Back from holiday and more WW2 Germans

Just back from the warmth of the Canaries and now catching up with what I had finished just before leaving. First off a couple of German winter platoons.

A platoon in white camo anoraks

A platoon in greatcoats

Hopefully these are the last German platoons I will paint as I have far more painted than I need for normal games.

WSS Austrian Cuirassiers

No surprise for my first units of the year, I have created 4 units of Austrian Cuirassiers, all wearing the helmet more commonly worn when fighting the Ottomans. The figures themselves are a mixture of the Strelets Austrian and Bavarians so I could create some consistent charging and resting units for both nationalities.

Left flank - regiments Taffe (front) and Commercy (rear)

Right flank - regiments Jung Hesse Darmstadt (front) Zanthe (rear)

On the Workbench - January 2023

Not the clean workbench I had hoped for to start the year with quite a bit carried over from 2022. So my plan is to work on:

• 4 units of WSS Austrian cuirassiers - already started
• 4 units of WSS Bavarian cuirassiers
• WSS Austrian and Bavarian cavalry commanders
• WW2 German winter infantry platoon in parkas
• WW2 German winter infantry platoon in greatcoats
• clearing as many as possible of thea oddments off the bench

plan for 2023

I'll past another milestone (millstone) this year and typically I was struggling to think of a common theme to focus this years tasks, but I have it now either "Clear the decks" or the "Great tidy-up"

So with this in mind I will:

1. Rationalise my Terrain, upgrading or replacing any unsuitable items
2. Retouch/Rebase as many figures as possible.
3. Attempt to complete all the figures in the stash that have a clear fit with my current plans
4. Clear out all unwanted items

Amplifying the above:

1. Rationalise my Terrain, upgrading or replacing any unsuitable items:

• Wooden Fencing needs either upgraded or replaced
• Hills, I have too many of the wrong sizes
• Rivers need expanded
• Wadi/Depression edges need created

2. Rework/Rebase as many figures as possible.

• Zulu Wars - delayed from last year
• Dark Ages
• Russian Civil War
• possibly Napoleonic British

3. Attempt to complete all the figures in the stash that have a clear fit with my current plans

• Finish the WSS
• Scottish schiltron
• More "Cossack" infantry & cavalry
• Baggage camels for the Crusades, Sudan, etc.
• Replace my old Napoleonic French Dragoons
• Napoleonic Spanish infantry for skirmish games
• 28mm ECW cavalry

4. Clear out all unwanted items, including painted figures

• Assess each existing period, army, and units to consider if I am really going to use them
• Reduce the figure stash from 4 crates to 3

5. 3D Printing - the bulk of my immediate needs have been printed so I am looking at

• ways to produce matching 20mm figures & smaller equipment to complete my Napoleonic and other armies
• components for houses and other terrain
• work on how to make/modify files to meet my specific needs

6. Gaming

• Play at least one WW2 Sicily game as is is the 80th anniversary this year
• I would like to try Dresden 1813 as it is the 210th anniversary
• Attend as many shows as possible