Are YOU a button counter?

Are you a button counter? In this video, we dive into one of the most debated topics in historical miniature painting and miniature wargaming—accuracy vs. artistic freedom. Are you the kind of wargamer who counts every button, or do you prefer a more relaxed approach when painting your historical miniatures?

We explore the pros and cons of striving for strict historical accuracy in your miniature painting and how it affects gameplay, immersion, and enjoyment in tabletop wargaming. Whether you're painting Napoleonic uniforms down to the last stitch or just want your army to look good on the battlefield, this discussion is for you.

Posties Rejects and Miniature Adventure TV at SALUTE next weekend

Its early April so that means just one thing for many wargamers, SALUTE is coming around again. This year, as with many previously, Posties Rejects will be attending the show en-masse, and this year I have recruited the guys to help me cover the show for my channel. I will of course be there in my Miniature Adventures shirt, but Ray, Stuart and Steve will be sporting the red of Posties Rejects. Please come and say hello if you see us wandering around. We really do enjoy meeting followers of our blogs and channels. 

If you think bumping into us in a hall filled with thousands of other wargamers is a little random then we have arranged the usual 'blogger' meet-up at 1pm roughly in the centre... see the big red dot on the floor plan below! 

I know that SALUTE is not for everyone and there are always a long list of comments on my channel explaining why the show is either terrible, or the best thing ever! Each to their own of course, but I love this show. My knees are already hurting in anticipation, I have stocked up on painkillers and snacks, but I am going to thoroughly enjoy myself as always. I'm looking forward to exploring the demo games, visiting the traders and I'm also hoping to find time for one or two of the Panels which have become a popular staple of the last few shows.  I will, as always, be taking far too many pictures and video, and will once again attempt to get a show video out by the end of the day. Then I'll need buckets of painkillers, an ice bath (like the hairy, overweight, walrus athlete that I am) and several days to recover. I can't wait. 

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1812 Project Collaboration - French & Russian combined display video

Today's post follows on from the review of my Russian army for 1812. Now Ray and I have brought both armies together and wanted to show off our combined efforts during the Painting Challenge. This is not the end of the project by any stretch of the imagination. Orders have already been placed for the next units to bolster our armies, along with orders for terrain, buildings etc. 

Keeping it going...

Another off-the-cuff episode this week where I discuss the continuation of a current project beyond the initial planned stages. How do you keep the enthusiasm for a project going, especially when so much 'shiny' is out there to tempt you into another period?

Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow 1812 - The Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge XV

For the last three months I have been participating in the Painting Challenge and having submitted my last entry I have a chance to review how I did. The short version is I think I did pretty well. My initial target was 300 points which reflected the models I had bought when the challenge started. My final output is a little over 1000 points so you can see I bought a few more figures along the way! I have managed to complete one, sometimes two units a week, while still keeping up with posting on the Challenge blog, here on BLMA and still getting my weekly video for the channel in on time. Time now to dial back the workload, take a deep breath and have a tidy up (the Operations Room is a proper mess!). 

My trajectory during this challenge has been pretty consistent, netting my third highest tally.

Grenadiers

Musketeers / Line Infantry

3 units of Jáger skirmishers

Mounted officer

Another Musketeer / Line infantry unit

Three junior officers /  NCO's

12 Pounder Artillery and crew

Don Cossacks

Moscow and St Petersburg Opolchenie

Two mounted officers

Smolensk Dragoons

Two units of Jágers

Opolchenie 3 pounder gun & limber

Opolchenie 3 Pounder Gun Team

Cossack Opolchenie

6 Pounder Artillery piece & crew (and a Water Cart)

6 Pounder and 12 pounder Guns side by side

Water Cart

Two units of Carabineer's

Very angry peasants!

Phew!

Battle of Castelnuovo del Garda - 6mm MDF Napoleonics

Over the weekend the Rejects gathered for another game hosted by Richard using his incredible 6mm MDF armies. This was a “What If” engagement set in Bonaparte's campaign in Italy in 1797. The Austrians have launched an attack to break the French siege of Mantua. Once achieved and reinforced by the large number of troops there, they were to push the French westward towards Piedmont. Hoping to hold Alvinczy’s Austrian forces at Rivoli, General Bonaparte and his divisions, nonetheless, failed to move quickly enough to reinforce Joubert who was guarding the approaches down the river Adige. Consequently, Joubert was compelled to withdraw his troops south and rendezvous with the forces of Generals Massena and Rey.

In this alternate history, Alvinczy was able to complete the junction of his three columns on the Rivoli plateau. After a day’s rest, he set the Austrian army in motion south to defeat Bonaparte’s revolutionary Army of Italy. As he approached Castelnuovo del Garda, Alvinczy got news of the French beginning to deploy. Bonaparte, now certain that the approaching Austrians represent the main strike towards Mantua – not the feint that Augereau is holding back around Verona - and he is determined to strike a blow against Alvinczy at Castelnuovo del Garda.

After deployment but before battle commenced

An example of the army list showing Joubert's
Corps and the Army Assets directly under
Bonaparte's command. 

