing by sdk fz 251?

here, at last, come the comparison.. on the left side the offensive miniature and on the right side the artizan design one's. I have to say I like them both, but Offensive's one is really more realistic... I would not misc them on the same squad but I'll misc them on the same army...(I've bought a lot of artizan's...)