How many is enough

[grahambeyrout]

I have just painted (badly) my 3000th 10mm Napoleonic, and with the Not-a-Kickstarter Germans on the way I will have 3500. I am beginning to feel I have enough for my needs. This thought struck me when I realized that the accumulation took little more than 2 years, and that 1600 were done in one. This staggered me somewhat since it took me 40 years to make up that number of 15mm SYW troops. I have never used more than 800 of these 15mm or the 10mm Naps at one time . So how many Naps is enough?.

[Ithoriel]

I feel that if I can field a larger force at 1:1 scale than the original army could it's probably time to st ... start looking at the things they planned but never managed to get into action.

Must paint up my two 10mm "Maus" sometime soon

[Last Hussar]

Always 1 order more than you have.

[fsn]

You say 3000, but the kickstarter indiucates that you have more than one army.

Also, you blithely say "Napoleonics", as if it were a heterogeneous subject. Surely, if you have an Prussian army of 1806, then you are lacking the glorious Prussian army of 1813!

Therefore, I would suggest that unless you have everything up to the Neapolitans at Tolentino, then there is room for more.

[FierceKitty]

I am much puzzled why you seem to have demoted yourself to Napoleonics from SYW.

[Nick the Lemming]

All of them.

[Leman]

Sometimes enough is enough. I want to make a base to show a camp being looted. I looked around in one of my boxes of unpainted persons and found four men carrying boxes and sacks, some women, a spare gunner with open arms, a wounded man leaning to one side and several barrels and boxes. The wounded man is now dragging a box, a man reaching for a sack is now also dragging a box whilst his lady friend looks on appreciatively and the gunner with open arms is now taking the lid off the barrel to see what's inside. All from figures bought at least 15 years ago.

[Orcs]

I feel that if I can field a larger force at 1:1 scale than the original army could it's probably time to st ... start looking at the things they planned but never managed to get into action.

You say 3000, but the kickstarter indiucates that you have more than one army.

Also, you blithely say "Napoleonics", as if it were a heterogeneous subject. Surely, if you have an Prussian army of 1806, then you are lacking the glorious Prussian army of 1813!

Therefore, I would suggest that unless you have everything up to the Neapolitans at Tolentino, then there is room for more.

I believe both of the above answers are correct.

However I am not sure this is the right forum to ask this question on, particularly as most all of those here are addicts.

[grahambeyrout]

I am much puzzled why you seem to have demoted yourself to Napoleonics from SYW.

Simply, I could not justify to myself having the same army in two fairly close scales. I agree that Napoleonics (and since I have been told off for not being more specific), of the 1809 campaigns is a step down from the SYW and the ever glorious, if small army of Princess Radagund of Keinrat-Hallesbusten-Eisenberg. Napoleonics however were my first army, I ever had (in 25mm) and I was feeling nostalgic. Otherwise I might have chosen another period, say ECW or Samurai (I await the new range with some trepidation - I might yet succumb).

Finally, since I feel mischievous, I might commit blasphemy and suggest that  I could, at a pinch field my eagerly awaited 1809 Saxons as SYW if desired (light blue touch-paper and duck for cover)   

[fsn]

I am much puzzled why you seem to have demoted yourself to Napoleonics from SYW.

I agree that Napoleonics ... is a step down from the SYW

On that gentlemen, we must disagree. I would opine that the age of Napoleon is looked down upon because of its popularity. However, it has a variety, a scale and a whole bunch of innovations not available to the earlier war.  I am not going to argue that the 7YW is less interesting that the Napoleonic Wars, but the later conflict is in no way inferior.

They are just different.

   

[Leman]

Oh yes it is! Where's widow Twankey? Incidentally Pendraken had a massive SYW line long before anything similar appeared for the Napoleonics.

[rct75001]

For Napoleonics you need enough to do Borodino then Leipzig - that is after you have done Austerlitz

[paulr]

We've done Borodino and Austerlitz
Both in 6mm

[FierceKitty]

Just to rub in a little salt - I was at Austerlitz for the 200th anniversary.

[Ithoriel]

Just to rub in a little salt - I was at Austerlitz for the 200th anniversary.

I'd have been more impressed but for those last four words

[Womble67]

Can you ever have enough ? In my humble opinion the answer is definitely no. there'll always be unit to add here and there.

Take care

Andy

[steve_holmes_11]

I used to suffer badly form mission creep.

For example: Napoleonic Army, let's get about 12 battalions, 2 batteries, and 3 cavalry regiments.
  But I'd better keep my options open, so buy in enough slack to accommodate light or heavy cavalry, horse or foot artillery.
    Good grief, Dragoons or Cuirassiers - let's get some of each. Hussars or Lancers.
       I'd better make sure I have a brigade of guards.
           And Cossacks...


Attempts to impose order centered around building an actual formation.
In my case the 12th infantry division form Raevsky's 7th infantry corps.
This worked fairly well, providing a fixed formation to buy paint and base.
I improvised around the edges with supporting cavalry, but largely kept to the plan.

More recently I've been basing purchases on certain sets of rules.
With the smaller scale games it becomes practical to provide several matched forces in a setting.
I find that working with an army list for each force provides me with the discipline to not go completely bonkers when purchasing.

[Leman]

Things have changed for me recently. My last two orders have been mainly for tents, wagons, baggage, civilians, flags, and separate weapons.

[fsn]

I find that working with an army list for each force provides me with the discipline to not go completely bonkers when purchasing.

Totally! All my historical stuff is based on historical army lists. This does mean you have to choose sometimes not to have the "pretty" regiments. My British Napoleonics will have Light Dragoons, but not Hussars; Dragoons, but not the Scots Greys; and Highlanders but not Guards.

I do feel that when it comes time to expand, I will have something to look forward to. 

My (as yet unstarted, but carefully planned) Russians are just the Guards. A reasonably small corps with a good mix of unit types. 

[Orcs]

I find that working with an army list for each force provides me with the discipline to not go completely bonkers when purchasing.

I am sorry I do not understand the bit "  discipline to not go completely bonkers when purchasing "