Shedding the Leadpile Burden

I've noticed a trend on gaming Social Media lately. People talking about reducing the lead mountain,  fewer new projects,  concentrating on working on and playing with what they have.

There comes a time when you just have to focus and realize that that fringe project you've been slowly hoarding  figures for is never going to happen.  Or you'd better stop getting distracted by other fringe projects and buckle down to it!

I've been looking at my own lead mountain recently and have decided to have a good clear out at the Hot Lead Bring and Buy. So all my unpainted 15mm ancients are going. Sarmatians, Persians, the last Late Imperial Roman units, a very decent Goth army primed and waiting for paint,  enough legions for Caesar to conquer Gaul with. Dumping the terrain too. Couple of job lots of SYW figures as well. Keeping what I still plan to get painted but shedding the rest.

Even took some books from my crowded shelves.

I feel light and good about it.

It's been very liberating. 

Plus I can spend that money on projects that still have my attention without feeling guilty.

The Problem With Plastic

There are a lot of  really talented people on the Wargaming in Middle Earth Facebook group. They've been show casing really nice kitbashed elf warriors who could have stepped out of an Alan Lee painting.

But these figures are made by combining components from several different kits. sometimes it's just a Norman figure with added greenstuff cloak and a plume. That I can do. I guess. Maybe.

Some are more elaborate: a Victrix huscarl torso, Conquest Norman shield, Gripping Beast late Roman head, Fireforge Templar cloak and plumes from the Oathmark elf set.

Graham Green is especially talented, his First Age Noldor cavalry appearing on the cover of the August 2019 issue of Miniature Wargames

Perhaps it's because these guys are all in the very geographically tight British gaming scene, so picking up stray sprues and left over bits at swap meets or something is possible. But if I've got to buy 2 or 3 or 4 different kits of figures I don't otherwise want, to make one figure, maybe metal is cheaper?

Thistle and Rose have put Vendel figures back in production. Or I can wait for Conqueror to get around to doing elves. Or glue some plumes onto Norman helmets....