Richard had sent us our army lists in advance and started the game with some map-making. One player from each side was allowed to go out to the shed-o-war and reconnoitre the battlefield. They then had 10 minutes to sketch the battlefield; observe the enemy forces and ask questions about the terrain. Returning to their fellow generals each side then had a further 15 minutes to come up with a strategy and write down on the map where their divisions were to be deployed. Only then were we allowed into the shed and given just 10 minutes to place our divisions according to our earlier sketch map. 

Richard was using the Volley & Bayonet rules for this game in what can best be described as a "Grand Tactical" scale. So each 3" square base represented a whole Brigade with each commander controlling a Corps of two or three divisions each. Each turn represents a whole hour, with movement distances up to 16" for an infantry division and up to 24" for cavalry. However, with each inch representing 100 Yards ranges are short. Artillery can fire about 10" while musketry is just a couple of inches. The effect of this is a very different game to that where the player is controlling companies or regiments. Combined with Richards's use of reconnoitre and deployment this game really does feel very different to other games. 

I won't go into too much detail - my brain is still hurting after this cerebral punch-up - but let's just say that Bonaparte wasn't endowed with much luck. We shifted our line to the right as we crossed the last couple of miles towards the Austrians. Our cavalry managed to secure a position on the Austrian flank after they had formed a static line and we immediately pressed that advantage. In the centre, Joubert's Corp kept the Austrian's attention firmly forward while our extreme left, over a mile away, kept them occupied and unable to get around our flank. But having gained the best possible advantage, and doubling up on every attack so we were always throwing more dice in melee than our opponents, we just couldn't land a killer punch. 

By the end of the game, both sides had fought themselves to exhaustion but the Austrians were able to claim a minor victory with their army in marginally better shape than ours. Frankly, our dice rolling was so poor I was surprised the end was as close as it was. 

Richard has posted his own take on running the game for us here and its worth reading for a different perspective of the game from the umpires position. Like Richard I didn't take nearly enough pictures to make a coherent storyboard of the game...I was too busy concentrating and enjoying the puzzle that was this battle. 

Is This the End? The Emotional Journey at the end of a project

In this video, I explore the emotional rollercoaster that comes with completing a miniature painting project in the world of tabletop wargaming. From the excitement of finishing a wargame army to the bittersweet feeling of loss as a project comes to an end, I dive into the complex emotions that wargamers often face when reaching the finish line. Whether you're a seasoned historical wargamer or a newcomer to the hobby, you’ll relate to the sense of achievement mixed with a tinge of sadness when completing your painted 28mm miniatures or entire wargame army.

But do we ever really finish a project in the world of wargaming? This video also discusses the question that many wargamers ask themselves: Would I consider painting another 28mm army? I touch on the ever-evolving nature of the hobby, and why wargamers often return to old projects or start new ones.

If you're passionate about miniature painting, wargaming strategy, or just the hobby industry in general, this video is for you! Join me as we reflect on the highs and lows of completing wargaming projects and what comes next in our tabletop adventures.

Russian 6pdr Gun and Crew and a Water Wagon

So a few weeks ago I painted a 12pdr Gun Team and I mentioned that I also had a 6pdr gun and crew to paint. But you may recall that I had to ‘borrow’ a crewman from the 6pdr team because Sharp Practice has five-man crew for guns but the packs only come with four figures. Well, now that it was time to paint the 6pdr I was two figures down, so I bought a couple of artillery officers from Front Rank to fill the gaps. 

Actually what I plan to do is swap back the ‘borrowed figure’ from the 12pdr crew and give each set one of the officers (shown below)

As with the earlier gun, this was fun to paint, and I look forward to doing more artillery at a later date. During Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812, the Russian army had a substantial artillery force, with estimates ranging from over 600 guns present at Borodino alone. Some sources indicate the Russians had over 2,000 artillery pieces available during the campaign compared to the French, who had approximately 1400 artillery pieces available.

I also had time to do a wagon, this one being a 3D print from Iron Gate Scenery. The Barrels are from Debris of War and the Horse is by Tiger Miniatures. 

From Good to Great

Are you ready to take your miniature wargaming experience to the next level? In this video, we reveal one simple yet powerful tip that can transform your wargame from good to great! Whether you're a veteran historical wargamer or just getting into the hobby, preparation is the key to better battles, smoother gameplay, and more immersive experiences.

🔥 Subscribe for more hobby tips, wargaming discussions, and hobby insights!

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Cossack Opolchiene - Russian Mounted Militia for 1812

I need to add more cavalry to my army so when I purchased the Gun and Limber that I painted last week I also purchased this unit of mounted Opolchiene from Perry Miniatures. The set comes with lances for all, however, there are also several muckets/carbines in the pack so I decided to give a couple of them firearms instead of lances. These are militia after all, and uniformity is not a word I would usually associate with a unit of this type. 

I’ve already painted a couple of units of foot Opolchiene, but there were also a series of short-lived cavalry formations. These were formed in July 1812 as ‘Cossack’ (ie mounted) militia regiments. The Moscow militia had two regiments, but other regions were able to raise considerably more. All were disbanded in 1813-14 once the crisis of Napoleon's invasion had been defeated. 

I probably won’t have time for more cavalry before the Challenge ends, but I am giving careful consideration to adding a few units of Uhlans to my army to give it more mobility and lethality. Let's see if I have the energy (and the money) once the challenge ends!