Reorganizing figures without rebasing or relabeling

So, in preparation for my mid-July convention game, I needed to do some significant reorganization but there is no way I will have time for any rebasing or reorganizing the figures and also get some additional figures painted, some buildings painted, and some terrain pieces built.  

I hit upon the simple expedient of using 'talus' and 'tufts' to define the "new" units.   In some instances, rather than talus I will use rail ballast - it is what I have on hand in sufficient quantity and variety of colors. 

As a for instance, I have constituted four units of a similar nature each with six stands where previously there had been six units with four stands each.  For this grouping, I made piles of white talus on each stand the group identifier and then each unit is further defined by different colored flower tufts: white, yellow, red, and blue.  

What I like most about this approach is that it is readily visible without having to look at the lettering on the base of the figures and without any visually distracting labels.

I only have 72 more units to finish (that is 432 more bases to go)!

Then there are the units I need to get painted to add to the mix - but those might be easily differentiated by how the figures get painted, well some of the units.  The native units will require a bit more finesse but might still be able to use the painted colors for some to differentiate, maybe.

Pirate Harry Doorknockin's Raid on Paynomore

Putting on a pirate game at a convention in July so back to work on some figures - need 48 figures to round out 8 partial units, already painted, as part of a Grand Reorganization to fit the collection to my rules of choice per my own lights, essentially going from 4 stands to a unit up to 6 stands to a unit with some special units up to 8 stands.  Also need a couple of new units of a special nature and more dead figures and then there will be few a 'bonus' figures for the game.  No need to buy anymore figures, though, have plenty on hand, more than needed actually.  Also need to finish a bunch of native figures as part of the game, figures that will double for a Caribbean setting and the Pacific Islands at times.  Might try to finish some of the native canoes but that is a wait and see part of the project.  

I might offer some of the surplus figures as prizes during the game.  Not sure what I will do with there overly Napoleonic marine units.  Will still have a smattering of figures in out-of-period hats like fore-and-aft naval hats but I will just consider those fellows to be trend setters well ahead of their time.

I've got a bit over ten weeks to paint about 240-250 figures which is well within my range of productivity, more if I do the canoes but not too many more, a couple of dozen figures or so at most.

Will also be adding some terrain.  Need to order a couple of walls for my star fort model to create my variation of Panama.  And going to build a rope bridge across a canyon between two native villages.  Otherwise, I should have what I need.  Though I might paint up a few extra buildings and, if enough time, build some better jungle trees.

The coolest part is the game will put almost all of my painted pirate collection figures into a game - not a ship game, a land game.  May be a couple of ships as 'decor', maybe with some boats landed, but only as decor, not part of the game.

Don't have the final tally but once the 'new' stuff is painted, there will be a bit over 1900 figures including the multi-purpose natives.

And looks like I will take one unit out of the pirate collection and switch it over to my western collection as temperance women and a half dozen as bar girls or such.

To the devil drink a toast!

Alive and kicking

Just a quick note to show I am still here - old operating system wasn't allowing access and could not update but have new computer.  Finally!   

Avoiding a Year off

As in not letting a whole year go between posts.  Pirates not abandoned, focus on other collections this year: AWI, Pony West, Colonials.  Will circle back to the pirates at some point.

Most "recent" Pirate Ship acquisition

Not really recent, been awaiting work for a couple of busily distracted years, but here is a 'new' pirate ship not yet removed from its stand and with its keel still in place.

 Just a couple of quick views similar to each other, evidence of eventual forward progress towards completion of the pirate collection.

Resurrection or New Direction?

I have been asked to resurrect my giant pirate game for a convention next year.  However, the timing of the convention is not good being on Easter weekend.  And then there is my desire to turn the collection in a different direction with one principle town - with a fort - and maybe a smaller piratical lair.  Also, I am seriously thinking of reducing the size of the collection though I do have a couple of hundred additional pirates to finish painting.  Last, there is the fact that my focus is on other collections these days and I don't want to derail that forward progress.  Time will tell.

And, yes, I have regained access to this - and other - blogs that got 'lost' for a time; don't know why just couldn't access it.  Seems fixed for now and that is good.

Oh, and I've added a very nice pirate ship to my collection I'll have to try and get a picture of and post here.

Tick-tock

Time marches on and little progress - though the figures are primed and based and ready for painting but who knows the when as far as when it will happen.  Been working on other projects with what little time I've had for the hobby the last year or so.  AWI, Old West, and now the renewed Boxer Rebellion project have soaked up most of my limited time.