Rethinking the Roses

Been having a think about my painting, as although I paint a lot, its relatively basic applications of paints and a wash for the historical stuff, whereas when I do get the twitch now and then to do something more fantasy or sci-fi based, my painting style is a bit different and looser, more weathered and approached in a different way. I find this other style a lot more creatively enjoyable - not to say that I don't enjoy the basic coloring for my historical stuff, of course, but it does tend to repeat somewhat.

In addition to this, I tend to work best when I'm working towards a set target outside of "paint these models because they are there" with the project usually being a game, the game in turn decided by what I'm currently interested in at that point.

Plus, all my games are big games at the moment, mainly due to big battles being a lot of fun, playing less often as children/spouse/booze addiction/work also have to be found time for.

These thoughts milling about whilst on my month off, which is usually where I cook up projects, ideas and new things to do for when I come back led me to think about getting this all together into a better approach, and the one that immediately stood out as the candidate for starting was my 15th Century stuff I've got building up - mainly Wars of the Roses, but I also have some HYW and some European Mercenaries kicking about too, plus I keep giving dirty looks at a Landsknecht force too (get behind me, lairy dressed germanic zweihander punk wallet tempting muthafuckers!)

In point:

1. Yet to play a game with these, so thats something that needs to be sorted

2. I've loads of boxes kicking about that could really do with being built and sorted.

3. I've only painted about 150 of them*, so could switch to the other method of painting fairly quickly

4. Muck, filth and grubbiness would look good on these, with the flags giving colour to the army presentation overall, but with the individuals being pretty campaigned looking, within reason.

Addressing these in turn

1. Plan a game then. Now, Towton is the one that'd really be a game, but its pretty big. However, building up to Towton and the campaign around that could be doable with some thought and considerations. For smaller games, perhaps thats where I can fit some Lion Rampant or something in, at a lower points level and have those in between. Mind you, Tewkesbury appeals, as does Stoke Field. Bosworth..........theres too much choice! And then thats just staying with the Roses. Move into other regions and its endless. Which is one of the joys of the hobby, really, isn't it? Always something new to learn

Need to consider how to approach small games though (venue/time/opponent). But then, I wouldn't mind doing a siege. A proper SIEGE, like the ones we used to play in the 90's.

2. Build the bastards then! Easy

3. I did consider this with my ECW armies, being another set who I think would benefit from some dirt, but those are 90% finished now and I'm not sure I can be bothered redoing them all. Going back and redoing the households/men at arms and such is going to be fairly easy for what I've painted of the medieval stuff as they just need weathering really and that should be a doddle.

Maybe the ECW will get some treatment at some point. But I've loads of other stuff to paint first before repainting anything.

4. As I've got the method down for doing this with the Fantasy style models, I'll just carry straight over and be a bit more freeform with it. Need to be a bit braver and remember that it works out fine with the other stuff and will work fine with this!

So, all of that, plus getting a bit more context to approaching the forces and that should steer the project(s) well enough.

*remembers the painfulness of having to paint ten genestealers a couple of years ago and my how things have changed............