Recalled I had this:
Khusru left a comment asking about Mexican figure sources - besides Peter Pig. Best source is Old Glory's Blue Moon figures - look through the Mexican wars, including early 20th century revolution - for both armed and unarmed civilians for Mexico and other civilians - and other ranges as well, never know what might work. Also, look at the Peter Pig Mexican revolution range - and explore their other ranges for earlier or later periods for useful figures. Peter Pig packs always have duplicates; Blue Moon sometimes have all unique poses - or far fewer duplicates. Another option is to hunt through QRF ranges for civilians beyond the Yellow Ribbon range, again earlier and later. And there are a few here and there in Minifigs Old West sets (through Caliver these days I believe). Far more unarmed civilians in 15 mm than at first blush - just have to do some digging and look through a 'different lense' to see how a given figure will work in an unintended period.
As to when will the 'extra' figures be up for grabs and where - not sure yet but will start locally but feel free to contact me via a PM at Lead Adventure Forum as well if you have specific interests/needs. Timing will be after I am certain I am done with the sorting. See immediately preceding post for the why.
And along comes a cool idea in a game report at Lead Adventure Forum that I am adopting, adding a funeral procession to the options. Also adding a few other bits. The fort is now sorted as well.
So:
6 men, 6 women well off folk for a funeral
6 men, 6 women less well off folk for a funeral but appropriate poses
Included within are appropriate figures for whoever is conducting the service
3 men - one as embalmer, one as grave digger (shovel), and one messenger (or whatever) - undertaker already included in early listings (but not identified in the listing, professionals)
7 men - a band including leader, three different drummers and three different brass - in sombre attire
For better times:
7 men - a band including leader, three different drummers and three different brass - in colorful attire
3 men, 3 women as entertainers, actors, singers, etc. To join band or dancing girls, etc.
4 boys and 2 dogs - the boys are a different pose and improves the number of male versus female kids
The bands come from my ACW figures, long primed but never painted. The boys and dogs are from the fort stash for the Old West/Pony Wars. The other figures are from the 'discard' unarmed civilians - and a nice 'rescue' of the well off folk since that was a special order at a premium price per figure, duplicates of others kept but to be painted quite differently in mostly blacks.
Turning to the fort:
3 men, one mounted man and same on foot as fort commander, top sergeant, ensign, dead man, dead horse
3 lesser command, 6 marching men, 6 marching men, 6 artillerymen (need to pull a gun to add), 4 dead
3 lesser command, 6 firing men, 6 firing men, 6 artillerymen (need to pull a gun to add), 4 dead
edit: need to add in a crew or two for gatling guns! Mui importante. Well, actually, already included in the Pony Wars but probably convert one to individual basing for Old West. And not mentioned yet but all of the army wagons will be useful for both and included in the painting. So will many, many more wagons of varied sorts that are not army.
6 men on fatigue duty, 6 men at leisure, 6 men with half on fatigue and half at leisure (fatigue are carrying various loads - some duplicates - and those at leisure are resting, eating, etc. and all unique), 4 dead
3 Indian scouts, 1 dead
6 signalmen in two groups, two dead - and signal tower for the fort
6 'naked' horses and 11 stands of stacked arms.
Need to decide on fort - open and traditional historical or Hollywood stockade.
While the top part of this post are 'additions' to the painting totals, the fort stash is greatly reduced from what was in the stash to what is listed here - and sorted into storage boxes - for the painting pile. So, overall, a reduction despite the 'addition'.
The adds provide new scenario options with either funerals or various entertainments - I will be sorting out a bull (from already painted figures) and a bear from those I have for bear and bull fights, might be theatricals, or celebrations with bands playing, or more subdued funerals. I do have two wagons to convert to horse drawn hearses with one to be painted black pulled by white horses and the other white pulled by black horses; and I have coffins already. And I even have a nice outdoor stage that I bought for my jousting game setup that I can use for happier days on the table - at least at the start of the 'day'.
