Hobby Update from the Operations Room - December 2025

This latest Update from the Operations Room includes a candid hobby update after a November/December in which real life thoroughly ambushed gaming time. Illness, injury, and work commitments conspired to keep the dice in their bags, but that pause provides a useful reminder that the hobby ebbs and flows — and that stepping away doesn’t diminish enthusiasm when you return.

On the workbench, I share the completion of a unit that has been a long time coming: 28mm Russian Tartar Uhlans from Perry Miniatures, painted for the 1812 Retreat from Moscow. Drawing on the regiment’s role during the Berezina campaign, I talk through the historical inspiration, sculpting details, and painting choices that balance uniform colour with campaign wear. This unit now anchors another small piece of the wider 1812 project on my tabletop.

There’s also a look ahead to the Analogue Hobbies Winter Painting Challenge, a long-running tradition that turns the darkest months of the year into a shared burst of creativity. This year’s plans include a Winter War project using 28mm figures, with basing choices designed to support both Bolt Action and Chain of Command.

Finally, the episode features a book review of Roman Cavalry Equipment by Ian Stephenson and Karen Dixon, assessing its value as a visual and practical reference for painters and historical wargamers interested in Late Roman armies. 

The Great Wargaming Food Controversy!

Food around the games table is one of those topics every tabletop wargamer has an opinion on, whether they’ve ever said it aloud or not. Some players swear that a mug of tea and a biscuit elevate the whole experience. Others treat their gaming boards like sacred relics where crumbs must never tread. This blog post accompanies my latest video, where I unpack the whole debate with a mix of humour, experience, and a strong appreciation for well-painted miniatures.

The heart of the conversation is etiquette. For some, snacks are part of the ritual of gaming — they help create a relaxed, social, welcoming atmosphere. Club nights especially tend to become snack-friendly zones, whether through convenience, tradition, or the fact that many are hosted in pubs where the line between “gaming table” and “bar table” is surprisingly thin. A pint and a packet of crisps during a late-night skirmish game is practically a cultural institution in some communities.

But others feel differently. They’ve witnessed spills, greasy fingerprints on tanks, salt scattered across lovingly built terrain, and entire units drowned under toppled drinks. For them, food anywhere near a board is a risk not worth taking. And they’re not wrong — a cup of coffee and a 300-hour painting project are a deeply incompatible pairing.

The setting matters too. Home games can be relaxed; club games depend on local customs; tournaments and conventions demand much stricter rules. No one wants a £500 display board ruined because someone wandered over with a sausage roll.

The video also touches on the playful idea of “tea-and-biscuit generals” and “pie-and-a-pint wargamers.” Do our snack choices reflect our gaming styles? Are these real archetypes or just affectionate myths we tell ourselves? There’s no definitive answer, but exploring these cultural quirks of the hobby is part of the fun.

If you enjoy the social side of the hobby, have strong feelings about crumbs near terrain, or just like hearing wargamers debate the slightly odd things that make our hobby unique, the video linked below is for you. Join the conversation and share your own food-and-wargaming stories — the good, the bad, and the gravy-based.

Are miniature painters doomed?

Occasionally, a question pops into the hobby that stops you mid-brushstroke, and the one I tackle in this video definitely fits that description. It came from Evangelos Georgopoulos, who reached out to me through my blog to highlight an article he’d written and to ask for wider opinions on a rather provocative topic: will AI eventually paint our miniatures? It’s the kind of question that makes you smile nervously, look at your paint desk, and wonder whether the machines are quietly plotting behind your back.

This blog post accompanies the full video discussion, where I take a deeper look at how developments in 3D printing, colour-print technology, and AI-assisted tools might reshape the future of our hobby. Only a few years ago, colour 3D printers were clumsy, experimental machines that produced chunky, multicoloured blocks. Today, they’re edging toward the ability to print miniatures in full colour at resolutions sharp enough to compete with hand painting—at least at tabletop distance. When those printers eventually become affordable for everyday wargamers, the landscape could shift dramatically.

The video explores this evolution from early 3D printing to the modern resin revolution, and into the rapidly expanding world of AI. Sculpting tools are already becoming smarter, slicing software is increasingly automated, and digital workflows are accelerating. The next logical step is a printer that produces fully 'painted' miniatures straight out of the machine... and it is starting to feel less like science fiction and more like something quietly creeping over the horizon.

But the real heart of the discussion isn’t just technological; it’s psychological. Will wargamers choose convenience over craft? Will traditional painting become a niche pursuit? Or are miniature painters simply too passionate, too stubborn, and too invested in the creative process to be replaced? Add in the wider issue of “AI slop” on social media, and the question gets even more complex. We’re already learning to spot fake images online; the physical world might turn out to be far less forgiving.

If you’re curious about where all of this might lead, the video digs into the possibilities, and as always, the conversation is the best part. 

How to Hook a New Wargamer with Just One Game

Every wargamer remembers their first real battle. The first time the dice rolled just right, a unit did something heroic, and they realised this was more than a game. It’s that spark, that sense of discovery, that we try to recreate when introducing someone new to the hobby. But what exactly makes a good set of introductory wargame rules?

In my latest video, I explore that question in depth. A subscriber asked, “What should we look for in a set of wargame rules when you want to introduce a new player to the hobby?” It’s a deceptively simple question that gets to the heart of what makes tabletop wargaming so special. From clarity and pacing to theme and presentation, a great starter game needs to be approachable but still exciting. The best rules make sense as you play, keep both players engaged, and encourage moments of drama and laughter. Whether it’s Bolt Action, What a Tanker, or Chain of Command, the goal is always the same: to create memorable stories and share the joy of miniature wargaming.

The video also touches on the importance of presentation and community. The way we teach, play, and welcome new players says as much about the hobby as the rules themselves. Wargaming, after all, isn’t just about rolling dice. It’s about creativity, connection, and storytelling. If you’re a historical wargamer, painter, or just someone who loves the hobby, this discussion is for you. Join me as we explore what makes a first game great.