The Boer Wars Have Bitten

I have always been the strong advocate of picking a limited number of projects as a wargamer to be your focus. I use this idea because of a number of reasons - limited lifespan, limited money, limited space, limited time.

For me, I chose 6mm Napoleonics as my #1 project to spend my precious time and money on. Followed closely by Moderns in 20mm and more recently 6mm. To this I added 6mm ACW and 6mm Sci Fi and of course I needed to devote time and money and effort to terrain for these projects as well. I had always wanted to do the 3rd Crusades and so this year I added 10mm Crusades to the list as the 6mm figures left a lot to be desired.

So there I was. All sorted. It meant I could avoid all those lovely books on other periods and skip over those tantalizing articles in magazines and on websites knowing comfortably I could do so without temptation to dabble in distracting periods or scales.

Then I bought a local history of a fellow's grandfather's exploits during The 2nd Boer War and then World War I culminating in the Australian Light Horse's famous charge and capture of Beersheba.

I had always had the Boer War bug but kept it in check by following my exclusive projects rules. This book however has lit something inside of me. I already have arid terrain in 6mm to use. And the scale of the units are smaller and therefore cheaper to purchase and put together. For rules I thought I would use a modification for Force on Force.

So onto the web I went. 6mm is always my 1st choice of scale due to the terrain I already have to use, the space I have available - both for play and storage and the cheap price for figures especially when you are a megalomaniac such as I who loves to field both sides of periods and at a scale to visually inspire both myself and others along the way. I like to put 1000s of figures on the tabletop.

Recently I had expanded my projects to include the 3rd Crusade and found it difficult to find good 6mm figures that I could paint up nicely to show the colour of that period so I had compromised and "allowed" myself to purchase 10mm figures for this project. So for the Boer Wars I went looking for 6mm knowing I may again have to settle on 10mm. I was surprised to find Baccus has some good looking figures in 6mm for Boer War and so I made a purchase of a few to test them out. While I was there I found they also produce a range of Crusades figures, so I purchased those as well. Not to be dissuaded from 10mm, I also went and found a range of Boer War figures from 10mm producer Pendraken and purchased some of them. So I now have sample lots of 6mm Crusades and Boer Wars and 10mm Crusades and Boer Wars heading to my painting table.

I will keep posting under a new label on my progress through deciding 6mm or 10mm for the Boer Wars project. Stay tuned!