On the fort front, I can see a scenario where the fort is in one corner of the table and at the farthest opposite corner one of the groups of signalmen - and attempts to warn the fort, or an expedition from the fort perhaps, of a pending attack. Does the message get through in time? A ticking clock element.
Fun stuff for my fertile imagination.
Last night I finished the winnowing of the 'on foot only' civilians. Still 'too many' but I will manage.
And, important to note, I can easily drop twenty 'sets of six' and the matching dead so that would reduce the total 'figures to paint' by 140. This would be done by not painting multiple units if I find I have enough of a certain type like 'armed white men', etc., or of only painting one of the two full groups of saloon 'sets of six' - 42 figures per group plus seven dead (21 men, 21 women - one set is half men/half women).
And the total does not count 60 multi-based figures I painted recently or the 12 dead (though four of those will get reworked to make the female dead more 'female' by using glue soaked tissue paper to 'dress' them), nor does it count 36 multi-based plus a command group of six figures (these are all Mexicans) along with three horse holders with six horses that were painted for me by a different painter a while ago, nor the 24 figures painted/almost done being painted for me figures with four dead (again, will need to rework two dead for females - or adjust the remaining dead to paint perhaps). That adds up to 142 already painted. No need to drop any of these - and some might 'replace' those waiting to be painted.
The sets of six works out to 88 though one is only one man plus six mules, a prospector figure and his transport. So that adds up to 528 (6 x 88) figures plus one for 529 figures, subtract the six mules and that leaves 523 human figures to paint - and then add in 18 more people since 18 of the women are sculpts of two figures - either a baby-in-arms or a child quite literally at her side so 541 total people. There are also four tables, four chairs, and two pianos to paint included in the saloon groups (and I think two faro tables to add in along with some other details bits) but I will count that as scatter terrain. To the 529 sculpts then needs to be added the 88 dead figures to meet my 1:6 ratio (one can be a dead draft horse to represent the mules), That means 617 figures to paint (28 of the dead will be modified to be female dead, seven to be children - just use the smallest casualties from the Vietnamese village dead from Peter Pig, and maybe 7 of the women mods will include a dead child since seven of the groups of women include those 18 attached children - again some of the Vietnamese dead figures might work here. For those not comfortable with dead women and children - life was harder back in those days and more stark.)
While more than I was hoping for, that is still more than 1,000 fewer figures to paint.
And then there is the 'really cool part': a very large number of the 88 sets are six unique figures, only duplication within a set where absolutely necessary. Sure, there is duplication across sets but even there not excessive. I didn't do an exact count but I'd say maybe 70-80% of the sculpts to be painted are unique figures. I think that is full-on awesome.
Here is the break down, and I'm breaking out the ethnically diverse from the white folk since I want to know how that is working to meet my desire to include a more representative 'real Old West' rather than the nearly lily-white Hollywood west - even though my games will often be more Hollywood than history.
Armed white men 6, 6, 6
Armed white women 6
Trenchcoat men with guns 6
Mountain men 6, 6
Lawmen 6, 6
Masked Bandits 6, 6
Gambler Gunmen 6, 6
Town toughs with guns 6
Men with shotguns 6
Female gunfighters 6
---
Top hat men 6
Local merchants 6
Professional men 6
Salesmen 6 (one for the snake oil wagon)
Surgeon 6 (a man operating and others bringing a patient (one woman in the group)
Wheelwright 6 (and maybe the Cooper, too)
Blacksmith 6
Local workmen 6, 6 (carrying various loads)
Farmer men 6
Miners 6
Prospector 1 plus 6 mules
Train Crew 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 (only five crews for nine steam locomotives)
Mormons 6 (2 men, 4 women - with 2 attached children)
Old fashioned film crew 6 (hand cranked camera, 5 men, 1 woman)
Cameras 6 (two glass plate style cameras and four subjects, 5 men, 1 woman)
Folk 6 (figures I just wanted to keep (4 men, 2 women)
Women's Temperance Union leaders 6
WTU group A 6
WTU group B 6
WTU group C 6 (WTU to redo battle of Whiskey Hills from movie Hallelujah Trail)
Upper class women 6
Shopkeeper women 6
