And the resolutions begin to unravel...

Well, that was quick. It's only January 5th and I'm already contemplating the abandonment of my New Year's resolutions. This may be a record.

I said in my New Year's post that "I really, really would like 2018 to be a year of buying no new minis." I meant it. And then Michael Leck had to post the news on his excellent Dalauppror blog that he and Dan Mersey are conspiring again to release a new "Rampant" style game for early 2019 to be called Rebels and Patriots.

So, there goes that resolution.

Not that it's distressing me. I can rationalize a lot. For example, "this was an unforeseen development, yadda yadda." So that's my line and I'm sticking to it. I won't be sidetracked again—unless a shinier thing comes along.

The period covers the French 'n' Indian War through the War of Crushing the Slaveholding Secessionists. There's a lot of American history in that time span. I've started (and aborted) several projects for this period. I have a pile of unpainted Dixon ACW minis that I bought nearly 20 years ago. Kevin Smyth and I have discussed doing ACW using a variant of Dan Mersey's The Men Who Would Be Kings. These rules open another possibility.

Our country forever, hurrah, boys, hurrah!

Kevin has already done, and is expanding, projects using a variant of TMWWBK (America Rampant) for Spanish on the American frontier ca. 1800.

I've also had a long hankerin' to game the Texas War of Independence. Old Glory produces a range for this conflict and I already have some of those minis.

You can all go to hell. I am going to Texas.

Old Glory also produces figures for the Mexican War, but as a skirmish game, I think the Texas War of Independence is more interesting.

But, I think my first effort will be the AWI. I've tried my hand at this period a few times now. Once, way, way back, I got started when Front Rank released their 28mm range. I also painted some Old Glory AWI minis. More recently, but not too recent, I had some Perry Miniatures. I love the Perry range. It started small, but is now probably the most extensive 28mm AWI range. The figures are beautiful.

The Southern campaigns in the AWI appeals to me more that the fighting in the North—although Trenton and Princeton are quite interesting battles. I'd likely buy and paint minis for that theatre. They're cool and the uniforms are simpler. I had some earlier, but gave them to Kevin, who has a massive collection of AWI.

Advance from tree to tree, pressing the enemy and killing and disabling all you can.

One other subject that's just a bit outside the stipulated period is the Plains Indian Wars. I've had a pile of Wargame Foundry US cavalry sitting around (unpainted) for years. I've always wanted to do some gaming for the Plains Wars and Rebels and Patriots may be just the set. Although I imagine it could be done using TMWWBK as well, which has the advantage of already being published.

Let's go kill them with their boots on!

I could refrain from buying in 2018. After all, the rules come out in early 2019, which probably means February or March. I could wait until a year from now and get the figures I want right at the first of the year. But that means not actually having painted armies in hand the day the rules are released. And where's the fun in that?

But I at least won't buy any new minis for this project until after Enfilade! in May. Probably.