Firstly I haven't tabletop figure gamed for years, but I am an historical gamer first and an any war gamer second. My journey into tabletop in 2023 started with the purchase of a 3D printer, and some STLs for 15mm World War One Middle East Theatre Australian Light Horse, and some Turkish and Arab opponents.
I wanted to WWI but the western front always seemed boggy and wet and slow, I'm Australian and I have a connection to the Light Horse through my Great Uncle Harry. That all came together in the plan to 3D print some figures paint them up and put them on a shelf. I did that then a friend wanted to BattleTech so I printed a bunch of Succession Wars stuff and then some early Clan Invasion Mechs. The Invasion stuff is primed but not painted. These things happen.
Then a friend asked if I wanted in on the ground floor of Warhammer: The Old World, and in spite of some reticence I went all in, and bought the books, preordering them for initial release day. I then started 3D printing a Dawrfen Mountain Homes army, and then a Tomb Kings army to keep them company.
I find that New Recruit is the Warhammer army list builder that suits me. My army plan was: See 3D model set I liked buy set, print out as many as I felt like, then put them in the paint list. I ended up with 2700 points of Dwarfs and 4300 points of Tomb Kngs (before items). Which seems like enough for an Historical gamer to have as Warhammer stock.
I decided to buy all the books but to print my own figures since I really dislike the only GW minis mind set and there are so many great mini designers on the web.
I was in a paint and chat discord with one of my best mates, and his sons and Sharp Practice came up. It was just after this that it struck me that I could print Napoleonic figures as well.
About a week later I had a PDF copy of Sharp Practice with a paperback copy and set of cards on the way, while also beginning the stockpile of British Line, Light and Grenadier companies and leaders for that game.
So the Napoleonic and historical bug had been woken and I started.
Soon after I realised I needed opponents for the 69th Regiment of Foot.
So I scanned round and found some French STLs, and the 69th Regiment de Ligne was emerging from the resin tub.
Then Atalantes, my back of mind, forever thought about, but impossible, continent of conflict started to shake into reality. I can get easy to use cartography software WonderDraft seemed good, you do you.3D printing could easily create the figures, and AI could help write ‘history’ and pull it all together, along with me cleaning things up.
When the Campaign bug burrowed out and started gnawing in my brain and I had WonderDraft, access to an easy to use Cartography tool and a few weeks of trial and error, I found a map I could use, contacted the designer and got their blessing to use it and I suddenly had a map of Atalantes that I could use for any time period and populate however I wanted.
All I needed to do was to leave room on the map for factions to lodge in and let the mists of time, the error of record keepers and the knowledge that many things that happened never got written down properly.
Back to 3D printing
This is where I got my STLs from for “Napoleonic” figures:
- French - Piano Wargames - These are brilliant figures, so detailed and lovely to paint. Line, Light, Grenadier and Artillery.
- French - MyMiniFactory - I bought Marin de la Garde from my favourite STL file warehouse.
- Marins de la Garde
- 7 Years war/AWI Bourbon Line, Light, Cuirassier, Dragoons and Foot Chasseurs to be Bourbon troops on Atalantes.
- Roman WWII MyMiniFactory files to try to modify to be Napoleonesque troops.
- British - Napoleonic STL Files - I bought the Centre and Flank Companies, Foot Artillery and 95th Rifles and they are painting up great.
The links are for reference I am not shilling for anyone. I’ll write my honest opinions and you buy whatever you want.
Project Atalantes
- Ever wanted to see Bourbon French fighting against Imperial French in 1807. Welcome to Atalantes.
- Ever thought what if the Legio IX Hispana didn't get eaten in mist of Caledonia or move to Germania but instead sailed to Atalantes to protect a new Roman Colony or three, a military one and some civilian ones. Planting the seed of a Atlantean Roman nation to exist throughout the rest of time. Welcome to Atalantes.
- Wondered where those odd battles of Russians vs English in 1811 happened, not just on the tabletop of someone who happened to have access to these two armies and someone to play against, but on the plains of Atalantes where things happen outside of the battlefield and consequence of Europe and its conventions, alliances and politics.
Beyond the location for fictional battles I wanted some constraints that could ensure the geopolitics of earth and its Nations did not make Atalantes an impossibility. So rules, constraints and limits seemed in order. I'll start with a few and they can grew into whatever they need to be to keep things working.
The first Campaign I want to run is Napoleonic in nature, Sharp Practice on land and Black Seas on the ocean.
To get there though I need to start back at the year 180BC and work forward to 1789.
Not because I am a completionist and I don’t need detail to such a degree that I am rivalling Tolstoy or Tolkien, but I need to populate the land, work out where different peoples started then draw some borders.
Move forward to the next set of arrivals in AD800, then go through the demographics again at a broad level, then again at in the 1630s, and finally into the 1750s when I can start to get into how the wars in Europe and North America spill over into Atalantes.
In the next post I’ll use the space here to talk about my methods and will also link some files.
I have some doubts anyone will ever read this, but even as a diary it is an exercise to force me to put together my thoughts and to commit to keeping things moving.
I’ll also get put the Canon and take some decent photos of the painted so far figures, the primed, the building and the processes if I can find the time.
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