Women at work 6
Women shopping 6
Women with children 6 (and six attached children)
Young women 6
White girls 6 - children [there are some two figures sculpts among the various kids sets]
Farm women 6
White boys 6 - children
---
Saloon entertainers 4, 4 (piano players, standing and seated banjo players, male singers)
Card players 8, 8 (seated at tables)
Bar staff 6, 6 (barkeep, two workmen, three serving women)
Drunks 6, 6 (all men)
Dancing girls 6, 6
Soiled doves 6, 6
French bauds 6, 6
Crib girls 6 (probably paint these as Mexican, black, and Chinese - a reality of the profession)
---
Armed Mexican men 6, 6, 6
Armed Mexican men 6 - machete only
Mexicans with dynamite 6
Armed Mexican women 6
---
Mexican men 6, 6
Mexican women 6, 6
Mexican boys 6 children
Mexican girls 6 children
---
Native men 6 (these are the 'hang around the fort' types, old and infirm - lots of armed natives to come)
Native women 6 (3 attached kids)
Native children 6
---
Colored men 6
Colored women 6 (2 attached kids)
Colored children 6
---
Chinese men 6
Chinese women 6 (2 attached kids)
Chinese children 6
Chinese workers 6 (for railroad workers - carrying baskets on poles or on back)
Shaolin 6 (a couple of priests and other Chinese men - probably should replace one as more western to represent Kwai-chang Caine from the old Kung Fu TV series)
That works out to 310 men, 171 women, 42 + 18 attached children, and the six mules. And 87 dead people plus one dead horse (mule).
I think it safe to say that listing will allow just about any scenario possible. And, of course, the 58 already painted (well, some being painted for me) along with at least three more I need to paint, cowboys can be tossed into the mix - all of these having a mounted, dismounted, and dead version.
That doesn't account for the 26 groups of 12 mounted/foot/dead still waiting its own winnowing down. But before I get to that, the next winnowing project will be my figures for the army fort - which will include some infantry. And I think after that, I will sort out some Apache figures.
Even if I reduce down to a third of the total when I started, I will still have a dramatically excessive but extraordinarily diverse group of figures for gaming the Old West and the Pony Wars.
My new conundrum relates to Old West - using Fistful of Lead for skirmish games - versus battle sized Pony Wars games using Rank and File. For the latter, need multi-based figures for sure. But maybe smaller unit sizes to keep the painting total in check. Have to think upon this.
Continued the winnowing process today and 'added back in' a bunch of figures. Well, sort of. I grouped a bunch of additional foot only figures into 'sets of six' and some of them will be retained, especially the Gambler Gunmen - and the Women's Temperance marchers which I will need for the Battle of Whiskey Hills. Others might replace some of what was winnowed yesterday. Still many 'final' decisions to come over time. Remember, "the cunning plan" is still in place to paint until 'satiated' for the Old West/Pony Wars.
And a significant moment today when I laid out for priming what started as 120 but ballooned up to 144 individual standing only bases - plus a matching 24 dead figure stands, 1:6 ratio dead to alive for the foot only figures. That is a lot of bases. And add to that 24 figures painted/being painted for me along with appropriate dead figures. So at least 168 individually based foot figures and 28 dead figures. I can see myself easily doubling that number to a total of 336 figures plus dead as needed - but beyond that is excessive for sure. That means 56 'sets of six'. So, another dimension of the downward winnow will be prioritizing which of the 'sets of six' are either most important to me or most versatile, ideally both. The challenge is how many more of those sets there are, perhaps triple that. Easily see myself bumping it up to 60 sets - and there goes the creeping upwards! {60 x 6 = 360 + 60 dead = 420 to paint. A lot but a lot less than 1,300 plus before the winnowing began. Resolve is required.}
Additional bases were prepared - and need to do some more but a fraction of the rest. The individually based cavalry now has all the needed bases (but for a few more). Two of the three still to paint cowboys have their bases, need to do a few more for that third unanticipated cowpoke. And then I did all of the individually based Indians - except for those assigned to the cavalry as scouts. Perhaps some more to do to add in Apache to the mix, that is a probable. Looks like I will need to order more of my round metal bases - but mostly for other projects than the Old West/Pony Wars which has made a big dent.
