I was scrolling through some old pictures that I took in 2022 when I had a large SYW setup on my game table. It featured two small villages with houses made by Ian Weekley. I commissioned these buildings with Ian back in 1986-87 years and I think that they still hold up well today compared to laser cut and resin buildings. I also think that they have a sort of ramshackle appearance that is both charming and more realistic for a small German town in the 1700s.
By the way, does anyone even have an interest in the Seven Years War era anymore? I’m not seeing it in my convention games, which were totally skunked for lack of players signing up. Figure sales for SYW figures are significantly lower, but are offset somewhat by a rise in AWI figure sales. This might be a function of people still trying to paint all of the figures that they bought during the COVID lockdowns around the world. Figure manufacturers of all stripes had a once in a lifetime bump up in sales during that period.
Finally, blog viewership is also lower. I’ve had some recent posts that failed to garner even 100 views which is shockingly off from peak viewership. ACW and 19th Century Colonials are significantly higher than SYW articles. I am a bit baffled, but I shall keep doing my own thing and sharing my activities on my blog.
I still have a post about my recent Napoleonic game in the works and I will drop it on the blog this week (hopefully). I’m thinking that a 28mm Napoleonic Peninsula War game might be my convention game for the 2025 season. I can do this type of game on one table rather than the three tables that I’ve needed for my 54mm games. Hmm, 54mm Napoleonics. Now there’s an interesting idea, although I also have 54mm Hannibal lurking in the background.
Cool.
ReplyDeleteWillz.
There is indeed something about handmade buildings that really lends itself to models of this type... all the little errors add up to a more authentic look than a "perfect" laser cut or print would have.
ReplyDeleteAs for SYW, in my mind it has always been less popular than Napoleonics and AWI, but you should have the data to say for sure!
With the 250th anniversary of the AWI starting next year I would imagine that there will be a surge in interest across all aspects of the hobby. I will probably create some discount army packs or battle packs for AWI figures.
DeleteOn my goodness, I started my AWI armies with the 200th anniversary "surge" !
DeleteGorgeous buildings. SYW will have its renaissance when Ridley Scott makes his new movie Frederick, staring Russel Crowe.
ReplyDeleteFrom Colin A by the way….
DeleteHe will,probably have Croat paratroopers landing out of the sky to capture San Souci
DeleteI'm happy to read whatever you blog and await the Napoleonics with interest.
ReplyDeleteI have not painted anything for the 18th century since I collected Minifigs and went back to Napoleonics due to the interests of friends. Now I paint troops pre Marlborough or post Napoleon and get my 18th century fix by seeing what others are doing.
As for purchases I add small numbers throughout the year and try not to build a lead hill. I am trying to complete some units before a kickstarter arrives in the Autumn that will take me back to the Dark Ages.
Stephen
Appreciate sharing your observations on figure sales. SYW never was popular. I have full Prussian and Austrian armies but rarely use them. May end up selling them...but they are pretty. I am in a gaming group with new players that play ancients and Napoleonic with the old guys, but they seem to light up to skirmish games, particularly WW2.
ReplyDeleteI believe that WW2 is far and away the most popular Wargame period. It is well supported by lots of rules (Two Fat Lardies in particular and Bolt Action) and a wide variety of figures in almost every size.
DeleteIf we're talking the 2024 SYWA convention, I'd be one of the guilty parties, and I'm sorry. Got there but didn't play. (I will note that none of the games were rules I was familiar with, or said "simple rules/rules will be taught.") You probably suffer on number of hits for a blog post since Ross Mac stopped posting links. My habit was to keep him on my task bar and use his links, and I doubt I was unique. Have confidence. Things cycle around.
ReplyDeleteI get most of my traffic from the Elector Versus Emperor blog.
DeleteI picked up Charles Grant's 'The War Game' back in the 70's and just loved the tricorns, and grenadier mitre caps, in addition to the tone of the book. At about the same time I saw Barry Lyndon which also was inspirational (loved the music and costumes). I started to collect Crann Tara and Minden miniatures in 2021 (a mere 45 years later) because they have the elegance of the era. I have a pile of 15 mm Napoleonics, WWII, Ancients, but always was drawn to the Tricorn era, but unfortunately my wargaming opponents did not seem to be so inclined. I am not sure why more people are drawn to the Napoleonic era, other than it is a simpler dynamic with the classic narrative theme of a great man whose hubris leads to a clash of titans and his dramatic downfall. The War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War on the other hand is far more complex and more like the twists and turns of a soap opera, with Frederick finally squeeking out a victory. To my way of thinking this makes for a great back drop for a wargames campaign, with more fluid alliances. As to your question is anyone still interested in the Seven Years War, yes, but it is difficult to get that critical mass together to get things going with others, as opposed to WWII and Napoleonics. I think the period has a lot to offer including the fact that the Royal Navy was not as dominant in the mid-18th century which from a campaign perspective opens up more possibilities. Unfortunately for 18th Century gamers the period is not different enough to encourage many who have Napoleonic armies to collect SYW armies.
ReplyDelete