Wrestling with the idea of going through the rest of the 'extra' foot only figures to group them in sets of six but not sure about that, not sure it is worth the effort.
Even with many decisions still to make, considerable forward progress the last few days.
Just a first pass through with some things still to be winnowed and not quite down by half for the 'on foot only' civilians. Which is still way too many figures than will ever be needed.
But now I have a cunning plan. All groups listed below - except for the saloon men which still need a bit of tinkering - are organized in groups of six figures (totals below all divisible by six except as noted).
And the plan is to pull out and paint whatever group(s) of six figures I need for an upcoming game and paint them. Many, not all, will be primed and ready. As I paint, once I reach a point where I know I have enough of 'this or that', the rest will be consigned to extraville and be parted with.
I imagine - and hope - by the time I've painted a third of the retained figures, that will be more than enough. Yeah, still excessive at 'only' a third of the retained figures but the plan feels right. At least the 'unretained' figures reduces the painting total by many hundreds of figures.
Here, with an annotation or two, is the break down, armed first:
Mountain Men 24 (all unique sculpts - I think)
"Denver" Free Militia 36 + 6 (the six being Oracle Jones, Clayton Howell, etc.)
Armed White Men 42 (all unique sculpts!)
Armed White Women 18
Armed Mexican Men 12 + 6 (the six with machetes only)(another 24 or 36? painted)
Armed Mexican Women 12
The rest are unarmed:
White Men 96 (almost all unique sculpts)
White Women 78 (definitely duplication with all the women but tried not to duplicate within a single group of six where possible, not always an option)
White Children 36 (as above but more so with all the children, had to duplicate)
Mexican Men 12 (another 24 already painted, peons to work the land)
Mexican Women 36
Mexican Children 18 (only some ethnic kids are appropriate, most are just 'kids')
Native Men 12 (the old and the infirm who hang around town or the fort) [lots more native villagers for the 'wild' Indians, men, women, and children, aka off the reservation (or on if needed)]
Native Women 12
Native Children 6
Colored Men 18
Colored Women 18
Colored Children 12
Miners / Prospectors 12 (and six pack mules)
Photographers 18 men and women (three cameras and then subjects, observers)
Film Crews 12 men and women (old fashioned early film cameras - just for fun)
Train Crews 60 (conductor, engineer, fireman, two brakemen, and express car man so ten crews but, clearly, excessive - only have nine steam locomotives after all)
Saloons and Baudy Houses 24 + 2 men (may pull figures from above lists to add some here to get to two more groups of six)
Saloons and Baudy Houses 18 drunks {rereading and it occurs to me I can use two sets of drunks to 'balance out' the saloon men and just drop two figures, less to paint!}
Saloons and Baudy Houses 48 +1 women (dancing girls, soiled doves, French bauds, etc., plus one gal ready to 'fly the eagle')
If I added that up right, that comes up to 783 (781 by dropping two as above) figures (+ mules?) which is obviously more than is needed. But, there is that plan...
Not yet gone through in complete detail are the dead figures but I was pleasantly surprised at how many unique sculpts there are. But I have multiples of most - those without multiples are converted ACW from Old Glory 15 mm ACW casualty pack. And enough dead figures to be a multiple several times what 'saner' Old West gamers have in their collections. It's okay, my 'insanity' here is quite benign.
The mounted civilians are still awaiting a rework to winnow down. Well, those not already done. And more mounted/dismounted/dead sets are likely next up for getting painted, the two more Characters and then the US Cavalry and some native warriors to oppose them.
One last thing, as I individually base the foot figures - on 3/4" steel discs - I hope to somehow mark each group with a distinctive mark, a colored stone, same colored grass tufts, etc. Might be a few on larger bases, like the card players and the paino players in the saloon groupings.
More winnowing later today I hope.
